Old South partnership director running out of money

The executive director of the Old South Baton Rouge Neighborhood Partnership Board, who was hired last year to help lead the revitalization of the historic area between LSU and downtown, expects to close up shop in June or July because of a lack of money. Kevin Boyd, the sole employee of his office, says he has written to the mayor’s office, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, LSU, the East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority and others looking for funding, to no avail. Boyd says he has also looked to outside groups, but few are willing to fund 100% of a local group. “They will help out, but they’re looking for local support,” Boyd says. “We don’t have any local support.” The office was initially opened with a $125,000 grant from the East Baton Rouge Mortgage Finance Authority; that agency just pledged $1 million to the Redevelopment Authority and didn’t have any more money to give, Boyd says. The Redevelopment Authority has said it plans to focus its early efforts on Old South. The Partnership Board itself will continue to meet, and board chairman Joseph Delpit stressed revitalization efforts will continue. “Naturally, we would love to have a director,” Delpit says. “We will be operating as we have been doing prior to getting a director. We will have people helping, I’m sure.” For more about the effort to bring back Old South, read the Business Report story here.—David Jacobs