The old Rite Aid property near Towne Center is being redeveloped

The former Rite Aid property on the corner of Corporate Boulevard and Jefferson Highway. (Google Street View)

The former Rite Aid property on the corner of Corporate Boulevard and Jefferson Highway near Towne Center is being redeveloped.

Retail Specialists, a national real estate firm headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is redeveloping the 10,700-square-foot property. Sam Johnson, a development associate with the firm, tells Daily Report that the redeveloped space will likely feature two to three independent suites, though he’s careful to note that the project is still in its early stages and is therefore “fluid.”

A ”highly desirable” national retailer has already committed to lease the anchor suite, Johnson says. The identity of that retailer is being kept under wraps for now. Retail Specialists is currently seeking tenants in the food and beverage and retail industries to lease the unclaimed part of the property, where a suite could range from 1,800 to 5,200 square feet.

The redeveloped space is expected to be delivered in Q2 2026. Johnson declined to share how much the redevelopment will cost.

In July 2024, Daily Report wrote that local attorney Tommy Pittenger was planning to open Louisiana’s first K9 Resorts location at the same site. K9 Resorts is a national chain of luxury pet hotels. It’s unclear if Pittenger’s plan is still in motion. He was unable to be reached for comment before this afternoon’s publication deadline.

Most of the Rite Aid drugstores in the Baton Rouge area closed in the summer of 2018 after Walgreens completed its $4.4 billion acquisition of more than 1,900 Rite Aid locations across the country.