Thanks to The News Star for the following excellent article written by Greg Hilburn:

2012 gets down to BUSINESS

Ouachita Parish has been bleeding jobs for almost a decade, but at least two economists believe the regional hub of northeastern Louisiana could enjoy net job growth in 2012, thanks to ongoing expansions at CenturyLink and JPMorgan Chase & Co.

"There has been a slow, steady decline in employment in Ouachita Parish for nine consecutive years, but I expect that to abate in 2012," said Bob Eisenstadt, director of the University of Louisiana at Monroe's Center for Business and Economic Research. "I believe we've bottomed out and will see a modest turnaround."

LSU economists Loren Scott and James Richardson forecast a growth rate of 0.5 percent for Ouachita in 2012 after a lost decade that saw the exit of two Top 10 employers in State Farm and Guide Corp.

Unfortunately, job losses and population declines in rural northeastern Louisiana are expected to continue, although there are bright spots like ConAgra's Lamb Weston sweet potato processing plant near Delhi.

Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret believes those recent expansion projects have set the foundation for more growth in Ouachita and the region.

"Generally, I see more opportunity for manufacturing in northeastern Louisiana because of the available land and the credibility that's been established with success stories like CenturyLink, Conagra and others," he said.

"Overall, it's a brighter outlook that we've seen in quite a few years," Eisenstadt said. "The Ouachita Parish economy is strengthening."

CenturyLink

CenturyLink's explosive growth since 2009 elevated it from Monroe's signature company to Louisiana's top corporate star.

With as much as $20 billion in annual revenue, CenturyLink is the largest company headquartered in the state.

The company, with its headquarters on U.S. 165 North, offers northeastern Louisiana's most lucrative job growth in 2012 and beyond.

CenturyLink announced last summer it will add 800 jobs here during the next five years with an average salary of $65,000 plus benefits and invest $30 million in a capital expansion to make room for the new workers. That's in addition to the completion of a 350-job expansion announced in 2009.

Gov. Bobby Jindal said the Monroe company "will truly transform the economy here for generations to come."

And when CenturyLink adds 800 employees to its Monroe headquarters, it could lead to 1,250 spinoff jobs that are likely to be just as lucrative in pay as those of Monroe's Fortune 100 company.

Once all of the new jobs are in place, the company will employ 2,500 workers at its headquarters with a $155 million local annual payroll.

"I think we have a great future here in Monroe," CenturyLink chief executive Glen Post said when the company announced its expansion plans.

See the complete article here:

http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201201010115/NEWS01/201010315

Sold: Apartments in Monroe LA

The Ferrand Place Apartments at 2307 Ferrand in Monroe LA sold for $825,000 on September 20, 2011. The seller was Benjamin Siglin Gorman and the buyer was We Rn Property, Inc. The property consists of 26 apartments within 3 buildings and a laundry facility. The average price per unit came to $31,731 per unit.

We have assisted many clients in purchasing and selling Apartments in Monroe LA. If you would like to discuss current investment opportunities, rental rates, or occupancy rates, contact Ryan Roark at 318-348-5815.

Sold: Monroe Motor Speedway

On November 10, 2011 the former Monroe Motor Speedway was auctioned by Biz Capital Bidco II, LLC for $726,000. The buyer was G & J Investments of Ouachita, LLC. 

The 55-acre property is located just off Interstate 20 at the intersection of Wagon Wheel Road and Frontage Road. Built in 2008, the property includes a 0.375 mile concrete oval track banked at 12 degrees and a 4,000 seat bandstand. Originally constructed for approximately $6.5 Million the track featured racing of modifieds, late models, legends, bombers, bandeleros, and compacts. The track officially closed around June of 2010. 

The Youtube video below shows action highlights of racing at the facility.

SOLD: Office Building Monroe LA

The Office Building at 1811 Tower Drive Monroe LA sold for $1,200,000 on September 28, 2011. The Buyer was 1811 Tower Drive, LLC and the Seller was Welsh Properties Limited Partnership.

The property was built in 1969 and includes 13,739 square feet of useable space and the building does have a sprinkler system. Approximately 65 parking spots were included in the sale.

Retail Space Monroe LA

Are you considering opening a business and looking for Retail Space Monroe LA? There a currently a number of opportunities throughout the city with great visibility and traffic counts depending on the particular demographics and/or pyschographics your company is looking for. Popular retail clusters are located along Forsythe Avenue, Louisville Avenue, North 18th Street, Highway 165, Garrett Road, and Desiard Street.

Larger retailers looking for Retail Space Monroe LA may consider a site near the Pecanland Mall and Pecanland Commons developments at Interstate 20 and Garrett Road. A cluster of big box retailers including Sam's Club, Best Buy, Target, Home Depot, and Lowe's are all located here along the Interstate along with a regional mall anchored by Sears, Dillards, JC Pennys, Belk and Burlington Coat Factory.

Smaller retailers may be interested in the traffic patterns through Monroe especially the funneling of commuter traffic at the Lea Joyner Bridge located at the Western end of Louisville Avenue. Other notable locations include the intersection of Highway 165 and Louisville Avenue near the University of Louisiana Monroe, and several intersections along North 18th Street. Also, a string of high end retailers has emerged along Tower Drive just East of Oliver Road.

Many retailers interested in Retail Space Monroe LA consider the location of Walmart when making decisions about future sites and Walmart is located at the intersection of Lamy Lane and Louisville Avenue. Several Walmart shadow strip centers are located nearby for small retailers and a big box site is located adjacent to Walmart.

Big chain pharmacies can also be used to indicate favorable demographics for retailers. Intersections where these are prevalent include North 18th and Louisville Avenue, North 18th and Forsythe, Highway 165 and Forsythe extension, and Louisville Avenue and Lamy Lane.

We have assisted a broad range of retailers in finding their next location including Walmart, AT&T, Brookshires, Autozone, Chase Bank, Dollar General, Lowes, Radioshack, Rite Aid, and Family Dollar. If you are considering Retail Space Monroe LA, please contact Ryan Roark at 318-348-5815.