Designer of Terra Bella Village to Create Lakefront Traditional Neighborhood Development
The term, traditional neighborhood development, evolved out of the concept of urban planning which included designing a “small town” within larger cities that has its own town center as well as commercial, retail, residential, and sometimes rental opportunities for its residents. Walk to where you work and play became the buzz words for
these urban and suburban communities. Now, in Mandeville, Louisiana urban architect Steve Oubre, of Architects Southwest is set as the designer of terra bella village to create lakefront traditional neighborhood development plans for the site of the now abandoned industrial concrete plant.
Located just east of the Causeway Bridge, the plant was used to fabricate the concrete sections and pillars for the Causeway Bridge, which was originally built in 1956. The plant has not operated as an industrial concrete fabrication site since 1984. Drs Michael and Marcus Pittman purchased the property at sheriff’s auction that same year. In 2011, they commenced a massive cleanup effort to prep the land for development.
Three planning meetings have been scheduled by Architects Southwest, the developers, and interested community groups and residents of Mandeville on April 7th, April 9th, and April 13th. Steve Oubre spoke at the first meeting on April 7th and presented a 90-minute powerpoint explaining the vision of this new community. After extensive market studies, high-rise towers were eliminated from the plan, and the vision now includes retails shops, housing units, a hotel, and a marina on the lakefront location all centered around the town center, just like the traditional neighborhood developments he designed both in Lafayette, LA and Covington, Louisiana.
Once community feedback has been received, it’s “back to the drawing board” to actually draw up plans and renderings to present to the Mandeville City Council and the St. Tammany Parish government for ultimate approval to begin construction. Homeowners in Mandeville can expect property values to appreciate with the construction of several hundred housing units if the engineered plans are approved.
