Mid City

[richyb83]

Even though outdated...good to see the former Republic Tower; then renamed it the silly Dean Tower; now to be called to Mid City Tower; it will be renovated with new tenants....bringing back a restaurant to the top floor will be nice! One of the best views of the city...Tiger Stadium; Miss River Bridge; Downtown skyline, etc...

 

http://theadvocate.com/home/6170944-125/dean-tower-to-get-new

Edited June 5, 2013 by richyb83

[Antrell Williams]

To bad everything north of the area is an embarrassment. Years from now, I hope we can look back on this and say that this was the catalyst for the Florida/Mid-City reinvestment era.

[byrde]

I'm hoping they can bring in a restaurant that can survive in that location.

[itsjustme3]

Any restaurant that opens there is basically signing its own bankruptcy papers.

[Antrell Williams]

The location isn't really that terrible. It would be difficult to attract a large crowd for a sustained period of time; there aren't enough other entertainment options nearby to bring people to the building, nor does that section of Florida cater to the pedestrian.

[steve3n8]

Sacred Heart of Jesus buys adjacent Mid City building

 

Sacred Heart of Jesus has purchased a building neighboring the Mid City Catholic school at 2279 Main St. with hopes of one day building an early learning center on site. Father Miles Walsh says the early learning center is just "one of the many goals the school is hoping to achieve," adding, "We believe it is smart growth for Baton Rouge." A purchase price on the roughly 5,000-square-foot building, which is currently vacant and was once home to Lancorp Inc., was not disclosed. There's no firm timeline for development of the early learning center, but the school is planning to demolish the former Lancorp building at some point to make room for it. Sacred Heart Parish Administrative Assistant Tiffany Dykes says the building won’t be torn down until the plan for the early learning center is more complete, adding the parish hopes to make additional purchases in the future to further expand. “Our goal is to purchase more property in our immediate surroundings for continued growth,” she says. Celebrating 85 years, Sacred Heart of Jesus was the first Catholic school established in the city, say parish administrators. The school serves children from pre-Kindergarten through grade 8. —Steve Sanoski

 

Businessreport.com

[cajun]

Any restaurant that opens there is basically signing its own bankruptcy papers.

Definately on the top floor....but a more visible location on Florida would probably do okay. Rent isn't too bad in the area now.

Government st space is much hotter.

A lot of office buildings have kind of second rate Cafeterias open only for lunch....sort of like a Panera setup with cold, bland sandwiches and soups.

Edited October 22, 2013 by cajun

[richyb83]

Land donated for Mid City redevelopment

 

Entergy has agreed to donate a 6-acre site at 1509 Government St. for a mixed-use development that backers say will be a catalyst for redevelopment in Mid City and downtown Baton Rouge. The land has a variety of potential uses, including loft-style apartments, affordable housing, retail, warehouses and as a station for a future passenger rail service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Plans are to have green space on the site that will promote walking and biking.

 

“The Entergy site provides a monumental catalytic opportunity to address blight, transportation, housing, commercial, environmental, educational and community needs all along the Government Street corridor in a well-planned and comprehensive manner,” said Walter Monsour. There are 11 buildings on the site, including two multi-story brick buildings that are on Government Street, and take up 50,000 square feet. Some of the buildings will be rehabilitated and some will be demolished.

 

It housed the Baton Rouge Electric Co. in the early 1900s, which later became part of Gulf States Utilities, then Entergy.

“We’re happy to witness the next evolution as this property becomes part of the Mid City Warehouse/Design District, and stays a major part of the area for years to come,” Pounders said. While Entergy could have sold the property for a good amount of money, Pounders said donating the land was the right thing to do.

 

http://theadvocate.com/news/business/7890099-123/land-donated-for-midcity-downtown

 

[ehyfield]

like a Panera setup with cold, bland sandwiches and soups.

...aaWWW! I've always thought Jason's Deli needed some competition. Edited December 24, 2013 by ehyfield

[Antrell Williams]

Land donated for Mid City redevelopment

 

Entergy has agreed to donate a 6-acre site at 1509 Government St. for a mixed-use development that backers say will be a catalyst for redevelopment in Mid City and downtown Baton Rouge. The land has a variety of potential uses, including loft-style apartments, affordable housing, retail, warehouses and as a station for a future passenger rail service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Plans are to have green space on the site that will promote walking and biking.

 

“The Entergy site provides a monumental catalytic opportunity to address blight, transportation, housing, commercial, environmental, educational and community needs all along the Government Street corridor in a well-planned and comprehensive manner,” said Walter Monsour. There are 11 buildings on the site, including two multi-story brick buildings that are on Government Street, and take up 50,000 square feet. Some of the buildings will be rehabilitated and some will be demolished.

 

It housed the Baton Rouge Electric Co. in the early 1900s, which later became part of Gulf States Utilities, then Entergy.

“We’re happy to witness the next evolution as this property becomes part of the Mid City Warehouse/Design District, and stays a major part of the area for years to come,” Pounders said. While Entergy could have sold the property for a good amount of money, Pounders said donating the land was the right thing to do.

 

http://theadvocate.com/news/business/7890099-123/land-donated-for-midcity-downtown

 

I've been eyeing this location for a while. I love it, except it doesn't need to be affordable housing. The thought of it serving as a rail station is intriguing. Coupled with a Government St line, this would surely be a catalyst for all of Mid-City.

[richyb83]

Yes indeed Antrell!  I thought of it as a nice in-between/Gateway project for the western edge of Mid City entering the east side of downtown....& I like the term "Mid City Warehouse & Design District" too!

 

Something I forgot to copy/paste in the article; it said...

