Downtown--you'll find a place for sure

When you're alone, and life is making you lonely
You can always go
Downtown

...Wait, that song doesn't apply at all. I get exponentially more lonely when I go downtown in Baton Rouge.
But here's a mysterious building that interested me from our first visit here, when we were like, This is downtown? Where IS everybody?

Judging by this sign in the adjacent overgrown parking lot, it used to be a government building. I forgot what kind because these photos were taken in late October, and I just recovered them from my old laptop. But I'm sure one of the readers can fill me in.

But it looks like the place is still semi-occupied, or at least open for events where they serve Famous Amos cookies.

This area looks like arts and crafts are going on. Maybe it has to do with parades? Readers, I'm counting on you for help on this one.

Here's a peek between the blinds into an office.

And notice the deserted street this reflection.

Once again, I am stumped as to whether this building is semi-occupied or abandoned, and peeking inside brought more questions than answers.

Comments

[Alistair]

I see troups of middle-school-age kids going in and out of this building in the summertime. Some kind of arts and crafts day camp, perhaps?

[Alex V. Cook]

This was the site of EBRATS - a charter school for "troubled" kids that shuttered its doors about a year ago

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/2580066.html

[Brad Watkins]

Yep. It was E-BRATS. It was purchased by Bob Dean last summer. The last thing I remember was an attempt by lawmakers to get special funding to renovate it via a TIF. Maybe for a budget hotel?

[Alexis]

EBRATS stands for East Baton Rouge Arts and Technology School. It wasn't just troubled kids that went there. I had family members transfer there from the gifted programs when they became fed-up with the system. I always got the impression it was for kids who learned better in "non-traditional" environments. Here's an article about the closing: http://www.redorbit.com/news/education/518623/closing_of_troubled_ebrats_emotional_for_students_staff/index.html

[cokane]

Oh man--sad! Thanks for the info, guys.

[any nominous]

My drug dealer graduated from there. She was the valedictorian.

[ecs]

I would NOT get in that elevator. Why would you intentionally make the doors look misaligned and therefore unstable?

[kartek]

That's too bad about ebrats. Probably not a good sign the elevator is misaligned and I'm guessing the outside clock doesn't show the correct time.

[Jules]

You must get so creeped out! I know I would. Really cool pics though. It's so sad how everything is so deserted there. Depressing!

[cokane]

any, haha! and now she's a successful entrepreneur.

ecs, good point.

kartek, yeah, the clock is stopped.

and jules, i do. but to be fair, not everything is so deserted. just a way higher percentage than what we're used to.

[cokane]

any, haha! and now she's a successful entrepreneur.

ecs, good point.

kartek, yeah, the clock is stopped.

and jules, i do. but to be fair, not everything is so deserted. just a way higher percentage than what we're used to.

[pauls]

I think this used to be the location of the Baton Rouge Water Company or Gulf States Utilities office many years ago.

[Michael]

If it was one, it was probably the Water Company. Gulf States is still next door; they're called Entergy now.

I vaguely remember the building itself from some 25 years ago when I first moved to BR. The clock had already stopped; across the street, the City Bank building was under construction.

Thanks for posting all the pictures, by the way. I was doing some internet searches and was directed to the site. Urban renewal is one of my interests, which means I'm also kind of drawn, in a weird way, to urban decay.

[Lynn]

Been a long, long time since that clock worked. As mentioned, it was the Gulf State Utilities building.