Parking enforcement suggested to boost downtown Baton Rouge | Business

To draw retailers and shoppers to downtown Baton Rouge, a consultant suggested stricter parking enforcement, hiring a full-time events coordinator and securing anchor tenants.

Mukul Verma, owner of consulting firm Throughline, presented his recommendations on encouraging downtown retail at the Downtown Development District meeting Tuesday. With a growing residential population and more than 1,000 events each year, the area has an opportunity to boost the number of retailers, he said.

Verma and the DDD consulted retailers and property owners through interviews, surveys and focus groups to form the study. Verma said he researched retail strategies of cities similar to Baton Rouge in population and demographics, including Birmingham, Alabama; Mobile, Alabama, and Fort Myers, Florida. DDD Assistant Director Casey Tate said in October that Baton Rouge has fewer retailers than its peer cities, and retailers are discouraged from setting up shop downtown due to high rent and limited parking.

The downtown population grew 16.4% from 2012 to 2021, according to the DDD’s 2025 Toolkit. The report states that there are 680 businesses downtown, mainly in the service industry, with 25,000 daily visitors.

Verma’s strategy includes drawing more shoppers downtown, alleviating some barriers to entry for retailers and planning for long-term retail growth. He suggested increased policing during peak hours and LED lighting to help consumers feel safer coming downtown to shop and eat, as well as identifying funding for a “Clean & Safe” program, an initiative some cities use to deep clean and hire safety ambassadors for their urban areas.

He said stricter parking enforcement can increase the number of consumers downtown. Currently, people park downtown all day with little accountability for adhering to time limits and payment, Verma said, stymieing the turnover that allows others to take a spot once a driver has left. Money collected from parking can then be used for other downtown improvements.

A full-time events coordinator could streamline and boost event organizing downtown, Verma said.

“When you have more events, more people come to see you, and then they stay,” he said.

To ease the process of launching businesses for retailers, Verma’s study suggests starting funds to cover infrastructure costs, facade and signage, and an subsidy of up to $500 per month for new retailers in “key corridors.” He also recommended a business incubator for startups to launch their operations downtown and grow into their space.

Downtown needs anchor tenants to draw customers downtown and bring their attention to neighboring retailers, he said. Verma suggested the area invest in one to two retail blocks with multiple businesses so customers can park in one spot and visit multiple stores, pointing to the Main Street Market, which is reopening with four restaurants and a coffee shop, as a prime location for a retail cluster.

“There’s an opportunity to put them right in the center and build community,” Verma said.

Lincoln Theater reopening

The Lincoln Theater is set to have a soft opening on Dec. 20 with a community open house and tour. The historic venue, which once hosted stars like Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole, is being renovated into a museum and cultural center, while maintaining its original stage for performances.

Anna Daniel, the theater’s funding development director, said at the meeting that the theater’s yearly operating costs will total $750,000, and the Louisiana Black History Hall of Fame, which owns and operates the theater, is looking at fundraising, grants and corporate sponsorships to sustain the venue.

“Sustainability is our main goal right now,” Daniel said. “We want to make sure that the organization can be around for years to come.”

DDD updates

DDD Executive Director Whitney Hoffman Sayal said the DDD faces an 11% cut in its allocation from the city-parish following the failure to pass Thrive EBR, Mayor-President Sid Edward’s plan to rededicate some taxes to relieve the city-parish from financial pressures. The Department of Public Works and the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, which work closely with the DDD on downtown improvements and programming respectively, are also facing cuts, she said.

DDD Commissioner Eric Dexter said the organization will receive a final draft of Plan Baton Rouge III from consulting firm Sasaki by the end of the year. He said the plan had 5,000 public contributions through open houses, focus groups and community advisory groups.

At the beginning of 2026, the public will be able to comment on the draft plan.

“This was truly built based on what the community wants,” Dexter said.