The Downtown Development District (DDD) envisions, cultivates, advocates, and promotes the growth of Downtown Baton Rouge. The DDD's mission is to generate funds and create a comprehensive policy for the promotion and enhancement of the District to benefit the entire community. The majority of the DDD staff has an educational and professional background in marketing, architecture, urban planning, and/or landscape architecture. Our expertise in the built environment and marketing helps us perform the following duties.
Downtown Plan Stewardship: The DDD serves as the steward of Downtown Baton Rouge’s master plans, ensuring that community-driven visions are translated into coordinated projects, strategic partnerships, and actionable progress. Through consistent leadership and collaboration, the DDD guides long-term implementation that strengthens the heart of the city.
Economic Development: The DDD focuses on fostering an environment conducive to innovation and investment within both the public and private sectors, enhancing downtown's infrastructural systems and quality of place to attract new developments and businesses, as well as supporting existing property owners and businesses. This is achieved through planning, prioritizing, advocating, and ensuring that the downtown area remains vibrant and economically robust.
Stakeholder Engagement/ Facilitation: The DDD also prioritizes stakeholder engagement and facilitation, actively involving local property owners, businesses, residents, elected officials, and community organizations in decision-making processes to ensure that downtown's development initiatives reflect the needs and aspirations of the community.
Neighborhood Engagement & Security: The DDD actively engages downtown neighborhoods through ongoing communication, collaboration, and support, ensuring their needs and priorities help shape district initiatives. Through dedicated funding for increased security, the DDD also strengthens safety within the neighborhoods.
Government/stakeholder liaison: As a liaison between government entities and stakeholders, the DDD navigates the complexities of regulatory requirements and advocates for policies that benefit the downtown area.
Data Collection and Monitoring: Additionally, the DDD is committed to data collection and monitoring, gathering vital information on economic trends, demographic changes, and other critical metrics to inform their strategies and measure the impact of their efforts.
Marketing & Public Information: The DDD actively markets Downtown Baton Rouge’s assets, events, and opportunities to attract visitors and potential investors, while also providing clear, accessible public information to ensure transparency and keep the community informed.
Event and Public Space Management: The management of events and public spaces is another key function, as the DDD organizes and oversees activities and programs that enhance the vibrancy and appeal of the downtown environment.
Project Management: The DDD is the steward of downtown's master plans and utilizes the plans' recommendations to inform investment goals and develop projects for implementation. The DDD collaborates with downtown stakeholders/elected officials, advocating for funds to implement the plans' recommended projects - often writing and receiving grant funds to leverage resources. We effectively manage projects to ensure they are completed on time and within budget and meet a high quality of standards in order to maintain the momentum and confidence in the district's growth.
Advocacy: The DDD actively advocates at the local, state, and federal levels, engaging partners and policymakers to secure resources, investments, and supportive policies that strengthen the economic vitality, safety, and overall livability of Downtown Baton Rouge.