Mid City

[greg225]

Future Fitness moving to Connellys’ new Studio Park development   

Personal trainer Chris Gendusa will be moving his Future Fitness Wellness Center from Mid City to the new Studio Park development at the intersection of Lobdell Avenue and Jefferson Highway.

Gendusa’s business will join Ann Connelly Gallery, Anne James Hair Salon, Sherwin-Williams Paint Store, a farm-to-table restaurant and two lease spaces on the 2.8-acre tract infill property being developed by Paul and Ann Connelly.

“I think it’s going to be great,” says Gendusa, who hopes to double his base of between 500 and 600 clients with the move.

Seeking to expand his business, Gendusa began looking about two years ago for a space on which to build. He has been his current location of 674 Caddo St. since 1994, four years after he began working as a personal trainer.

He scoured several open spaces along Jefferson Highway, near Mid City, because he did not want to stray too far from his current location. Someone who knew of his desire to relocate told Gendusa about the Connelly’s development. Gendusa fell in love with the site and bought one of the land parcels.

“It was a lot nicer piece of property and development than buying some piece of property on Jefferson,” Gendusa says. He adds the Connellys desire to keep some large live oaks on the development and the proposed farm-to-table restaurant were factors in his decision.

The new building will be 6,300 square feet, which is more than 50% larger than his current location in the old Caddo Street house, and will feature many of the same floorplan designs.

The new location will be built in phase one of the Studio Park development along with the new Ann Connelly Gallery. Paul Connelly has said they are hoping to break ground in 45-60 days and open in the first quarter of 2016. Gendusa hopes to follow a similar timeline.       https://www.businessreport.com/article/future-fitness-moving-connellys-new-studio-park-development

[Mr. Burnham]

"Tullier says the school will use the back portion of the land, but the remaining portion which fronts to Government Street will be developed according to their master plan."

Keep in mind that the master plan is the schools masterplan. I'm not saying eventually the field will not be redeveloped, but that it certainly will not be a part of phase one. Expect the change to be more gradual. 

[greg225]

Proposed mental health facility could be in the same building as Baton Rouge Detox Center, BRAF official says              

A 24-hour mental health facility could end up on South Foster Drive, sharing space with the Baton Rouge Detox Center across from Baton Rouge Community College.

 

Baton Rouge Area Foundation Project Manager Patricia Calfee revealed the proposed location Monday. The concept of a new parish mental health services facility has been discussed for more than a year; however, this is the first time a potential location has been identified.

A tax proposal, which failed in January, asked voters to spend $16.6 million for new construction with no specified location.

Later, the closure of the Baton Rouge General Medical Center-Mid City emergency room fueled rumors that the vacancy on Florida Boulevard could be used for the proposed mental health site.

“This just seems ideal,” Calfee said of the Detox Center location. “They’re a willing and able partner and they only occupy a certain amount of space in the building.”

The 37,000-square-foot building is the second location of the Detox Center, which opened in January. The facility serves people with alcohol and drug addictions.

Lisa Bailey, detox center director, said her agency is only using about a third of the South Foster building. She said she’s interested in partnering but there are “no definitive plans at this point.”

Bailey said it would be a good fit, because many of their patients are also mentally ill and because the proposed plans for a mental health center would have sobering units and medical detox services, which the detox center already provides.

BRAF also announced Monday that it had hired an Atlanta-based consultant, HMA, to write a business plan for the behavioral crisis center, which will outline recommended services, governances and how the center will be funded.

Calfee said she hopes this is the last step in the planning process before they can implement recommendations and turn the facility into a reality.

BRAF has been championing a proposal to build what it has dubbed the Recovery and Empowerment Center to address budget cuts in mental health services that divert nonviolent mentally ill people to prisons rather than hospitals for treatment.

Late last year, BRAF worked with law enforcement leaders and Mayor-President Kip Holden to tuck the proposal into a larger $335 million public safety tax proposal that also would have built a new jail. The center, which was previously referred to as the Restoration Center, was estimated to cost $16.6 million. The tax proposal included both construction and operating costs for the 24-hour facility that would have provided assessment, evaluation, intervention, outpatient recovery and counseling.

The Metro Council rejected the tax plan — preventing voters from ever weighing in. Some council members cited concerns the plan was rushed and not thoroughly vetted.

Subsequently, BRAF assembled a committee of mental health professionals to develop an outline of services and hired a consultant to examine the community benefits.

Ray Perryman, a Texas-based economist, estimated taxpayers would save $3 million the first year of implementation because of savings primarily to law enforcement and the criminal justice system. He estimated savings of almost $55 million over a decade.

BRAF is paying HMA $150,000 for the business plan, which is expected to be complete in December.

