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On the eve of the Downtown Rising concert, Anita Begnaud, CEO of the Downtown Development Authority, gives her take on the future of Downtown Lafayette.
Downtown Lafayette is where the people of Acadiana gather. Not to big, not to small, it offers restaurants, bars, live music, and culture with a little something for everyone. With increasing demand for commercial and residential developments, Downtown is growing. 200 residential units are currently in the plans for Downtown, and new residents offer endless possibilities for retail and commercial investments.
Thank you Keaty Real Estate for the inspiring video content.
The 90 year-old Evangeline Hotel building currently serves as apartments for elderly citizens of Lafayette. Owned by the Lafayette Neighborhood Economic Development Corporation (LNEDC), the historic building is a former hotel that has hosted Elvis Presley and past presidents. The board of LNEDC recently announced plans to redevelop the property in a two-part strategy. First, they plan to build a new facility for current residents, then renovate the Evangeline Hotel property to meet the needs of a growing Downtown.
LNEDC has formed an advisory committee, comprised of real estate professionals, developers, bankers, and other stakeholders from the Downtown community. The advisory committee will consult and aid in the process of renovating the historic property and decide what the best possible use for the building is. The project is still in its earliest phases, but it is an example of the enthusiasm surrounding our rising Downtown.
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Drainage construction will begin in downtown Lafayette at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Lee Avenue in front of the old city hall building, according to a spokesperson Lafayette Consolidated Government’s (LCG) Public Works Department.
Read Clair Taylor’s article for The Acadiana Advocate here.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricanes Laura and Delta impacted the construction, the developers behind the old federal courthouse redevelopment in Downtown Lafayette knew the project would take a lot of work. J. Dyke Nelson, the architect behind the project, said he had to wear a hazmat suit the first time he came out and saw the property.
Tim Skinner has been a business owner in Downtown Lafayette for almost 30 years. While he has made an investment in the area, Skinner said he is thrilled to see other taking a vested interest as well. “This is the first big project that we see coming that will enhance east of Main,” Skinner said. “When the streets are improved and sidewalks are improved, the more accessible they are it’ll encourage people to invest money in new properties and renovating older properties. ”
SchoolMint will move into a temporary space in downtown Lafayette and could soon land a permanent home possibly later this month. Company CEO Bryan MacDonald said the company will move into the first floor of the Lemoine building, 214 Jefferson St., and hopes to have employees working there on Feb. 1.
The Downtown Development Authority is proposing construction of a performing arts center in downtown Lafayette to replace the 61-year-old Heymann Performing Arts Center, which landlocked Ochsner Lafayette General wants to buy. Referring to the idea as “the type of investment that tips the scale,” DDA CEO Anita Begnaud introduced the proposal at the board’s monthly meeting Thursday morning.
Parc San Souci has been the go-to place for people living in Lafayette for nearly twenty years. It has served as a place to host events, play and listen to live music, as well as take an iconic photo, but the Downtown Development Authority believes that it’s missing something.
Since the iconic Don’s Seafood in Downtown Lafayette closed in 2020, there has been a lot of curiosity about what would happen to the building. Since the 1930s, the restaurant was a staple of the district and a favorite dining destination for locals and visitors. Wonder no more.
