One more step: The Metro Council will vote Wednesday to finalize the rezoning of the old Entergy site on Government Street after the Planning Commission unanimously approved the zone change Monday from M1 light industrial and C2 heavy commercial to LC3 light commercial. The East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority plans to place a mix of between 120 and 150 housing units and up to 19,000 square feet of office, retail and restaurant space on the property at 1400-1500 and 1509 Government St. The Planning Commission also approved the subdivision plan for Mike Hogstrom’s Adelia at Old Goodwood development and revoked the portion of Community College Drive that runs through the Baton Rouge Community College campus.
Moving along: Construction permits have been pulled for the projected $4.5 million renovation of Hawthorne Heights Apartments at 2136 N. Lobdell Blvd. David Treppendahl, head of NAI/Latter & Blum’s Multi-Family Division, purchased the 284-unit complex last week for $2.9 million. According to the permit, 28 of the 30 buildings in the complex will be renovated. The work will include replacing or repairing the exterior walls, stairs and roof; replacing the meter bank and central air conditioning; adding a new washer and dryer room in two-bedroom units; and general interior upgrades. Prairieville-based Beaurayne Builders LLC is the lead contractor on the project. Treppendahl has said the renovations are expected to take about 18 months.
Drilling deep: Aresco LP, a Dallas-based energy exploration and production company, announced today the successful completion of the Tuscaloosa Sandstone gas well in West Baton Rouge Parish. The well was originally drilled in 2009 to a total depth of 21,117 feet, but mechanical issues prevented the original operator from reaching its objective of a deeper formation, according to a news release. The operator chose instead to complete the well to access the upper sands with smaller reserve potential. In mid-2015, Aresco joined a lead operator and its capital partners and embarked on a targeted well re-entry program, which has resulted in a significant new field discovery. As of today, the well has produced more than 500,000 MMCFG, or million cubic feet of gas. Aresco’s Tuscaloosa Sands prospect features up to approximately 22 in-field drilling locations with gross estimated reserves of 726 billion cubic feet of gas and 36.3 million barrels of oil. Read the full statement.