The work is being funded from “David’s Fund,” a BRAF account established by Bill O’Quin in honor of his son David, a schizophrenic who was arrested in 2013 and died in prison.   http://theadvocate.com/news/13262569-123/proposed-mental-health-facility-could

[greg225]

Proposals for redevelopment of Westmoreland center in Mid City include mix of residential, retail       

Five groups of developers have submitted proposals to Catholic High School to redevelop the Westmoreland Village Shopping Center on Government Street in Mid City, which the school acquired in late 2010.

Gene Tullier, president of Catholic High, says he is very happy with the proposals the school has received because each includes a unique idea none of the other proposals has, and they all featured a mixed-use component with residential and retail ideas.

The proposals do not go into great detail about each group’s plans for the shopping center, and Tullier says that’s by design. All the school initially asked from each group was a broad concept and vision for the property.

A request for qualifications went out on July 21, asking for a developer or group of developers to help school officials decide how to improve upon half of the 9.2-acre tract that Hearthstone Properties, the tax-exempt corporation supporting the school, bought for $4.85 million just before Christmas 2010. Those proposals were due Monday.

The part of the property under consideration for redevelopment includes roughly four acres north of Cole Drive. The tract south of Cole will be kept for the school’s future needs.

While Tullier would not divulge the names of the groups who submitted proposals, he says each group has at least one team member from Baton Rouge and most of the teams have experience and connections outside the Capital City.

There is no firm timeline yet for redevelopment of the center, which is situated along a stretch of Government Street that is identified in the FuturEBR master plan as a key area for redevelopment.

Tullier says he hopes to meet with the school’s board of directors and other individuals who are part of the project in the next week or two to establish some direction for the process, as well as whittle down the list to about three groups the school administrators feel has the most viable proposals. After those conversations take place, the school will choose at least one group to continue to phase two of the RFQ, which calls for a very detailed plan for the center.

According to the RFQ, the redevelopment plans were to include a multipurpose design, possibly with residential, office and retail spaces; a food amenity, such as a café, catering service or restaurant; improved aesthetics through design, structures, courtyard and landscaping; and a “youthful appeal” that will make it attractive for students from CHS and other nearby schools.

The school has said it will not consider a big-box retail store, a business whose primary revenue comes from alcohol or tobacco, or a fast food restaurant with a drive-thru service as its only or primary way to order.      https://www.businessreport.com/article/proposals-redevelopment-westmoreland-center-mid-city-include-mix-residential-retail

 

[greg225]

Westmoreland proposals submitted                         5 groups interested in redeveloping site                  

Five groups have submitted proposals to redevelop Westmoreland Shopping Center, and officials with the Catholic High School-affiliated nonprofit that owns the Mid City property will spend the next few weeks reviewing the plans.

 

The goal is to select one or more of the groups to move on to a second phase, where they submit more detailed proposals for the 9.2-acre site, said Gene Tullier, president of Catholic High.

“We’re still at a high-level overview,” Tullier said. “We have not narrowed it to potential tenants or specific type businesses.”

Tullier said he was “very happy” with the five groups that responded to the request for proposals to redevelop Westmoreland. While he didn’t give specific details, he said all of the groups showing interest in the property have a local partner. Three or four of the groups had members of the team or partners from outside Baton Rouge.

“The people who responded to this have experience and interests outside of Baton Rouge, which speaks to the vitality of this property,” he said.

All of the proposals call for a mix of residential and retail space on the Westmoreland property, although the proportions, scope and approach all varied.

“A residential component can be a huge plus,” Tullier said. “That would give some vitality to the location 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Mid City provides easy access to LSU, downtown and Baton Rouge Community College, making it a desirable location for people who are tired of commuting.

Tullier said putting in a coffee shop is something that has been discussed. That would be an amenity for the surrounding neighborhoods as well as the students and faculty at Catholic High, Baton Rouge Magnet High and St. Joseph’s Academy, all located near Westmoreland.

A subsidiary of Hearthstone Properties Corp., a tax-exempt corporation whose mission is “to provide support and income” for Catholic High, bought the shopping center near Government Street and Acadian Thruway for $4.85 million in 2010.

For the past few years, the school has used the center as a parking lot and as space for some athletic practices. Last year, Coleman Partners Architects completed a master plan for the entire Catholic High campus, including Westmoreland, clearing the way to start discussing redeveloping the space.

Tullier said what’s going on at Westmoreland is a natural outflow of the activity that has happened downtown, as well as some of the other things going on along Government Street, like the renovations and expansion at Baton Rouge Magnet High, the development of the model block between Ogden and Bedford drives and the efforts to redevelop the Entergy site at 1509 Government St.

“Westmoreland is a real asset and it’s in the mutual best interest for Catholic High and the community to have the best possible redevelopment we can,” he said.                     http://theadvocate.com/news/southside/13385461-123/westmoreland-proposals-submitted                                

[greg225]

Planning board to vote on proposed Government Street beer garden tonight            

A proposal to rezone land on Government Street to make way for a new beer garden will voted on tonight by the Baton Rouge Planning Commission.

