Louisiana State University, Nicholson Gateway

Design Team: Niles Bolton Associates: Dale McClain (Architecture), Bettie Bragg (Interior Design); Chris Fortner (Landscape Architecture)
Jordan & Skala Engineers (MEP); Browder + LeGuizamon & Associates (Structural); J&A Engineering (Low Voltage Design); Stantec (Civil); The Lemoine Company (General Contractor)

The Nicholson Gateway Development on the campus of Louisiana State University (LSU) is the culmination of a vision that transformed a 26-acre undeveloped tract of university-owned property into a successful mixed-use development steps away from Tiger Stadium. Opened in August 2018, Nicholson Gateway addresses the university’s housing shortage by providing 1,525 beds in apartment-style units for upperclassmen and graduate students. It also incorporates 50,000 square feet of student-focused retail, including a 17,000-square-foot Baton Rouge grocer, Matherne’s Market, a 10,000-square-foot recreation and wellness space, an 800-space parking deck and 762 surface parking spaces.

After relocating and replacing its old baseball stadium and demolishing a 1950s-era family housing complex, LSU wanted to turn what had traditionally been the back of the campus into an exciting new gateway district that felt like a part of campus, rather than a service-oriented bypass. The site is along a major state highway (Nicholson Drive) that is the most direct connection between the LSU campus and downtown Baton Rouge and the state capitol. The resulting retail/housing district creates a town center environment that attracts students, sports fans and the surrounding community.

The buildings visually draw from the historic core of campus to claim this property as part of the LSU campus, with a blend of stucco, clay tile, dark bronze vertically proportioned windows, and brick veneer. Nicholson Gateway consists of two retail/housing buildings, a 30,500-square-foot stand-alone retail building, five residential buildings, and a parking structure. All the facilities have been thoughtfully sited to provide a series of quadrangles, secure resident courtyards and public plazas while preserving and celebrating several of LSU’s majestic live oaks. These spaces are accessed from a pedestrian promenade that runs parallel to a revamped Nicholson Drive corridor that was widened and enhanced with traffic-calming measures, new pedestrian crosswalks and extensive streetscape.

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