Birth of a Plan

The Baton Rouge Area Foundation directed a visionary Master Plan for the Health District, a 1000+ acre area comprising the Baton Rouge General Medical Center, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center.  With over a million patient visits annually, 1850 patient beds, 15,000 employees, and $450M of investment expected over the next few years; the Health District is a key driver of the regional economy

The Infastructure Implementation Plan will become a guidebook for development in the Health District

Next Steps

To advance the Master Plan, WHLC Architecture is working with the Health District on the Infrastructure Implementation Plan, to further develop guidelines for the area's growth. The plan entails the district's physical infrastructure:  roadways, recreational trails, landscaping, signage, lighting, plus architectural standards.  Access to the district off the interstate will be branded with signature gateway markers, key intersections will be developed for greater pedestrian safety and aesthetic character, and the enhancement of public realm spaces will be emphasized.

Working closely with the Health District leadership and area stakeholders, Project Director Rex Cabaniss and Lead Designer Alex Avellone are developing a wide range of planning & design criteria to transform the currently disconnected area into a more vibrant, second city center for Baton Rouge. Building on the high-quality healthcare institutions, the area is well positioned to grow into a premier mixed-used neighborhood and model health district.