Plan Baton Rouge and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation retained EDSA for the urban design component of a six-member consultant team tasked with creating a strategic plan for the three-square-mile area located between Louisiana State University and downtown Baton Rouge, known as Old South Baton Rouge. The plan provides an overall vision and coordinates current efforts such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development HOPE VI project which encourage home ownership through a significant investment for new housing. The goal was to create connectivity, stronger, linkages and identifiable gateways by engaging the community in a plan to cut crime, create jobs, foster pride and capitalize on cultural assets.

EDSA’s work in Old South Baton Rouge continues today with Development Guidelines for the Nicholson Drive Corridor, which was identified as a key implementation initiative for the plan.