Landowners have commercial prospect in Luling
Citing an increasing demand for commercial property in the Luling area, Cory Savoie successfully got Parish Council approval to rezone property in Mimosa Park Subdivision to make way for highway commercial development.
“We’ve had several inquiries about this piece of property because there is only one other piece of property between Lakewood Drive and Boutte of this size that is undeveloped and that’s the one right up my street on Maryland Drive,” Savoie told the St. Charles Parish Council. “Businesses that are coming in and looking to move into this area, if they require a C-3 designation, there really isn’t any undeveloped land for them to go to in that area.”
Despite the Planning and Zoning Department recommending denial for the change, Savoie got approval to rezone a portion of Lots 3, 4 and 5 as well as all of lots 6, 7, 8, B9 and Block A in the subdivision from two classifications – single-family residential and general commercial – all to highway commercial.
The site, about 31,600 square feet, faces U.S. Highway 90 with frontage on the west side of Mimosa Avenue.
Savoie, who represented the landowners, his brother and sister-in-law, Jerry and Vonnie Savoie of Cut Off, said they want to sell the property.
Although Cory Savoie declined to name those interests at this time, he readily explained they are in talks with a St. Charles Parish business that wants to buy the location.
Savoie told council members that despite rumors none of those plans include a Mexican restaurant, auto parts store, pizza restaurant or bar.
Their goal is to get the property rezoned to make it more inviting for commercial use because the demand is there, he added.
“There are no C-3 properties between Lakewood Drive and Boutte,” Savoie told council members. “If somebody was to come here and want to put one where would they put it?”Councilwoman Julia Fisher-Perrier agreed.
Luling is one of the parish’s high-growth commercial areas mostly driven by its proximity to I-310 access. But Fisher-Perrier, who represents the area, said this advantage has also caused historical problems through the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD that has hindered this area’s expansion.
“DOTD kind of threw a monkey wrench in our plans years ago when they were going to do I-49 and then not do it and then they were going to do an overpass and then they weren’t,”
Fisher-Perrier said. “So the layout of the business corridor along that area through Mimosa Park has been difficult, but it’s time to resurrect it I think, and make it make sense.”Corey Faucheux, director of the St. Charles Parish Department of Economic Development and Tourism, said there are few remaining parcels left for development and the parish should leverage as many of them possible for development.
Faucheux said most of these tracts are on the West Bank “so that’s where the future of the parish is I believe.” He also expects “redevelopment opportunities” and another potential retail center to be developed in the parish possibly near the Hale Boggs Bridge or West Bank with easy access.
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