Jackson Jambalaya

Step one: Have utter incompetence and poorly constructed levees in a major city to your South.

Step two:......

Step three: PROFIT!

Not at all impressed with downtown BR - the Little Rock downtown is much better. Although anything is obviously better than the ghost town we currently have.

BR isn't that great, I agree. Little Rock, on the other hand, has really done wonders!

It takes 70 people to look at BR? And who will pay for all of their hotel and meal reimbursements? Hmmm.

"Who will pay?" It's free! Translation: It's coming out of your pocket, Bubba the taxpayer.

Ironically, BR leaders made a similar trip to Austin over five years ago. Unfortunately, the mayor at the time, Bobby Simpson, would not take them seriously and blew off the trip as well as any of their recommendations. Downtown development in BR happened in spite of Simpson, not because of him.

His idea of development was to stick a Wal-Mart on College Drive, a decision that cost him his re-election. Simpson was such a bad mayor that BR elected a black mayor (with a majority white vote). Holden has been more pro-active in downtown development. The Shaw Center and Wine Loft did alot for starting downtown develpment, now 3rd Street is starting to come along very nicely. Fortunately, they have avoided all the problems plagueing Perkins Rowe (no shady developers is a nice start always).

Each participant is paying his or her own expenses, except for the 56person bus. DJP is paying for it. 14 are taking their own cars, at their own expense. Little Rock was same scenario.

Baton Rouge was picked because 5 years ago, almost no one lived downtown. Today, almost 2500 do, and they have the beautiful LSU Shaw Art Center.

The city is on the move, and 70 Jacksonians care enough to pay their own way to see and learn "how".

Little Rock's renaissance began in 1994.

I am going, and I went to Little Rock last year. You can come too, if you contact DJP. Very eye-opening what a few open minded, determined citizens of a community can do.

While Baton Rouge has made SOME small progress, I would not suggest that folks come HERE to our city to see 'how it's done.' In addition to Austin, folks from BR have made pilgrimages to other southern cities to see 'how to do it.' (By the way, most of us ADORE Kip)
However, y'all come, spend some money, and GO TIGERS!!

It should be noted BR got this accomplished in spite of the government at the time. Thanks goodness Holden is more friendly to new ideas and a strong supporter of LSU.

They are also focusing on development around LSU on Nicholson. Very nice developments going up there as there will always be a demand for people who want to live next to campus.

The LSU Shaw Center is worth the trip there.

http://www.shawcenter.org/

Baton Rouge is not the "where all/end all". They are, however, pacemaking in many areas.

I hope Jackson can be where they are in 5 years, and we can, if people really, REALLY try.

We can do better.

Maybe after they book a trip to Baton Rouge to see what the city could be they could book a trip to Detroit and see what the city WILL be if they don't magically discover some competence.

July 7, 4PM,

There hasn't been a significant increase in downtown residents in BR in the past 5 years--I've been living downtown (5 blocks from the Capitol) for the past 12 years, and lived across Florida in the other downtown neighborhood for 5 years before that. What has changed are the property values as the area has become 'trendy', so the 'new residents' are simply residents who look different from the 'old residents' who have been displaced by the rising rents. One significant exception is in some of the larger pieces of rental property: Where a single woman used to live in the 3 bedroom house across the street from me (at a reasonable rent) now 7 students rent the house (each paying about what my former neighbor paid). The rising cost of living downtown has changed the complexion of the neighborhood in more ways than one.

but hey, Skip lives there.

Anonymous at 8:55,

Meet us tomorrow evening at 5:30 at Boudreaux's and Thibideaux's for drinks. We promise to show you the new 2500 residents downtown that you have not seen for the last 12 years while you "lived there". And the new restaurants, lofts, condos, hotels [Sheraton and Hilton], art center yadayadayada.

If you live there [b/s call], you need to get out more.

Come see us. Drinks on us.

The Wine Loft is certainly full of gelled-up dbags. But I would at least love to have the option in Jacktown.

9:09 AM,

I didn't dispute the new restaurants, hotels, art center, or any of the commercial developments, did I? No.

Here's the honest truth: There hasn't been a significant increase in RESIDENTIAL HOUSING STOCK downtown yet. The big condo development? Hasn't happened yet. The proposed development for Spanish Town? Still on the drawing board.

There are a great many more people working downtown--the consolidation of the state office buildings downtown has certainly contributed to the ability to attract new businesses downtown.

But 2500 additional downtown residents? Nope. Hasn't happened. IF it had we would have a grocery store that's closer than Calandro's.

B&T's is nice, but when I finish working I prefer to associate with my friends, not with the same state workers, legal beagles, and such that I've spent all day working with.

Damn, I miss the Thirsty Tiger. And Three Coins.

Oh boo effing hoo. You need an 8 inch date. I live here too, and you are full of crap, "Ann". Be there tomorrow. B and T's.

I will be the good lookin' coon ass with the red bb cap on.

We are "rock and roll". You are, well, "needy".

Dang, Anony 8:50 was so hot in his come-on that I actually SWOONED. Dang, if I were not straight.....

"Ann"...you didn't show up.....[bitch].

The BnT crowd must be a real class act with the lead asshole wearing a red BB caps and all. BTW asshole in the red cap. Turn the tape measure you're using over, and read the other side. You have obviously been reading the metric side. You've got 8 cm and not 8 inches. At least keep it real.

It's nice to see two cities in two different states try to help each other out. Usuaully, all you hear about is all the bickering between entities over funding and business, so this news is much more welcoming to the ear.