The East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority (EBRRA) has selected Asakura Robinson, along with team members Studio Zewde, WHLC Architecture, Emergent Method, and HNTB, to develop the Plank Road Corridor Master Plan in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The project will work to address the land, economic, and community development of the Corridor in relation to needs of the adjacent neighborhoods and the broader needs of metropolitan Baton Rouge.
The Plank Road Corridor encompasses a 4.3 mile segment of the North Baton Rouge thoroughfare, between 22nd Street and Hooper Road, and its adjacent neighborhoods. The master plan is one of three components of the broader Plank Road Project, a coordinated set of efforts to support communities and spark reinvestment in the Corridor. It is comprised of 1) the Plank Road Corridor Master Plan; 2) the establishment of bus rapid transit service that connects the Corridor to downtown and south Baton Rouge; and 3) The redevelopment of adjudicated and blighted properties to meet community needs and support development that builds community wealth. Asakura Robinson will be leading a team to complete the master plan, which is closely integrated with the other two components.
Plank Road and its adjacent neighborhoods face many social and economic challenges, and reflect the consequences of racial segregation and racialized poverty. These including low household incomes and property values, high rates of vacancy, and a lack of services and access to everyday necessities. A central project goal is to carefully guide future investment to benefit existing residents and businesses and prevent displacement and to build the capacity of the community to guide their own futures.
The Corridor Master Plan will develop community-informed strategies to address persistent racial and economic inequities, such as making safe housing accessible to all households, eliminating blight, and growing local businesses..
Asakura Robinson is excited to work on this important project with our partners, the EBRRA, and Plank Road Corridor communities. The project is scheduled to kick off in early February 2019 and be completed in the fall.