 

The Entergy project fits in with a variety of activities going on in Mid City and downtown, Monsour said. They range from the redevelopment and expansion of Baton Rouge Magnet High School and The Elysian, a 100-unit mixed income development on Spanish Town Road to the new IBM service center currently under construction downtown and the recently announced Water Campus that will be built on the old municipal docks.

“We identified a number of properties we thought were key to things happening in Mid City and the Entergy site was one of them,” said Sam Sanders, executive director of the Mid City Redevelopment Alliance. “This can really be a game changer for Government Street.”

[dan326]

, I'm glad they're not going to knock this building down.

[cajun]

...aaWWW! I've always thought Jason's Deli needed some competition.

McCalister's Deli is my go-to lunch when I forget to bring something to eat for work.

[ehyfield]

I, like most people, didn't know this. It will make it easier to get more things done locally.

http://www.nola.com/news/baton-rouge/index.ssf/2014/02/baton_rouge_louisiana_try_to_s.html#incart_big-photo

[Antrell Williams]

The other day I was thinking about Government St. There will need to be some significant upgrades to completely transform the corridor.

[itsjustme3]

I, like most people, didn't know this. It will make it easier to get more things done locally.

http://www.nola.com/news/baton-rouge/index.ssf/2014/02/baton_rouge_louisiana_try_to_s.html#incart_big-photo

Easier to get what done?

[Antrell Williams]

Easier to get what done?

I would assume it will be easier to get road projects done; these are owned by the state, although primarily a local artery instead of a major highway like 61, and require some sort of expansion or repair.

[ehyfield]

Road repairs, sidewalks, streetcars, bike lanes, etc.

I think the city should worry about its own streets (pet projects and repairs) within the city limits and the state can take care of the interstates and rural highways outside of the city limits.

Edited February 7, 2014 by ehyfield

[richyb83]

Mid City Studio.....A neighborhood becomes a classroom for LSU architecture students.

*some cool renderings at the bottom of page

http://www.businessreport.com/2042014/Mid_City_Studio

 

 

First mentioned here PREVIOUS PAGE (Dec 24th)...had deleted off Imageshack...so pic disappeared

Old Entergy headquarters on Government eyed as possible train station
 

The site of the city's first electric railway service in the 1800s could once again be a train station—as well as a major catalyst for the redevelopment of Mid City. The site is the long-blighted, six-acre parcel on Government Street that houses 11 buildings and, for most of the 20th century, was the local headquarters of Entergy. The utility company donated the parcel late last year to the East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority, which has begun the process of cleaning up the property and planning for a mixed-use development on the site. "As we begin to plan we are going to have at least one set of alternative plans drawn up that has a train station at the site," says RDA President and CEO Walter Monsour. "That's where the original train station was so it makes sense." An existing rail line borders the western edge of the property. At a meeting earlier today of the FuturEBR Implementation Team, BRAF Executive Vice President John Spain said in the next few weeks a consultant's report will be released, detailing the feasibility of a passenger rail line between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The Entergy site would be the anticipated terminal for downtown Baton Rouge should the project—long the dream of planners and politicians in both cities—become a reality. "It would be great to have a train station there," says Monsour, adding that either way the Entergy site will "be a catalyst for the redevelopment of the area" that will help link Mid City to downtown. —Stephanie Riegel

 

http://www.businessreport.com/article/20140206/BUSINESSREPORT0112/140209851

Edited February 11, 2014 by richyb83

[Antrell Williams]

Government St. light rail?

[ehyfield]

I think having a light rail line on Gov't will be a vital addition to the system in the distant future. Like Antrell said in another thread, and I always thought, was that the city has to have a sufficient local transit system before it can expect anybody to use a train to come to Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge IS going to need a line on Gov't to connect the inter-city train to our Nicholson line. I, however, also think that Gov't is going to need some major "catalyst" projects to help justify the line.

I think it was genius (or common sense) that they built a new streetcar line in New Orleans that connects the Amtrak and Greyhound stations to the rest of the system. We should do the same on this side of the line.

One way that Baton Rouge could get a HUGE 1up on New Orleans is by building an express line to the airport.

[itsjustme3]

One way that Baton Rouge could get a HUGE 1up on New Orleans is by building an express line to the airport.

Expecting people to haul their luggage to the airport in Louisiana weather on rail?

mmmmkkkk

[Antrell Williams]

I think having a light rail line on Gov't will be a vital addition to the system in the distant future. Like Antrell said in another thread, and I always thought, was that the city has to have a sufficient local transit system before it can expect anybody to use a train to come to Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge IS going to need a line on Gov't to connect the inter-city train to our Nicholson line. I, however, also think that Gov't is going to need some major "catalyst" projects to help justify the line.

I think it was genius (or common sense) that they built a new streetcar line in New Orleans that connects the Amtrak and Greyhound stations to the rest of the system. We should do the same on this side of the line.

One way that Baton Rouge could get a HUGE 1up on New Orleans is by building an express line to the airport.

We're going to need a sufficient bus system as well.

 

As far as the airport goes, a BRT or light-rail going up 22nd to Plank, then Harding/SU would be nice. Too bad it's all ghetto.

[ehyfield]

High-speed? Lol

[cajun]

The other day I was thinking about Government St. There will need to be some significant upgrades to completely transform the corridor.

Yes. I think a three lane street with a 12' center turn lane and parking would go a long way towards encouraging density in that area.

They also need to update some of the zoning rules that dictate businesses build X number of parking spaces per building. capacity. Obviously you can't do that without street parking and continuous, safe sidewalks.

Edited February 14, 2014 by cajun