Like countless U.S. cities, Downtown Monroe was left behind in the latter half of the 20th century as suburbs and interstate highways drew city services, projects and people further out from town – a trend that current day city leaders have taken great strides to reverse. Their efforts at space-making are beginning to pay off with long-awaited agreements and improvements finally settling into tangible results. Much of the progress made has to do with Monroe's own major movers, like St. Francis Medical Center. Yet even outside influences like Amtrak have helped thrust the city's central area back into vogue. As a result, medical students and the rest of the downtown ilk are increasingly returning to rediscover the art, cuisine and nightlife in the heart of Monroe. "Four years ago, VCOM moved into the University of Louisiana Monroe, and it just graduated its first class of doctors," says Mike Downhour, Director of Membership and Community Engagement for the Monroe Chamber of Commerce. "VCOM and St. Francis have been asking for lofts and apartments and rental space downtown, and so what you're seeing is a lot of the response to that."
Art galleries, bar trivia and inventive appetizers in Bridgetown
Downtown Monroe has quickly carved out a reputation for its array of restaurants, bars, shops and other public spaces. The centerpiece of downtown is Art Alley, a small entertainment area of 2nd Street between Desiard Street and the train tracks. Between perusing vintage clothing at the Good Daze or used vinyl records from Tracks Music Shop, visitors stop in at local art galleries and bars across the street, like the Lotus Club or Sideline's Sports Lounge. Further north, Enoch's Pub and Grill remains a preeminent spot for drink specials and live music, as well as weekly events like trivia. Near the center of downtown, in what locals call the "Bridgetown" area between the Lea Joyner Bridge and the Endom Bridge, several upscale restaurants are often busy with reservations. Doe's Eat Place has long been a go-to spot in town for special occasions commemorated with surf and turf. A few blocks north, Parish Restaurant & Bar is a little easier to get a table at and is popular for inventive appetizers like whipped burrata or bacon-wrapped duck medallions.
racks Music Shop showcases vibrant artwork celebrating iconic music legends.
Parish Restaurant & Bar offers a unique blend of local cuisine and craft cocktails.
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The Downtown Gallery Crawl and Mardi Gras parades
An ever-increasing number of events has led to ever-growing crowds downtown. The most distinguished event is the Downtown Gallery Crawl, an evening of community-based arts programming at the photography studios, music halls and boutique shops that make up Art Alley. Even local cafes like Standard Coffee Co. and restaurants like Cotton participate with temporary outdoor exhibitions of local and regional artists. Monroe is also known for its Mardi Gras parades that distinguish themselves from those in New Orleans with more family-friendly sights and sounds. And the Monroe Civic Center almost always has something going on, whether it be one-off concerts or annual events like the Black Bayou Open Rodeo, which locals love to tailgate. Smaller recurring events are frequent too, such as programming at the Northeast Louisiana's Children's Museum. From 6 a.m. to noon six days a week, residents stroll over to the Monroe Farmers' Market for fresh produce and garden tips from local farmers.
Although the Hub closed in 2019, it was recently purchased and will soon be revived.
The Monroe Civic Center is a 7,600-seat, full-service, multi-purpose arena located in Monroe.
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A new Amtrak stop for the Interstate 20 Corridor Project
Abutted to the south by Interstate 20, even Downtown Monroe is a car-dependent area of the city. Yet there are improvements to look forward to that will soon offer more options for those who do not own a car. "Amtrak is opening a new route from Dallas to Atlanta, and we are one of the four stopping points," Downhour says. "The city is moving a lot of the utilities underground, they're adding bike paths for bicycle traffic and even walking trails for people that are going to be walking to and from the Amtrak station." For now, the Monroe Transit Transfer Station provides a single downtown location where riders can hop on any of the city's nine bus routes.
