Ardendale Master Plan

Total Duration:

2011 – 2014 (planning); implementation ongoing

Estimated Investment: ~$200 million (projected buildout value); multiple phases underway

Impact: Created a long-term vision and design code for transforming 200+ acres of underused land into a walkable, mixed-use urban village in North Baton Rouge.

Public Benefit: Laid the groundwork for equitable redevelopment, affordable housing, job creation, and neighborhood connectivity through public-private partnership and Choice Neighborhoods funding.

The Ardendale Master Plan is a bold, multi-phase redevelopment strategy for 200+ acres in the heart of North Baton Rouge. Formerly known as the Smiley Heights site, the plan was launched to guide the transformation of largely vacant and adjudicated land into a vibrant, mixed-use, mixed-income community.

Led by Build Baton Rouge and developed in close partnership with the Baton Rouge Housing Authority, the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, and Baton Rouge Community College, the plan was created with extensive community engagement and shaped by a detailed form-based design code released in 2014.

Ardendale envisions a walkable urban village with housing, education, job training, and commercial space designed to support residents at all income levels. The plan integrates HUD Choice Neighborhood principles, new urbanist planning, and green infrastructure. Its first phase, Cypress at Ardendale, opened in 2023, delivering 96 affordable and workforce housing units with a planned total of 432 mixed-income homes, including 364 two- and three-story walk-up apartments and townhome-style units for families, alongside a 70-unit senior independent living building.

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The Ardendale Urban Regulatory Instructions The Ardendale Master Plan and Guiding Principles

Project Objectives

Redevelop a large, vacant, and strategic land area with a long-term public vision

Deliver mixed-income housing and prevent displacement

Integrate education, workforce training, and green space within a single master plan

Guide development with a community-informed form-based code

Attract public and private investment to support phased implementation

Establish Ardendale as a national model for equitable, urban redevelopment

Our Role

Urban Planning

We collaborate with public agencies, residents, and planners to shape bold, equitable visions for EBR—then help bring them to life.

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Public Financing & Incentives

We structure creative capital tools, like tax incentives and public financing, to unlock reinvestment in Baton Rouge’s overlooked corridors and communities.

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Community Benefits

Beyond buildings and infrastructure, every BBR project aims to create lasting impact. These benefits reflect how the project improves lives, supports neighborhood growth, and contributes to Baton Rouge’s long-term vitality.

Benefits:

Created a blueprint for over 200 acres of coordinated, mixed-use development
Delivered Cypress at Ardendale, a 96-unit mixed-income housing community
Supported public infrastructure, streetscape planning, and site assembly
Strengthened partnerships between housing, education, and economic development sectors
Centered equity, sustainability, and local design in all phases of planning
Positioned the site to benefit from ongoing Choice Neighborhood and public transit investments

Partners

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Conclusion

The Ardendale Master Plan shows what’s possible when bold planning meets long-term commitment. With its first phase now complete and more to come, this vision is reshaping North Baton Rouge—block by block—with housing, opportunity, and community at its core.