Holding on to houses: Baton Rouge had the 37th lowest foreclosure rate in U.S. metro areas during the first quarter, according to a report by RealtyTrac. There were 449 foreclosures in metro Baton Rouge during the first three months of the year, or one per every 714 households. That’s far better than the national average of one foreclosure for every 159 U.S. households.
In the middle of the entertainment district: The Third Street building that was the home of D’Agostino’s is up for lease. Diane Zhang, who owns the building, says she’s talked to a number of potential restaurant tenants. “We haven’t gotten to a final decision who to lease to,” says Zhang, who owns the Café Mediterranean in Southdowns Shopping Center. D’Agostino’s recently closed; owner Sammy D’Agostino died in September. Zhang says she’s looking for someone to take over the 5,300-square-foot restaurant space and an adjoining 1,100 square feet.
