2015 State Planning Award of Excellence for a Process, American Planning Association, Louisiana Chapter

During her tenure with TMG Consulting, Ms. Leckert led a team of planners in the performance of a series of analyses to assess and eventually demonstrate the feasibility of developing an area of downtown Shreveport known as “Shreveport Common” into a mixed use and artist’s housing development. This Louisiana State Planning Award winning project began with facilitated stakeholder meetings with developers and civic and political leaders to assist in determining market potential. The analysis included an in-depth demographic and economic profile of the region, assessments of both the housing market and the retail/commercial market, and provided case studies on similar developments that have been completed in other urban downtown areas across the country. Ms. Leckert developed projections of potential demand for housing and commercial properties using fair share analysis and primary data collection from the downtown Shreveport area. The analysis demonstrated that the area was viable for development and it is being used to persuade developers to invest in Shreveport Common.

Upon release of the market assessment, The City of Shreveport strategically acquired the historic but blighted Arlington Hotel, and is now seeking a developer through the public bidding process. Other notable successes include: Improvements to the Municipal Auditorium, Oakland Cemetery, and Elvis Presley Boulevard are either under way or complete; Improvements to the Municipal Auditorium, Oakland Cemetery, and Elvis Presley Boulevard are either under way or complete; Interactive art activities animate Shreveport Common monthly; The City of Shreveport has purchased most of the properties needed for the Caddo Common Park; The Parish of Caddo has funded $350,000 for professional design for the Caddo Common green space, the cornerstone of Shreveport Common, and earmarked $3 million for its completion.