The popularity of TNDs is in full swing in Baton Rouge. TNDs, the acronym for Traditional Neighborhood Developments, are attractive to homebuyers and retailers alike because of the sense of community they help foster.
TNDs successfully attract homeowners and retailers alike for a win-win formula. Homeowners enjoy being able to choose a home which fits their needs in a range of housing spanning condos to high-end single, family residences--all within blocks of each other. That often means families with children can have their retired grandparents living conveniently nearby.
Retailers look forward to locating in TNDs because of the more personalized customer service they can offer while enjoying a more loyal clientele.
To top it off, green spaces within the TND make leisure time more accessible to residents and the commercial spaces on site mean not having to fight traffic to get things done. The developments become a village within a city, hence the name "traditional neighborhood development."
Here in Baton Rouge, two TNDs currently under construction, Perkins Rowe (Perkins at Bluebonnet) and Willow Grove (right off Perkins Road) may soon be joined by Rouzan. Rouzan, which will be built on the 119-acre Ford Pasture site, will feature 800 residential units, split evenly between single-family homes and condominiums/townhomes, along with 45,000 square feet of office space, 45,000 square feet of retail space and 10,000 square feet of restaurants/cafés/delis. It also will contain a 20,000-square-foot library, 100-student Montessori school, a church and 23 acres of open space, including a village green and small parks. Plans for Tommy Spinosa's Rouzan are set to go before the city-parish Planning Commission on Oct. 22
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
No Plans for Labor Day Yet?
Here are some ideas you might want to take advantage of:
The Shrimp and Petroleum Festival (Aug 30 – Sep 2) is where tens of thousands flock south to Morgan City to celebrate Louisiana’s oldest chartered harvest festival. For a complete schedule call (800) 256-2931 or visit http://www.shrimp-petrofest.org/.
While we’re on festivals, there’s the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Festival , fifteen hours of non-stop music, food, crafts and culture demonstrations at the Zydeco Festival Grounds. (337) 232-7672 or http://www.zydeco.org/ for details
For a more leisurely pace, you might want to consider a visit to Ocean Springs, MS, Sept 1, where artists showcase their talents along with musicians and chefs inside and outside local businesses and galleries the length and breadth of downtown. (228) 875-4424
Speaking of Mississippi, don’t forget the easy drive to beaches around Biloxi. Pack a lunch, bring a book and escape to the quiet surf of the coast. Enjoy the solitude there while the crowds invade Alabama.
Maybe your interest is boating down the Amite River or the Diversion Canal. You don’t even need to own a boat! You could rent one from “Getting You Wet” Boat Rentals (225) 698-6922, Gonzales, LA and putting in at Port Vincent.
Whatever your plans, make memories and make it safe!
The Shrimp and Petroleum Festival (Aug 30 – Sep 2) is where tens of thousands flock south to Morgan City to celebrate Louisiana’s oldest chartered harvest festival. For a complete schedule call (800) 256-2931 or visit http://www.shrimp-petrofest.org/.
While we’re on festivals, there’s the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Festival , fifteen hours of non-stop music, food, crafts and culture demonstrations at the Zydeco Festival Grounds. (337) 232-7672 or http://www.zydeco.org/ for details
For a more leisurely pace, you might want to consider a visit to Ocean Springs, MS, Sept 1, where artists showcase their talents along with musicians and chefs inside and outside local businesses and galleries the length and breadth of downtown. (228) 875-4424
Speaking of Mississippi, don’t forget the easy drive to beaches around Biloxi. Pack a lunch, bring a book and escape to the quiet surf of the coast. Enjoy the solitude there while the crowds invade Alabama.
Maybe your interest is boating down the Amite River or the Diversion Canal. You don’t even need to own a boat! You could rent one from “Getting You Wet” Boat Rentals (225) 698-6922, Gonzales, LA and putting in at Port Vincent.
Whatever your plans, make memories and make it safe!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Try Out a Supper Club
You feel like going out to dinner but don't want the evening to end there. And going to a movie doesn't quite offer the interaction you want with your date. How about going to a supper club for dinner and dancing?
Where, you ask?
Well, Primo's Steak & Louisiana Cuisine, here in Baton Rouge, has announced it is now offering dancing beginning at 9pm Wednesday through Saturday nights. Noting the over-40 crowd isn't into "clubbing" but is looking for late-night entertainment, Primo's will be playing standard and pop tunes spanning the 40's to the 80's.
