Who can see Baton Rouge and Hammond becoming one metro?

[dan326]

I figure that they are closer together then BR and NO so it might happen. What ya'll think?

[cajun]

I can see the entire area around the lake being one giant city....but probably not during my lifetime.

[all2neat]

I can see the entire area around the lake being one giant city....but probably not during my lifetime.

I could see it in about 30 years.. It won't be very deep off of the interstate though, may be a mile at most, but I think I12 is about to get developed big time.

[cajun]

I could see it in about 30 years.. It won't be very deep off of the interstate though, may be a mile at most, but I think I12 is about to get developed big time.

You are right. That kind of development isn't far off. I was thinking more of a comparo to the bay area in NoCal....or the Clearwater/St. Pete/Tampa area in Central Florida.

I think if Baton Rouge can diversify it's economy, and New Orleans recovers "correctly" (it's a slow, careful process to bring the infrastructure back)....the northshore is going to see a lot more development. Developments in Livingston, St. John the Baptist, and Ascension parishes are already spreading like wild fire.

Every time I vote, every time I make a purchase, and every time we shop...we try to do what's best for the local economy. Business friendly government, good quality local businesses, and good planning are going to go a long way. With LSU, Southeastern, Tulane, Southern, and UNO all in this region....you can see where I'm getting at. If we can provide great public services without raising taxes too much, this state is going to go a long way. We just need to innovate, and not be afraid to deviate from the norm these days....like supporting charter schools, supporting alternative fuels, thinking carefully about our regional planning, and doing what we can to improve higher education in this state.

I really think that the motion picture industry is low hanging fruit that we can pick...along with energy, chemical, and industrial construction services. Shaw is investing billions into nuclear reactor construction across the world. LSU is a top tier institution....and it managed to achieve that with a very stingy state government. South Louisiana is still an agricultural leader (NoCal has grapes and wine, we have sugar and soybeans). We are positioned at the mouth of the largest river in North America - and with rising fuel cost, inland waterways are going to be a great alternative to land transit. I'd like to see more manufacturing, more medical research facilities, and I'd like to see the state shovel money into LSU's graduate programs.

Gotta have faith, and we've gotta do the right thing. Report crime. Expect nothing but greatness from our schools. Have no tolerance for bad planning or corrupt politics. We have to be accepting of every type of culture, while at the same time retain our uniqueness. Respect and learn from other's point of views.

[buckett5425]

While I see southeast Louisiana growing, im very hesitant to say Hammond/BR will become one large metro. As energy becomes more expensive over the next 10 to 15 years, I think growth in rural areas and low density developments will stop being built(thank god). But, I can definitely see the two cities sharing a great relationship with each other, but not as one large metro.

[cajun]

As energy becomes more expensive over the next 10 to 15 years, I think growth in rural areas and low density developments will stop being built.

I hope you are right....and I hope that one day "corrections" will be made to the vast parts of Baton Rouge (and the rest of the country!) that were developed poorly.

I honestly have a feeling that this country has a better chance of grasping alternative energy to continue it's hunger for sprawl than it does for embracing smart growth. They should teach smart growth in sociology classes in high school from now on.

The reality is that unless you have farm animals or make your living on your property, you don't need to live 20+ miles from the rest of us.

[richyb83]

Good question Dan...a few years ago here on UP(post-Katrina) it seemed that Hammond/Tangipahoa Parish had been claimed; was now a part(included) of Greater New Orleans or the metro area)....that was up for debate IMO...it's as much a part of BR as it is NOLA...the claim was Hammond was the town is was partly due to New Orleans and it's migration.

So the fight for Hammond is a good one...in "no man's land" between the state's Two Largest Cities. Maybe Hammond can become it's own Micropolitan area....

No doubt western Livingston has seen some impressive growth...however there are some big open undeveloped gaps; I see remaining rural for quite some time between Livingston & Holden keeping BR & Hammond seperate.

Excellent points yall....

[dan326]

Thanks for all the answers guys. I just thought up this question while looking at a map of Louisiana and figured I'd see what ya'll thought. I think personally this it could happen, but then again like others said, there some big gaps in Livingston and New Orleans has it's eyes on it too.

[all2neat]

The thing with NOLA Dan is the swamps and land between BR and NOLA that are not going to be feasibly developed. BR and Hammond have a lot less issues in regards to nature. Add to that the fact that many NOLA area residents have moved to the North Shore I think having a fully developed I12 is more likely to happen before NOLA and BR become one city.

