SCOTLANDVILLE - Along Scenic Highway sit a few corner stores, a Family Dollar, and a Dollar General that residents in the area can shop for some of the basic necessities like water, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and some non-perishable items.

Otherwise, residents say they have to travel to South Baton Rouge, Baker, or Central to shop at large grocery stores.

We caught up with Robert Davis coming out of Family Dollar after picking up a few items for his mother. He says typically he has to go across town to get her groceries.

"Goodwood and Government Street, you know, Florida Boulevard, or either I go to Baker, but to be able to come here close by and get something for her, would be great," Davis said.

For Scotlandville resident, Angela D. White, it's the littlest things, like a place to get a good cup of coffee that the area just doesn't have.

"I have to at least go to Government Street for a good latte, or downtown for a latte. At 3:00, it's over, it's a wrap," she said.

But, new economic development will soon be on the way at two sites owned by Build EBR, with one site next to the Cadence at Southern University apartments. Jay Gaudet, founder of Gaudet and Associates, says his role is to ensure the community is involved in the development process.

"This is not just something we are just looking to put on the shelf, you know that when we create a plan this time, and the strategy that it's something that needs to be execution al, that needs to be able to be funded, and that needs to be viable," Gaudet said.

Members of the community suggested several ideas for the sites, including a community grocery store, a 24-hour healthcare center, or even something mirroring the Perkins Rowe model with mixed residential and commercial buildings.

"You also want have a healthy balance of what are the needs of Southern University students in this area and longtime Scotlandville residents because you know Southern University students are here for a transit and they're seasonal, you know when you have June, July, the summertime off and December, you know these legacy residents are going to be the anchor that sustain these businesses in the area," East Baton Rouge Metro Councilman Anthony Kenney said.

Gaudet says in a perfect world, residents may see development on the site in the next 24 months.