Primo's General Manager, Matt Merchant, took note of how busy Sullivan's Steakhouse has been and saw the market potential.
And How About This for an Evening Out?...
I can't say it better than the way it's written up by Country Roads Magazine:
Forum 35's sizzling summer juried art exhibition is in the wings again, promising to bring cutting-edge contemporary art together in the capital city for a fourth time. Last year thousands turned out for this event, drawn by the promise of fresh, challenging new artistic expressions by those who will define what contemporary art in our region looks like in years to come.
This year, The Art Melt looks like spilling out of the Shaw Center, to fill not just the Brunner Gallery, but also the Lyceum Dean Building (Third Street) with juried art, hors d'oeuvres, live musical entertainment, and performances by many big names in the capital city's performing arts arena—Baton Rouge Ballet, Swine Palace Theatre, Baton Rouge Symphony, Of Moving Colors Productions, and Baton Rouge Little Theater.
Admission is free; a cash bar keeps things lubricated; and should you feel compelled to take a little piece of Louisiana's visual arts future home with you, all included artwork will be for sale, with proceeds to benefit the Community Fund for the Arts and its member organizations. 7 pm–10 pm, downtown. All works will remain on display at Brunner Gallery through July 21. (225) 281-2032 or http://www.artmelt.org/.
Where, you ask?
Well, Primo's Steak & Louisiana Cuisine, here in Baton Rouge, has announced it is now offering dancing beginning at 9pm Wednesday through Saturday nights. Noting the over-40 crowd isn't into "clubbing" but is looking for late-night entertainment, Primo's will be playing standard and pop tunes spanning the 40's to the 80's.
Primo's General Manager, Matt Merchant, took note of how busy Sullivan's Steakhouse has been and saw the market potential.
And How About This for an Evening Out?...
I can't say it better than the way it's written up by Country Roads Magazine:
Forum 35's sizzling summer juried art exhibition is in the wings again, promising to bring cutting-edge contemporary art together in the capital city for a fourth time. Last year thousands turned out for this event, drawn by the promise of fresh, challenging new artistic expressions by those who will define what contemporary art in our region looks like in years to come.
This year, The Art Melt looks like spilling out of the Shaw Center, to fill not just the Brunner Gallery, but also the Lyceum Dean Building (Third Street) with juried art, hors d'oeuvres, live musical entertainment, and performances by many big names in the capital city's performing arts arena—Baton Rouge Ballet, Swine Palace Theatre, Baton Rouge Symphony, Of Moving Colors Productions, and Baton Rouge Little Theater.
Admission is free; a cash bar keeps things lubricated; and should you feel compelled to take a little piece of Louisiana's visual arts future home with you, all included artwork will be for sale, with proceeds to benefit the Community Fund for the Arts and its member organizations. 7 pm–10 pm, downtown. All works will remain on display at Brunner Gallery through July 21. (225) 281-2032 or http://www.artmelt.org/.
Monday, July 2, 2007
What Direction are Baton Rouge Home Values Going?
If I'm asked anything as a realtor, I'm asked what I think about what direction the local housing market is going in terms of value. My answer is always positive because from what I see in the market, the Baton Rouge metro area simply isn't feeling the pinch being experienced elsewhere in the nation.
The forecast for home prices going up in Baton Rouge is milder, though, at 4.1% when compared to other Louisiana markets. That's largely due to the fact that Baton Rouge home prices have rallied substantially ever since Katrina, perhaps in greater measure than the rest of the state. Click HERE to see a current forecast of the various Louisiana markets along with analysis.
People I talk to still have the jitters that the impact the housing market nationwide is going to create a domino effect for Baton Rouge. But the folks at HousingPredictor.com seem to think that the U.S. has already turned the corner on the softening housing market. According to that website:
The tide is turning and the worst may be over in the national housing market slowdown, according to the latest assessment by Housing Predictor. The real estate slowdown experienced in the majority of the U.S. is signaling a change.
Housing Predictor continually updates its more than 250 local housing market forecasts in all 50 states, and at least 18 states now have housing markets that are appreciating, many with increased sales volume as a result of lower prices than in 2006.
Overall 56% of the nation's housing markets are appreciating or have stabilized, according to the study. Ten states are experiencing markets that are stabilizing.
Just in cases you were wondering, Louisiana is indeed one of the 18 states in the nation with appreciating values. To see just what HousingPredictor.com is saying about the state of the nation's real estate market, click HERE.
