Visitors
History of the City of Baker
The City of Baker is a city where the potential for growth is tremendous due to its easy accessibility to the Baton Rouge Metro Airport and recreation and shopping areas. It is a city that has maintained its small town atmosphere and is a natural hub for various businesses.
Brief Demographic and Economic Base Analysis
The city is in close proximity to 25 industrial plants employing thousands of workers. The city is mostly comprised of densely populated subdivisions and commercial properties, but contains lowlands, woodlands ad farmland. There are approximately 13,835 residents, 198 businesses and five industrial operations within the city limits. The city is comprised of 8.5 miles of roadway within the city limits. It is conveniently located to Lane Memorial Medical Center and other state of the art medical facilities.
Business Climate
With its close proximity to Baton Rouge, the City of Baker is an opportunity for retail, manufacturing, industrial businesses to either locate or relocate, without having the congestion of Baton Rouge. Baker offers the quickest access to all major highways running through the area as well as to air, rail, and shipping transportation. The City of Baker growth has been slow for the last decade. However, it is a sleeping giant. Being one of the safest and most affordable cities to live in, it will provide a stable environment to reside and raise a family. Most existing businesses are doing well, and are looking forward to a growing Baker. The City of Baker would be a great place for new retail, restaurants, office call centers, and commercial/industrial businesses to locate. According to the Baton Rouge Area Chamber:
Utilities
a) Electricity is provided by bother Entergy & Demco. Both companies have major transmission lines located inside the City of Baker
b) Water is provided by the City of Baker. Currently they own and operate three water wells and are about to begin construction on a fourth.
c) Natural gas is provided by the City of Baker gas system
d) Telecommunications is provided by both AT&T and Cox Communications. They both offer not only phone service but DSL & high speed internet.
Transportation
a) An adequate transportation network and easy access to the entire metropolitan area, contributes to The City of Baker popularity as a great place to live and do business.
b) Capital Transportation Corporation provides bus service from Baker to Baton Rouge. The city is served by two major highways and several arterials.
c) There are three major state highways that run north and south through the fire district that is served by the Baker Fire Department, including Hwy 61, Hwy 67, and Hwy 19. These three highways are major trucking routes for North/South traffic.
d) The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, located three miles from the City of Baker, offers air service, provided by Delta, America Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways. It boasts a newly remodeled and enlarged terminal facility, and parking garage. Hanger, fuel, maintenance, and charger services are readily available on site. The airport has a master plan for future expansions that will take it into the next several decades.
e) Freight services are available through Agway Systems Inc., offering nationwide trucking of freight, as well as bulk packaging and over 1,000,000 sq ft of warehouse facilities. UPS & FedEx offer ground and air freight. The Kansas City Railroad offers nationwide rail service starting from inside the city. A large canal used for loading and unloading, bulk materials & products, is located just outside the city limits.
f) The Baker Chamber of Commerce is the primary support organization for businesses in Baker. It serves 198 businesses with a full time staff. It is funded by its member dues, and partial by the City of Baker economic development funds. The Chamber both encourages and promotes business within the city, with publicity, ribbon cuttings, open houses, networking meetings, and publishes a city “Business Directory”.
g) The City of Baker has available space for retail office, and industry sites. Although the existing buildings are older, they still have a healthy expectant life span. The city is clean and well groomed, boasting several hundred acres of parks and green spaces. The streets are well lighted and in good repair, as well as the sidewalks.
