Brady Bunch/ Parks & Recreation

 

Found in a part of town heavy on the conifers and housing tracts, we have two very different sites today, each evoking a different TV show title.

 

 

First is the Direct General office building on Florida, once home to law offices and the like. When I look at this building, I think "Brady Bunch architecture."  It might not be popular these days, but I will take this distinctive look any day over the generic "unoffensive" "architecture" of strip malls and other buildings everywhere.

Without drastic overhaul of the lower exterior, there's really no way to downplay the design of this building--and if you did, it would lose any character it had. Unfortunately, from what I can see of the inside (Google the building name for a PDF showing more interior photos), the inside is updated, resulting in a generic mishmash look. I'm not a fan. Not only does it look like nothing, it looks like a few different non-matching nothings.

 

Next, Parks & Recreation: some unidentified buildings at Sherwood Forest Community Park.

 

This small shack (above) has some equipment inside (below) that reminds me of my college radio transmitter. Is this a broadcasting system for what looks like fairgrounds nearby? Someone out there knows-- you tell me.

 

 

Comments

[The Mighty Favog]

The first building used to be the Blue Cross building. Is it vacant now? It's hard to tell, sometimes, in Red Stick.

The "parks and recreation" buildings, no doubt, date back to around 1949, when the site became a Defense Logistics Agency depot. I imagine the giant red mounds are still there, no?

Bauxite. Part of a national emergency stockpile of the stuff for making aluminum.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/baton-rouge.htm

Being that the buildings are behind the barbed-wire topped fence, it would appear they're part of the depot and not the park.

I grew up less than a mile from there.

[Colleen Kane]

You had me doubting myself even after being there-- the Direct General building is for sale, and the offices on either end of the pictured lobby are standing empty with doors open. Electricity is still on, but blinds are askew in many windows. I may have to check off the old "occupied?" category now.

As for the depot, that would explain the equipment in that shack, looking like it's for communications. I didn't notice any mounds, but wasn't looking for them, either. Thanks for the background info.

[Lamar Bevil]

The Parks and Recreation buildings were actually built circa 1942 and were part of the Engineering Department of Ryan Field, now our Metro airport. Ryan Field was a US Army Air Force training facility during WW-II.

Lamar Bevil

[Murray Melvin]

That Blue Cross building spent a lot of time unoccupied a while back when the stone-looking panels on the sides were just falling off. For the longest time, it was surrounded by an orange tape fence and a bunch of rubble from the fallen panels. I guess it's usable again.

I'm pretty sure those Bauxite mounds are gone but I haven't been that way in a while. They went around the same time hurricane Katrina happened (maybe before). They turned the adjacent warehouses into a big BREC gym type center and also put a bunch of FEMA trailers there.

[RoPo]

I know the bauxite mounds are gone. I grew up in Monticello subdivision near there and my parents still live there, so I travel that way often. They started disappearing right after September, 11th. Coincidence?

The Direct General insurance offices are now located in a new building further down Florida Blvd around Rushmore. That's all I know about that.

[Joey.]

Nice work, CK. Seems Florida Blvd is a gold mine for abandoned sites like these, huh? Always a pleasure to find a new update around these parts! :-)

[Brentitude]

My Dad used to work for Blue Cross, in that building, in the early '70s. That photo really brings me back. I haven't lived in BTR for almost 30 years and it saddens me to see how much of it that used to be so vibrant has deteriorated.

[Blake Taylor]

I work for the Moving Company who moved these people out to thier location now on BlueBonnet... Yes it was Blue Cross. That was a good move...> Lots of over time

[Alistair]

Can you say "FEMA Camp?"

[A Cajun Down Under]

I grew up in Villa Del Rey in the 70's, and I remember the Florida Blvd area and the 'Blue Cross' building well. 'Brady Bunch architecture' is a perfect way to describe it. It is pretty dated now, but it was one of the 'cooler' buildings around when I was a kid.

Reading the comments, I can't believe the red mounds are gone! I never thought I'd see the day. They used to be patrolled by security guards and were the source of many conspiracy theories when I was growing up.

[David Pye]

Another great set of photos (I particularly loved the melancholy and sorta spooky expanse of abandoned parking lot at the Direct General building). And loads of interesting information in the comments too. Thanks to everyone!!

[Amber]

my mom worked on the 7th floor of the Drect General building for about 7 years. i used to go there a lot after school to wait for her to get off work. the last time i was there was back in 2001.

[fm2176]

I am a relative newcomer to Baton Rouge but was wondering what the story behind those buildings on Sherwood Forest was. They look exactly like old WWII Army barracks and the entire area is owned by the US Government, so far as I know. There is a GSA activity near the corner of S Choctaw and Sherwood Forest.

[FertilAid for Men]

Wow!! Cool building!! Yeah! I love it.. Hmmm wonderful! I like the first photo!

[football customized jerseys]

They look exactly like old WWII Army barracks and the entire area is owned by the US Government, so far as I know. There is a GSA activity near the corner of S Choctaw and Sherwood Forest.

[Vibram Five Fingers]

my mom worked on the 7th floor of the Drect General building for about 7 years.

[Air Max 2010]

I am glad it was appropriately punished. I don't work in a big agency, i am an independent, so I don't have any insight into how agencies bill, but I know how I do it, and there is no padding there, so for others to muddy that up is pretty irritating indee

[l arginine]

When this occurs, your body is unable to absorb important nutrients which can substantially affect your health over time.

[cheap fashion jewelry]

That's so funny...I can relate too...I have to clear out the clutter so I can think and then I sometimes have to force myself to buy a few nice little things..just for me. I tend to be overly frugal so I really do have to force myself but it really helps create a calm clean environment. Thanks for a great website. It's awesome.

[Ray Ban Uk]

I am wondering How did you get so nice post?Hope you can keep writing more for us in the future.Thanks very much.

[Ray Ban Wayfarer]

What amazing post,I have been looking for several days.I will recommend it to my friends.Thanks.

[Ray Ban Aviator]

Both My brother and I are interested on your blog very much.and will recommend it to my classmates.Thanks

[dsquared1112]

Hey RoPo, I grew up in Monticello too! How interesting, I used to take karate lessons at the former DLA depot. (of course it was owned by BREC by that time)

[Laci]

everytime i see that tall building i think of the story my dad told me about from when he was a teen (late 70s)
A guy tried to kill himself by jumping off the building but ended up instead just paralyzing himself from the neck down. how sad!

[Laurie]

We moved into Red Oaks subdivision in 1964. I can remember when North Sherwood was a two lane road with big ditches on each side. At the end of North Sherwood at Choctaw there was a big metal barrier that dead ended at the US Government facility. There were about maybe 6 or 7 long bauxite mounds. It was manned and guarded at the entrance. Us kids always wanted to go in there and look, but the signs they had scared us enough to stop us. When we moved to Red Oaks, my Mom got on as a subbing school bus driver and we would have to travel Choctaw sometimes. It was a gravel road for a while, if you can believe that!! We lived on the dead end of Cletus Drive in Red Oaks and used to play in the canal. Over the canal, Villa Del Rey was not even there and was all woods. We had a BLAST playing there. Some of you may remember my mom. Mrs. Johnston, school bus driver. She loved all the kids and loved her job. I still live in Red Oaks but its really changed, sad to say.