The forecast for home prices going up in Baton Rouge is milder, though, at 4.1% when compared to other Louisiana markets. That's largely due to the fact that Baton Rouge home prices have rallied substantially ever since Katrina, perhaps in greater measure than the rest of the state. Click HERE to see a current forecast of the various Louisiana markets along with analysis.
People I talk to still have the jitters that the impact the housing market nationwide is going to create a domino effect for Baton Rouge. But the folks at HousingPredictor.com seem to think that the U.S. has already turned the corner on the softening housing market. According to that website:
The tide is turning and the worst may be over in the national housing market slowdown, according to the latest assessment by Housing Predictor. The real estate slowdown experienced in the majority of the U.S. is signaling a change.
Housing Predictor continually updates its more than 250 local housing market forecasts in all 50 states, and at least 18 states now have housing markets that are appreciating, many with increased sales volume as a result of lower prices than in 2006.
Overall 56% of the nation's housing markets are appreciating or have stabilized, according to the study. Ten states are experiencing markets that are stabilizing.
Just in cases you were wondering, Louisiana is indeed one of the 18 states in the nation with appreciating values. To see just what HousingPredictor.com is saying about the state of the nation's real estate market, click HERE.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Memorial Day Fun
NOT headed for the beach, you say?! Saving on gas for the Memorial Day Weekend, you figure? Well how about some good times not far from home? From Country Roads Magazine, here's outdoor fun right in Morgan City
May 26 - May 28
Games People Play
It's a Blast on the Bayou--Morgan City, La
Noisy, high-octane fun snorts across the waters of Lake Palourde when the Morgan City Power Boat Association hosts the annual Atchafalaya Eastern divisional powerboat races over the Memorial Day weekend. More than one hundred powerboats and a festive atmosphere are expected, with entries coming from as far as Canada, New York, Virginia, California, and Washington state to compete in thirteen classes of racing. The course will be one and a quarter miles or four laps, approved for records. The motors roar from 9 am–4 pm daily.On dry land, plans call for a kiddy corner and live music stage each day, with a lineup of local entertainers. $10 adults; free for kids under 12. (985) 384-3000.
May 26 - May 28
Games People Play
It's a Blast on the Bayou--Morgan City, La
Noisy, high-octane fun snorts across the waters of Lake Palourde when the Morgan City Power Boat Association hosts the annual Atchafalaya Eastern divisional powerboat races over the Memorial Day weekend. More than one hundred powerboats and a festive atmosphere are expected, with entries coming from as far as Canada, New York, Virginia, California, and Washington state to compete in thirteen classes of racing. The course will be one and a quarter miles or four laps, approved for records. The motors roar from 9 am–4 pm daily.On dry land, plans call for a kiddy corner and live music stage each day, with a lineup of local entertainers. $10 adults; free for kids under 12. (985) 384-3000.If you'd like to camp right there on Lake Palourde, you can stay at Lake End Park and Campground right there at the Lake in Morgan City.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Free Remodeling Tool Online
Note-- Due to technical difficulties, I have been unable to update this blog site since my initial post. My apologies for the delay!
One of the most rewarding things homeowners can do is update their home with a little remodeling. BUT, one of the most difficult things to do is to finally decide on what color scheme to go with? After all, what will THAT color look like with THAT wood or with THAT counter surface?
How about some help?
I came across this little online tool helpful if you're planning to do some remodelling:
http://homegarden.move.com/HomeGarden/Remodeling-Tools/Default.asp?poe=homestore
If you find a great online resource for remodeling, home improvement, landscaping, etc., feel free to respond to this post. Or else, you can email me with your suggestion. I might use your information as the basis for our feature post!
One of the most rewarding things homeowners can do is update their home with a little remodeling. BUT, one of the most difficult things to do is to finally decide on what color scheme to go with? After all, what will THAT color look like with THAT wood or with THAT counter surface?
How about some help?
I came across this little online tool helpful if you're planning to do some remodelling:
http://homegarden.move.com/HomeGarden/Remodeling-Tools/Default.asp?poe=homestore
If you find a great online resource for remodeling, home improvement, landscaping, etc., feel free to respond to this post. Or else, you can email me with your suggestion. I might use your information as the basis for our feature post!
Friday, January 19, 2007
Watch the Saints, Meet the Neighbors
You found us! You've found the inaugural post for Baton Rouge Homes...so "Welcome!"
