downtown resources

Developing in Downtown Lafayette

Let us help you with resources for your project to success in one of South Louisiana’s most exciting Downtown districts.

Be a part of the Downtown momentum

Downtown Development Authority is focused on the revitalization and development of Downtown Lafayette. Creating more residential units is an especially important element of our Downtown revitalization as it has been a missing component of the Downtown district for many years. And now we are making progress with over 200 units in the works. We are experiencing new investments in commercial and retail spaces as more options for people to become residents of Downtown are made available. It is an exciting time to invest in the future of Downtown Lafayette.

Stay up to speed on Downtown growth by following our progress and reading these stories of success in our city center.

Tools for development

The DDA wants to help you navigate the landscape of development in Downtown Lafayette. If you are interested in building, renovating, or enhancing a Downtown property, then you should familiarize yourself with the resources offered by DDA. We also encourage you to contact Downtown Development Authority CEO, Anita Begnaud, with any questions related to development in Downtown.

Anita Begnaud ceo

Anita Begnaud
CEO
Downtown Development Authority + Downtown Lafayette Unlimited

Email | Phone

Available Tools
developer resources

Downtown Action Plan

The Downtown Action Plan provides a vision to leverage Downtown as an important asset for the benefit of the entire region. The intent of the Action Plan is to provide residents of Acadiana’s nine-parish region with options for high-quality city living. This means continuing the transformation of Downtown into a convenient, vibrant, eclectic and charming urban center for the region. The accomplishment of this goal within the next ten years is not only critical for the region to effectively compete with other regions for residents and businesses, but also to provide an amenity for everyone in Acadiana to enjoy.

The Downtown Action Plan was critical to the development of the Downtown zoning district in Lafayette’s Unified Development Code. The Downtown code provides simple and direct guidelines for developing within the Downtown district, and serves as a national model for form-based design codes. The code was recently the recipient for Smart Growth America’s Driehaus Form-Based Codes Award “for the development, adoption, and implementation of the most exemplary form-based codes in the country.”

residential resources

Incentives

More than just resources, new developments in Downtown Lafayette are able to utilize a wide range of incentive programs from the local to federal level. These incentives encourage projects that rehabilitate historic properties, provide housing in low-income areas, or invest in distressed communities.

business resources

Why Downtown?

Downtown Lafayette is the business cultural center of the Acadiana region. Home to over 700 businesses, 3 museums, 4 parks, and a growing number of residential properties, the district is densely packed with amenities and resources to make any workforce or housing project a worthwhile endeavor.

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