Growing cactus: The owners of the Velvet Cactus in Baton Rouge are expanding at their Old Hammond Highway location, adding a private event space to accommodate larger parties. “Half of our building is an outdoor patio and we have rain 90% of the year here,” says co-owner Herb Dyer. Dyer is asking the planning commission to approve a rezoning request to clear the way for the 700-800 square foot building to replace five handicapped parking spots near the front of the restaurant. The new space will be connected by a covered walkway.
Looking ahead: The 2017 Livingston Parish Real Estate Forecast Conference is set for 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept 7, at the Suma Hall Community Center. Experts will detail rebuilding efforts since the August 2016 flood and how communities can better equip themselves with strategies to handle future disruptions. David McKey, chairman of the National Association of Realtors flood insurance committee, will speak about the immediate outlook for renewals of the NFIP and the future of flood insurance. Get more information.
In between: U.S. Customs and Border Protection selected four vendors to build concrete prototypes for President Donald Trump’s promised—but controversial—wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. The companies from Alabama, Arizona, Texas and Mississippi will build prototypes of their designs for the wall at a location near San Diego. Construction may begin next month and will take 30 days. Each prototype will be 30 feet long and between 18 and 30 feet high. The government will pay as much as $500,000 each for the mock-ups. Read the full story from Bloomberg.
Editor’s note: The offices of Business Report will be closed on Monday, Sept. 4, in observance of the Labor Day holiday, and Daily Report will not be published. Daily Report will resume publication on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.
