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November 13, 2020

Downtown Lafayette breaks ground on sewage lift station, setting stage for development

Construction officially began for a new sewer lift station for Downtown Lafayette on Wednesday, which is set to expand the district’s residential capacity. The new lift station will cost $840,000, and the money is being fronted by the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority, but 90% will be reimbursed by the Lafayette Utility System. The project is expected to be completed by the end of March 2021.

Development
November 13, 2020

Window Wonderland: Christmas event brings downtown, local artists together

It was like walking onto a Hallmark movie set for local artist Kelly Russo. Last year, downtown Lafayette took decorating for Christmas seriously, and along with it, came the Window Wonderland competition. Russo was one of 30 artists who decorated storefronts in hopes of winning and bringing Christmas cheer.

Events
November 13, 2020

Downtown Lafayette Hosting a Merry & Bright Christmas

Lafayette, LA – Do you hear what we hear? Downtown Lafayette is becoming a Winter Wonderland once again this December. Downtown Lafayette Unlimited is producing “Merry & Bright,” a series of family-friendly holiday events in Downtown Lafayette sponsored by Lafayette Coca-Cola Bottling Company. The seasonal celebration includes a Christmas tree decorating contest, a concert featuring Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble, a competition for best holiday window display, a Candlelight Christmas featuring traditional carols, and a Movies In The Parc season finale —all taking place throughout December and following guidelines for safe outdoors events.

Events
November 3, 2020

Trash Talk

The best kind of Downtown Lafayette is a clean one. That’s why the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) used both public and private resources to respond to one of our most important stakeholder initiatives: more trash cans in our district.

Development
July 28, 2020

Cali Comeaux named Downtown Lafayette Unlimited Marketing and Communications Manager

Downtown Lafayette Unlimited (DLU), the private, non-profit organization that works hand-in-hand with the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), has hired a Marketing and Communications Manager to assist with event planning and execution, content creation, and marketing of the district.

May 20, 2020

From Mo’s Desk: How you can support DLU during the month of June

Friends of Downtown Lafayette, What a crazy time we find ourselves in. One minute you’re thrilled to have the entire 2020 mapped out for your non-profit organization—filled with bigger and better events and programming to bring people together Downtown—then BOOM… world wide pandemic. The world, my world, our community came to a soul crushing halt. A major slow down for so many of us, but also a major ramp up for others—the first responders, medical professionals, and grocery store clerks to name a few.

May 11, 2020

The Downtowner: April 2020

Are you getting Downtown Lafayette delivered to your inbox? The Downtowner is our monthly newsletter and the best way to stay up-to-date with in-depth news, developing stories, and personal highlights from the Downtown district of Lafayette.

Explore
April 17, 2020

DLU Member Spotlight: Amy Jones of Burning Stick Creative

Our next DLU Member Spotlight video focuses on local branding visionary, Amy Jones. Amy’s full-service advertising agency, Burning Stick Creative, is headquartered on Garfield Street—in a prime spot for live music lovers—directly across from Parc International. You can find the Burning Stick staff taking full advantage of their location during Downtown Alive!, Festival International, and the many other festivals and live events hosted at Parc International on a regular basis.

Business
April 8, 2020

Six ways to support Downtown restaurants

Downtown restaurants are getting creative during the COVID-19 crisis. Here are six ways you can support them. Why restaurants need our support right now? About 40 restaurants operate in the Downtown district, and the majority of them have temporarily closed in the past three weeks. These businesses are a huge part of the culture and economy of our district, owned and operated by local residents with family ties here in Acadiana. They are small businesses, and many of them cannot continue to operate without a steady flow of revenue.

Business
March 10, 2020

Rachel Holland named Director of Downtown Development and Planning

Rachel Holland joined Lafayette’s Downtown Development Authority as Director of Downtown Development and Planning on March 9. Holland, who has experience in both the public and private sectors, will facilitate Downtown real estate development and investment and serve as a liaison for private industry with Lafayette City-Parish government.

Development
February 14, 2020

DLU Member Spotlight: Nathanael Johnson of Rêve Coffee Roasters

Nathanael Johnson is the owner of Rêve Coffee Roasters on Jefferson Street and a member of DLU since 2018. Rêve—French for “dream”—came to Downtown Lafayette in 2014 and quickly emerged as more than just a coffee shop. The café also its own beans, which have become a staple in grocery stores, and a point of pride when served in homes and restaurants throughout Acadiana. Rêve also frequently collaborates with other members of the Downtown community to host art exhibits, small concerts, latte art competitions, and trivia nights. It is a gathering place for a diverse crowd of professionals, artists, and caffeine addicts of all kinds.

Business
January 29, 2020

2019 Year-in-review: Creating momentum for a new decade of growth in Downtown

2019 was a transformative year for Downtown Lafayette, one that will mark the beginning of a new decade of momentum for the heart of Acadiana. Our organization has undergone exciting changes, beginning with the appointment of Anita Begnaud as the CEO of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and Downtown Lafayette Unlimited (DLU) in October of 2018. Anita hit the ground running by reinvigorating DLU’s membership and programming efforts, hiring Maureen Dugas Foster as the first ever Director of DLU, and acting as the spokesperson for a list of catalytic projects in Downtown—from the renovation of the Old Federal Courthouse and the construction of Vermilion Lofts and Buchanan Heights, to efforts addressing Downtown’s pressing infrastructure issues.

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