When speaking of their vision for the future of downtown, local officials often bring up one key phrase: Embracing the river. We’re a river city with not much focus on the river. Sure, we’ve got a great riverfront walkway that turns into a biking and running path all the way to LSU. The riverfront hosts a few big events each year, most notably the Fourth of July celebration. But most of the activity downtown happens on the other side of River Road.
I’ve often thought of the Louisiana Art & Science Museum as great example of this disconnect. It’s a stately building as seen from River Road, but from the levee, it’s mostly a brick wall guarded by a flimsy chain-link fence. I’m sure the active railroad track in its shadow created an obstacle in renovating the building, but the results speak volumes about how urban design plays a huge part in linking—or not linking—people to the surrounding landscape.
Elsewhere downtown, we take in views of the Mighty Mississippi from the upper floors of the Shaw Center, hotels and other buildings, but it is always something over there—a pleasant backdrop but never really the focal point.
Looking at renderings of the proposed IBM development—which is slated for groundbreaking later this month at the end of Main and North streets—the river doesn’t appear to be embraced at all. In the images, one of which you can find above right, you see a sparkling, contemporary many-windowed building facing a railroad track, some gravel, weeds and the river bank.
Granted, the IBM building is not connected to any future upgrades to the riverfront, so the designers would naturally use the current surroundings in the renderings, but I hope the sad, sad landscape depicted at least helps spur any of those potential upgrades.
It serves as a reminder of what we have left to accomplish. There are a few things in our way, most notably that active railroad line that frames the western edge of downtown, as well as the logistical headache of utilizing prime waterfront while also allowing the levee to function the way it’s supposed to.
Right now, there’s only one universally accessible entry to the riverfront downtown, and that’s directly across from the River Center. It provides a pedestrian bridge over the tracks and River Road as well as ramps for people with disabilities. At Florida Street, the entry is an awkward set of stairs made of railroad ties that not everyone can use.
Thankfully, Downtown Development District is already planning a new riverfront access at Florida, which will make it a more inviting entry point, especially for visitors who want to walk to the river from nearby hotels. Construction is set to begin at the end of this month. You can see those renderings here.
Then there’s the recent news that the long-awaited River Park mixed-use development is still a go, with plans to break ground by the end of the year, according to the Business Report. That one comes with an outdoor concert area and plenty of waterfront space, besides restaurants, shops, venues and residential all just north of Hollywood Casino. Though construction will take several years, you can see an early rendering of the development below.
While to the north and south of us, much of the riverfront is relegated to industrial access, many of these upcoming projects seem to be pointing us to a close future where the river is a key player in residents’ quality of life.
What are your thoughts? Do you think this is a step in the right direction? When was the last time you utilized the public space or attended events on the riverfront downtown? Let us know in the comments!