The proposed bar is being pitched by the owners of the popular Radio Bar, also located on Government Street, which has been a welcomed addition to the neighborhood by residents of Ogden Park and Mid-City.

The land, at the corner of Government Street and Steele Boulevard, is currently vacant. It’s zoned light commercial today, and will need to be rezoned to “Commercial Alcoholic Beverage two” in order to be consistent with the uses of a bar, under city-parish zoning laws. The meeting tonight starts at 5 p.m. and is in City Hall.

The proposed bar has received mostly positive feedback from residents in the surrounding areas — except for those who live on Steele Boulevard. Some of those residents who will be direct neighbors to the bar have expressed concern about cars parked down their street, noise and safety concerns.

Bar owners have said they will be mindful of noise concerns, and are planning a variety of barriers and buffers, including natural vegetation, a wood fence and masonry wall.

The Baton Rouge Metro Council will have final approval on the rezoning of the property next month.   http://blogs.theadvocate.com/cityhallbuzz/2015/09/21/beergarden/

Edited September 21, 2015 by greg225

[greg225]

Despite some initial fears, proposed Government Street beer garden gets support of community and the Planning Commission — rezoning now heads to Metro Council       

It’s almost a guarantee that if a bar is planning to open too close to a residential neighborhood in East Baton Rouge Parish, the chambers of City Hall will be filled with opponents rallying against it.

 

But that’s just not the case on Government Street.

On Monday evening, residents and homeowners from Mid City — skewing a little younger than the average group of residents attending a municipal meeting — filled the council chambers and implored the Planning Commission to allow a proposed beer garden to open at the corner of Government and Steele Boulevard.

The proposed beer garden, which does not yet have a name, received approval for the necessary rezoning to allow a bar to operate. The East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council will have the final vote next month.

The owners of the bar, who also run Radio Bar less than a mile down the street, came armed with a petition of 183 signatures indicating support for the project. They had letters of encouragement from the boards of neighboring civic associations in Capital Heights and Ogden Park. There were dozens of people in the audience who said they supported the concept.

No one spoke at the meeting to object to the bar.

Co-owners Dave Remmetter and Brian Baiamonte said they had established their record as good and valuable neighbors with Radio Bar, which they opened a few years ago, nestled in Ogden Park.

Since Radio Bar moved in, the average home price increased from $100 per square foot to almost $150 per square foot, and the average number of days a house sat on the market dropped from 120 to 40 days, Baiamonte said.

“I guess that indicates that’s a fairly desirable area,” he said. “I’m not saying we take credit for all of it, but I don’t think we hurt it at all.”

Residents who were attending the meeting and writing to the commissions said this project was emblematic of the kind of revitalization they want on Government Street — an area that is in the midst of many planned projects aimed at making it a thoroughfare more like New Orleans’ Magazine Street.

“Radio Bar is our neighbor,” wrote Lauren Lambert-Tompkins, Ogden Park Civic Association president. “They care about the revitalization of Mid City and they care about the people who live here. And, I really, really want to see this beautiful beer garden in Mid City.”

David Mooney, another Mid City resident, said the area supports businesses that improve walkability and community.

“This is another location to bind the neighborhood together,” he said. “I support it wholeheartedly.”

Ahead of the meeting, a few residents who live directly adjacent to the bar had expressed opposition to the project, fearing parking in front of their homes, increased traffic on their narrow, one-way streets and loud noise late into the night.

Corey Smith, who with his wife and young child lives across the street from the proposed bar, put his house on the market after hearing the news.

But he said that in recent weeks after meeting with the bar owners, he’s putting his trust in the beloved business owners who have promised to be good neighbors.

“We’re supporting them,” he said Monday night. “We have concerns, but we’re hoping they’ll work with us as they move along in the process. It’s one of those ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ scenarios.”

Only Planning Commission chairwoman Tara Wicker voted against the rezoning. She said, on principle, she could not support having a bar that close to a neighborhood because many of the low-income areas she represents suffer from the “oversaturation” of alcohol establishments. Wicker is also a member of the Metro Council, so she is likely to vote against the measure next month.

The property is a 1.2-acre lot and the bar is expected to be about 1,200 to 1,400 square feet. The bar owners say they will abide by parking laws but expect many of their customers to be visiting them on foot or bike, so that could cut down on traffic concerns.

They said they will address noise concerns by creating a variety of barriers in the form of natural vegetation, a wooden fence and a masonry wall.

If approved by the Metro Council, they said they hope to break ground in a couple months with construction lasting six to eight more months.            http://theadvocate.com/news/13508814-87/despite-some-initial-fears-proposed                     

[greg225]

Square 46 developers delaying construction until Government Street ‘road diet’ plan is finalized                

Developers and architects for the long-awaited Square 46 mixed-use development in Mid City are waiting on the city-parish to finalize plans for the Government Street redesign before beginning construction.

