Crawfish Aquatics has purchased a Siegen Lane building adjacent to where its new 40,000-square-foot swimming and recreational facility is under development, in a deal that closed Tuesday evening for $1.32 million.
The 6,500-square-foot building at 8556 Siegen Lane was formerly home to Capital Golf, which recently closed, says Drew Pearson of Waters & Pettit Commercial Real Estate, who brokered the deal.
“Crawfish Aquatics recognized the long-term value of the building. It is my understanding that they’re planning to use it for office space,” Pearson says.
Benny Hopson, who owned and operated Capital Golf, sold the building. Hopson closed down his business, which opened in March 2013, and liquidated all of the inventory over the past 45 days, Pearson says.
“The building is in excellent shape,” he adds, noting the sale also includes about 30,000 square feet of parking space. “It was originally constructed for Blockbuster, which went out of business, and the previous owner had made some upgrades to it after he acquired it.”
Groundwork is underway on Crawfish Aquatics’ new facility that’s adjacent to the building it has just purchased. The first phase of the facility—which will include two indoor pools for swimming lessons, lap swimming and recreational use, as well as an outdoor recreational pool and splash play area—is to be completed later this year. Plans for a second phase include a 20,000-square-foot addition that will house a 50-meter competition pool.
Crawfish Aquatics purchased the 4.77-acre tract for the facility—located between the former Capital Golf building and a Regions Bank branch—in August 2013 for $1.4 million. The competitive swim club is currently located at the Ketcham Fitness Center, 7150 Bluebonnet Blvd.
Originally Published April 1, 2015 in the Baton Rouge Business Report.