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Audubon Alive


dan326

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I figured this deserved a thread with a more specific name. :D

City to reveal details of downtown Audubon project

At a news conference this afternoon, city-parish officials will unveil the second component of a $989 million proposed bond proposition--a major one-of-a-kind tourism attraction in the form of a 220,000-square-foot nature center on the riverfront.

According to the proposal, the Audubon Nature Institute will run Audubon Alive, which will cost $305 million to build. It is contingent upon East Baton Rouge Parish voters agreeing to a 9.9-mil property tax and a

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Yes this definetly deserved it's own thread; Still no replies??? I guess it had posted enough on the other Aububon thread?? :dontknow: This project is supposed to put BR on the map like the Opera House did for Sydney Austrailia?? It's a shame that many seem to think that BR can never be a tourist city?? I sure hope that EBR votes YES for this!

I remember all the anticipation of this announcement. Then being forgotten about or put on the back-burner as the time passed. We could only hope what the Aububon Institute's study would find out??? Then Kip made the BIG announcement that exceeded everybody's expectations!!!

They will have to move in some serious dirt at that site; it's alot lower than I thought.

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Dan, you remind me a lot of myself at your age. You don't by chance have Asperger's Syndrome, do you? Or perhaps you know nothing about it. Or perhaps you do and don't want to say anything about it. But your interests are very specialized and do not reflect your age, therefore I have to wonder. If so, keep in mind that AS is not debilitating. It is on the Autism spectrum, but it's on the entirely opposite end of the spectrum from what most people think of when they hear the word "autism." And it's possible that you have it and don't yet know it, friend. I am 28 years old and only recently learned that I have it. It explains so much of my awkward childhood, including being interested in architecture and development when all of my friends would rather be sitting around, smoking pot and doing nothing with their lives.

If you know nothing about AS, do a little research on the subject. If it doesn't sound at all like you, it's all good. But it would be good to learn about it whether you have it or not. Heck, if you ask me a question about it I'm sure I can give you the answer. Short of being a mental health professional, I'm an expert on the subject now. I've spent the past couple months of my life doing almost nothing but researching AS. Even at work, I find myself researching As rather than doing my job. I'm as obsessed with AS as I once was with architecture and development, and most recently, photography (which I do very little to none of anymore).

Take care, dude... and AS or not, I think you're a remarkable young man and there's something really special about you.

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Thanks for the compliments. Sounds interesting, I'll look in to it. :D

Dan, you remind me a lot of myself at your age. You don't by chance have Asperger's Syndrome, do you? Or perhaps you know nothing about it. Or perhaps you do and don't want to say anything about it. But your interests are very specialized and do not reflect your age, therefore I have to wonder. If so, keep in mind that AS is not debilitating. It is on the Autism spectrum, but it's on the entirely opposite end of the spectrum from what most people think of when they hear the word "autism." And it's possible that you have it and don't yet know it, friend. I am 28 years old and only recently learned that I have it. It explains so much of my awkward childhood, including being interested in architecture and development when all of my friends would rather be sitting around, smoking pot and doing nothing with their lives.

If you know nothing about AS, do a little research on the subject. If it doesn't sound at all like you, it's all good. But it would be good to learn about it whether you have it or not. Heck, if you ask me a question about it I'm sure I can give you the answer. Short of being a mental health professional, I'm an expert on the subject now. I've spent the past couple months of my life doing almost nothing but researching AS. Even at work, I find myself researching As rather than doing my job. I'm as obsessed with AS as I once was with architecture and development, and most recently, photography (which I do very little to none of anymore).

Take care, dude... and AS or not, I think you're a remarkable young man and there's something really special about you.

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Dan, I have said many times what a tremendous asset you are here in the BR Forums; you make it a better place for sure ;) I also happen to think we make a good team here!

Wow!! Who know's... in 15 years BR could have one elongated SKYLINE from RiverPark's mixed-use development to the north(left).....all the way down to the USS Kidd with the River Center convention hotel!!! I hope Holden's proposal passes next month?? I'm not too sure if it will?? I would like it if the new hotel took the title as "City's New Tallest Hotel" ahead of the Marriott 4-5 miles away!

Great detail on RiverPlace Dan! Talk about be a striking landmark to the skyline! If it does ever get built?? I see it being only slightly taller than One American Place; but BR could really use a new 2nd Tallest high-rise!

Do you have a close up drawing of the Aubudon Alive structure? It's kinda hard to see :shades: Should be at a nice location across from the new Capitol Visitor Center(w/ new skywalk bridge) and new ampitheatre!!

A Red Stick observation-tower may look really good somewhere on the ALIVE property!!! An added bonus to the attraction...make the deck-level somwhere between 300-330'ft high!

Brian, Always good to see to see you come visit the BR Forums :thumbsup:

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  • 3 weeks later...

