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Old 07-15-2009, 09:07 AM
 
Location: Monroe, Louisiana
806 posts, read 2,951,607 times
Reputation: 540

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Quote:
Originally Posted by WestbankNOLA View Post
It was the white vote that got Nagin in, not the black one.
Absolutely.

In before Katrina, yes. After Katrina, I think it reversed. I forgot that fact! Thanks for reminding me, the white business community did plug him.

I would had voted for him pre-Katrina as well. He came off very well.
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Old 07-15-2009, 09:10 AM
 
33 posts, read 160,993 times
Reputation: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by imaterry78259 View Post
Is there a subdivision that looks likes the French Quarter there? A city with all the cultural like Lafayette should clean up the first impression area for tourist and possible future residents and possible business. Lafayette probably will be part of the Baton Rouge metro soon anyway
There is no way you are from S. Louisiana.. You dont understand how things work down here. I understand you was expecting Lafayette to be this and that, but down here we just dont tare every part of down thats old or that doest look to modern.. Everything thing has a meaning down here, everything means something.. I doubt where you are from you can understand. That old wooden house you probly seen has some story or something behind it. What would Lafayette be without its history. Our biggest problem is how to balance that history while trying to keep our city modernized to keep some of our young from moving to a big metroplex. Some of your statements sounds kind of ignorant.. WE dont have skyscrapers NO, thats a fact but our a little village services over 600,000 people everyday for services, hopitals, shopping, and alot of other things. And people come from alexandria, lake charles, and baton rouge plus the 50 or so town that are close to Lafayette come to enjoy our night life.. So wherever you are from dont compare it to Lafayette, because its not the same. I bet where you are from there are other cities that are just like yours... Guess what you cant find another city in the world that is like ours. The culture is too unique, we dont need skysrapers and building to define us...
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Old 07-15-2009, 09:18 AM
 
Location: New Orleans, United States
4,230 posts, read 10,446,090 times
Reputation: 1443
Quote:
Originally Posted by LSU Tiger Z71 View Post
Absolutely.

In before Katrina, yes. After Katrina, I think it reversed. I forgot that fact! Thanks for reminding me, the white business community did plug him.

I would had voted for him pre-Katrina as well. He came off very well.
Yea, after Katrina it was the exact opposite and it's been downhill from there. It'll be interesting to see what happens after the Feds are done swimming around City Hall.

I need to take a trip to Lafayette and take a closer look. At the rate that it is growing, how big do peope expect it to get?
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Old 07-15-2009, 10:34 AM
 
Location: Monroe, Louisiana
806 posts, read 2,951,607 times
Reputation: 540
Quote:
Originally Posted by WestbankNOLA View Post

I need to take a trip to Lafayette and take a closer look. At the rate that it is growing, how big do peope expect it to get?
I see it growing another 10% over a few years when the economy picks up and then being more stable having 2-5% growth.

It depends on how bad the Cap and Trade/Obama will affect the oil industry.
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Old 07-15-2009, 10:43 AM
 
33 posts, read 160,993 times
Reputation: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by WestbankNOLA View Post
Yea, after Katrina it was the exact opposite and it's been downhill from there. It'll be interesting to see what happens after the Feds are done swimming around City Hall.

I need to take a trip to Lafayette and take a closer look. At the rate that it is growing, how big do peope expect it to get?
Well we do live in Louisiana, I dont think no citys experience growth rates like cities in Tx and Cali do.. I heard of growth rates out there tapping out at 50 to 60% in a matter of 10 years. But to understand Lafayette growth is really judged by the surrounding areas on how they are growing. Lafayette parish is the smallest parish in Louisiana Land wise, and the city uses up probaly up to 80% of the parish land with its own corp limits. Thats why it seems so congested. Most cities only use up a small percentage of how big there parish is(except for maybe Orleans Parsh and maybe E Baton Rouge parish because I know those parishes arent to big either land wise). But like I said earlier our surrounding areas are growing. The main surrounding towns that are in the parish(Scott,Carencro,Broussard,and Youngsville) there used to be old roads with alot of land separating the towns with Lafayette, but now there hardly none.. Everything is expanding outward.. Most of the city still looks the same as it did 10 years ago. But there building things everywhere in pockets. There not really concetrating on one area. So unless you live here, it may be hard to notice passing by.. Even though Opelousas, Abbeville, St Martinville, and New Iberia are not in Lafayette Parish and are all in there own respected Parishs, they are all growing and are all only 20 minutes away from Lfy.. We will never be as big as Baton Rouge or New Orleans. I do see us being very near or even with Sheveports population in the next 10 years. You have to pay attention to the metro population(542,509) not really the population of the Lafayette because I dont see how much bigger Lafayette(city not parish population) can get without up to date infrastructure. And some people out here really arent to fond of Lafayette growing, they like the small town feel.
Lafayette-Acadiana combined statistical area - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Old 07-15-2009, 12:11 PM
 
Location: Monroe!
420 posts, read 473,710 times
Reputation: 222
(sighs).............why yall gotta bring New Orleans in this. So whats the conclusion of all this, overall Lafayette is indeed overall a dump, but the progressive areas is promising, attractive but still not quite enough to say the city is great? I seen it described as a nice town, cool town, but great, progressive city? Thats what I gathered from all this, now heres what I think...

