Downtown Baton Rouge will get another facelift this year with the redevelopment of the Onyx building, a vacant structure at the corner of Convention and Third streets.
Commercial Properties Realty Trust named the property The Onyx Residences, which will feature 28 one- and two-bedroom apartments ranging from 600 to 1,100 square feet with space for commercial outlets on the first floor, said Commercial Properties spokesperson Tina Rance.
Each apartment unit will have a balcony overlooking downtown, and rent hasn’t been set for the units as of now.
The project is expected to cost $6 million, and construction is set to begin next week and expected to be completed by fall 2014. Rance said construction will need to be carefully administered in the area because of the high volume of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
Rance said reserved parking spots will be available in the parking garage across the street from the building.
The project will add to the area of downtown known as the arts block, which features amenities like Tsunami, the Shaw Center for the Arts and the Manship Theatre, said Executive Director of the Downtown Development District Davis Rhorer.
“What you have is a multi-dimensional use of a block,” Rhorer said. “I can’t think of a more complete block with that.”
The residences will act as a complement to the area and is perfect for those who want to live in an urban setting, Rhorer said.
Historically, the arts block was a place for community gatherings and today, serves as a center for entertainment downtown, he said.
Commercial Properties is also involved with the IBM Services Center, which will feature an office with an adjacent 95 apartments and nine town houses.