Architect Joshua Hoffpauir with Hoffpauir Studio is finalizing drawings for his 25,000-square-foot development. But Hoffpauir says he’s holding off on construction until he sees the plans for the so-called road diet project—whereby officials are considering reducing the roadway from four to three lanes and add sidewalks and bike lanes—and gets “clear and decisive answers” about how Government Street will be revamped.

“We want to make sure we do everything on our street frontage so that it works with their plan,” Hoffpauir says, adding they will immediately start work on the development once the city-parish sets a timeline for the street redesign.

Mayor Kip Holden announced the Government Street project with much fanfare in March 2014. The redesign is part of FuturEBR, the city-parish’s master plan, and will see the street redesigned from Interstate 110 to Lobdell Avenue. Early plans call for the roadway to be reduced to three lanes, including a dedicated turn lane. Construction was set to begin late 2014 or early this year and be completed by the end of 2015, but delays have plagued the project.

Maria Reid, environmental impact manager with the state Department of Transportation and Development, says receiving environmental approval from the Federal Highway Administration took longer than anticipated. DOTD also conducted numerous traffic and safety studies on the area, which lengthened the delay.

“We wanted to make sure when the road is reduced in the road diet, the traffic changes would not put (an) undue burden on the city streets in the area. We also wanted to make sure the safety aspects of the road diet would actually prove true,” says Reid. “We don’t want to do this project and give the city a road that’s not working.”

Nearly everyone interested in moving into Square 46, which has eight residential and multiple commercial and office spaces, wants to see Government Street redesigned, Hoffpauir says. A few tenants have signed on, while other interested parties are also waiting for answers.

“If I build what I want to build and they have something else in mind and tear up my front sidewalk, that doesn’t bode well for my tenants,” Hoffpauir says.

Once construction begins on Square 46, Hoffpauir estimates it will take nine to 12 months to complete. He is unsure how many spaces will be sold or leased.

DOTD will lead a public meeting on the status of the Government Street road diet plan sometime in late October, though a date, time and location have not been set. Project leaders will begin drawing up preliminary plans after the meeting.      https://www.businessreport.com/article/square-46-developers-delaying-construction-government-street-road-diet-plan-finalized

[greg225]

Fregonese Associates to write development RFP for former Entergy site in Mid City    

With hopes of having a developer for the project selected by March of next year, the East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority announced this morning that it has selected Portland, Oregon-based Fregonese Associates to write a request for proposals to transform the former Entergy site on Government Street in Mid City.

Fregonese Associates and its owner, John Fregonese, are no strangers to the Baton Rouge community. The firm handled writing a master plan for land development in the city-parish, FuturEBR, four years ago—which highlighted the former Entergy site as a potential catalyst for redevelopment in the Mid City area. It will start drafting an RFP for the Entergy site in the coming weeks and is to deliver it to the RDA by December.

“Fregonese’s RFP will generate excitement  and new life where decay once held sway,” says RDA Chairman John Noland in a prepared statement. “We can’t wait to see what emerges from this RFP.”

Entergy donated the 6.2-acre site in Mid City, which is situated along the railroad tracks between South 14th and South 15th streets, to the redevelopment agency early last year. Aside from two dilapidated red brick buildings, the site is vacant. The RDA’s vision for it includes a mixed-use development with residences, retail, restaurants and possibly even a train station for a commuter line between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Once a developer is selected next spring, the RDA says it is expected to begin the project some time later next year.

The RDA received a grant from the Baton Rouge Area Foundation to underwrite the consulting work that Fregonese Associates is providing on the Entergy site project.   https://www.businessreport.com/article/fregonese-associates-write-development-rfp-former-entergy-site-mid-city

[cajun]

Planning board to vote on proposed Government Street beer garden tonight            

A proposal to rezone land on Government Street to make way for a new beer garden will voted on tonight by the Baton Rouge Planning Commission.

The proposed bar is being pitched by the owners of the popular Radio Bar, also located on Government Street, which has been a welcomed addition to the neighborhood by residents of Ogden Park and Mid-City.

The land, at the corner of Government Street and Steele Boulevard, is currently vacant. It’s zoned light commercial today, and will need to be rezoned to “Commercial Alcoholic Beverage two” in order to be consistent with the uses of a bar, under city-parish zoning laws. The meeting tonight starts at 5 p.m. and is in City Hall.

The proposed bar has received mostly positive feedback from residents in the surrounding areas — except for those who live on Steele Boulevard. Some of those residents who will be direct neighbors to the bar have expressed concern about cars parked down their street, noise and safety concerns.

Bar owners have said they will be mindful of noise concerns, and are planning a variety of barriers and buffers, including natural vegetation, a wood fence and masonry wall.

