Developing in Downtown Lafayette
Let us help you with resources for your project to success in one of South Louisiana’s most exciting Downtown districts.
Be a part of the Downtown momentum
Downtown Development Authority is focused on the revitalization and development of Downtown Lafayette. Creating more residential units is an especially important element of our Downtown revitalization as it has been a missing component of the Downtown district for many years. And now we are making progress with over 200 units in the works. We are experiencing new investments in commercial and retail spaces as more options for people to become residents of Downtown are made available. It is an exciting time to invest in the future of Downtown Lafayette.
Stay up to speed on Downtown growth by following our progress and reading these stories of success in our city center.
Downtown Holiday Gift Guide
Small Business Saturday As we are approaching the holidays, the team at Downtown Lafayette Unlimited and Downtown Development...
LCG begins drainage project in downtown Lafayette
Drainage construction will begin in downtown Lafayette at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Lee Avenue in front of the old city...
Opportunity Machine celebrates permanent home in downtown Lafayette
The Opportunity Machine, an incubator for start-up businesses, has a new, permanent home in downtown Lafayette. Dignitaries, including...
Tools for development
The DDA wants to help you navigate the landscape of development in Downtown Lafayette. If you are interested in building, renovating, or enhancing a Downtown property, then you should familiarize yourself with the resources offered by DDA. We also encourage you to contact Downtown Development Authority CEO, Kevin Blanchard, with any questions related to development in Downtown.
Kevin Blanchard
CEO
Downtown Development Authority + Downtown Lafayette Unlimited
Available Tools
- View the city-parish Unified Development Code.
- Familiarize yourself with the guidelines of the Downtown Action Plan and the Plan Lafayette Master Plan.
- Get to know the various incentives for development in Downtown Lafayette
- Know the steps of development within the city of Lafayette. Read the LCG Development Guide.
Downtown Action Plan
The Downtown Action Plan provides a vision to leverage Downtown as an important asset for the benefit of the entire region. The intent of the Action Plan is to provide residents of Acadiana’s nine-parish region with options for high-quality city living. This means continuing the transformation of Downtown into a convenient, vibrant, eclectic and charming urban center for the region. The accomplishment of this goal within the next ten years is not only critical for the region to effectively compete with other regions for residents and businesses, but also to provide an amenity for everyone in Acadiana to enjoy.
The Downtown Action Plan was critical to the development of the Downtown zoning district in Lafayette’s Unified Development Code. The Downtown code provides simple and direct guidelines for developing within the Downtown district, and serves as a national model for form-based design codes. The code was recently the recipient for Smart Growth America’s Driehaus Form-Based Codes Award “for the development, adoption, and implementation of the most exemplary form-based codes in the country.”
Incentives
More than just resources, new developments in Downtown Lafayette are able to utilize a wide range of incentive programs from the local to federal level. These incentives encourage projects that rehabilitate historic properties, provide housing in low-income areas, or invest in distressed communities.
Why Downtown?
Downtown Lafayette is the business cultural center of the Acadiana region. Home to over 700 businesses, 3 museums, 4 parks, and a growing number of residential properties, the district is densely packed with amenities and resources to make any workforce or housing project a worthwhile endeavor.
