Good, Great & up and coming areas of BR (Baton Rouge: low income, section 8)

[LuckyOden]

Since there seem to be a lot of people who ask about good neighborhoods in BR I decided to create a more comprehensive list. I intentionally left out areas that I know flooded heavily in 2016. Hopefully those areas can rebuild and come back strong. I don't really know enough about North BR to comment on those areas, but I do know there are some solid neighborhoods like Melrose (West). I will edit/update as needed.

So here goes.

Broadmoor - One of the most established neighborhoods in the city seeing steadily increasing home prices and remodels (like Tara 3-4 years ago) Cool Mid-century architecture, Lots of character that you don't get anywhere else...huge, treed lots for the most part, almost 100% High and dry. Great location & connectivity to rest of city.

Proximity to parks and main library.

The East Baton Rouge Parish School System is tearing down and rebuilding Broadmoor elementary in 2016/17. Nearby Sherwood Middle is probably the best "Magnet" track Jr. High school in the Parish...Close to both St. Thomas Moore and Our Lady of Mercy Catholic schools (both solid though over-crowded somewhat)



Tara - Great neighborhood with sidewalks and well defined boundaries. Neat, yet cookie cutter for the most part. Many residents are redoing the inside as open floor plans. Getting expensive as most homes that come on the market are flipped and re-sold quickly. Solid Home Owners Association.

Proximity to parks and main library. On the Mercy Catholic School bus service route. LaSalle Elementary is a neighborhood school with a solid gifted program.



East Contour, Palm Hills, Palm Park lane, Old Jefferson, Old Hammond Hwy area - Great little pockets of homes. Safe and convenient to everything.


Westminster/Pine Park - Very nice, average to expensive homes. Although there is a section of smallish, not so nice homes in the front...Not sure why? Safe and community friendly. Good location although you can only enter and exit from Jefferson Hwy (this may or may not appeal to some people).


Shenandoah, Stumberg Lane areas - High and dry for the most part. Mainly newer, mid-$200 and up homes. Kind of feels out there if you like to be closer to the trendier Mid-city, overpass, downtown, LSU areas. Not sure about the schools.


Magnolia Woods, Kennilworth & Oak Hills - A mixed bag of older homes needing updating and newish expensive homes. Great areas with good proximity to LSU and hospitals. Close to two of the best parks in the city...Highland Road Park and Perkins Road Park.


Inniswold/Jefferson Terrace - An interesting mix. There are sections with 70-80's era cookie cutter homes next to sections of Newer builds next to older homes on massive acre+ lots. Several residents still keep horses on them. Those lots are expensive and hard to come by. Tear downs and rebuilds of expensive homes abound.


Spanish town, Southdowns, College Town, University Acres, Hundred Oaks, Mid-city, Ogden Park, Capital Heights, Westdale Heights, Zeeland Place, Zee-Zee Gardens, Garden District, Old Goodwood - All fantastic. Trendy, expensive and lots of work if updating...Good luck with all that.

[rburnett]

Some boundaries for each neighborhood might be helpful.

[LuckyOden]

Will try to get to that. I probably wouldn't get into so much detail on a map though.

However, most of these street/neighborhood names can be searched quite easily.

[annie_himself]

Never heard of Zeeland Place being used in person. Same for most of those in bold.

[lsugrldej8]

How is Parkview Oaks? We are looking at buying and looking for something in the $200k range around 1800 square feet. We are tired of the horrible commute from Livingston to Baton Rouge every day for our jobs.

[Imsoblue]

Parkview Oaks is a good neighborhood. There may still be a traffic issue if your jobs aren't in that area though. Airline Highway over can be gruesome with the Ascension people trying to get home in the afternoon.

[LuckyOden]

I would normally put Parkview Oaks in the same area as Shenandoah & Stumberg Lane. I feel like that area is coming back or at least maintaining it's property values better than I expected. I have seen properties over there getting decent prices when sold.

That said every part of BR will have some shadiness nearby. In my opinion parts of South Sherwood Forest blvd and Coursey Blvd have declined somewhat over the past 6-7 years. It is mostly due to section 8 & low income renters taking over older apartment complexes and changing the dynamics of the areas immediately OUTSIDE some of the neighborhoods. I wouldn't say it is unsafe, but I believe the optics have led to some buyer hesitation and thus a slight drop in property values the closer you get to Sherwood Forest Blvd. Annnd those PO homes are kind of dated and need work..I would definitely drive the streets of the area you are interested in several times (at night also) and the surrounding commercial areas to get a better feel for it.

That said Mid-city and the Garden District are hot areas and property crime is probably more of a concern there. Hasn't stopped people paying $200 sq/ft. People love the architectural character I suppose.

[LuckyOden]

Here is a nice write up in The Advocate on a Broadmoor home. Been seeing a good bit of activity refurbishing homes in this neighborhood lately. Would love to see this area come back like Tara and Old Goodwood. There are certainly signs of that.

Pixie and Bob Storer find southwestern style in Broadmoor | | theadvocate.com

[amos13]

Hello all! I am looking at homes in the Flower Streets neighborhood (LSU area round Roosevelt Park and Alaska Street Park. Any thoughts about this neighborhood and where it might be heading? Thank you!

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by amos13

Hello all! I am looking at homes in the Flower Streets neighborhood (LSU area round Roosevelt Park and Alaska Street Park. Any thoughts about this neighborhood and where it might be heading? Thank you!

Go gentrify Port Allen.