Greater Baton Rouge Business Report: Dock goes into dry dock

Last fall, the Municipal Dock took one step towards being revived. It has since taken two steps back.

The derelict 1931 dock, which the city-parish owns, sits just south of the I-10 bridge and enjoys spectacular views. Attempts over the years to rehab the structure with restaurants, a casino and office space have so far come to naught.

A request for proposals, drafted by Post Architects, went out last October. However, Skipper Post reports the process has been on hold since the mayor's election. The outgoing Simpson administration applied the brakes, allowing then mayor-elect Kip Holden to decide the project's future.

Post instructed everyone who had expressed interest to hold off, though he believes the move was unnecessary. "No one was going to show their hands without knowing what the new administration would do."

He says that three to five developers had contacted the city.

In the meantime, Post says the Port of Greater Baton Rouge has again expressed tentative interest in redeveloping the dock. It had been contemplating such a move until 2002, when the city stepped in.

Holden's spokesperson, Rhett Morris, says the administration has looked over the RFP, but has yet to make any decisions on it.

--H.C.