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. 💛

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

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