Downtown receiving $1.9 million for Town Square traffic improvements; new development announced

The city plans to spend $1.9 million in state money for landscaping, lighting, sidewalks and street furniture for the North Boulevard Town Square, Mayor Kip Holden announced today. The funds are part of $4.5 million in transportation-enhancement funds. The parish plans to spend $904,400 for bus shelters and benches on the Florida Boulevard, Harding Boulevard and Scotlandville bus routes; the other $1.7 million will go to bike paths, sidewalks and pedestrian crossings in other areas of Baton Rouge.

Also discussed at today's Downtown Development District meeting:

—The Louisiana Housing Finance Agency plans to knock down an abandoned apartment complex at North Boulevard and North 17th Street, and replace it with a mixed-use development. The project, called Capital City South, will use federal-stimulus funds. Plans are to replace all 68 residential units; no other details were given.

—The Third Street corridor has been designated a National Historic District, which means the 43 properties in the area are eligible for a 20% federal tax credit for rehabilitation expenses, which can be used along with state tax credits.—Emma James

Baton Rouge landmark hotel sold

Once a local landmark, the Bellemont Hotel fell into disrepair throughout the years. Though it appeared to have closed to guests, it might have still played host to events such as gun-and-knife shows in its Great Hall. The property, on Airline Highway between Greenwell Springs Road and Winbourne Avenue, sold Friday for $525,000, according to representatives of Stirling Properties and Coldwell Banker One. The hotel had 305 guest rooms, while the Great Hall conference center comprised 32,000 square feet, according to a sales listing. The site is about 18 acres, says Pam Coxe, the selling agent along with Debbie Accardo of Coldwell. "This place has history that's unbelievable," says Coxe, noting that she's been trying to sell the Bellemont for perhaps 13 years. In that time, entropy took over. "That's total neglect," she says. Dottie Tarleton, vice president with Stirling and the listing agent for the property, says, "We used to have our college sorority and fraternity formals over there. The hotel has deteriorated over the years." The hotel played host to a first-responders clinic after Hurricane Katrina, and Ron Paul made a presidential-campaign stop at the Great Hall in January 2008. The site certainly looks worse for wear in an entry in the blog Abandoned Baton Rouge, which noted moldy carpet in the lobby and a collapsed roof and fallen chandelier in one area in May 2008. In September 2008, The Advocate reported that a man living at the hotel was beaten to death and found in his room, while another resident was arrested in the killing.—Todd R. Brown

Mitch Landrieu now eyeing N.O. mayoral race

According to several Capitol sources, and a number of blog and newspaper reports overnight, Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu has made a last-minute decision to jump into the New Orleans race for mayor. It's an unexpected twist for even Big Easy insiders, and an official announcement could come as soon as today. When Business Report profiled Landrieu last month, he told us that "one day" he wanted to be governor, and he had not changed his mind about running for mayor. "He's No. 2 with a bullet" does offer a sneak peak at how Landrieu will run for mayor using his job as lieutenant governor as a springboard. For example, Landrieu said that his team at the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism would unveil a master plan for the New Orleans tourism market before the end of the year. All of the other regions of the state would be grouped together in a separate study in 2010, he added. While New Orleans is the Big Kahuna of tourism in Louisiana, it's not difficult to see how the master plan could play into Landrieu's campaign themes—and garner him media attention—as qualifying, which runs Wednesday through Friday, gives way to real politicking. For the full version of this story, click here.—Jeremy Alford

Capital Region sees enrollment growth this year

State officials say more than one-third of an estimated $145 million midyear budget shortfall is tied to unexpected growth in student rolls at public schools. East Baton Rouge, Livingston and Ascension parishes have all seen significant growth in enrollment this year. The East Baton Parish School system had a net gain of 434 students this year when taking into account 1,859 students in the four schools placed into the Recovery School district. Not including those students, enrollment fell to 42,425 students this year from 43,850 last year, says Chris Trahan, spokesman for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. Livingston Parish School System reported an increase of 206 students and Ascension Parish reported 355 new students over last year.—Emma James

Education department releases reform blueprint

The Louisiana Department of Education has released the latest draft of Louisiana's Blueprint for Education Reform, designed to meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of Education's $4.35 billion Race to the Top grant program. The state is requesting public input prior to the release of the final version of the blueprint Dec. 16. For more information, click here.

Family business closing after 56 years

Shel-Boze Inc., which sells lighting fixtures and was established in 1953, is closing its store on Wooddale Boulevard Friday, partner Hugh Shelton says. He says they're also closing a Lafayette location this week. Shelton says he closed Shelton's Gallery on Bluebonnet Boulevard at the beginning of this month, and closed a location in New Orleans about a year ago. He says the drop in new housing starts is to blame, since his business depends on new home construction.—David Jacobs

Louisiana housing official in 'New York Times'

Milton Bailey, president of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, had a letter published in the online version of the New York Times urging Congress or the Treasury Department to take action on the failure of tax credits to spur development of affordable housing. Read the letter here.

Planning Web site goes live

A new Web site, futurebr.com, now is available to follow the creation of East Baton Rouge Parish's next comprehensive master plan. The community-wide process kicks off on Tuesday, Jan. 26 with a public meeting at the Louisiana State Museum.

Poll: Most see one or no losses for Saints

About 42% of the people who responded to yesterday's Daily Report poll think the New Orleans Saints will go undefeated this season, while 44% think the team will have one loss. About 11% think the Saints will lose two or more games.

Today's question: Should Southern University have fired head football coach Pete Richardson?