Three commercial tenants are scheduled to open at Long Farm in the coming months as part of an ambitious phase one development plan that includes 20 more retail and office buildings.
Russell Mosely, developer of the mixed-use, 237-acre Long Farm, said exterior construction on a 9,450-square-foot building is complete and its three tenants—Massage Envy, Orangetheory and Avatar Nail Salon—are finishing out the interior.
Massage Envy began work Monday and is eyeing a late August opening, while Orangetheory, a chain fitness center with one other Baton Rouge location in Towne Center, is aiming to open in mid-to-late September. Mindy Hoang, owner of Avatar Nail Salon, could not be reached for comment.
“I think that’s going to be a great area for people to do things—shop, live and dine,” said Massage Envy co-owner Jeff Powdrill says. “That’s why we picked it.”
Moreover, Mosely said work is nearing completion on Tapestry at Long Farm, a 13-building, 247-unit Class A apartment complex behind the development’s commercial site along Antioch Road. Arlington Properties paid Mosely $3.3 million for the land in 2015 and is renting units for $1,128 to $1,660. Arlington officials could not be reached for comment. Â
“There’s certainly a bunch more buildings to be built,” Mosely said. “I think the area immediately around Rouses—I’ll probably finish that in the next three-to-four years.”
The Long Farm master plan has some 60 acres for retail and office, according to Mosely, plus between 200 and 250 residential lots to develop. He is close to signing leases for two more 10,000-square-foot commercial buildings—one next to Rouses, the other adjacent to the new building. He declined to share details about possible tenants, but says he will begin construction soon after signing the leases.
“I was impressed with Russell’s vision and the care to which he was curating who was gonna be in there and how he was going to affect the aesthetic. (Orangetheory) is a little more upscale,” said Elle Mahoney, owner of the Orangetheory Long Farm store who also runs five other locations, including ones in Mandeville, New Orleans and Tallahassee. The original Baton Rouge Orangetheory location in Towne Center is owned by Scott Russell.
Mosely has been planning the Long Farm development since 2008 on land—near the Old Jefferson neighborhood along Airline Highway—which once belonged to his grandfather, the late Sen. Russell Long. He also hopes to extend Long Farm Road to connect it with Antioch Road.
Since then, Rouses Supermarket, Five Guys Burgers, Starbucks and other retail and restaurant tenants have opened up shop in the complex. He also has developed several residential lots and sold land for the Tapestry apartment complex.
—Sam Karlin
