Was it the euphoria of the Portland moment or some well-conceived dream? Either way, standing in the heart of a valley—aglow from the reflection of the late-afternoon sun splashing against Mt. Hood and the Cascade Range—Mayor Kip Holden put forth an inspirational vision for the future of a city and region some 2,500 miles away.
“Baton Rouge will become the next great American city,” he proclaimed.
The statement brought a room filled with 149 others from the Capital Region—in Portland as part of a four-day canvass trip—to its feet in applause; not the scripted State of the Union kind, but rather the crescendo kind typically heard as a long touchdown run unfolds in Tiger Stadium.
Now—and here comes the locker room towel slap to the left butt cheek moment—how exactly does one define the “next great American city?”
Each one of you has your own answer and I’m guessing no two are alike. Seriously, does anyone believe activist and businessman Joe Traigle has the same answer as the Rev. Tommy French? What about the researcher at Pennington and the janitor at Lee High … or Rolfe McCollister and Lillie Pettit Gallagher?
Trust me, pass all the resolutions and post all the kumbaya signs you want, but based on comments and discussions I heard in Portland we are definitely not one Baton Rouge.
I do know this: The definition is ultimately going to have to come from the citizens of the Capital Region. A fancy branding exercise or pulse-pumping rhetoric from elected officials isn’t going to get anyone to drink the Kool-Aid.
Austin is a weird and wacky place because that’s the way the people there like it. Portland is a mass transit, tree-hugging, everyone-should-live-in-connected-harmony type of town because the citizens there demand that it be that way.
Baton Rouge, on the other hand, still can’t decide what it wants to be when it grows up. Like that 28-year-old working on his third undergrad degree between burgers and beer at The Chimes, we’re growing older but not up.
For all of our enormous potential, Baton Rouge will never be an Austin, Nashville, Raleigh-Durham or Portland. Not because we can’t, but, come on, do we really want to become nothing more than someone else’s clone?
The trick is to become a dynamic, diverse and economically thriving region on our own terms. And the terms have to be something more than the name of a local alternative band.
Here’s what’s interesting from the four canvass trips folks from this region have taken: While each city is remarkably unique, many of the same foundational principles are present in each.
• Active public: Residents don’t wait on government to act; they demand what they want (mass transit, connectivity, green space, etc.) and hold elected officials accountable.
• Strong regional leadership: You can never completely erase parochialism, but the cities that make up each of these four regions have found a way to work for the greater good when it really matters.
• Quality of life: Culture, diversity and community parks are cornerstone issues. The impact on that region’s livability is a factor in every decision. All four invest heavily in a thriving, culturally diverse downtown.
• Smart investments: What’s interesting is Austin, Raleigh-Durham and Portland have determined that higher education is a better investment than industry. Companies can pack up and leave at any time (just ask New Orleans), but universities and research institutions are here forever.
• Master planning: Unlike Baton Rouge, which plans for the moment, these regions plan for the future—and stick to those plans. In short, infrastructure drives development, not the other way around.
• Young professionals: All four regions are enormously popular with young, highly educated professionals. Baton Rouge’s first step will be to lure its homegrown talent back home, because right now too many are living elsewhere.
• Think-based economy: Technology, the sciences and research drive the economy in each region—even in Nashville, which is trying to downplay its country music heritage.
These are the real lessons from these trips as we attempt to define our “greatness.”
Comments
Posted by fourx5 on October 9, 2007 at 3:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Baton Rouge, on the other hand, still can’t decide what it wants to be when it grows up."
Maybe it's because the poor and middle/upper class don't have the same goals and never talk to each other.
Excellent points, all - but until Baton Rouge gets the message to _all_ citizens that you have to define common goals without prejudice, the city will go nowhere fast.
A large part of Baton Rouge's schizophrenic attitude is that racism and classism are buried pretty deeply in the psyche of Baton Rouge. Solve that problem first, and the rest will start to develop.
It's obvious to anyone that little innovative development takes place in certain parts of the city - the places where poor blacks live. A master plan and community policing might help that - and better-off citizens who are not quite so interested in walling themselves off from everyone else would be a good step forward as well.
Posted by jaybee on October 12, 2007 at 1:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Both JR and fourx5 are right on target; Most of us middle-class and affluent whites are just not that interested in improving the lives of ALL Baton Rougeons and will deny that racism and classism are huge barriers to moving BR forward.
Posted by Jon_Deaux on October 12, 2007 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Excellent commentary!! To add to your analogy…the 28 year old undergrad student has been given an underserved, tremendous opportunity with a small window of time. What he does in the next five years will shape his future for a long time to come.
