FuturEBR

[buckett5425]

A calm neighborhood or subsivision outside of the city's core.

I would suggest your opinion is based on a post 1950's idea of suburbia. But in fact, many seniors are desiring to leave the suburbs for urban walkable neighborhoods. The AARP is currently lobbying and promoting "Smart Growth" and mass transit, as a way to promote healthier lifestyles for Seniors and to negate the fact that many of these individuals are losing the ability to drive. When I attended the FuturEBR meetings, most of the attendees were seniors advocating for smart growth principles.

Now, these new neighborhoods might not be as exciting and active as a downtown would be, but, they will still be much more interesting placeless then the single use suburbs we currently have. I also doubt these new "calmer" smart growth neighborhoods will take place on the outside of the city, but instead will be gentrified neighborhoods, in midcity and old south baton rouge. That way, the people who desire a "calmer" lifestyle can still live in walkable areas, but still have quick access to the exciting amenities of downtown.

[Antrell Williams]

I'm glad you said that. I never thought of it as healthy for seniors.

[itsjustme3]

I understand its hard to believe some of my comments about sustainability and mass transit living in Baton Rouge, a city that normally tends to lag behind the rest of the country in terms of new trends. However, in other cities in the country, many of my points are much more main stream. Here is an article from NPR that expresses my opinion. It may be a small faction, but it is a growing trend none the less.

NPR eh?

lol

I would suggest your opinion is based on a post 1950's idea of suburbia. But in fact, many seniors are desiring to leave the suburbs for urban walkable neighborhoods.

mind sharing the evidence that validates this claim?

[buckett5425]

itsjustme2, I keep supplying you with tons of articles, all of which are citied if you wish to do further research, but i doubt you are reading them. I also have plenty of books that you are more then welcome to borrow, you could use the education. If you don't like reading, there are plenty of documentaries available on netflicks, or maybe you could attending the annual "Smart Growth Summit" put on by CPEX at the Shaw Center.

The information is out there, but you either chose to ignore it, or aren't searching for it.

And if you think you can denounce "NPR" because you believe it to be liberal, you are going to have to form a stronger argument than that.....

[itsjustme3]

itsjustme2, I keep supplying you with tons of articles, all of which are citied if you wish to do further research, but i doubt you are reading them.

Tons of articles? I can supply TONS of articles too on any subject but just because someone wrote it on a website doesn't mean jack. That's like using wikipedia on a term paper. From now on next time you make a claim that sounds ridiculous like "old people like living downtown" I'll remember that you likely can't back up that claim.

I also have plenty of books that you are more then welcome to borrow, you could use the education.

nice snide remark. Is that how you respond to people who ask you to supply facts?

And if you think you can denounce "NPR" because you believe it to be liberal, you are going to have to form a stronger argument than that.....

you're right. NPR isn't bias whatsoever. I mean, I could supply you with tons of articles saying they are...but then who would I sound like?

Have a good night!

[dan326]

The more I think about it the more I do believe there will be a different type of suburbia, with more density and uses. But I don't think people are going to completely give up personal transportation, move to multi-family facilities and create an urban utopia.

Edited January 22, 2011 by dan326

[buckett5425]

Tons of articles? I can supply TONS of articles too on any subject but just because someone wrote it on a website doesn't mean jack. That's like using wikipedia on a term paper. From now on next time you make a claim that sounds ridiculous like "old people like living downtown" I'll remember that you likely can't back up that claim.

nice snide remark. Is that how you respond to people who ask you to supply facts?

you're right. NPR isn't bias whatsoever. I mean, I could supply you with tons of articles saying they are...but then who would I sound like?

Have a good night!

This isn't a high school term paper. You imply that when I state a fact, you want the fact citied as if you were going to go to the library, find the book, and look up the page my statement is derived from. You are absolutely ridiculous!

You've never once backed up a single one of your claims. In fact, you don't really claim anything. You simply tell other people they are wrong, and then go on in sarcastic rants, hoping the other person will simply give up the fight, because you simply aren't worth the time. Im embarrassed i've even spent 5 minutes responding to your comments or nearly stooped down to your level.

Is there a block feature on this forum?

[itsjustme3]

This isn't a high school term paper. You imply that when I state a fact, you want the fact citied as if you were going to go to the library, find the book, and look up the page my statement is derived from. You are absolutely ridiculous!

You've never once backed up a single one of your claims. In fact, you don't really claim anything. You simply tell other people they are wrong, and then go on in sarcastic rants, hoping the other person will simply give up the fight, because you simply aren't worth the time. Im embarrassed i've even spent 5 minutes responding to your comments or nearly stooped down to your level.

Is there a block feature on this forum?

you need to realize that not everyone is going to agree on everything. I suggest you stop reading my opinions if you don't like them.

Thanks

[Antrell Williams]

How does the River Center compare to the Ernest N. Morial in NO? In the DDD's last powerpoint recap, the River Center was mentioned but I can't remember exactly was was mentioned. With the new hotels downtown, we could use a national convention center.