Planned bike trails and walking paths will lead to Forsythe Park
With only two small community squares, Anna Gray Noe Park and Henry Bry Park, residents often get in their car and drive to Forsythe Park for sports and other activities. But that is sure to change as the city prepares for new park amenities downtown. This includes new pedestrian bridges, a riverside walking trail and separated bike lanes that will provide easier and safer access to West Monroe, Forsythe Park, the Downtown Rivermarket and other areas of the city. Residents also have a planned dog park and skatepark to look forward to, which will make use of previously underdeveloped space beneath elevated highways east of downtown.
A bridge links downtown Monroe with West Monroe, offering a scenic walking route.
Downtown Rivermarket features a scenic walking trail and areas for weekend vendors and events.
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Luxury lofts and investment opportunities
Another priority for city leaders is to increase the housing density of downtown. According to Realtor Melinda Winn of THLT Realty, "There's not going to be new construction on single-family builds in that area. There'll be new construction for condos and apartments and lofts, but not site-built houses." Luxury 1- to 3-bedroom loft apartments have already gone on the market, often listed at rental rates between $1,700 to $2,100 per month. Of the few single-family homes that do sell, most come as cottages and quite a few require significant amounts of maintenance. A few move-in-ready cottages have sold between $115,000 and $180,000, but most sales are for properties requiring heavy maintenance, bringing their prices down to between $30,000 and $40,000.
The lofts in Downtown Monroe provide a trendy living experience with modern amenities.
Apartments, lofts, and condos in Downtown offer unique features and amenities for modern living.
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The top elementary school in Ouachita Parish
Public school students living downtown begin school with grades K through 2 at Lexington Elementary School, which has a Niche score of A-minus and is ranked the best public elementary option in Ouachita Parish. Next comes Salle Humble Elementary, a B-plus rated school that provides instruction for 3rd through 6th grade. After that, students age up to Neville Junior High for grades 7 through 8, then enter Neville Senior High for their last four years. Both Neville's Junior and Senior schools have B-plus Niche scores.
Lexington Elementary School offers plenty of fun after school activities.
At Sallie Humble the student body is comprised of 47% females and males 53%.
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Things to consider
Compared to adjacent neighborhoods like the Garden District, which enjoys a thick canopy of trees to muffle sound and protect the streets from the sun's rays, Downtown Monroe remains busy, noisy and hot. Frequent traffic slowdowns, ongoing construction, active railroads and the overall ambiance of downtown activity all come together in daily life. Moreover, although most of downtown is resilient to flooding, some areas adjacent to a drainage canal in the east of the neighborhood are in designated flood zones.
Downtown Monroe has been a vibrant center of activity in Louisiana for over 200 years.
Downtown Monroe features scenic areas that border the Ouachita River.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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THREE (3) CONTIGUOUS LOTS; FRONTING CALYPSO STREET and SOUTH 24TH STREET. A TOTAL OF 238 FEET OF ROAD FRONTAGE (APPROXIMATE) THAT CORNER CALYPSO AND SOUTH 24TH. EXCELLENT LOCATION FOR BUILDING SOME RENTAL UNITS OR A NICE SPOT FOR A FAMILY HOME. PRICED AT $8,750 PER LOT.
Come check out this nice location of 196 acres located just off of Millhaven Road. This land was pasture land and a pecan grove in the past. This soil is a class 2 Agricultural soil and would be pasture land or for homesites. Restricted to site build homes only.
Live in one of these luxury apartments in the heart of historic downtown Monroe. Our one and two bedroom apartments offer desirable modern living with open floor plans designed with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Conveniently located, you will always be within walking distance of some of the best dining, shopping and entertainment options Monroe has to offer! WiFi, outdoor
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Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
524
Median Age
42
Population Density
2 ppl/acre
Population under 18
22.9%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
25.8%
Above the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$12,923
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$24,137
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
88.3%
College Graduates
15.4%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
5.6%
% Population in Labor Force
50%
Below the national average
65.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
55''
Average Winter Low Temperature
37°F
Average Summer High Temperature
93°F
Annual Snowfall
0''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
46/ 100
Somewhat Walkable
Walk Score®
62/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