All over the Baton Rouge area and across the state, Saints fever has hit. Black and Gold can be seen everywhere. Homes are proudly flying the colors of Louisiana's own NFL team. T-shirts, caps, jerseys, banners and all of the watchamacallit with Saints logos just don't stay on store shelves. Who would'a thought!?!
This Sunday is the day that Saints Football Game parties will be in full swing in more homes than ever before in the franchise's 40-year history. Chances are, you'll be at one yourself!
What a perfect time to meet some of your neighbors! How about hosting your own Game Day Party? While you have over a bunch of your closest friends, invite over the neighbors you've wanted to get to know better. This festive atmosphere makes it easy for neighbors to feel relaxed since they aren't in the spotlight like can sometimes be the case at a dinner party. No concerns here about coming up with conversation topics! Gasping at missed plays, laughing at commercials, and even swapping recipes of the party's favorite eats all create a casual atmosphere that everyone can enjoy.
Speaking of recipes, here's a recipe for a great Saints Game party:
1- Make a guest list of your favorite folks. Then add in the name(s) of the neighbor you'd like to build a relationship. To your closest friends, a phone call or email is all you need to invite them over. But with that neighbor you don't know as well, prepare a special, handmade invitation and deliver it in person. (That link will help you with ideas on how to do that!) That special invitation tells your neighbor you would very much enjoy seeing them there. Be sure to put their name on it. If they already have other plans, just the fact that you made it so personal lets them know your good intentions.
2- Decorate! Nothing makes a neighborhood party as special as the decorations both inside and out. The outside decorations let your neighbors know why all the cars are up and down the street and help explain why their street is a bit harder to navigate. Plus, it lets everyone know you enjoy a good time with the best of them!
3- Gotta have the eats! You can either provide all the digs OR you can provide the main fixin's and invite your friends to bring along their favorite dish or munchies. Here are some suggestions (all recipes are from Chef John Folse's WONDERFUL website--thanks!):
Seafood Gumbo
SEC Championship Chili
Root Beer Glazed Ham
50-Yard Line Florentine Artichoke Dip
Super Moist Carrot Cake
4- Now...turn on the TV, crank up the surround-sound, and give your neighbor the best seat in the house!
All over the Baton Rouge area and across the state, Saints fever has hit. Black and Gold can be seen everywhere. Homes are proudly flying the colors of Louisiana's own NFL team. T-shirts, caps, jerseys, banners and all of the watchamacallit with Saints logos just don't stay on store shelves. Who would'a thought!?!
This Sunday is the day that Saints Football Game parties will be in full swing in more homes than ever before in the franchise's 40-year history. Chances are, you'll be at one yourself!What a perfect time to meet some of your neighbors! How about hosting your own Game Day Party? While you have over a bunch of your closest friends, invite over the neighbors you've wanted to get to know better. This festive atmosphere makes it easy for neighbors to feel relaxed since they aren't in the spotlight like can sometimes be the case at a dinner party. No concerns here about coming up with conversation topics! Gasping at missed plays, laughing at commercials, and even swapping recipes of the party's favorite eats all create a casual atmosphere that everyone can enjoy.
Speaking of recipes, here's a recipe for a great Saints Game party:
1- Make a guest list of your favorite folks. Then add in the name(s) of the neighbor you'd like to build a relationship. To your closest friends, a phone call or email is all you need to invite them over. But with that neighbor you don't know as well, prepare a special, handmade invitation and deliver it in person. (That link will help you with ideas on how to do that!) That special invitation tells your neighbor you would very much enjoy seeing them there. Be sure to put their name on it. If they already have other plans, just the fact that you made it so personal lets them know your good intentions.
2- Decorate! Nothing makes a neighborhood party as special as the decorations both inside and out. The outside decorations let your neighbors know why all the cars are up and down the street and help explain why their street is a bit harder to navigate. Plus, it lets everyone know you enjoy a good time with the best of them!
3- Gotta have the eats! You can either provide all the digs OR you can provide the main fixin's and invite your friends to bring along their favorite dish or munchies. Here are some suggestions (all recipes are from Chef John Folse's WONDERFUL website--thanks!):
Seafood Gumbo
SEC Championship Chili
Root Beer Glazed Ham
50-Yard Line Florentine Artichoke Dip
Super Moist Carrot Cake
4- Now...turn on the TV, crank up the surround-sound, and give your neighbor the best seat in the house!
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