la recherche II

10.21.05 reflections and such - 6

Now the focus is on political and economical drives/conditions of downtown baton rouge.

- the existing business types are as follows (from downtown merchant listing):
> a couple large item shops, incl. a piano store and a few furniture shops
> a few small groceries and the Farmer's Market which is only open Saturday mornings
> 9 museums, incl. the LASM and the Arsenal Museum and several which are inside historical buildings
> many gift shops, 2 within the Shaw Center
> Allright parking and Baton Rouge parking
> 3 listed bookstores, 2 of which seem LA oriented
> tons of restaurants with a good selection of ethnic dining
> 4 auto shops
> several fashion shops, including one named Richardson's fashion world, which I have a feeling I would not frequent
> 10 different office supply/printing/stationary shops
> a good selection of art galleries
> more private clubs and lounges than I would think necessary
> health centers, 6 spas/salons, and one fitness center
> one large hotel - The Sheraton
> 2 interior design firms and only one graphic designer
> over a dozen credit unions and banks
> 2 casinos
> 2 community-based organizations, the Lamar Community Kitchens and the LaCap Community Room

-heyday downtown businesses were as follows:
>research from the Frey book shows Third st had restaurants, retail, professional offices, lodging, and services. The Paramount (Columbia) Theater was demolished in 1980 to put in a parking lot. There was also other entertainment such as saloons and billiard halls down this st. Ladies' clothing and hat shops opened later. By the 1990s gag stores, cocktail lounges, and pay parking dominated. What a decline in grandeur and class.
Third st used to have much more pedestrian traffic due to close proximities of shops and the small city size. 3 buildings from 1900 on this st are found in some 1992 photos in the photography thesis by Frey which I have sited in Reflection 4. They are the 2 Reymond Buildings--one originally a dry goods store, the other used for medical and law offices--and a 3-story brick building in front the Istrouma Hotel. Buildings with balconies were also prevalent in 1900 v. the flat facades now.

- the upcoming additions to the capitol complex will create 1 million square feet of new office space and the consolidation of 3000 state workers into this area. The Louisiana State Museum's beautiful modern design and its contents, along with the new visitor center and expansive riverfront park, will raise the quality of life for downtown residents and educate visitors. The Iberville and Bienville buildings were planned to form a gateway that gestures "architecturally and spatially" toward the Capitol.--info link 1, info link 2

-besides this redevelopment plan for the Capitol area that came into action under Foster and his Commissioner of Admin, Mark Drennen, crucial additions were made downtown close to a century earlier under Huey P. Long. He commissioned the construction of the 32-story art deco state capitol that remains the tallest in the US. More industries also located in Baton Rouge and the population grew by a half. He launched a major growth campaign for LSU as well, which had just relocated outside downtown. (Frey thesis)

-As the revival gains momentum, downtown also is becoming a place to live and a place to socialize. Some 2,000 residents now call the area home, a number that should increase as more state employees move closer to work and new projects such as the River Place condominium development come on the market (see "Future Assets," beginning page 80, for more details). Downtown loft living is already a reality, and more lofts in long-discarded spaces are on the drawing board or under construction. Over the past 10 years, the area has seen more than $400 million in capital investments, much of it in the form of magnificent new state office buildings, restorations of historic structures and new commercial development. Property values have shot up throughout the area, including 20 percent to 60 percent in historic Spanish Town and a total of 11 percent for downtown as a whole. And with projects such as the Shaw Center for the Arts, the proposed creation of a Third Street entertainment district, the expansion of the Centroplex to a full-sized convention center and a riverside green space called DeSoto Park in the pipeline, it is only a matter of time until downtown is as active on nights and weekends as it is during the work day.

-with the downtown revival and recent pop. influx, the center of Baton Rouge is becoming more attractive to prospective residents and businesses with great financial means. People are ready to invest in the River Place condominiums and several more lofts in unused areas are being planned now. Over the past decade more than $400 million has been forked out in capital investments, mainly for fancy new office buildings, restorations, and commerce. Property values are up, and even more money can be made after the hurricane devastation. The Shaw Center, DeSoto Park, Third st entertainment district... are supposed to create activity (meaning spending) on nights and weekends. The people of money who wish to invest, do busines, and live in this new halcyon city are the economic factors I would say.

-business types needed in relation to those existing listed earlier are as follows:
>more groceries spread out by these new lofts and the offices would make sense
>more bookstores and less ridiculously named restaurant/bars that have a high turnover rate
>more hotels and theaters possibly, to give the feel of downtown like in the heyday
...and most importantly to me, an expansion of design services. I would like to plan out a digital graphic design studio for my capstone project if acceptable. There is only one existing graphic designer located downtown. The central businesses and community organizations should be able to have more easily accessible sources for advertising, logos, overall graphic identities, rendering services.... Graphic artists might be interested in locating a studio in downtown Baton Rouge for the new "hotspot" identity on a business card.

posted by R R Miller @ 9:29 AM