DDD: Downtown B.R. landed 17 new businesses in 2012

The Downtown Development District says 17 new businesses opened or—as in the case of a new pharmacy planned for the 300 block of Third Street—announced plans to open in 2012. The DDD also counts 23 development projects that made progress during the year, including the River Center expansion and the new residential development at 438 Main Street. DDD Executive Director Davis Rhorer provided a year-end review of the various projects at the DDD Commission meeting today. You can see a report of the 2012 progress downtown here.
Also discussed at today’s meeting:
—John Smith of the Downtown Business Association says some business owners are discussing with the city the possibility of a New Year’s Eve fireworks display; Smith expects to know if it will happen in the next few days.
—HNTB will begin in January working on the next planning stage for a possible rail connection between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, CPEX President/CEO Elizabeth “Boo” Thomas says.
—A new mural by the BR Walls Project will be unveiled at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the opening of the new Convention Street Park.
—The Crest, the new downtown stage canopy, should be assembled by mid-January, weather permitting, while the Repentance Park improvements could be complete by the end of this month. —David Jacobs