‘Real Estate Weekly’: National redevelopment conference spotlights B.R.

A three-day conference being held in New Orleans will spotlight on Wednesday “a contagious environment for redevelopment in Baton Rouge.” The conference, titled Remaking America for the 21st Century and hosted by the Center for Community Progress, will include a “mobile workshop” tour through New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Mark Goodson, COO of the East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority and one of the hosts of the Baton Rouge leg of the workshop, says attendees will start with a luncheon presentation at the Old State Capitol, then proceed on to a walking tour through downtown, including the North Boulevard Town Square, the Shaw Center for the Arts, the hotel projects and the Tessier Building along Lafayette Street, and the Kress at Third and Main. After that, the group will get back on the bus to see various projects in Mid City and Old South Baton Rouge, then to the North Gates of LSU and back up Nicholson Drive, before finishing with a tour of the old vacant warehouse on Wyoming Street that is now the home of Tin Roof Brewery. Local workshop leaders include Goodson and project manager James Andermann from the redevelopment authority, as well as Downtown Development District Executive Director Davis Rhorer, administrator Gwen Hamilton from Mayor Kip Holden’s office, and John Spain, executive vice president of BRAF. The Center for Community Progress says it exists to help provide “effective, sustainable solutions to turn vacant, abandoned and problem properties into vibrant places.” —David Jacobs Read the rest of the new Real Estate Weekly e-newsletter here.