A second traditional neighborhood development is coming to Central, this one by the developers of the famed River Ranch in Lafayette.
In his State of the City of Central address this afternoon to the Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge, Mayor Jr. Shelton outlined plans for the Shoe Creek TND, a 138-acre mixed-use development on Sullivan Road across from Walmart. The project call for 700 housing units, including cottages, townhouses, village homes and apartments, as well as more than 68,000 square feet of commercial space for offices, restaurants, a grocery and shops.
The development will strive for a “rural feel,” Shelton says, with tree-lined boulevards and walking trails. Architect Steven Oubre and others spent several days in Central in December conducting a charrette on the proposed development. Shelton says a meeting is planned for Thursday to begin moving Shoe Creek through the planning and zoning process.
Oubre was behind the design of River Ranch, Louisiana’s first TND, now home to more than 2,500 people. It will be the second TND in Central, a city of 28,000. Construction is already underway at Village at Magnolia Square, which James Nunnally and Steele Pollard are developing.
“They see it as an opportunity,” Shelton told Daily Report following today’s luncheon. “They have specifically said that the number of folks coming here from IBM and other large corporations, this is where they’re going to want to locate: Central or Zachary.”
The mayor says developers want to start the project before year’s end; it is expected to take seven or eight years to complete. —Penny Font
