re: I posted these BR and EBR population numbers in another thread

quote:

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The city of Baton Rouge has lost population since 2000 (approximately 103 people). It isn't growing despite claims by the establishment and millions of dollars spent to improve Downtown and Mid City, etc.

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I still think the better path forward is to continue to improve downtown/mid-city/Nicholson (connecting downtown with mid-city and downtown with LSU).

I diagnose the problem differently: Since most of Baton Rouge is built like a suburb, why not just move out into the suburbs? You get the same types of neighborhoods that exist within BR, but better school districts. You just have to sacrifice as slightly longer drive to work.

I think the correction then is still to urbanize (modernize) the core of the city and make the livable parts of the city feel LESS like a suburb. Since people are waiting longer to get married and have kids, you now have an entire generation of people in their 20's and early 30's who have disposable income, aren't hurt by bad schools, and would prefer an urban setting.

Throw in some divorcees, and that's sufficient to have out of an 850,000 Metro area:

50,000 pure urban residents (Current population downtown: 2000, population mid-city South of Florida - unknown).

200,000 in the ghettos/bad neighborhoods (slight improvement over today's 25% poverty rate)

600,000 - remainder of Baton Rouge and in the suburbs.