In my eyes, you abosolutely can not progress as a city, unless you either show improvement at all angles of your city. It is not a progressive city when only certain area(s) are being catered to, thats not the "entire city"(in which people gave the idea that was blooming, the entire city). You cannot try to built up a specfic area and hope that it help people overlook everthing thats wrong with the whole city. Otherwise, you have situations like people writing thread saying Lafayette is a dump, now you have fill up 8 pages just to justify it. I think Shreveport does the same thing, they cater to their downtown, youree drive, and LSUS areas(which are amazing), but we all know the overall city is crime strucked really bad.

Bossier City does a good job chipping away at becoming a great city, its cleaner, the police force is strong, buildings are getting built and the city is overall a good place to live. The look at all angles, which start at the people living there. Tourists are cool and all bringing in alot of money, but the people who live ther and potential residents want to live comfortable, feel safe, secured, and feel proud. Ill consider Bossier City an overall progressive city because the city can say truly say they are doing what they can top and bottom(a little east too) to make the whole city bigger and better as time goes on.

I know I brag alot, and by no means am I trying to say Monroe is superior than another city(at least not in this post), but streets are getting repaved, school buildings are getting remodeled as well as betting education programs, old torn up homes get demolised and government project houses remodeled(which are the best in the state i still stand). Downtown has gotten a big face lift with migrations of bars, restaurants, poboy shops, clubs, office buildings, and random events every other weekend that goes on in the open streets of downtown and the riverwalk. The remodeled bus station and buses, the street car trolly bus looking thingy serves is for tourism. The Speedway and all retail between the Mall and Target in the past few years along I - 20 east, its continuous construction here on the southside, northside, eastside, west monroe, the progress can go without saying. Enhancements and emphasis on marketing as well as realizing assets is a big movement here in Monroe. All this is new and happened in the last 3-4 years, Monroe should be bragging about progression, especially with all the new jobs created and coming here.

City progression to me consist of these simple things: fixing what you have, adding what you should already have, and looking to have something greater. All these should show up and around the entire city if you are a true progressive city.

If you put six flags in a emptier corner of a dump yard that spills over a little bit outside of the dumpyard(similar to saying outside the city limits).......can you seriously say, you are making the dumpyard better? A better question, what does that say about a well constructed, beautiful six flags built amongst or just outside of trash and junk? This is my semi - conclusion to this thread, I'll make the final conclusion when I soon make a visit.
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Old 07-15-2009, 01:31 PM
 
Location: Lafayette, La
2,057 posts, read 5,303,312 times
Reputation: 1515
Quote:
Originally Posted by LSU Tiger Z71 View Post
What GoreeGal wants is suburban Houston, which is the opposite of culture. All Pearland/SugarLand/Woodlands/Shadow Creek Ranch is EXACT same home plans surrounded by a FAKE man-made "lake", strict HOA's, long commutes, etc. Some of the areas nearer the golf courses with larger lots are decent. Its such an unsatisfying lifestyle, commuting an hour a day, coming home and going to eat out at some chain restaurant in the local sprawly strip mall.. Gross.

I admit I live in the 'burbs. I just wanted more land and the lots in the city were too small. I'd take the unzoned garden/historical district over a Perry Homes neighborhood any day, if I discounted land size.
exactly. Lafayette is a hub city of its own without any suburban "parasite" towns surrounding it. I like that it grows of its own accord without the need for white flight. The people of Lafayette generally accept all races for better or worse and do not hide from the poor. A lot of suburban areas in larger metros are VERY clean and well designed, but they are also relatively new and not actually independent. I was visiting relatives in Fairfax Virginia last 2 weeks and while Fairfax is often included in top places to live lists, it is, frankly, pretty boring. It has the Dulles/Stephen Udvar HAzy Smithsonian center, and NRA museum, but mostly the perks are associated with it being close to Washington DC and all its amenities. It was crowded, expensive and people were very rude and always in a hurry. I hated that part. Im thankful for towns like Lafayette which have down to earth people with culture and identity that isnt associated with just cookie cutter homes and strip malls. If you want to live the uptown city life, there are places here. If you want to live a more relaxed country style, Lafayette offers that as well. and the best thing is no hour long commutes in dangerous traffic to shop or go to events. Thats why I love this city. Its just the right size, but it isnt staying still. Its progressive because it is going high tech and attracting good business, but it hasnt forgotten where it came from.
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Old 07-15-2009, 01:47 PM
 
Location: Monroe, Louisiana
806 posts, read 2,951,607 times
Reputation: 540
Great post Innotech!
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Old 07-15-2009, 02:39 PM
 
Location: Lafayette, La
2,057 posts, read 5,303,312 times
Reputation: 1515
Quote:
Originally Posted by LOUISIANA'SLEGEND View Post
(sighs).............why yall gotta bring New Orleans in this. So whats the conclusion of all this, overall Lafayette is indeed overall a dump, but the progressive areas is promising, attractive but still not quite enough to say the city is great? I seen it described as a nice town, cool town, but great, progressive city? Thats what I gathered from all this, now heres what I think...

