Baton Rouge North Economic Development District

Capital in Motion @ Howell Blvd & 72nd Ave in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Foundation poured.
Structural grid in place.
Utilities advancing.

The 122-room WoodSpring Suites at 7770 Howell Blvd & 72nd Avenue is actively moving through vertical construction. ➡️https://lnkd.in/gCw9sQ2C

This is private capital converting land into a future income-producing hospitality asset.

• Capital deployed
• Risk advancing toward stabilization
• Corridor density increasing
• Future tax base strengthening

Economic development is measured in projects under construction — not just announcements.

North Baton Rouge is in ex*****on mode.





Proud to support partners who are betting on this corridor. Anthony B. Kenney
Athena Hospitality Group Councilwoman CHAUNA BANKS
📸 Wil Norwood & Athena page

If you haven’t driven down Scenic Highway, in North Baton Rouge lately, go take a look. Executive Director, April D. Hawthorne, took a walk to share progress you can see. Infrastructure You Can Use.

You’ll see new pedestrian crossing signs, clearer crosswalk markings, ADA-accessible ramps, and safer connections under the overpass. These are real improvements you can see and experience right now in North Baton Rouge.

And here’s the exciting part — Baton Rouge’s Complete Streets Ordinance was just ranked in the Top 10 in the country by Smart Growth America.

That means the policy guiding these improvements is being recognized nationally. But for us, it’s personal. It’s about safer streets for our children, our seniors, our small business owners, and every resident who walks, drives, bikes, or uses transit along Scenic Highway.

As a proud member of the Complete Streets Advisory Council, it’s meaningful to see this work move from planning conversations to real infrastructure on the ground.

North Baton Rouge deserves safe, connected, people-centered streets — and we are making progress.

Great job to , CPEX, and our Center for Planning Excellence - CPEX, City-Parish. Thank you Councilman Cleve Dunn, Jr. for making sure BRNEDD had a seat at the table. Equity and Inclusion.

Go see it for yourself. 💛

Southern University plans to open the JagFresh Farmers Market this spring. Read more in the comments below 🔽

The Karen Domingue- Maillet & Solvay/Eco Services Scholarship Opportunity!

This is what long-term economic development looks like—when young people begin to see themselves as builders of the economy, not just participants in it.

Childcare matters to families and our local economy.

BRNEDD thanks for maintaining funding for Louisiana’s Child Care Assistance Program in the proposed executive budget. This support helps working families access reliable care and allows childcare providers to continue serving our community.

Through our Grow North Baton Rouge initiative, we know that strong childcare systems help parents work, children thrive, and neighborhoods grow stronger.

Investing in early childhood is investing in North Baton Rouge’s future.

We’re proud to represent BRNEDD at the Young Entrepreneurs Academy Baton Rouge CEO Roundtable 2026 as our Executive Director, April Hawthorne, joins an outstanding lineup of business leaders to speak directly with the next generation of entrepreneurs.

This conversation is about more than starting a business—it’s about leadership, resilience, systems, and the role entrepreneurship plays in building strong communities and local economies.

📅 Wednesday, January 21, 2026
⏰ 5:00 – 7:30 PM
📍 LSU Business Education Complex

Thank you to YEA Baton Rouge for creating space where students can learn from real-world leaders and ask the questions that shape their future.

If you believe in investing in young people, small businesses, and the economic future of our region—this is the work.

🔗 Register using the QR code or visit yeabr.org

According to reporting by the Baton Rouge Business Report, The BLVD at Harding is a grocery-anchored retail development planned for Howell Place near the intersection of Harding Boulevard and Scotlandville Parkway.

The project represents a major private investment intended to expand food access, create jobs, and support long-term economic revitalization in North Baton Rouge.

Developments of this scale often serve as neighborhood anchors, and strengthening access to essential services, supporting surrounding businesses, and helping catalyze additional private investment.

BRNEDD remains committed to supporting initiatives that advance economic opportunity, stability, and quality of life in North Baton Rouge.

North Baton Rouge to get long-awaited grocery-anchored development A long-awaited full-service grocery store and retail development is moving forward in north Baton Rouge, bringing a major investment to expand food access and support long-term economic revitaliza… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. We are glad you enjoy reading Business Report. Continue reading this st...

We’re proud to see The Advocate feature BRNEDD’s work supporting child care providers through business training and technical assistance.

This initiative addresses the child care shortage by strengthening providers’ operational capacity — helping them move beyond compliance to build sustainable, well-run businesses that support families, workforce participation, and economic growth in North Baton Rouge.

Thank you to The Advocate for spotlighting the importance of investing in early childhood businesses as a core economic development strategy.

There's a need for child care centers in Baton Rouge. This program teaches how to operate one bit.ly/3KKuNS2

Baton Rouge North Economic Development District put on the classes, which cover topics such as marketing, budgeting, understanding industry regulations and leveraging public funding.