The Baton Rouge Metro Council will have final approval on the rezoning of the property next month.   http://blogs.theadvocate.com/cityhallbuzz/2015/09/21/beergarden/

Too bad there still isn't street parking on government street.   I don't think this kind of business could work there without street parking on Government.   

Square 46 developers delaying construction until Government Street ‘road diet’ plan is finalized                

Developers and architects for the long-awaited Square 46 mixed-use development in Mid City are waiting on the city-parish to finalize plans for the Government Street redesign before beginning construction.

Architect Joshua Hoffpauir with Hoffpauir Studio is finalizing drawings for his 25,000-square-foot development. But Hoffpauir says he’s holding off on construction until he sees the plans for the so-called road diet project—whereby officials are considering reducing the roadway from four to three lanes and add sidewalks and bike lanes—and gets “clear and decisive answers” about how Government Street will be revamped.

“We want to make sure we do everything on our street frontage so that it works with their plan,” Hoffpauir says, adding they will immediately start work on the development once the city-parish sets a timeline for the street redesign.

Mayor Kip Holden announced the Government Street project with much fanfare in March 2014. The redesign is part of FuturEBR, the city-parish’s master plan, and will see the street redesigned from Interstate 110 to Lobdell Avenue. Early plans call for the roadway to be reduced to three lanes, including a dedicated turn lane. Construction was set to begin late 2014 or early this year and be completed by the end of 2015, but delays have plagued the project.

Maria Reid, environmental impact manager with the state Department of Transportation and Development, says receiving environmental approval from the Federal Highway Administration took longer than anticipated. DOTD also conducted numerous traffic and safety studies on the area, which lengthened the delay.

“We wanted to make sure when the road is reduced in the road diet, the traffic changes would not put (an) undue burden on the city streets in the area. We also wanted to make sure the safety aspects of the road diet would actually prove true,” says Reid. “We don’t want to do this project and give the city a road that’s not working.”

Nearly everyone interested in moving into Square 46, which has eight residential and multiple commercial and office spaces, wants to see Government Street redesigned, Hoffpauir says. A few tenants have signed on, while other interested parties are also waiting for answers.

“If I build what I want to build and they have something else in mind and tear up my front sidewalk, that doesn’t bode well for my tenants,” Hoffpauir says.

Once construction begins on Square 46, Hoffpauir estimates it will take nine to 12 months to complete. He is unsure how many spaces will be sold or leased.

DOTD will lead a public meeting on the status of the Government Street road diet plan sometime in late October, though a date, time and location have not been set. Project leaders will begin drawing up preliminary plans after the meeting.      https://www.businessreport.com/article/square-46-developers-delaying-construction-government-street-road-diet-plan-finalized

Bike lanes won't enable developers to build street-oriented projects.   They'll still be dependent on surface parking lots if there is no street parking, which also creates a barrier between the sidewalk and the street....and they need street parking on both sides to really make things work. 

[Mr. Burnham]

Too bad there still isn't street parking on government street.   I don't think this kind of business could work there without street parking on Government.   

Bike lanes won't enable developers to build street-oriented projects.   They'll still be dependent on surface parking lots if there is no street parking, which also creates a barrier between the sidewalk and the street....and they need street parking on both sides to really make things work. 

This. 

By creating street parking, not only is a more solid buffer created for the pedestrian and the car, but denser living becomes more feasible. 

We can still expand biking options, and I think we should, but we also need to create more street parking.

[greg225]

Baton Rouge developer to purchase Old Goodwood Plantation and redevelop as upscale neighborhood   

Designer and developer Mike Hogstrom has announced plans for an upscale, residential development on the site of the famed Goodwood Plantation, a 165-year-old historic home at 7307 Goodwood Blvd.

Hogstrom’s company, Onsite Design, has a purchase agreement to buy the property, which sits on 17 undeveloped acres in the heart of Old Goodwood, and expects to close on the deal by the end of the year.

The new development will be a called Adelia at Old Goodwood and will feature 48 lots of nearly 11,000 square feet each. Telich Custom Homes will head up a group of boutique builders, who will develop the lots following design guidelines established by Onsite Design.

The plantation home will undergo an extensive renovation and serve as the centerpiece of the private development. Hogstrom hasn’t decided yet what to do with the historic home but he envisions several possibilities, including selling it as a single-family home, converting it to a private club for Adelia residents or using it for a type of concierge service.

“The business plan for the home is entirely separate from the development,” he says. “We are going to listen to the people who are investing in the community and react to their needs and their wants but there are several different models we have looked at that are sustainable and successful.”

Lots in Adelia will be priced at $27 per square foot, and will go on sale immediately. As an incentive, Onsite is offering a discount to those who purchase early. Hogstrom declines to divulge what he is paying for the property. However, it was previously listed for $10 million.