In my eyes, you abosolutely can not progress as a city, unless you either show improvement at all angles of your city. It is not a progressive city when only certain area(s) are being catered to, thats not the "entire city"(in which people gave the idea that was blooming, the entire city). You cannot try to built up a specfic area and hope that it help people overlook everthing thats wrong with the whole city. Otherwise, you have situations like people writing thread saying Lafayette is a dump, now you have fill up 8 pages just to justify it. I think Shreveport does the same thing, they cater to their downtown, youree drive, and LSUS areas(which are amazing), but we all know the overall city is crime strucked really bad.

Bossier City does a good job chipping away at becoming a great city, its cleaner, the police force is strong, buildings are getting built and the city is overall a good place to live. The look at all angles, which start at the people living there. Tourists are cool and all bringing in alot of money, but the people who live ther and potential residents want to live comfortable, feel safe, secured, and feel proud. Ill consider Bossier City an overall progressive city because the city can say truly say they are doing what they can top and bottom(a little east too) to make the whole city bigger and better as time goes on.

I know I brag alot, and by no means am I trying to say Monroe is superior than another city(at least not in this post), but streets are getting repaved, school buildings are getting remodeled as well as betting education programs, old torn up homes get demolised and government project houses remodeled(which are the best in the state i still stand). Downtown has gotten a big face lift with migrations of bars, restaurants, poboy shops, clubs, office buildings, and random events every other weekend that goes on in the open streets of downtown and the riverwalk. The remodeled bus station and buses, the street car trolly bus looking thingy serves is for tourism. The Speedway and all retail between the Mall and Target in the past few years along I - 20 east, its continuous construction here on the southside, northside, eastside, west monroe, the progress can go without saying. Enhancements and emphasis on marketing as well as realizing assets is a big movement here in Monroe. All this is new and happened in the last 3-4 years, Monroe should be bragging about progression, especially with all the new jobs created and coming here.

City progression to me consist of these simple things: fixing what you have, adding what you should already have, and looking to have something greater. All these should show up and around the entire city if you are a true progressive city.

If you put six flags in a emptier corner of a dump yard that spills over a little bit outside of the dumpyard(similar to saying outside the city limits).......can you seriously say, you are making the dumpyard better? A better question, what does that say about a well constructed, beautiful six flags built amongst or just outside of trash and junk? This is my semi - conclusion to this thread, I'll make the final conclusion when I soon make a visit.
Lafayette isnt just improving its Southside. It is expanding northwards towards Carencro, absorbing Scott, heading southeast towards Broussard, and of course the heavy development in the south including a 200 million $ medical center and several new road extensions and planned communities.
It hasnt neglected the northside of town, with a call center that replaced the old Service merchandise in the Mall, the cinema I used to work at has been demolished and transformed into a shopping center (not open yet), the sterlig center is a brand new addition to upper Louisiana avenue, and there is a new subdivision going up in Carenco itself. There is also a development being formed at the junction of I10 and I49. Louisiana avenue north is being extended towards my parents area far in north Lafayette, to connect directly with Gloria Switch for a continuous street from one end of Lafayette to the other. On the southside, Youngsville is being directly connected to lower Lafayette, and Ambassador east is being connected to I49/hwy 90. Downtown was recently revitalized with a new courthouse and it is the location for a yearly festival that draws hundreds of thousands. River ranch is booming, and there are shopping districts and new apartments and housing going up all over town. There is even rumor of the planned waterpark in Rayne possibly being located here instead. On top of all of this, a fiber optic network has been laid all over town and is almost completely activated for every single resident. There is a high tech imaging center north of congress street called the Light center which features a 3d imaging room. the University is growing fast despite its limited budget, and has renovated and built several new buildings, including very nice dorms. Hotels are going up all over. Apartments spring up from vacant lots, like the ones near the Cajundome that werent there at all a year ago. Big box stores are thriving and experiencing some of the greatest success in the entire region. The only thing holding this city back is a lack of state funding to improve infrastructures necessary for a larger boom. There are plans to improve Johnston street, make hwy 90 into I49 to New Orleans, and possibly create a loop from west of the city to the east. This will take time but it is being planned out. Lafayette is the exact opposite of a city sitting on its laurels. Im not comparing it to any other Louisiana city because Lafayette isnt trying to be. I dont care what Monroe is doing because I do not live anywhere near it. I only know that Lafayette is quickly becoming a strong prospering city and still stays true to what it was founded on.
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Old 07-15-2009, 04:29 PM
 
Location: Texas
211 posts, read 564,457 times
Reputation: 156
This is some thread. Dump or no dump, I'm very eager to come next week and explore the area. I haven't been to Lafayette in nearly 20 years.

Scott
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