AEDC deal for office park breaks down

Negotiations have broken down between a private landowner and the Ascension Economic Development Corporation over an 88-acre plot of land at La. 73 and La. 30 that the AEDC had hoped to see used for an office park and light industrial complex comparable to the Industriplex in Baton Rouge. The AEDC was not looking to buy the land; rather, it hoped to secure an option, which could be transferred to private developers. Tommy Kurtz, president of the AEDC, says the organization is looking at three other sites and two other landowners have approached the development corporation.—David Jacobs

Labor figures show B.R. on good footing

The Capital Region's economy is still in good shape, says the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, pointing to recently released labor numbers from the U.S. Department Labor. The agency's Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary pegs the Baton Rouge area's unemployment rate at 3.6%. While this is up slightly from April, it's still below the state's rate of 3.7% and the national rate of 5.2%. Of the 369 metropolitan statistical areas in the United States, according to the labor department, 328 saw higher unemployment this year than last, while six MSAs had an unemployment rate of 10% or higher.

Adam Knapp, BRAC president and CEO, says that despite the good new for Baton Rouge, the data prove the need for the "unified workforce development system" recently created by Gov. Bobby Jindal and the Legislature. "With these numbers and an historical amount of capital investment committed our region, it is imperative that we implement the new system as quickly as possible in order to maintain this positive economic position," Knapp says.—Steve Clark

Lewis, Todaro running for Metro Council

Donna Collins Lewis and Gene Todaro have announced they will run for seats on the Metro Council. Lewis, the housing program manager for Louisiana Family Recovery Corps, will challenge Councilwoman Martha Jane Tassin in the District 6 race. Sarah Holliday is the other declared challenger in the district. Todaro, who owns Marcello's Wine Cellar, says he will run for the District 12 seat. That seat became open after incumbent Mickey Skyring decided not to run again. Several candidates have already announced they will run for the seat, including former Councilman Jim Benham and restaurant owner R.J. “Smokie” Bourgeois. Qualifying for the elections begins Wednesday and runs through Friday. For a complete list of all announced candidates, click here.

ULI officials working on Horizon Plan

Representatives of the Urban Land Institute, a nonprofit research and education organization whose stated purpose is to anticipate emerging land-use issues and propose solutions to those issues, are in Baton Rouge today, says Downtown Development District executive director Davis Rhorer. The group is conducting meetings as part of an effort to devise the scope of services for the next phase of the Horizon Plan, the parish’s land-use master plan.

Topics discussed at today’s DDD meeting include:

—Dalton’s, a new bar on Lafayette Street in the old Tabby’s Blues Box building, opened on July 4. The bar features live music on weekends.

—City News Stand, which has taken over the former Downtown News on North Boulevard, will keep the location open from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. weekdays, and 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturdays, with hopes of extending hours to 9 p.m. weeknights and even later on Friday and Saturday depending on the progress of the Arts and Entertainment District, owner Robert McClaren said. City News Stand has another location on George O'Neal Road.

—Kress at Third and Main is expected to have residential occupants by mid-September. The Little Village Fish House is shooting for a Dec. 1 opening. A woman’s shoe store and a café and bakery are also possibilities for the location.

—David Madden, LSU’s Robert Penn Warren Professor of Creative Writing, will lecture tonight at the Old Governor’s Mansion on the connections between Abraham Lincoln and Louisiana; doors open at 6 p.m., with the lecture at 6:30 p.m. The talk is part of a nationwide celebration of the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth on Feb. 12, 1809.—David Jacobs

AP: Louisiana ranks second for Iran exports

An Associated Press analysis of U.S. exports to Iran found that Louisiana ranked second in sales to the country. Louisiana exported nearly $118 million in products to Iran from 2001-07, with corn being the most popular product. Only Georgia, which exported more than $200 million in products, ranked ahead of Louisiana. U.S. exports to Iran grew more than tenfold during President Bush's years in office even as he accused Iran of nuclear ambitions and helping terrorists. Despite increasingly tough rhetoric toward Iran, which Bush has called part of an "axis of evil," U.S. trade in a range of goods survives on-again, off-again sanctions originally imposed nearly three decades ago. The rules allow sales of agricultural commodities, medicine and a few other categories of goods. The exemptions are designed to help Iranian families even as the United States pressures Iran's leaders. For the full AP story, click here.

Albemarle reaches deal with Indian drug company

Albemarle has signed an agreement with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, allowing the pharmaceutical company to distribute its ibuprofen API. The drug will be used in Dr. Reddy's generic ibuprofen tablets, which will be sold worldwide. Details of the transaction were not disclosed. This is the second time in recent months Dr. Reddy's, based in Hyderabad, India, has struck a deal with a Louisiana-based business. In April, Dr. Reddy's announced it had reached an agreement to buy BASF's pharmaceutical manufacturing business and plant in Shreveport.

NovaMed buys control of Baton Rouge clinic

A Chicago company has bought a majority interest in an ambulatory surgery center in Baton Rouge. NovaMed announced it has acquired a 51% interest in Interventional Pain Management Center. The Bluebonnet Boulevard facility performs pain management procedures, but could add other specialties. NovaMed says the clinic has performed about 15,000 procedures over the past year—garnering revenue of about $6 million. NovaMed acquires, develops and operates ambulatory surgery centers in partnership with physicians. The company has majority ownership interests in 35 surgery centers located in 18 states, but this is its first Louisiana location.

St. Joseph Hospice opening in-patient facility

Construction has started on a $4.5 million facility on Jefferson Highway that will offer in-patient hospice service and serve as the new offices for St. Joseph Hospice. The Carpenter House, which will provide 16 private bedrooms along with a chapel, atrium and library, is scheduled to open by the end of the year, says Pat Mitchell, hospice administrator. Mitchell says the in-patient service will allow hospitals to discharge terminally ill patients into a home-like environment. "The goal is strictly to provide comfort, peace and dignity to our patients," he says. The Carpenter House will be a two-story building with administrative offices on the second floor.—Timothy Boone

Real Estate Weekly: CPEX could be getting new home

Real Estate Weekly is out with news about a potential new home for the Center for Planning Excellence. Also: a new name and mission for Block Construction, more development at Bluebonnet Boulevard and Burbank Drive and columns from Tom Cook and Brian Andrews. To read the newsletter, click here.

News roundup: Penn National gets option for Maryland casino; report says Americans watching more TV; Rotolo's on Government now open

Moving into Maryland: Penn National Gaming, the parent company of Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge, says it has an option to buy 36 acres in Perryville, Md. Maryland will hold a statewide election in November to allow slot machines in Baltimore and four counties; if the referendum passes, Penn National plans to build a $125 million casino resort in Perryville. Guess no one is reading anymore: A new Nielsen Report shows that Americans are watching more TV and spending more time online than a year ago. The study finds that the average American watched 127 hours and 15 minutes of television in May, up 4% from the year before. At the same time, the amount of time spent online went from 24 hours and 16 minutes in May 2007 to 26 hours and 26 minutes in May. The amount of "timeshifted television,” such as watching programs recorded on a DVR, saw the biggest jump, from 3 hours and 44 minutes in May 2007 to nearly 6 hours in May. More Mid City pizza: Rotolo's Pizzeria has opened its third Baton Rouge location, on Government Street near South Foster Drive. The menu features pizza, sandwiches, salads and calzones, along with draft and import beers.