LSU is planning a stand-alone building for its construction management department and says it has raised more than a third of the money needed for the $107 million project.
The fundraising effort has been spearheaded by Art Favre, founder of Performance Contractors. Favre, who was a graduate in the first construction management class in 1972, donated $15 million for the building.
The Construction & Advanced Manufacturing Building will be located on South Stadium Drive, across the street from Tiger Stadium.
Groundbreaking on the building should start in 2026, said Charles Berryman, chair of the construction management department. The work should be completed by spring 2028.
LSU President William Tate IV, who announced plans for the school Friday, said the stand-alone building will help the university accomplish its goal of making the Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management a leader in the industry.
"This is a booming industry in Louisiana and across the Gulf Coast. Many of our alumni are now leading companies that are shaping the future of the construction industry," Tate said in a statement.
According to LSU, the number of construction jobs in Louisiana is expected to increase by more than 14% by 2030. About 70% of LSU construction management students stay in the state after graduating.
LSU awarded 174 construction management degrees in the spring. Berryman said by expanding the program, its research capabilities and industry partnerships, the number of graduates could go up by 25% to 30%, "if not more."
"As the department/school grows, by 2035, I expect graduation rates doubling that of today’s number," Berryman said in an email.
Leaders in the construction industry have raised $36.3 million for the building to date. This includes a $7.5 million donation from MMR, which was founded by Pepper Rutland, another member of the first construction management class. Cajun Industries donated $5 million, while the LA Contractors’ Educational Trust Fund, S&B Engineers & Constructors, DSLD Homes, ISC Constructors, Rene and Kay Joyce, and Harry and Norma Longwell all have donated $1 million or more.
More donations are expected.
Private donors are willing to put up $75 million for a construction management building, said state Sen. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge. There is a demand for all kinds of qualified workers, especially with the boom in industrial construction tied to liquefied natural gas and carbon capture projects.
“LSU has told me they have more demand than they have space for students,” Foil said.
Earlier this year, Foil added an item to the capital outlay budget that would provide $32 million in state funds for constructing a building.
The building currently is designated as a Priority 5 project, which allows for a noncash line of credit.
“This makes us eligible for financing through bond sales,” Foil said.
Foil said his goal is to come back in an upcoming session and get cash funding for the building. The commitments from the private sector will speed up the process and make it easier for LSU to tap into state money.
“If we can start funding the project, we can start initial construction,” he said.
The building will house the construction management department, which is currently in Patrick F. Taylor Hall. It will also be home for advanced manufacturing spaces, such as materials production, 3D printing and construction methods that use artificial intelligence.
Connie Fabre, president and CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance, a nonprofit organization of industrial contractors and suppliers, said the new building is a "fantastic turn of events" for boosting the workforce.
"Louisiana is growing beyond just roads and bridges, and industrial construction faces a huge labor shortage," she said. "It's important to have LSU service the next generation of students."
According to the alliance, the number of construction positions such as executives, business operations specialists and financial specialists has gone up by nearly 20% locally from 2018 to 2023. All of those jobs have median salaries of above $65,000.