The more I read about it, the more I want it.

It sounds like it's going to draw a lot of visitors to Baton Rouge, including myself. Too bad it takes 2-3 years to build....if the tax proposal is passed.

It could also be Baton Rouge's version of the Space Needle, Sydney Opera House, and St. Louis Arch. Judging from the pictures, I don't think its' going to be that famous, but it could be a huge regional icon.

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The massive amounts of dirt needed for the low-ying site will be what makes this so time consuming. Rock Jetty's along the river, etcc..

This is a "Win-Win" issue IMO with all the other improvement that has been neglected; police hq's relocation; sewer; +more River Center expansion/hotel(s); ligt synchornization,etc...

Is Baton Rouge ready to take it to the next level?? Something big, nice & new besides silly gambling boats.

Here's a big read in this mornings paper...

Baton Rouge tax proposal centers on Audubon Alive project

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/33322214.html

And another...

Study says plan could repay bonds

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/33322284.html

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  • 3 weeks later...

Another year to wait?? Great to see them trying again! No doubt ALIVE would be a major economic driver for the propsal and the Capital Region. The bond$ could be paid in nearly half the time. Could this also propel futher development?? Nearby RiverPlace, RiverPark could greatly benefit and provide a nice synergy; and something finally get done at the old Advocate site too??

Alive! isn't dead yet

Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden plans to come back next fall with another version of his defeated $989 million bond issue, but it probably won

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He has to think about the fact that he's the mayor-president of the whole parish....and the fact is that Baton Rouge now includes Zachary, Baker, Central, and probably soon to be at least two other incorporated cities. Like we said earlier....Baton Rouge has a population of 412,000 people..not 225,000 people. It just happens to be divided up into different districts with different police forces and different school districts. That's a good thing!

He's not the mayor of Baton Rouge. The system is set up so that he's the mayor of East Baton Rouge and the council represents East Baton Rouge.

Its actually a great system, because I think it offers something for everyone. The problem is that when a tax is passed parish wide, the issues have to appease voters in Zachary, Baker, and Central (all of which are essentially Baton Rouge). If they are paying higher taxes for the parish, it makes it difficult to pass higher taxes for things that they care about..like schools, police protection, etc.

They need to add additional projects for Zachary and Central so those people can see their tax dollars at work. Otherwise, cut out the ALIVE project and lower the tax rate.

Some have accused the city-parish for attempting to hurt the chances of a Central school district doing well, but I disagree completely. This would have been good parish wide, but the major growth centers of the area...Zachary and Central....wouldn't see as much of their tax dollars at work.

I think that the proposal would have done a lot for Baton Rouge...but give 10 years or so when the other cities will desperately need an infusion of tax dollars, they won't have the backing to pass any kind of future taxes.

It seems like the whole point of separating from Baton Rouge was to have their own school districts and to have that quality of life that they wanted. Oddly enough, Baton Rouge seems bent on improving itself recently. Go figure.

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  • 8 months later...
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I'm torn on who to include with this new proposed(bond) tax...Mayor Holden took alot of heat for the Taxing District...but now changes his mind to include Central(approx pop. 27,000), etc...the Tax only lost by 3,000 votes...

Hope I'm WRONG...But because of this inclusion...I have a hard time seeing Aububon Alive ever happening! The Mayor of Central says he will oppose it...

BTW most Central residents could care less about downtown development...their idea of an urban core is a giant sea surface parking lot with a big Super Wal-Mart & Dollar General and Beauty-n-Nail salon flanking it!

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BTW most Central residents could care less about downtown development...their idea of an urban core is a giant sea surface parking lot with a big Super Wal-Mart & Dollar General and Beauty-n-Nail salon flanking it!
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I can understand both sides...it's just frustrating! EBR really should not be so divided...but I thought Mayor Holden was simply giving them what they wanted?? I do realize the poor public school options have been a main reason for this. Might a public/private partnership work better for the $270million Alive??

Someone from BusinessReport said it best on this topic...Posted by BatonRougeMyHome

"I would ask...why is it that, "the Mayor and Mr. Monsour have elected to divide rather than unite"? Is it not the excluded cities (through incorporation) that were the ones who asked to ultimately be divided? These cities wanted control of their own destinies, correct? As a citizen of Baton Rouge, I do not have a voice in how they run their local governments. So why is it that it's okay for them to decide on things for themselves without my input, but when they don't like or agree with something for Baton Rouge, that they should then be able to give input?

The article & thread from BusinessReport's JR Ball

http://www.businessreport.com/news/2009/au...ame/?columnists

From looking at the rendering(Post#5) & Dan's drawing(Post#12)...Alive should have a iconic design and have a significant impact along the riverfront; thus contributing to the urban-core/skyline..JMO

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