The West Parking Garage

CBD-2

Observation

As retail returns there will be a need for ad-ditional parking.

Discussion

The State Capitol Master Plan has clearly located a parking garage of 2000 cars at the corner of Main and Third Streets. Its design delivers pedestrians with equal ease to the State buildings and to the shop fronts on Third Street. The state has agreed to make this parking available in the evenings. This is a crucial component of a commercial revival.

The parking garage incorporates well-designed shopfronts at the base along Third and Main Streets. Along Third Street these shopfronts should be made available to the YMCA. This program at this location will tend to keep state employees in the Downtown after hours.

The design of this garage is expected to include the latest advances in lighting, to be subsequently implemented in the city’s existing Government Street garages.

Recommendation A

All recommendations have been incorporated and the project is close to ground-breaking.

Recommendation B

Locate a YMCA that provides child care and a health club in the building of the new West Parking Garage.

Responsibility

State Commissioner of Administration and Downtown Development District

Project Status

Ground level tenants for LaSalle (West) Parking Garage (CBD-2).

YMCA leases 10,000 square feet on the ground floor of the LaSalle Parking Garage that has Third Street frontage. The YMCA officially opened in February 2001 and quickly exceeded its membership expectations. A generous donation from Charles W. Lamar, III in memory of his late father, Charles W. Lamar Jr., assured that the YMCA opened fully funded and fully equipped. The YMCA is currently expanding to include an additional 3,500 square feet to accomodate its growing membership.

The other two retail pods in the LaSalle Garage were included in the merchandising plan developed for Plan Baton Rouge. Obee’s Deli opened in the LaSalle Garage on January 15, 2003 and Bastion’s for Hair opened March 5, 2003. Serop’s Express, Jambalaya Shop and Capitol Corner Market & Newsstand, located in the Galvez Garage pods, opened in February 2003. Eagle Federal Credit Union opened in October 2003.

Note that another exercise club also with child care is proposed at Lafayette Park by BREC. These should have different price points, the BREC version being less expensive than the YMCA.

Implementation

Explanation of Terms

Product

Ground Level Tenants

Responsibility

SCA & DDD

Implementing Agent

SCA

Feasibility Analysis

SCA

Initial Financing

SCB

Project Financing

SCB

Timing