Volume 17
April 2010
UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE…. SMALLER HOUSING APPEALING TO MILLENIALS AND BABY BOOMERS
Upcoming Events Meetings for 2010
Carol Coletta, President of CEOs for Cities, gave a compelling talk in Lafayette on April 1, 2010. Coletta is known nationally for identifying trends affecting where and how Americans want to live. Echoing the message that Steve Oubre, Architects Southwest, delivered to ULEDF in March, she described a shift occurring in the housing demands of young professionals and baby boomers. Suburban lifestyles with big homes and yards are losing popularity to smaller dwellings that are proximate to urban centers. Why is this important? These two key demographic groups represent half of our U.S. population: 150 million Americans fall within these two categories! Yet the housing market is still being built to meet the demands of yesterday. Coletta emphasized that communities that adapt to those changing demands will be situated to enjoy prosperity.
May 19, 11:30 a.m. LITE Center “Consolidation” July 21, 11:30 a.m. September 15, 11:30 a.m. November 17, 11:30 a.m.
According to Coletta’s CEOs For Cities website, “College graduates are a city’s primary economic driver, as younger generations continue to become more mobile and desire to live in urban, inner city communities. This creates communities with a more diverse income spectrum, which boosts poor or disenfranchised individuals’ ability to move up economically, creating neighborhood stability. The financial and banking systems haven’t caught up to what consumers want out of their housing options. The millennial generation is more likely to want to rent or own urban apartments and condominiums rather than single-family houses.”
UPPER LAFAYETTE BOUNDARIES
Homeownership is not for every person, but communities have to promote development that creates affordable and quality housing, including multifamily and mixed-use developments, accessible to employment centers. Thus, cities could reduce traffic, improve the environment and help everyone spend less time and money on commuting. Local developers and government leaders, please take note!
UPPER LAFAYETTE SHOW FEATURES AILEEN BENNETT Aileen Bennett, communications coach, writer and award-winning speaker, was recently interviewed by Jan Swift on ULEDF’s television show, “Upper Lafayette, On the Move!” Bennett is known locally for her column “That’s What She Said” in the Daily Advertiser, as well as for her quick British wit! She has authored “Notes on Shining, Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills,” and is penning a second book entitled, “Using People.” Any occasion becomes memorable and joyful when Aileen is around, as she continually encourages others to just relax and “be yourself.” In fact, giving people permission to be themselves is the “key to life,” according to Aileen.
Aileen Bennett
Getting what we really want, whether at work or in our personal life, becomes possible when we communicate our way to success. Communication involves more than speaking, however; we are only successful when we are able to understand others’ styles of communication also. Are you attracting what you want out of life? Tune in to AOC on April 21, 7:00 p.m., Channel 15 (Cox) and LUS 3 to catch more of Aileen’s nuggets of wisdom. It will be an investment you will be glad you made!
ULEDF Board of Directors & Staff Dr. Ross Judice, President Ed Krampe, V. President Adrian Baudoin, Sec/Treas. Todd Citron, Past Pres. Don Dupuis Andre Moreau Beau Phares Dwight Prudhomme Dwight “Bo” Ramsay Herbert Schilling Monty Warren Jan Swift, Director
Letter from the President : Dr. Ross Judice, Acadian Ambulance I was on our website this week watching episodes of Upper Lafayette on the Move and was overflowing with pride for our organization. How many organizations out there take the time to highlight extraordinary individuals and businesses in our community? Upper Lafayette On the Move is a video series that up until now has played only on our local television channel Acadiana Open Channel. As of this week all of the episodes can be viewed online at our website www.upperlafayette.com/videos. Jan interviews civic leaders, elected officials, volunteers, business people, artists, and religious leaders and explores their visions for our community. If you watch these videos, you will quickly see the tremendous talent in Lafayette. Most importantly, you will see that your organization sponsors and promotes a venue for leaders to share ideas, hopes, and dreams about future Lafayette. Don’t waste any time - check out these videos now!
UPPER LAFAYETTE ON THE MOVE…. GATEWAY BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT ENJOYS GROWING SUPPORT! Thanks to the generosity of many, Upper Lafayette’s University Avenue Exit at I-10 is quickly becoming a much more welcoming place. Under the stewardship of ULEDF, many diverse interests have come together to clean up and revitalize the “Gateway to UL” at this heavily traveled and long-neglected area of the Hub City. The efforts have garnered much media attention, for which we are grateful. Without a doubt, Apache Corporation has led the charge in generously granting a total of 400 beautiful red and white crepe myrtles to ULEDF for this cause. As written in earlier editions, Apache is dedicated to being good stewards to the environment and has committed to gifting over one million trees to further this mission.
