New debate!!!: Best downtown i louisiana outside n.o?? (Baton Rouge: hotel, casino)

[Tootoobd59]

Originally Posted by JimLFT

Lafayette is the home of a medical industry that exceeds Shreveport's...

Wanna quote some sources on that for us, bud?

[JimLFT]

Originally Posted by Tootoobd59

Wanna quote some sources on that for us, bud?

Well, it was either a newspaper article or a TV news story a few years back which announced that the local oil and gas industry in terms of direct employment had been surpassed by the local medical industry. Huge news around here. But the pièce de résistance in the story was when they cited stats showing Lafayette's numbers exceeding that of Shreveport! To me, that was even bigger news.

My Googling skills were unable to dig up that old story, so you win.

I went to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, and it shows Shreveport-Bossier edging Lafayette in most categories of medical employment, so I can only guess that the old article I refer to may have been based on CSA stats instead of MSA, or city.

Now you've got me on a quest to find that darned article.

[pandorafan5687]

Lake Charles is trying. The promenade just opened, and they are trying to get shops and things along the lake front. Shops, restaurants, cafes, and hotels. But even then, it's never going to be Houston, and it doesn't need to be. Can't a downtown area be quaint, yet vibrant? It's not New Orleans, and it's not baton rouge. And quite frankly, it shouldn't be. The city should be unique in its own way.

[Louisiana'sLegend2]

Originally Posted by pandorafan5687

Lake Charles is trying. The promenade just opened, and they are trying to get shops and things along the lake front. Shops, restaurants, cafes, and hotels. But even then, it's never going to be Houston, and it doesn't need to be. Can't a downtown area be quaint, yet vibrant? It's not New Orleans, and it's not baton rouge. And quite frankly, it shouldn't be. The city should be unique in its own way.

Okay what about LAKE CHARLES, I rarely here much about Lake Charles, but I do know its build up is very similar to Shreveport's when your talking about proximity to Texas.

Far as I know, Lakes Charles has downtown casinoes, a few restaurants, and the presence of modern America with bank towers. Hmmmm.

Though I have been to Houston, but as I drove by Lake Charles.....it was a blur. That was when I was younger, because I take alternate routes now.

I just looked up Lake Charles downtown on google map, obviously I have a limited view with only a still life perspective but.....I can make a few comments on it.

The Good: The presence of Modern America. You have gas stations, casiones, franchise restaurants and tall tower buildings. Its understood that your not a huge city, but to be in tune with the rest of America is very important. I always thought of Lake Charles to be one of the easiest places in Louisiana to grow if someone decided to invest in it, and the downtown is no exception.

The Bad: Where is the History? If I come to any downtown, I expect to see some form of historic perservation and restoration, but in Lake Charles all I see is new new new!?!? All the old buildings look neglected. Your in Louisiana for God sakes, why would you have a poor showing of history and culture in your downtown. Ok remember Im looking at google map, so maybe im wrong.

Conclusion: Lake Charles on google maps looks like a busy strip in town instead of a downtown. I am not trying to be rude, but Its not my idea of what I think of when I think downtown, with the exception of tall buildings.....but buildings you will see in every town or city(your Chase, your Capital One, yadda yadda. etc). Now I here amazing things about the overall City of Lake Charles and how the living there is relaxing and great place to raise kids, but I wrote this thread as an emphasis on downtowns and Lakes Charles's to me seems like a regular busy business intersection of town.

[pandorafan5687]

In tune w/ the rest of america? You mean like another yuppieville? Most smaller cities aren't going to have a downtown w/ a huge skyline. W/ the development of TND neighborhoods(which I'm still waiting on for LC to get), you don't really need a huge skyline. Now as for the preservation, you have the old charleston hotel(being used for art exhibits and banquets now, w/ residential and office space on the upper floors), the central school building, the old city hall building, the old Calcasieu Marine building(at the corner of pujo and broad street), and we have several old homes that were preserved, and some are being restored.

Now as for other older buildings(that were there before my time), many of them were demolished during the white flight, to make room for parking space(sad b/c I saw some old pics of downtown and downtown used to be a pretty legit place). So the best downtown outside of N.O. IMO would be Lafayette if you are looking for vibrant yet relaxing. Baton Rouge if you are looking for a bustling city life.

