Comments for $10 million Marriott going up in River Ranch at http://www.acadianabusiness.com , comment 1 to 17 out of 17 comments http://www.acadianabusiness.com Wed, 22 May 2013 05:58:06 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-7187 OK, you're correct that I used sweeping generalizations. Not all of it is bad and I'm sure some buildings have won awards. But you seem to be equivocating by praising the River Ranch development in general, when I am speaking of particular construction of homes and apartments. I think the entire development is great in the sense of a mini-community having necessities within walking distance, green space and tennis courts and fashionable enterprises. In fact I think we need more developments like this that are somewhat self-contained where you don't have to drive for everything. "Standards being acceptable to owners" does not mean that the builder went beyond the bare minimum and cut corners. Owners like a stucco wall but probably don't notice that the eve overhang is so short that windows are more exposed to rain and the foundation is more exposed to dampness that encourages termites. I'm sure the exterior walls were acceptable, but next year when one begins leaning outward, it's a problem. These things have happened. Walls not being square, framing not sealed correctly to foundations, windows not sealed correctly, sheetrock not being primed before painted. That's what you get with cheap and quick construction. Compare those homes to Broadmoor homes built in the 60's and see which ones will last longer with less maintenance. I am not xenophobic and I appreciate legal immigrants. But don't pretend that developers and contractors don't routinely use illegal immigrants who work for half the pay, and who won't say a thing about cutting corners. I know "locally grown" people who would not build homes to such low standards, and have gone to River Ranch to fix bad construction! Yes, it's none of my business if people want a huge house with no yard. But the typically shoddy construction underneath the facade is pretty common knowledge. I guess the "thing" is that such exorbitant prices are charges for it. - JP Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:28:44 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-7168 J.P.: Get over your bitterness, it's clouding your judgement. I've been involved with construction for nearly 40 years. The residential construction in River Ranch is superior. Do you think home owners would hire bad contractors and pay for inferior construction. The appraised values of homes in River Ranch is the highest in Acadiana. Banks don't finance homes that don't properly appraise and they only appraise if they have value. You are very wrong about the structural integrity on of the homes and condo and obviously don't know very much about construction to make such an incorrect statement. I challenge you to support your comment about illegal immigrants. Just because a worker looks different than you does not make him illegal. I have seen these labors installing roofing on Sunday afternoons in August. Perhaps they just make work harder than you. If you know anything about apartments as a business investment, you would know the standard of construction ( material and labor) of an apartment complex has to be in line with the rent. To be competitive in the Lafayette market and offer rents similar to other complexs construction costs must be fall with-in a budget. Sure stock material must be used, but to say " structural inegrity is a bare minimum" is flat out incorrect. By the way it's none of your business is a person want to buy a house with no yard. No one is forcing anyone to buy a home in River Ranch. They do it bacause it's their choice. Get off your "high horse", take a deep breath and stop taking your bitter medicine, you'll feel better about yourself and the community you live in. - Construction Guy Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:08:07 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-7167 More on RR and JP. But you're right about the apartments. They are cheap and they're a poor reflection on what is otherwise great development. Hopefully they'll be no more of them. Also, hats off to Morrow's comment about RR kids riding around the streets in golf carts. You're right. It's just wrong. It happens with impunity there. The RR owners know about it, and do nothing. Parents obviously think its cute. Neither will be happy when a child is seriously injured - or worse- and lawsuits fly. It's inexcusable. - JUST a Minute, JP part 2 Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:50:25 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-7164 Blog comments can be reasonable or not. JP's diatribe about big bad River Ranch is an example of one that's not. It's amazing the things you will say when you, like JP, can hide behind anonymity in a post. You can't be personally held accountable for them. Take a look at his claims. They are sweeping generalizations backed with no evidence. Lets look at some. 1) JP says: "It's an embarrassment to quality development". Really? Compared to what, JP? The RR has won an extraordinary number of national awards as a pioneering development and received dozens of complimentary reviews by highly regarded, planners, architects, devolopers and educators - knowledgeable people who have seen many a development. They say RR is a truly great one. JPster, what are your qualifications for making your claims? 2)JP says: "Structural integrity for homes is a bare minimum.." Really, JP? Some of the best builders of small, medium, and large homes from all over Acadiana have built dozens of homes there to standards obviously quite acceptable to their owners. One more claim with no documentation. Have you been in most of the homes in RR to make an assertion like that? Not likely. But it's easy to say it when you're anonymous. 