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For Scott Bardwell, a home rarely begins with the house itself. It starts with the neighborhood around it—the way streets connect, how green space fosters community and how the architecture shapes the rhythm of daily life.
That big-picture approach has become the hallmark of Bardwell Homes, forged through both legacy and necessity. Building runs in Bardwell’s blood: Both of his grandfathers were homebuilders, including Stanford Bardwell, one of Baton Rouge’s most prolific in the 1950s. Still, Bardwell didn’t begin in construction. He studied finance and built an early career in banking in Charlotte, North Carolina, before returning home to Baton Rouge in 1999 to work in land development.
Then the market shifted.
When the Great Recession hit, Bardwell was left with 82 unsold lots in Audubon Square and few options. Instead of waiting for buyers, he started building the homes himself—a pivot that launched the next phase of his career.
Along the way, Bardwell’s time in Charlotte shaped how he thought about communities. Neighborhoods like Myers Park introduced him to the principles of walkability and human-scale design, which later became known as traditional neighborhood development. He also found inspiration in Andrés Duany and the new urbanism movement, which emphasizes connected, livable neighborhoods over car-centered sprawl.
That philosophy took shape in Providence on Highland Road, a 2002 development Bardwell calls a turning point. Designed with architect Chris Remson, the project introduced alleys, front-porch-oriented homes and 25% green space to a market that hadn’t seen that style in decades. “The style really seemed to take off in Baton Rouge,” Bardwell says. The same DNA now runs through Stanford Oaks, Audubon Square and Veranda at University Club.
Bardwell’s research indicated that a residential market should be able to accommodate a mix of residential styles that includes 20% TND communities. “I would say when I started, Baton Rouge had zero at that time,” he says. Now, he says, it is closer to 20%.
For Bardwell, good building is equal parts creativity and discipline. His finance background still guides his decisions, helping him balance design ambition with efficiency, value and the kind of thoughtful planning that makes a neighborhood feel like home.
“Some of the most fun and rewarding projects are the ones on the tightest budgets,” he says. “One tendency with too much money is people overdesign and it can distract from what really matters.”
In their own words
PERSONAL BEST
I would have to say Providence on Highland Road because of the innovations we introduced in 2002. Providence consists of 21 lots fronting green space and the first lots built on alleys in decades. We raised the homes to make steps to the front porches. Other notable projects are Stanford Oaks near LSU, Audubon Square off Tiger Bend that was modeled off Providence but at a lower price point, and Veranda in University Club where we built all 68 homes. All great projects.
FIRST GLANCE
I look at the big picture from the outside, alignment and spacing to make sure it looks like the plans. It’s amazing how rarely people step back to make sure the site picture is right.
HARD KNOCKS
People really don’t care what I like. We have a running joke that the houses I had the biggest hand in took the longest to sell. We have always used professional architects and interior designers to get things right, but every time I mess with something it seems to backfire. So I’ve learned to let the professionals do their thing.
DREAM VS. BUDGET
I think this is one of our strengths. My philosophy is that good design doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Proportion and order are key to good design, and you can arrange anything in balance and create something that works.
THE INTENDED FEELING
Comfortable. We hope and expect a homeowner to walk in and see and feel the thought we put into the project.
FUTURE BUILDERS MAY CRINGE AT…
Maybe how big garages were. Building processes evolve slowly, but I could see the way we get around changing quite a bit in 10 years.