Read more about Adelia in real estate-focused edition of Daily Report PM today.   https://www.businessreport.com/article/baton-rouge-developer-purchase-old-goodwood-plantation-redevelop-upscale-neighborhood

Edited October 6, 2015 by greg225

[dan326]

I knew it would come to this. It's good they are preserving the house but I wish it would have kept the expansive lawn too.

[Mr. Burnham]

Not a bad idea. I kind of like it. It will add some more charm, peace, and character to this part of town (or at least that half of the street.) It's also good news for those who want to make the city more walkable/bike friendly...especially for the redevelopment of Government St. 

[richyb83]

The new opulent enclave sounds nice..."Crown Jewel" are some strong words! Looks like they are keeping a narrow strip of green(lawn) commons area leading up the to the Plantation house...figured it was only a matter of time before that prime real estate was built on.... 48-lots on 17 acres is fairly dense for that size homes

Happening area with E'Tage Gardens is nearby ...

Need to go check out the other new enclaves/in-fill...  Township at Old Goodwood (that lil' area north of Towne Center is becoming dense)

& Overton Walk off Old Hammond at Cove Court...about 3/4 mile east of Towne Center; here is the *Site-plan on that (17 lots)..looks like they preserved some green space on the outer edges

 

Edited October 7, 2015 by richyb83

[greg225]

North Boulevard complex could become office park or apartments, new owner says     

A 36,000-square-foot, six-building complex at 4501 North Boulevard in Mid City could either be redeveloped into a cluster of 36 small business offices with storage spaces or a 40-unit apartment complex, the property’s new owner says.

Mark Estep, a real estate agent with Donnie Jarreau Real Estate, and business partner Greg Howell outbid others for the property in a sale that was finalized Thursday for $600,000. The six-building complex had been on the market for $550,000 and drew other interested bidders.

Currently, about 80% of the complex is leased out to various small businesses, including barber shops and attorneys.

Estep says whether he and Howell ultimately turn the property into an office park or apartment complex depends on what kind of investments they see other developers make in the Mid City. If more housing is created, the pair will follow suit and turn the complex into an apartment complex, he says.

But if no other major developments have occurred in 12 to 18 months, Estep and Howell will stick with a plan to invest about $400,000 into the property to remodel it for small office space use. The offices would measure about 600 square feet each, Estep says, along with similar sized storage areas for electricians, plumbers and the like. Once renovations are complete, Estep says they will have to raise the rent, which would create some turnover.

The timetable to begin the remodeling also depends on other factors, namely, how soon Estep and Howell can finish up other projects they currently have underway and get tenants in them. The duo also has an office under development on South Harrell’s Ferry Road, and they’re redeveloping the former 33,000-square-foot old Whitney Bank building at the corner or Old Hammond and Airline highways. They also have an office at Bricksome Avenue and Sherwood Forest Boulevard that is 100% occupied.

The Whitney Bank property is under contract, and Estep says they are hoping to close on the property in 30 days. That is also slated to become a building full of one-, two- and three-office spaces. Estep says he and Howell hope to become the go-to source for small office space in Baton Rouge.  https://www.businessreport.com/article/north-boulevard-complex-become-office-park-apartments-new-owner-says

[greg225]

Mid City beer garden proposal clears another hurdle; Metro Council approves property rezoning                                               The proposed Mid City beer garden is one step closer to becoming a reality. Rezoning of the property for the beer garden won approval from the Baton Rouge Metro Council on Wednesday, according to beer garden co-owner and general manager Kelli Paxton.“Next, the beer garden will move into the construction phase,” Paxton said.Though some people who lived closest to the site expressed disinterest initially, Paxton said, once the residents knew who the owners were and that they were from the Mid City area, those residents came around to the idea.Paxton said even with the small opposition, she and the other beer garden owners were hopeful and confident, but not overly confident, the rezoning would pass. 

In September, residents and homeowners from Mid City — skewing a little younger than the average group of residents attending a municipal meeting — filled council chambers and implored the Planning Commission to allow the project to proceed. No one spoke at the meeting to object to the bar.

A date for the opening hasn’t been set, Paxton said.

Advocate staff writers Matt Sigur and Rebekah Allen contributed to this report. http://theadvocate.com/news/13767710-123/rezoning-of-property-for-proposed         

Edited October 22, 2015 by greg225

[greg225]

New Italian bakery Tredici Bakery & Cafe aims to open in Capital Heights next week     t 15, Monica Shaughnessy made her first king cake in a grocery store bakery. Naturally, her early experience was among the fresh baked fares of Calandro’s Supermarket—Shaughnessy’s maiden name is Calandro, and her family owns the beloved local store.

