One bright spot: The number of homes sold in the Capital Region was down 16% in July, compared to the previous year, despite an increase in Livingston Parish home sales. There were 110 houses sold in Livingston last month, according to figures from the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service. That compares with 98 home sales in Livingston during July 2008. Through the first seven months of the year, the number of houses sold in the Capital Region is down 18.5%, with 3,967 units being sold. That compares with 4,867 sales through July 2008. The average sale price was $195,289, down 5.5% from the average sale price of $206,606.
Building will be used as production office: The Celtic Media Centre has completed a deal to buy the former American Red Cross building on Mayfair Drive for $1.025 million. Celtic officials disclosed plans to buy the 17,000-square-foot building several weeks ago, but would not disclose a sale price. Paperwork for the deal was filed with the Clerk of Court’s office last Wednesday. Celtic plans to use the building as production offices for tenants that are shooting movies or TV shows in town.
Getting bigger: Our Lady of the Lake plans to build an 80,000-square-foot medical office building at Hennessy Boulevard and O’Donovan Drive. Kelly Zimmerman, a spokeswoman for Our Lady of the Lake, says the plan is to start construction in the next 30 days and have the building open by September 2010.