I also agree that we aren’t Portland or Austin nor should we be. As we grow and change it is very important that we don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. It’s extremely important that respect is shown in our differences but we will have differences. “One” in respect but not necessarily in like-mind.
I would like to add just a small note to an “Active public”.
Times have changed and through the internet the general public has ease of access to information like never before. As ideas are presented, question what is said. If someone presents mass transit as a solution to traffic congestion find a wide variety of articles, pro and con. Folks, bombard your elected officials with e-mails…inform yourselves and voice your opinion!!
Posted by lagirl on October 12, 2007 at 9:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My husband and I moved our family back to Louisiana after living in Chicago for almost 9 years...we came back to Baton Rouge because we admired the authenticity of our region and the warm heart of Louisiana. We desperately missed that while we were away.
I couldn't agree more with two points made: 1. Baton Rouge needs to be what it IS, not a smaller version of Houston or Austin, but Louisiana and BR through and through. I am fearful that with all the influx of outside developers and architects putting their stamp on our city, things are going to start looking really unfamiliar (Fieldhouse Condos...Perkins Rowe...need I say more?). Be proud of what we have to offer and our own special brand of "unique". 2. Racism is a HUGE factor holding us back...not that it didn't exist in the big northern city of Chicago, trust me. But it is an unbelievable roadblock here. People here would rather see things stay exactly as they have been: poor schools, poor transit, poor infrastructure, etc. than to actually do something for the greater good...there is a very myopic view in this town that says "hey, I can afford to send my kids to private school so why do I care if the public schools are terribe? It doesn't affect me." Well, call me self-serving, but I would rather see our citizens have the opportunity to get a solid education so they can make something of themselves, rather than resort to a life of crime because they believe they don't have a lot of other options (I have been a crime victim several times in this town so I know first hand how pervasive crime is in our city...even in the so-called "nice" neighborhoods). Poor public schools affect us all and don't think for a minute that you are immune because you go to a "good private school".
Getting involved with the process and our elected leaders is absolutely critical...we are at a crossroads and we need to take advantage of the opportunity to make change happen. It gets pretty tiring to hear all the whining and complaining about what a terrible place this is to live in when half of those people don't vote and don't care...appalling. Personally, I think this is the PERFECT place for young professionals and civic minded folks...there is SO much potential for change to occur and it seems, a lot of momentum and excitement about what Baton Rouge COULD be...I am excited to be here and to be a part of it.
Posted by DavidCrais on October 13, 2007 at 12:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agreecities around the country that were 'hell-holes' back in the 70's and 80's are gorgeous and prosperous today; Chicago (I love this city!), Pittsburgh, New York, Miami (Southbeach was a crime-ridden dump well into the 80's, look at it now!), Boston, etc.
I'm looking over the skyline right now from my 19th floor condo at over 12 building cranes putting up new skyscrapers in Chicago (adding to over
They can coexist, unlike what many of my neighbors back home would say...as they get in their SUVS to drive from one mall to another, and have to cross the Causeway every day for work.
I think if anyone can make BR the "next great American city", Kip Holden can. God knows, our Ray Nagin, or even Aaron Broussard or the small town (and small minded too) mayors on the Northshore are woefully underequipped with either intellect, temperment, or vision to get anywhere close to such a lofty goal. I wish BR luck.
But, I continue to hear from professionals and business people I work with and know around the country about LA and BR's "bible-belt, Jimmy Swaggart's home town" mentality (finance and technology are well populated with Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists. will they feel welcome in BR, or anywhere else in LA? I don't think so), the lack of mass-transit, the populist traditions in tax policy and politics, the fact that business in LA is either the 100 yr old agriculture culture or the 50 year old oil/gas/chemical business culture. Where does tech, advertising, publishing, design, arts and crafts manufacturing, etc. fit in? What kind of finance or busrs. Chicago's, Miami's, or new New York's,; Houston sucks! Ask most people in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, or other parts of LA about a city with high rises and they'll say Houston. Have you ever seen a park in Houston? any waterfront? how about cultural attractions? None. Chicago, Boston, Portland, etc. they excel on all these fronts. They also have two other essential points that cities need to grow today: good public schools (however, you can get started down the right path by recruiting the "TINKS"/ two income no kids couples. Either same sex or heterosexual couples. They have money, create restaurants and bars, renovate property, but they don't need schools right away), and the other essential is a good international airport! It's tough to be a great American city today without these essentials. But, an obstacle to getting them is to continue with the same parochial, red-neck, born-again, racist, sexist, classist (New Orleans is the worst with this; any sane person today would force Rex, Comus, Momus, Proteus, the Pickwick CLub, and Boston Clubs, along with New Orleans Country Club to allow hispanics, jews, blacks, etc. But they won't. It's a slight against all of us who are trying to make the region grow), and other parochial and xenophobic and anachronistic ways.
