Preparing for growth

The new year always means new opportunities. Downtown Baton Rouge has had its share of attention the past couple of years, and rightfully so—it’s experiencing the boldest resurgence in its history. But there is still more to come, and as it continues to reinvent itself, the city needs to continue recognizing downtown as the evolving center of the city. But more importantly, to address a pressing downtown challenge that’s yet to be solved.

State government and its massive investment in its well-ordered cluster of art deco office buildings has dominated new downtown investment for several years, dwarfing even the boldest of the growing number of private-sector investments in new construction and rehabilitation of historic buildings. But 2007 will mark a significant leap in private-sector investment downtown, a step predicted several years ago during the long-range planning charrettes held downtown by Plan Baton Rouge and guided by new urbanist Andres Duany.

For example, Wampold Companies will begin construction this year on II City Plaza, downtown’s first new office high-rise in 20 years. Mike Wampold has wanted to do this for years, and now the time is finally right.

Meanwhile, closer to the river, Richard Preis tells us his long-awaited condominium tower at Lafayette and Main streets will break ground in the first quarter of 2007. It marks a major boost in the number of people actually living in downtown. Other smaller projects also are under way, such as Norman Chenevert’s old Gordon’s Jewelers building on Third Street, which is being converted to office space and condos.

All those private-sector investments, combined with the downtown entertainment district, will push downtown’s rebirth and give the rest of the city more reasons to gather, visit and spend leisure time in the heart of the city.

Which brings us to the problem. Parking remains a constant challenge for downtown development, unlike in the suburbs, where land for parking is much more abundant. Demand for parking in downtown already exceeds the supply of convenient places to park.

Our sister publication, Baton Rouge Business Report, each year hosts the largest business-to-business conference and networking event in the Gulf South, the Business Expo. The Expo succeeds year after year despite annual complaints about inadequate parking. The old (and convenient) surface lot at the River Center is where they expanded the River Center. And now there’s even talk of more expansion and possibly removing the west side garage. Where are these additional people going to park? What’s the solution?

What we need now are two new garages. The city currently allows city-parish workers and jurors to take up many of the spaces in the existing garages around the River Center, and getting in and out is a nightmare. If city leaders expect people to open businesses downtown and for the rest of the city to frequent downtown after dark, they have to put a priority on convenient parking. Folks can walk a couple of blocks, like in any metropolitan center. But we need well-designed garages with retail on the street level like the state’s parking garages along North Street, which are home to such varied tenants as the Main Street Market, the YMCA and a number of restaurants.

Until Baton Rougeans abandon their cars for mass transit, it’s quite simple: if you add people, add parking. The three new garages added in the past several years, a recently announced new parking garage and the new visitor’s center are welcomed additions. But downtown will continue attracting more tax-paying businesses and visitors, and we need to act now to accommodate for the future. If you build it, they will come.

Do you have some creative solutions of your own? Share them with me here.

Worth watching

This month marks our second-annual People to Watch in Baton Rouge. Like 2006, this promises to be yet another year of change and discovery for a Baton Rouge that reshaped itself after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We’ve focused on a small group of people whose jobs, personalities and wills promise to make an impact on life here. From Secretary of State Jay Dardenne to The Eames Era, the band that just might be Baton Rouge’s next big thing, these people will be worth watching in 2007.

What’s new, what’s FREE

Changes are under way to our Web site, and we’ll be introducing a few new e-newsletters to keep you connected to your city. Watch for them in 2007. Also this month, visit 225BatonRouge.com and register to win tickets to John Mayer’s concert at the River Center or Billy Joel’s New Orleans concert, brought to you by 225 and SMG. Just another way of thanking you, our reader.