Anyone have pictures the the construction of the Mall of Louisiana?

Part of the mall opened before the food court and I remember standing outside of Sears and looking around a tarp to see the Carousel construction in progress. 7 year old me thought putting a carousel in a mall was the wildest thing ever.

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Also what Bluebonnet looked like there before. I grew up in the area but do not remember that area as a kid.

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During the early 90's when we were in HS we would go drink and take a ride on a helluva rope swing back where the mall is now. Later it became a go to spot for mud riding.

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Place Vendome.

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I could be off but I vaguely remember a friends dad went to jail over something to do with the development of that place.

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Also what Bluebonnet looked like there before. I grew up in the area but do not remember that area as a kid.

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I remember visiting my sister when she was in college early 90's. She lived in that neighborhood down the hill at Staring and Highland. Bluebonnet was a wooded 2-lane road.

The owners of Cortana were racing the Bluebonnet Mall developers. Siegen "Mall" was slowed by the Ward Creek diversion and overpass and lost the race. That's why you have a mall ring road around a glorified strip mall know as Siegen Marketplace.

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During the early 90's when we were in HS we would go drink and take a ride on a helluva rope swing back where the

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We had a blast back there in high school. Huge for mud riding. They had a bunch of brand new trucks get absolutely swamped back there.

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Ralph and Kacoos was the only thing out that way

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Wasn’t R&K’s originally on Airline near the Greenwell Springs intersection? I have vague memories of eating the Melba toast crackers there as a kid.

ETA: OP you may have better luck looking up historical photos on Swaggart’s complex next door.

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Bluebonnet was a wooded 2-lane road.

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Was 4 lane between 10 and Perkins back to the 80s because of Swagerts Complex.

It was 2 lane north of Blue Cross entrance in the 90s.

Many, many moons ago I can remember there being a big open field about where the mall is now. At one time, I think a Schwegman's grocery store was going to be built there, but the deal fell through. The field also turned into an impromptu used car lot. Individuals selling a car would park it out there with the sale details on the window. That got a little out of hand and the city put a stop to it.

I really don't recall much about the construction of the mall, but in it's early days it was a blast. My (then future) wife (no pics) spent many a day hanging around there. There was a book store, music store, Spencers, Learning Smiths, World of Science, and Disney store. A lot of good places. Good pizza place there, along with Great American Cookie Co. and Cinnabon. Good memories.

The Swaggart Empire was out on Bluebonnet, along with Mulates and Ralph and Kacoo's. There was a small hotel next to a small shopping center, where I think there is an Albasha now. There was a vet office in there, and the house cat was blind. If I remember correctly too, there was a restaurant there called Mamacita's. There was another shopping center further down Bluebonnet with Delchamps, K&B, and Joker's Palace baseball cards. And Sicily's Pizza! Then the library was built.

I also seem to recall a Racetrac gas station that had a little movie rental place on the side. I can't remember of that was on Bluebonnet or somewhere else. It also sold really good popcorn and the gas station hot dogs were cheap.