Government Street Nightlife

When I moved to Baton Rouge (five years ago) the Government Street Overlay District was adopted. I didn't know much about Mid City, but the ordinance was obviously written to encourage street life. You know. Create some activity on a road that is relatively a highway.

Fast forward five years after I decided to buy a place along Government Street, and now a new bar (Radio Bar of course) opens a mile down the road. Even though I frequently walk to Calandos and Albertsons (a quarter mile), I now transverse the street even further. Cause, I mean, even in Baton Rouge people will consider walking if alcohol is involved. (Notice I said consider… there’s still a long way to go).

 

A year ago Government Street appeared dead on any given evening. While the street is home to several restaurant and bars, you can't really tell from the street. They function as destinations, and if you don’t know about nightlife, you weren't going to find out from the street. Phil Brady’s has a sign, but the entrance is in the back. Superior Grill’s patio gives no indication of life. Heck, La Caretta’s decided to move their entrance from the front, to the back. So now they have an awesome patio in the back… but from the street, the restaurant looks closed.

Now there has been a resurgence of nightlife! OK, that’s a little overstated, the street gives a much different feeling at night. Bohemia always has something going on. The tattoo shops actually bring life to the street. 

Bohemia, and even the tattoo shop, have done a great job keeping the street active at night.

Now a new bar – a year in the making – is opening. A turning point in Government Street nightlife? Finally a chic, trendy bar; slightly high drink prices; yet hipster enough to keep it low key. 

Radio Bar could be the turning point.

Last night I noticed... the fence surrounding the soon-to-be patio seems more permanent than it did before. Maybe I'm just freaking out. I just assumed they would have a patio… not a fortress. Is the ABC requiring an extremely obnoxious fence? Did the ABC board require the windows to be frosted? I don’t know. But it actually ruined my night. Finally changes taking place… street life reemergence along Government Street. One tiny shred of hope. All ripped away (with a glass of Jack and Diet in hand). Why are people hell bent on keeping the businesses shielded from the street. Why?

Well the obvious answer is Government Street is a major, high speed, state road. It’s noisy. Not the most desirable for walking, dining, and enjoying. But hiding a business from the street doesn’t seem to be the most ideal business plan. I realize a lot of Louisiana business relies on word of mouth. But at the same time, something has to attract people.  Even Walmart makes it self look presentable from the street. Heck, Government Street may be loud and unsafe on the sidewalk; but ten feet off the sidewalk is a totally different world. Several places have patios in front – Rotolos, Bistro Byronz, even Sonic, Raising Canes, and Popeye’s. But we need even more attractive (and very active) places to face the street. Something like Radio Bar could have provided.


I’ll put a lot of blame on the City. I mean, they have shown no desire (past FutureBR) to assist the businesses along the popular corridor. The only corridor in town that houses all the art galleries, and is heavily populated (about 22,000 people within a radius). Foster Street and Acadian Thruway got pedestrian push buttons. Which is awesome. But otherwise the road is crumbling; conditions are incredibly unsafe for pedestrians, bikes, and cars; and it’s just ugly. 

But just a little streetlife along Government would turn the place overnight. It might not be the best pedestrian atmosphere. But the businesses are there. The people are there. They just have to work together. Like I've said before. A 'place' isn't a place because of looks. A place is a place because of what it is, and who is there. 

Streetlife Quandary

 The predicament of that thing called streetlife. Having people on the street makes a place lively, safe, and overall fun. Yet in the automotive world we would rather enjoy the sustaining 68 degrees in our car; or the perceived short walk to the store, if the parking lot is in the front of the building. This, in turn, kills streetlife and makes a 'place' dead.

It reminds me of the commercial area near my college campus. While only two blocks long I had a place to get groceries, toiletries, alcohol, fiveish bars, two coffee shops, and four restaurants. This in turn brought people out, and I could sustain myself for the week. At the same time it felt safe. So safe in fact that during my Grad School there were five shooting deaths on campus. This was s tragedy for such a small city and university. So much so that the police stepped up patrols, undercut underage drinking, and began raiding all kinds of house parties. In fact, there were several reports of attempted armed robbery to pedestrians. It all sounds scary. But the student bodies response? Police Yourselves! Yes, a mockery to the law enforcement, but at the same time nightlife almost increased. With the eradication of frat houses and house parties, more people would come to the Village for the night. This included several attempts by the coffee shops to host all age events (because bars can’t allow entrance to under 21). So while crime was seemingly on the rise, the streetlife only got better.

Now the Munice “strip” isn’t attractive. It’s actually downright ugly. The buildings are plain and simple (if not falling apart). Absolutely no public investment to the streetscape, unless you count the banner that Ball State placed where the strip meets the campus. But two of the ugliest parking lots sat in this area. So, I don’t think it counted.

Why was the streetlife so great? While people are so fixated on looks, that’s not what eventually puts people on the street. It’s substance. That’s why all the Asian markets are full; and Time Square functions. I agree that the public needs to invest in the infrastructure. But people on the road amplifies more people to the road. It’s not the look. It’s not crime. It’s the people.

Take Government Street in Baton Rouge. Residence says they love the area and want it to survive. Yet complain that crime is too high and the City hasn’t invested in sidewalks, roads, signals, etc. While I agree with all of that, those are the minor problems. The biggest problem is that people refuse to partake. Within a half mile of me are numerous supermarkets, drugstores, restaurants, bars, schools, a gym, and coffee shop. My walk score is an urban Mecca. What’s it missing? The people!