3) JP says: "...they put a fancy facade on them and sell them for much more than a well built home in other neighborhoods." Listen carefully, JP, I'll explain it once. Some homes in RR are of no different quality than homes by the same builder in other neighborhoods. Likewise,some houses are built at one price point, others at higher price points depending on whats in them. Just like a car. You pay for what you get. So why are two houses of the same design and quality priced differently if one is in RR and the other not? It's simple, JP. It's the good old American law of supply and demand. People pay more for the same property in RR because they like what the development offers and they CAN'T find the kinds of amenities it offers anywhere else. Not complicated. - JUST a Minute, JP part 1 Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:31:25 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-7154 I dump on River Ranch because it's an embarrassment to quality development. Structural integrity for homes and condos is a bare minimum, but they put a fancy facade on the units and sell them for much more than a well-built home in other neighborhoods. Developers used cheap labor in the form of illegal immigrants which means local people don't get the work, but that's all part of the shoddy construction process. Cut corners and use people who don't care, and make more profit while you're at it. Not to mention there's virtually no yard space; houses are crammed together for more developer profit. Apartment walls are so thin you can practically hear a pin drop in your neighbor's apartment. It's a symptom of the "quick, easy and cheap" malaise that infects us, all for squeezing the most dollars out of the least space. Then there are those annoying golf cart drivers. Here's an idea: take a walk, ride a bike, get some exercise. Some of them really need it. - JP Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:35:34 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-7138 Some people on this forum seem to think that the government decides the locations of hotels. The rest of you are simply jealous that some people have more money than you. If you don't like a neighborhood, don't go there. Nobody is forcing you to do anything. - Cicereaux Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:59:21 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-7130 I'm curious as to where those two acres are. I hope its a high rise that looks down into the homes of some of the cottages or what not. Those people should enjoy that experience just as those poor people off of Kal. Saloom. My biggest gripe about R.R. is, first the snottieness of its inhabitants, and second, their disregard for the laws the rest of the city has to follow. I guarantee if a bunch of kids ride up in a golf cart around the Northgate Mall, after their questioned about if its stolen or not, they'll be written up for driving vehicles not meant for the road. People in RR don't suffer that kind of harrassment and break those laws every day, and the City Police looks the other way. I've even witnesses one man with his dog, at near dark, with a phone on his ear and a drink in his hand as he was driving down a RR roadway, NEAR THE SCHOOL! The hotel doesn't impress me much at all. I'll continue to send my friends and relatives to stay near Cajun Dome. - Morrow Sat, 17 Apr 2010 07:51:47 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-7102 Why does everyone want to dump on River Ranch. Is it Penis Envy? - The Original Northsidian Fri, 16 Apr 2010 06:36:30 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-7092 There was supposed to be a hotel go in next to the Fed Courthouse, but I'm sure the Econ Downturn made that a backburner issue. - CanadaBobEh Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:40:31 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-7068 Great news for River Ranch! As Festival International approaches and with the transportation building construction started, I feel there should be a push for lodging in the downtown area. Downtown Lafayette is in dire need of at least one major hotel. There should be a push by local government to attract one of the major players in this industry. - beheard Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:56:32 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-6959 Actually Joey Durel, being the visionary, that he has not proven to be in the past, such as not annexing the south ambassador extension area , now he is full steam ahead, whole-heartedly preparing hostels for the influx of landmen who will be staking claims on the still to be annexed land mass south of the Lafayette City...... The rush is on...fot the black gold ! HUH ? - NORTHSIDIAN MAN Sun, 11 Apr 2010 11:55:22 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-6933 BAD location, no one from out of town will find it.. - Plumpy Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:52:57 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-6921 Are they going to build it with shoddy construction--quick and easy, cutting corners, minimum material quality--then slap some pretty gilt on it, like most of River Ranch? - JP Fri, 09 Apr 2010 07:33:08 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-6910 written by Sparrow "River Ranch is evil" And I just bought a condo. Darn. - God Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:39:56 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-6907 This is good for Lafayette. - northsidian Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:09:27 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-6899 River Ranch is evil. - Sparrow Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:15:10 +0100 http://www.acadianabusiness.com/business-news/acadiana-business/6018-10-million-marriott-going-up-in-river-ranch#comment-6895 Sounds good but I think we are a little overbuilt in hotel rooms right now. - God Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:55:48 +0100