Acadiana Briefs for Nov. 8 |

5 companies eye downtown project

Five parties have notified Lafayette Consolidated Government they want to submit a proposal to develop the two parcels of land next to the Buchanan Street parking garage, a LCG spokesperson said.

Monday was the deadline for interested parties to notify LCG, and the five now have until Jan. 4 to submit their proposals.

LCG put out a request for proposals for the two undeveloped parcels of land adjacent the parking garage recently after moving to allocate $3.5 million to repair the structure. Last year LCG sought proposals for the land but asked developers to include plans for the six-story garage, but the four bids were rejected.

Both parcels, which combined are under an acre, are just south of the garage. One is an L-shaped parcel that connects to Jefferson Street, while the other is at the corner of Buchanan and Convent streets.

Two buildings on those parcels could each hold 70-90 units, according to the Downtown Development Authority. 

Of the four proposals submitted last time, two included plans for multiple-level, high-density buildings with commercial space.

Developers plan 178 Youngsville homes

Two local developers are seeking to build a 178-home development south of Youngsville near Southside High School.

Partners Clifton Guidry and Tim Bradley bought the 47-acre property at 501 Viaulet Road from Schlumberger for $1.2 million, land records show. The property is at the southeast corner of the roundabout at Chemin Metairie Parkway and Viaulet Road and backs up to the St. Martin Parish line.

The developers will now go through the approval process with Youngsville, Guidry said.

Developers like the proximity to the high school, Guidry said, and are seeking to build entry-level homes priced at around $200,000.

The Youngsville area continues to well out-pace the rest of Lafayette Parish when it comes to new home construction. The southeast corner of the parish has reported 175 new construction homes sold this year, the most of any area in the parish, according to data from Bill Bacque with Market Scope Consulting, after 161 last year, which was also the highest.

The Broussard/Youngsville area — ranging from the intersection of Verot School Road and U.S. 90 south to the parish line — has reported more 340 new construction homes sold, nearly half of the 687 reported in Lafayette Parish. Last year was even higher at 56% when 302 were sold there out of the 533 parishwide.

Lafayette’s CBD labeled historic district

The Lafayette Central Business District has been recognized as a National Register Historic District by the National Park Service.

The designation means that eligible buildings in the district can apply for federal and state historic commercial tax credits, Lafayette Consolidated Government officials announced Tuesday. Owners could be eligible for a 20% federal income tax credit and another 18% state tax credit on building maintenance and rehabilitation costs.

The district lies within the Downtown Development District.

Costs include roofing replacement or repair, masonry repairs and most construction costs associated with putting a building back into commerce. Owners interested in applying for tax credits should contact the staff liaison to Preservation Commission Roxana Usner in LCG’s Development and Planning Department at (337)-291-7193 or  rmusner@lafayettela.gov.

Red River Bank buys branch office

Alexandria-based Red River Bank bought the former Chase Bank branch office at 1911 W. Pinhook Road.

The move is the second in Lafayette in recent months and the first banking center location in the Acadiana market after opening a loan and deposit production office in River Ranch in September. It will also be the bank’s 26th banking center in Louisiana.

Sale price was $750,000, land records show. 

The office is expected to be open early next year, pending regulatory approvals. Ben Smith was earlier appointed market president.

“Expanding throughout Louisiana…