I'm taking the "El" now to downtown Chi' town to watch the LSU game. Bye.
Posted by lagirl on October 13, 2007 at 3:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ahhh...how dearly I love Chicago too. I still miss it and the big city world in which I lived. That is a city that turned itself around in a matter of about 10-15 years (who knows how much work went unnoticed prior to that...thank you Rich Daley)...it is a world class city today and no longer will accept "Second City" status. But my husband and I felt the need to move on based on the need for a lower cost of living and a more manageable work/home commute (I know that sounds crazy living in traffic-snarled BR, but try spending 1.5 hours on the Kennedy Expwy. in a snowstorm and you'll know what I'm talking about...suddenly 30 minutes on I-10 doesn't seem so bad). We sought more time for family and balance and we have (surprisingly) found it here where the smaller scale of everything and the family atmosphere has been a good fit for us. I think we appreciate Baton Rouge more because we have lived in a huge, complicated sometimes exhausting city. I LOVED the pace before kids but you know how that goes.
Anyway, as far as open-mindedness goes, I think it will take another generation for that old school way of thinking to be eradicated...it runs deeeeep here. Totally with you on the "Houston Sucks" comment...my entire family moved there after the oil bust in the late 80's but when leaving Chicago we absolutely refused to consider it as an option...much to my parent's disappointment. But they understood our crazy love for Louisiana and why we didn't like Houston (which, btw, has lots of culture, waterfront, parks etc...still doesn't make it any more appealing...it's Texas. Period). And yes, they love to rub their "great" public schools (with 3K students) in my private-school-tuition-paying face. Bring on the gay couples to bring back downtown...I am telling you they transform neighborhoods with their disposable incomes and are, as far as my experience has been, some of the greatest, most fun friends you can have.
Posted by Jon_Deaux on October 13, 2007 at 5:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My employer is from Bolivia. Being somewhat unfamiliar with the country and because of my respect for her I decided to do a little research. Because of its abundance of natural resources and the history of corruption in its government the country is nicknamed the “donkey sitting on a gold mine”. Teasingly, I told her that see must feel right at home in Louisiana.
Not too long ago our candidates for governor were Edwin Edwards and David Duke. In many ways I am disappointed with where we are as a community and a state. But when I consider where we came from I can’t help but be a little optimistic. As with the previous writers I have returned to Louisiana after living away for an extended period. But unlike what I’ve read I’ve seen serious racism throughout this country. Although it is somewhat more prevalent here the difference is not as vast as what is being portrayed. Having said that, racism is an abomination and it needs to stop!!
As kind as we would like to think our fellow Americans are, business is business. Whether we like it or not, whether it’s fair or not, the country has our state on a type of probation. Unless we cleanup our ethics in government businesses will not locate here and the absolute waste of what is the most awesome state in the country will continue. Politicians that are not willing to pass ethics reform should be voted out of office (regardless of party). It is time for the donkey to get his butt off the gold mine!!
“parochial and xenophobic and anachronistic” ….Mista Crais, beings dat I’m fom Weeseeana I’m shoo nough haven ah time figin what ya said wit dose big city writens…..I’m not sure what we need, but what we surely don’t need is useless, condescending insults….especially from within.
Posted by fourx5 on October 15, 2007 at 3:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Crais said: "however, you can get started down the right path by recruiting the "TINKS"/ two income no kids couples."
Like my wife and I? Married almost three years, no kids (and no plans for kids yet), both in our early thirties. We're progressive-minded by Baton Rouge standards, but pretty considered fairly conservative by our friends in California.
We spent six months in Baton Rouge, had a total of three interviews, and came away with no jobs. That's why we moved back to California - along with the sickening opposition to change of any sort, and the militant attitude against dissent in Baton Rouge.
Both of us interviewed separately at Lamar Advertising for the same position. First, I was told I "looked great" for position I'd applied for, then I took Lamar's 'personality test'. I 'failed' the test somehow, but they interviewed my wife for the same position. She took the same test - and surprise - she 'failed' it too!
Curiously, we were never told what it was in our personalities that excluded us from working at Lamar, despite our outstanding qualifications. And the record-profit generating Lamar decided not to hire for the position at all after giving us both the bad news.
So then I interviewed at IEM - and was hired! I signed the paperwork to start. Two weeks before Christmas, I got a mysterious phone call telling me there'd been a problem with my application - and that I would not be hired. That was the only explanation I ever got from what Baton Rouge holds up as an 'innovative' business.