Now 27, Shaugnhessy has a business degree, Louisiana Culinary Institute pastry training and years of bakery experience under her belt. After working successfully as a private baker out of her home for friends, family and weddings, she’s ready to launch her first storefront: Tredici Bakery & Café in the Capital Heights neighborhood.

“People are passing by every day, and they’re like, ‘When are you opening?’ It’s a fun, active area,” Shaughnessy tells 225 Dine.

Tredici will offer Italian cookies and goods, but Shaughnessy’s vision for a full-service bakery doesn’t stop there. She plans to serve her signature “naked” cakes that have generated buzz for her baking, as well as a cupcake bar that will allow visitors to choose their own cake, filling, icing and toppings to build a customized cupcake.

“I hope [the cupcake bar] draws people in. I think that’s a new thing that people like to do—they like to create their own food,” Shaughnessy says. “It’s just fun to be able to create whatever you want to and choose your own flavor combinations, rather than walking in and picking something that’s already made.”

Shaughnessy aims to open Tredici’s at 5078 Capital Heights Ave., near the corner of Capital Heights Avenue and Caddo Street, by Monday.

Make sure you get your fill of local culinary news every week by signing up for the free 225 Dine e-newsletter.     https://www.businessreport.com/article/new-italian-bakery-tredici-bakery-cafe-aims-open-capital-heights-next-week

[greg225]

Financing, leasing issues cause Catholic High to postpone plan to redevelop Westmoreland Village Shopping Center    

Catholic High School officials are indefinitely shelving plans to redevelop the Westmoreland Village Shopping Center on Government Street in Mid City, citing financing and leasing issues that make it tricky to move forward with the redevelopment plans now.

School President Gene Tullier says there are some financial hurdles that must be overcome in financing the redevelopment since Hearthstone Properties, the tax-exempt corporation supporting the school, used New Markets Tax Credits to purchase the shopping center for $4.85 million just before Christmas 2010. After looking at the intricacies in the financing restrictions, the board felt that it was best to hold off on the redevelopment for now, Tullier adds.

A second factor is that some of the current tenants in the shopping center that Tullier and the board expected to leave have stayed, creating unforeseen complications in the plans for a full-scale revamp of the center.

“It’s the right decision for us at this point,” Tullier says. “We’re not able to move forward just yet.”

Tullier says the board could likely revisit the plans in two years, adding it’s possible the project could also move forward at any time in the next two years, should circumstances change.

All five groups of developers who submitted proposals to the Catholic High board in August and September have been told of the board’s decision, Tullier says. He adds that he pledged to call each group when the board decides to move forward with redeveloping half of the 9.2-acre tract.

The board has not whittled down the list of development teams, all of whom have at least one team member from Baton Rouge, and while Tullier says some have a better vision than other, all will still be on the table for consideration when the board decides to move forward. The proposals submitted by each group contained mixed-use components and Tullier has told Daily Report he was happy with all of the proposals.

The part of the property under consideration for redevelopment includes roughly four acres north of Cole Drive. The tract south of Cole will be kept for the school’s future needs.

According to the request for proposals, the redevelopment plans were to include a multipurpose design, possibly with residential, office and retail spaces; a food amenity, such as a café, catering service or restaurant; improved aesthetics through design, structures, courtyard and landscaping; and a “youthful appeal” that will make it attractive for students from CHS and other nearby schools.

The school has said it will not consider a big-box retail store, a business whose primary revenue comes from alcohol or tobacco, or a fast food restaurant with a drive-thru service as its only or primary way to order.   https://www.businessreport.com/article/financing-leasing-issues-cause-catholic-high-postpone-plan-redevelop-westmoreland-village-shopping-center

[richyb83]

Oh well...maybe in the future this project will be taken off the dusty book-shelf??  ....still would like to see all of the different submitted proposals

[Mr. Burnham]

They showed us the plans in the school news paper...honestly looked cool!

[dan326]

^Take a pic with your phone! :)

[greg225]

Baton Rouge investors continue push to redevelop Mid City residences with North Boulevard apartments purchase     

As city-parish officials and area developers continue a push to revive a stretch of Government Street in Mid City with new commercial projects, a group of Baton Rouge developers is working to compliment the progress with nearby residential redevelopments along North Boulevard.

The investors, led by John Bugea, have just purchased three apartment buildings at 2618, 2650 and 2680 North Blvd. for $550,000 total. They’re planning some interior and exterior renovations, which they hope to have complete early next year.

“We really feel it can be a hidden gem of that Mid City neighborhood,” says Bugea, owner of John Bugea Real Estate. “We’re all familiar with the public and private investment happening up and down Government Street, but most of those projects are concentrated on the commercial side, so we’re looking to make some similarly timed investments on the residential side along the North Boulevard corridor.”

Bugea and Derek Fitch, along with Jake Holinga and Ryan Juneau, purchased four homes on North Boulevard and Gottlieb Street for $200,000 in October last year to kick off the effort. The homes—located only a block from the apartment buildings purchased—have since been renovated and are being leased. The investors are working on putting together funds for a second round of home buys in the area, Bugea says.