[itsjustme3]

Fun fact:

BR can't support a convention center the size of the massive Morial center (hotels, airport, tourism, etc).

Edited January 24, 2011 by itsjustme2

[Antrell Williams]

Not quite that large, I'm just comparing to the technology and equipment.

[itsjustme3]

what? Not quite that large? The Morial center dwarfs the RiverCenter.

[Antrell Williams]

Ok, disregard size.

[cajun]

How does the River Center compare to the Ernest N. Morial in NO? In the DDD's last powerpoint recap, the River Center was mentioned but I can't remember exactly was was mentioned. With the new hotels downtown, we could use a national convention center.

The River Center is a bit smaller.

Morial in NOLA also has one of the larger continuous spaces in this part of the country.

From what I've read, something that large is not in the cards for Baton Rouge- but the current convention center is pretty heavily used (especially the 20K-30K sq spaces) and there is demand for one larger space and several smaller sized spaces. There's been several commitments from hotels that if the River Center were to be expanded last year. No idea if those are still in play with this year's bond issue.

[dan326]

If I'm not mistaken, they only took out Alive! from the bond issue.

[Antrell Williams]

Whats this bond thing?

[pm_arch]

NPR eh?

lol

mind sharing the evidence that validates this claim?

Bourgeois Utopia: The Rise and Fall of Suburbia is an excellent book regarding the origins of suburban life, going back further than Levittown and really delves into the sociological cause and effects of suburban life. I would recommend this read for anyone interested in why suburbia developed and why it is ultimately unsustainable and being abandoned for other developments.

[buckett5425]

Bourgeois Utopia: The Rise and Fall of Suburbia is an excellent book regarding the origins of suburban life, going back further than Levittown and really delves into the sociological cause and effects of suburban life. I would recommend this read for anyone interested in why suburbia developed and why it is ultimately unsustainable and being abandoned for other developments.

I've read this book and it instantly became a favorite of mine!

Three documentaries that are also very insightful are; The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream followed by its sequel, The End of Suburbia: Beyond the American Dream and finally Sprawling from Grace: The Consequences of Suburbanization. All three documentaries are available on Netflixs.

Annie Leonard's The Story of Stuff if a critique of America's consumer based economy and explains how infinite consumption and growth can not continue forever, on a world with finite resources. I believe this parallels the suburban story greatly for many reasons, but y'all can be the judge of that. Her 20 minute video can be found at www.storyofstuff.com.

[pm_arch]

I've read this book and it instantly became a favorite of mine!

Three documentaries that are also very insightful are; The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream followed by its sequel, The End of Suburbia: Beyond the American Dream and finally Sprawling from Grace: The Consequences of Suburbanization. All three documentaries are available on Netflixs.

Annie Leonard's The Story of Stuff if a critique of America's consumer based economy and explains how infinite consumption and growth can not continue forever, on a world with finite resources. I believe this parallels the suburban story greatly for many reasons, but y'all can be the judge of that. Her 20 minute video can be found at www.storyofstuff.com.

Thanks buckett! These sound pretty interesting and I would like to see how their views are presented.

James Kunstler has also written numerous articles and books on the current consumption of our world's finite resources, though be forewarned, he is fairly pessimistic of our state of affairs. I did enjoy reading his "The Long Emergency", which deals with our current petro-chemical agricultural economy unsustainable practices.

[richyb83]

^ I can understand the pessimism..esp with Agenda 21 lurking...

Release dates set for FuturEBR master plan

A 60-page summary of the FuturEBR comprehensive master plan for future land use and development will be released Feb. 16, says John Fregonese, whose Portland, Ore.-based firm has been working on the plan since January 2010. The full plan will be released in mid-April, Fregonese says. An estimated 3,300 residents participated in a FuturEBR survey in 2010; and seven workshops were also held to get public input on land use, urban design, housing, economic development, open space and transportation issues. The FuturEBR master plan will outline recommendations for the next 30 years of growth in the area.

http://www.businessreport.com/archives/daily-report/2011/jan/25/2058/

[Antrell Williams]

Can't wait to see this.

[all2neat]

The vision was released yesterday, thoughts???

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/Vision-builds-on-existing-strengths.html?showAll=y&c=y

[dan326]

Looks like a good vision to me! We'll probably get atleast half of that stuff.

[Antrell Williams]

It doesn't say too much more than other powerpoints. We won't attract transplants until we diversify more and improve our schools. I think we will get a improved CATS system pretty soon. Thats the only way to really see if we can support a full inner city rail system. And the Nicholson corridor won't receive 20,000 riders a day, that's outrageous numbers.

[itsjustme3]

I think we will get a improved CATS system pretty soon. Thats the only way to really see if we can support a full inner city rail system.

what does crappy bus service (CATS) have to do with a inner rail system?

As for CATS, it should be privatized. It's a complete failure and needs a new business model without the city council trying to run it.