Whoops. No job for either of us in wildly conservative Baton Rouge! And yet now that we've moved back out to California, my wife works at a nuclear weapons lab, and I work on projects for NASA. Clearly, there was nothing in either of our backgrounds that should have excluded us from writing installation instructions for distracting billboards or creating business proposals for emergency management agencies. (IEM had the position open for over eight months...can you say "lost revenue potential"?)
Curiously, both times I interviewed, I was asked where I went to church and why I'd moved back to Baton Rouge from San Jose. I noted that I was a lapsed Catholic, and that one reason I'd moved to Baton Rouge was be near an ailing relative more often. Wonder if any of that had to do with whether I got hired or not?
We've stopped asking why, and we've moved on, making very good salaries in Silicon Valley. Shame we can't be around my sick father like we wanted to, but unless you're growing something or refining it, there's not much to do in Baton Rouge for 25-45 year-olds.
At least we'll put a few dollars into the local economy every time we fly into BTR.
Posted by lagirl on October 16, 2007 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, our experiences couldn't have been more different! Thankfully, my husband got a job with a very progressive, forward thinking, anti-good-old-boy-network company here (which, btw, he had job offers from companies in New Orleans and Gulfport and we chose BR...lucky us) where he has thrived and moved up quickly. I think it is appalling that someone would ask about your religious affiliation at a job interview!!!!! That is wrong on so many levels, not mention isn't it illegal? I would say there is something wrong with those individual companies rather than BR as a whole, though I understand your frustration and disappointment. What a missed opportunity to bring the people back home who we all say we need and want. I am in a creative field and though things are definitely more conservative here, I have been very happy to find there is a lot of good design work to be done with all of the growth happening. I hope things are changing as those who hold the power pass the torch to a younger, more inclusive generation. I'm sorry things didn't work out well in BR for you and your wife but I'm glad it's going well in CA and I hope you get to visit your father often.
Posted by DavidCrais on October 19, 2007 at 9:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Fourx5,
I have heard your plight all too often. After spending the time over the past two weeks in Chicago, I returned to New Orleans Sunday night to an empty airport, a dirty baggage claim area, and obnoxious drunks returning from the LSU game in Kentucky (although this is not indicative of most LSU fans, just these). I thought to myself the juxtaposition of the young professionals I had just spent time with in Chicago and the dynamic place that Chicago is. I have to say, I do think many in Baton Rouge and Lafayette are not just thinking about making them clean and attractive ciites, but actually doing something about it.
However, after Katrina, many around here liked to say, "it's the people that make the place so great". Well, I beg to differ, I think there are far too many in Louisiana that are the problem. It's the leaders, business, civic, and political, but leaders are chosen, directly or indirectly, by the followers, the people. We have failed, repeatedly, at that. Parochial, xenophobic, staid, conservative, pious, conformist. Do any of these values associate with the progressive growth cities of the country? No. But they sure do apply in ole' Loooosiiiaaaannnnaaaaaaaaa! Sad.
Posted by DavidCrais on October 19, 2007 at 9:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
By the way, my comment from last week was about three times as long as the one posted. Somehow it was 'condensed' upon posting. I'd edit it but I forgot what I had said. Sorry.
If you'd like to view Chicago or other major cities to get a 'view' of the street life and civic appearences, try Google Maps new "Street View". It allows you to virtually "walk" down the streets and see building facades, parks, cars, houses, restaurants, bars, etc. Great for those of you who are relocating, and also for investors and real estate professionals. Or, folks like my wife and I who've just about hit our limit with the supposed Louisiana 'renaissance' and may have to look elsewhere. With business investments, product developments, active lifestyles, and two kids under 6 yrs old for which we'd like to have a good education with great cultural and multi-cultural influences along with prosperous lives and many diverse opportunities; well, we've had just about enough of the post-Katrina 'renaissance' and 'boom' that we can take.
Posted by lagirl on October 22, 2007 at 9:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Crais,
Please, do us all a favor and go, go, go to Chicago or wherever it is that you choose to flee from this wretched state. Enjoy your new life in a MUCH better place, full of endless opportunities in a land of milk and honey (have you ever heard the term "the grass is always greener"???). Attitudes such as yours do absolutely nothing to improve our situation and only serve to chip away at what morale we may have left. Though our state is flawed and imperfect, my endless optimism sees the glass as half full, and I am one of those willing to work hard to see it happen. Maybe I just haven't been back long enough to feel the depths of disappointment you describe. It IS frustrating at times to see things happen that are holding us back and embarrassing to the rest of the nation, but is it really THAT BAD to live here??? I just don't get some of your rants and as I have said previously, I have seen the grass on the other side, and trust me it ain't so green all the time. I value the heart and soul of this place, which is something that perfect "parks and building facades" will never measure up to. Again, I wish you well.
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