Currently Lake Charles, is one giant residential area. It's a bedroom community b/c ppl alot of residents here work outside of Lake Charles, in Westlake, and Sulphur, come even as far as Orange and Beaumont, TX. Some work in Lafayette. Let's move away from downtown for a minute:

I kind of see the power center shopping area becoming bigger. Most of the development of the Lake area is on the southwest, and in surrounding areas like sulphur.

One thing I would love to see preserved in Lake Charles is some of the country lifestyle, and I see they are trying to do that b/c they built horse stables out there on S. Park road. In LC, you can go from a busy street to being out in the country just by taking a side street. You can have development on one end, and country living on another. Take for example Graywood(Golf community in Lake Charles), when you exit the neighborhood, you find your self on a secluded state highway.

[JimLFT]

One thing about Lake Charles' downtown is it's impressive interstate presence coming over the I-10 bridge from the west. The Capital One building is the first thing people notice. Then the lake, etc. all make for a great first impression for first-time visitors. Sort of a "wow" factor...

And speaking of "wow" factors, I had to make an unscheduled stop at Chennault airport a few years ago, and WOW! First thing you need to know is that I am hopelessly obsessed with airplanes. And I was greeted by a ramp full of Air Force and NASA trainers of the T-38 and Texan II variety, as well as a FedEx A300 at FULL throttle on a nearby maintenance ramp! No sweeter sound than such huge Rolls Royce turbofans at full windup to yours truly... But, I digress...

[CTtcg]

Originally Posted by LOUISIANA'SLEGEND

The Good: The presence of Modern America. You have gas stations, casiones, franchise restaurants and tall tower buildings. Its understood that your not a huge city, but to be in tune with the rest of America is very important. I always thought of Lake Charles to be one of the easiest places in Louisiana to grow if someone decided to invest in it, and the downtown is no exception.

What is great is that Lake Charles has some high towers for a city of its size. In fact, I don't think any tower has it beat in either Lafaytte or Beaumont. L'Auberge is 26 stories, and Capital One is 22. Beaumont's tallest is the Edison at 20 stories.

The Bad: Where is the History? If I come to any downtown, I expect to see some form of historic perservation and restoration, but in Lake Charles all I see is new new new!?!? All the old buildings look neglected. Your in Louisiana for God sakes, why would you have a poor showing of history and culture in your downtown. Ok remember Im looking at google map, so maybe im wrong.

There are quite a number of older buildings that were torn down by the city in the 1970s because they were neglected and in great disrepair. I'm all for historic preservation as long as what's preserved is actually historical.

Conclusion: Lake Charles on google maps looks like a busy strip in town instead of a downtown. I am not trying to be rude, but Its not my idea of what I think of when I think downtown, with the exception of tall buildings.....but buildings you will see in every town or city(your Chase, your Capital One, yadda yadda. etc). Now I here amazing things about the overall City of Lake Charles and how the living there is relaxing and great place to raise kids, but I wrote this thread as an emphasis on downtowns and Lakes Charles's to me seems like a regular busy business intersection of town.

What the city is trying to do is encourage more new urbanist developments throughout downtown to make it more pedestrian friendly and such. I'm sure in a few years it will become a nice place to live and work. These things do take time to take off though. But you should go there because a satellite image can only tell you so much. There are several restaurants downtown as well as a few apartments scattered here and there.

[CTtcg]

Originally Posted by JimLFT

One thing about Lake Charles' downtown is it's impressive interstate presence coming over the I-10 bridge from the west. The Capital One building is the first thing people notice. Then the lake, etc. all make for a great first impression for first-time visitors. Sort of a "wow" factor...

It is quite beautiful from that angle.

[pandorafan5687]

and soon, downtown should see it's fullest potential.

[aab7855]

Lake Charles would have a nice downtown if it wasn't for the 100 smokestacks coming from the Westlake horizon. That's how I feel about Baton Rouge too, it's like the core area is nice enough and is getting nicer, but the vicinity just screws it all up.