“We’re definitely hoping to capitalize on the continued momentum this multifamily rehab will create in the area,” he says.

The three apartment buildings on North Boulevard consist of a dozen two-bedroom apartments. They were sold by Stuart Nixon and Brenda Chaumont Nixon, according to sales documents.   https://www.businessreport.com/article/baton-rouge-investors-continue-push-redevelop-mid-city-residences-north-boulevard-apartments-purchase

Deville Apartments project running behind but moving forward      

A historic renovation project in Mid City is proving more tricky and costly than originally anticipated.

Collis Temple’s redo of the Deville Apartments, a classic example of mid-century modern architecture tucked away on North Street between 11th and 12th streets downtown, was supposed to be completed by May. Instead, the three-building, 52-unit complex is only about 65% done and won’t be finished until next summer.

Temple, the building’s owner and the contractor on the project, says he had to replace all the plumbing and electrical wiring in the building, which required demolishing eight-inch thick concrete walls.

“It was a lot of demolition and concrete removal and then we had to go back in with all new electrical and plumbing,” he says. “We really did some major stuff. From an interior standpoint it is going to be a brand new facility.”

Temple originally planned to spend $2.5 million renovating the complex, which totals 29,000 square feet. So far he has spent more than $1 million, and says costs are running higher than anticipated because the workload is more than he originally planned. Temple says he has applied for historic building tax credits to help finance the project.

Dyke Nelson, who has renovated several historic buildings downtown, is the architect on the Deville, which was built in 1956 by A.C. Lewis. It is marked by glass-front units overlooking a terraced swimming pool on North Street.

Once completed, Temple will market the complex to young professionals. Lease rates will range from $800 for a 600-square-foot, one-bedroom unit to $950 for an 800-square-foot, two-bedroom unit.

“They will be market rate,” Temple says. “But I’m trying to price them so people can afford them and so I can not put a strain on anyone who tries to live there.”

The redevelopment of the Deville Apartments, which languished for years in disrepair, is one of three new multifamily projects in the up-and-coming area between downtown and Mid City. It is just one block away from The Elysian, a mixed-income complex that opened in late 2013 and has enjoyed 100% occupancy ever since, and from the planned The Elysian II, which will begin construction next year.   https://www.businessreport.com/article/deville-apartments-project-running-behind-moving-forward

[greg225]

Three-lane project on Government Street moves at snails pace over federal red tape attached to funding

 

 

Environmental, traffic studies delay long-awaited Government Street project

Over the past year, a lot has changed on Government Street: New, trendy businesses like yoga studios and coffee shops moved in, some dilapidated buildings received face-lifts, and a few developers arrived with plans to build.

 

But what hasn’t changed is the actual roadway itself — despite plans that have lagged for more than 20 months to transform the famous “stop-and-go corridor,” which cuts through the heart of Baton Rouge’s Mid City.

 

http://theadvocate.com/news/14097928-127/three-lane-project-on-government-street                          

 

 

 

[greg225]

Government Street ‘road diet’ meeting set for Thursday; DOTD says project not running behind  

The state Department of Transportation and Development will hold a long-awaited public open house Thursday to unveil its plans for the Government Street “road diet” project and hear feedback from Mid City residents and business owners.

The meeting will be 4 to 7 p.m. at the Parish Activity Center at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, 440 Marquette Ave.

A continuous multimedia presentation will air while state workers and engineers discuss the specifics of the plan to turn Government Street from four lanes to three with bike and pedestrian paths from East Boulevard to Lobdell Avenue.

Business owners and developers in Mid City have been anxiously awaiting DOTD’s plans for the project. Architect Josh Hoffpauir of the Studio 46 development told Daily Report in September that he wanted to see the strategy before he moved forward.

“We want to make sure we do everything on our street frontage so that it works with their plan,” Hoffpauir said at the time, adding he will immediately start work on the development once the city-parish sets a timeline for the street redesign.

Many have complained the project is running behind schedule, considering that Mayor Kip Holden announced the project to much fanfare back in March 2014 but little has been done since. Construction initially was set to begin in late 2014 or early this year and wrap up by the end of 2015.

Rodney Mallett, DOTD spokesman, stresses the department is not behind schedule. He says engineers have conducted multiple traffic, safety and environmental studies, as well as studies to see if and how the proposed changes would impact the historical buildings along Government Street.

Engineers also conducted a traffic impact study on the proposed roundabout at Lobdell Avenue and Government Street.

“All these studies, they take time,” Mallett says.

DOTD has posted some of the exhibits online ahead of the meeting.   https://www.businessreport.com/article/government-street-road-diet-meeting-set-thursday-dotd-says-project-not-running-behind