LAFAYETTE, L.a. — What was old is now new in Lafayette as major investments are leading to enhancements along the University Avenue corridor.
The Acadiana Planning Commission told KATC part of this is the conversion of what once was a 1940s Coca-Cola bottling plant into apartment homes along Cameron Street — aptly named Bottle Art Lofts.
"Bottle Art Lofts is part of the first step of really turning around a neighborhood that has a high poverty rate, low income, and the property values are really really low," said Chad Lacomb, District Planner for APC.
There will be 100 units ready for rent by Spring 2022 with 40 already built and occupied. Along with this comes upgrades to the corridor itself — to the tune of $100 million.
Those with the commission said that this effort and its investments — both public and private, including a $1.5 million loan from Lafayette Consolidated Government — are a long time coming.
"The neighborhood really started this effort many years ago and really kind of came together and started defining what they wanted and really started pushing people," said CEO of APC, Monique Boulet. "And so this effort is for the people who live here."
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