[Mr. Burnham]

I think that this is very likely to happen in maybe 30-40 years. With fringe developments like Juban Crossing it increases residential development which in turn increases other things. It will be a slow process, but eventually Hammond will become a part of a massive Baton Rouge metropolitan region.  

[Antrell Williams]

I'm in Hammond very frequently now and the area will grow into one another eventually, especially since Livingston is growing at a nice pace.

[Mr. Burnham]

I'm in Hammond very frequently now and the area will grow into one another eventually, especially since Livingston is growing at a nice pace.

I would agree, I have family that lives about 20/30 minutes outside of Hammond and everything is growing at a nice pace, especially Denham and Livingston. 

 

I'm thinking that Denham, Livingston, and Walker will all grow into each other in the coming years, but Hammond will take a little longer. 

[cajun]

I'm in Hammond very frequently now and the area will grow into one another eventually, especially since Livingston is growing at a nice pace.

The biggest employment center in the region is along the river between LSU and downtown.

I-12 makes it just as quick and more attractive to live in Livingston and out east than in places like the Felicianas or even in Zachary. The sprawl is completely concentrated in two directions.....the Hammond area being one of them.

It's not healthy. It would be better for downtown and the city's major job markets if some of that was to the north and west......not just the south and east.

[Antrell Williams]

The biggest employment center in the region is along the river between LSU and downtown.

I-12 makes it just as quick and more attractive to live in Livingston and out east than in places like the Felicianas or even in Zachary. The sprawl is completely concentrated in two directions.....the Hammond area being one of them.

It's not healthy. It would be better for downtown and the city's major job markets if some of that was to the north and west......not just the south and east.

It's not something I would prefer over redevelopment in the city, although I don't think sprawl will stop anytime soon.

[cajun]

It's not something I would prefer over redevelopment in the city, although I don't think sprawl will stop anytime soon.

What I'm saying is that we aren't even sprawling correctly. If we want downtown and the plants along the river to remain viable, they will need access to desirable, affordable housing for their employees.

Half of it is being built 20+ miles away out in Livingston and beyond.....which means that future office parks and industrial expansions that don't need river access will have a built-in incentive to locate out east.

Even from the perspective of urban renewal.....It's just that much more challenging to redevelop an area whose major employment centers are not anywhere near the center of population. We seriously need more residential development north of the city and to the west to help sustain what we have.

Sprawl will not stop, but if the bulk of the growth is out along two highways instead of in all directions, the likelihood that the major shopping, cultural, and employment centers will eventually locate in that direction. If sprawl was at least managed by the availability of decent, efficient highways and competitive real estate markets to areas other than LP and AP, downtown and north Baton Rouge would be in a better shape long term IMO. The closer to downtown, the better.

I'd be much more comfortable if WBR and WF parishes were developing as rapidly as LP and AP....especially since I want to see downtown attract new large office users and north Baton Rouge attract new industry and jobs.

[Mr. Burnham]

What I'm saying is that we aren't even sprawling correctly. If we want downtown and the plants along the river to remain viable, they will need access to desirable, affordable housing for their employees.

Half of it is being built 20+ miles away out in Livingston and beyond.....which means that future office parks and industrial expansions that don't need river access will have a built-in incentive to locate out east.

Even from the perspective of urban renewal.....It's just that much more challenging to redevelop an area whose major employment centers are not anywhere near the center of population. We seriously need more residential development north of the city and to the west to help sustain what we have.

Sprawl will not stop, but if the bulk of the growth is out along two highways instead of in all directions, the likelihood that the major shopping, cultural, and employment centers will eventually locate in that direction. If sprawl was at least managed by the availability of decent, efficient highways and competitive real estate markets to areas other than LP and AP, downtown and north Baton Rouge would be in a better shape long term IMO. The closer to downtown, the better.

I'd be much more comfortable if WBR and WF parishes were developing as rapidly as LP and AP....especially since I want to see downtown attract new large office users and north Baton Rouge attract new industry and jobs.

I agree with this, but the only way I see North BR improving is if the city eminent domained it...a move that would never happen or be popular.

[ehyfield]

eminent domained it...

???

[Antrell Williams]

What I'm saying is that we aren't even sprawling correctly. If we want downtown and the plants along the river to remain viable, they will need access to desirable, affordable housing for their employees.

Half of it is being built 20+ miles away out in Livingston and beyond.....which means that future office parks and industrial expansions that don't need river access will have a built-in incentive to locate out east.