Stone Energy Corporation Volunteers
On March 26, 2010, over 20 volunteers from Stone Energy Corporation planted 300 of the trees on the grassy “berm” along I-10 at University Avenue. Jeff Olivier of Olivier’s Sprinklers & Drainage volunteered the man hours to dig the holes and prep the ground for planting, in the spaces designated in a master plan drawn and personally staked by UL Professor Jim Foret. This effort follows an earlier grant by Apache Corporation of 100 crepe myrtle trees which were planted by McDonald’s Corp. of Acadiana on February 19 th of this year. Drivers along University Avenue have been intrigued by UL of Lafayette logos painted in Spring and Fall 2009 by mural artist, Robert Dafford, which paintings were made possible through grants facilitated by Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission and our local legislators Senator Mike Michot and Representative Joel Robideaux. Dafford, a Northside High graduate, personally donated his time and that of his crew, to ensure that the revitalization was a success. Two more lively murals are scheduled to be designed and painted by Dafford by year end. ULEDF is currently applying for a third grant from LCVC to partially defray the costs associated with the third mural. Private donations may be needed to complete the paintings. This on-going effort would not be possible without the support of LCG Parish President Joey Durel, UL at Lafayette Pres. Joseph Savoie, DOTD’s Bill Fontenot, and UL Professors Jim Foret and Tom Sammons. Honda of Lafayette’s owner Mike Roberts has generously donated storage space of the crepe myrtles and undertook the herculean task of carting the trees to the Interstate berm for planting. ULEDF gratefully acknowledges the multitude of volunteers and donors who are truly committed to making our community the best it can be!
ULEDF MAY 2010 MEETING TO DISCUSS CONSOLIDATION ISSUES FACING LAFAYETTE Please plan to attend our May 19, 2010 meeting, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the LITE Center, 537 Cajundome Blvd., for an engaging discussion on Consolidated Government in Lafayette Parish: the pros and cons of this form of government under which we have operated since 1996. ULEDF has invited Ed Abell, the attorney who was a key player in the original consolidation process, as well as City-Parish Council President Jay Castille (District 2 council member) and Dee Stanley, CAO of Lafayette Consolidated Government. Guests are welcome and encouraged. The cost for lunch, prepared by Otter’s Chicken, is $10.00. Please rsvp to jan@upperlafayette.com or call (337)572-9877 Ext. 108. Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation is an association of proactive individuals and business leaders, joined together to be a catalyst for change. The Foundation’s mission is to enhance and direct the positive, planned growth of Upper Lafayette, focusing on quality of life, while participating in the overall development of the Greater Lafayette Metropolitan Area. Contact jan@upperlafayette.com for more information.
Special Thanks To Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation Members: PLATINUM Acadian Ambulance Service Acadiana Computer Systems, Inc. Acadiana Rubber & Gasket Aries Marine Corporation ASH/Badger Oil Company Bizzuka Home Furniture Hub City Ford, Inc. IberiaBank McDonald’s of Acadiana MidSouth Bank Our Lady of Lourdes Republic National Distributing Company Schilling Distributing Company Stevens RV Center Whitney Bank
Volume 17
Page 2
GOLD
BRONZE
Atmos Energy Home Bank VALOR Commercial Real Estate
Acadiana C.A.R.E.S Acadian Hills Country Club Joey Durel ECGC Women’s Business Center Edward Jones/Bob Crist Horace Guidry Lafayette Convention & Visitors Bureau LeBlanc’s Auto Wholesale/Richard LeBlanc Lee Verret/State Farm Insurance Agency Michelle Leder The Lolley Group Lowry’s Printing and Copying Flo Meadows Melancon I-49 Storage Center Poche Prouet & Associates Ron J. Gaubert Realtors Ken Simeral SLEMCO Buddy Webb/Rayne State Bank
SILVER Accel Protection & Technologies Allstates Building Systems Anytime Fitness Aspen Clinic Associated Travel Group BBR Creative Hallmark Jewelers Master Builders & Specialists, Inc. Dr. and Mrs. Don McConnell Mello Joy Coffee Company Steven Santillo, APLC Stirling Properties Terry J. Rogers, LTD Walters Funeral Home
Printed by Lafayette Economic Development Authority