Even from the perspective of urban renewal.....It's just that much more challenging to redevelop an area whose major employment centers are not anywhere near the center of population. We seriously need more residential development north of the city and to the west to help sustain what we have.

Sprawl will not stop, but if the bulk of the growth is out along two highways instead of in all directions, the likelihood that the major shopping, cultural, and employment centers will eventually locate in that direction. If sprawl was at least managed by the availability of decent, efficient highways and competitive real estate markets to areas other than LP and AP, downtown and north Baton Rouge would be in a better shape long term IMO. The closer to downtown, the better.

I'd be much more comfortable if WBR and WF parishes were developing as rapidly as LP and AP....especially since I want to see downtown attract new large office users and north Baton Rouge attract new industry and jobs.

Oh no I fully understand, that's why I'm hoping the Wilkinson Bridge is accompanied by another bride and/or a loop is built to help open up the Addis/Brusly area to more development.

I do wonder why Zachary and the Feliciana's aren't exploding as quickly as Livingston and Ascension Parishes. The rush hour commute from up north isn't near as bad as I-10 and I-12. I've wondered if extending I-110 to Zachary would help keep more people in EBR. Also a loop or bypass would help open up the areas surrounding Farr Park. 

As far as North BR, Southern University could play a large role in the improvement of that area, although that doesn't seem likely at all.

 

I agree with this, but the only way I see North BR improving is if the city eminent domained it...a move that would never happen or be popular.

What?

[Mr. Burnham]

Eminent Domain like 80% of North/Mid City BR. Everything on the north side of Florida. 

 

Eminent Domain - the right of a government or its agent to expropriate private property for public use, with payment of compensation.

[dan326]

Mr. B, listen, sometimes it's better to take your queue and stop while you're ahead...

[Mr. Burnham]

Mr. B, listen, sometimes it's better to take your queue and stop while you're ahead...

I'm just pointing out that it would take a ton of civic, political, and economic support to spur growth and redevelopment in North Baton Rouge.

 

It's not the blank canvas that SBR is. 

[itsjustme3]

Eminent Domain like 80% of North/Mid City BR. Everything on the north side of Florida.

Eminent Domain - the right of a government or its agent to expropriate private property for public use, with payment of compensation.

So just so I'm clear.

1) you're against the people of St George forming their own schools for their kids because that's somehow racist

2) you're ok with the government taking people's property from them (in vast black majority part of BR) for business.

ooohhh k

I'm just pointing out that it would take a ton of civic, political, and economic support to spur growth and redevelopment in North Baton Rouge.

It's not the blank canvas that SBR is.

You need to peel back the layer of the onion to see why businesses and people avoid that area.

[Antrell Williams]

I'm just pointing out that it would take a ton of civic, political, and economic support to spur growth and redevelopment in North Baton Rouge.

 

It's not the blank canvas that SBR is. 

Jobs. Jobs are the key, they bring money and money makes the world turn.

South Baton Rouge is far from a blank canvas in my opinion.

 

But on the eminent domain, what exactly do you propose be done? There's little money in the area to support anything, that's why it looks and functions the way it does. It has a great potential though, the entire Plank Rd corridor could be completely turned around (lots of prayers lol).

[Mr. Burnham]

Jobs. Jobs are the key, they bring money and money makes the world turn.

South Baton Rouge is far from a blank canvas in my opinion.

 

But on the eminent domain, what exactly do you propose be done? There's little money in the area to support anything, that's why it looks and functions the way it does. It has a great potential though, the entire Plank Rd corridor could be completely turned around (lots of prayers lol).

I don't propose they actually do it, just the only way I can see the problem being fixed for now. 

 

Then again there are less totalitarian methods of fixing those areas...one option could be to wait out the storm, wait until most of the 'violent groups' begin to move into suburbs (something that at this rate is a method many city leaders are rather fond of). Another option could be to try and kickstart growth by redeveloping Cortana into a Perkins Rowe, just on a massive scale.

 

The latter is the method I would like to see, but I just can not see it being successful with the population demographics in that area. I could see it quickly becoming 'Ghetto Rowe'.  

[cajun]

Eminent Domain like 80% of North/Mid City BR. Everything on the north side of Florida.

Eminent Domain - the right of a government or its agent to expropriate private property for public use, with payment of compensation.

What public good would involve expropriating 80% of north Baton Rouge? That's a little beyond widening a right of way or taking out a few houses to improve drainage.

Expropriating private land only to turn it over to other private developers is morally and ethically questionable....and definitely ripe for a legal challenge.