LSU Announces New Advanced Construction and Manufacturing Building to Lift State’s Economy

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – LSU President William F. Tate IV announced Friday, Oct. 18, plans for a new $107 million Advanced Construction and Manufacturing Building and a leadership gift from $15 million from Art Favre.

The university released the following press release with details:

LSU marked the final day of President William F. Tate IV’s statewide bus tour by announcing the vision for a new $107 million Advanced Construction and Manufacturing Building and a $15 million leadership gift from Art Favre, founder of Performance Contractors and graduate of LSU’s first construction management class in 1972.

Already recognized as one of the top construction management programs in the U.S., LSU’s Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management is poised to become a world-class leader in the field. The new building will allow LSU to achieve this goal by providing additional space for laboratories and faculty and increased capacity for advanced manufacturing and machining.

LSU’s construction management program is vital to Louisiana, where the construction industry is expected to grow 14.3% by 2030, and the Gulf Coast, which has an estimated construction backlog of between $60 and $80 billion. of dollars. Nearly 70% of LSU construction management graduates remain in the state after graduation, and 75% of spring 2024 graduates are now working in the commercial or industrial sectors of the industry.

The Advanced Construction and Manufacturing Building will be located on South Stadium Drive, across the street from Tiger Stadium. It will be the headquarters for construction management, which will relocate from Patrick F. Taylor Hall, and will offer new and improved laboratories for research that will address construction challenges. The new building will also free up space in existing facilities to accommodate projected growth in allied engineering departments. From 2021-23, the construction industry was the top employer of LSU mechanical and electrical engineers among those who participated in a graduate employment survey.

The new building is part of a comprehensive vision to enhance LSU’s construction education and research by seeking approval for a dedicated School of Construction. This critical infrastructure project is critical to achieving this vision and expanding LSU’s overall engineering corridor, with the goal of ensuring Louisiana continues to be a leader in industrial construction and manufacturing. It will boost the state’s economic future, prepare students to meet the needs of tomorrow’s workforce and continually create innovations that solve industry challenges.

“LSU is poised to be the best construction management and engineering sciences program in the United States and a top global leader,” Tate said. “The improved campus infrastructure provides a platform to take advantage of this opportunity. This is a booming industry in Louisiana and throughout the Gulf Coast. Many of our alumni are now leading companies that are shaping the future of the construction industry. Their generosity and shared vision have created the momentum that will produce generational impact for Louisiana, Louisiana-based businesses and Louisiana-educated talent.”

LSU aims to raise $75 million in philanthropic support for the project by spring 2026, with $36.3 million donated to date by donors. During the 2024 Legislative Session, the State of Louisiana approved $32 million in capital outlay funds to cover the $107 million project cost.

The main donations made so far are from Favre; a $7.5 million investment from MMR, founded by Pepper Rutland, also a graduate of LSU’s first construction management course; and a $5 million investment from Cajun Industries, founded by LSU chemical engineering alumnus Lane Grigsby and now led by fellow LSU graduates Todd Grigsby and Mike Moran. Major gifts of $1 million or more were made by the LA Contractors Educational Trust Fund through the LSU Construction Industry Advisory Council; S&B Engineers & Constructors, co-founded by the late William A. Brookshire, Ph.D., LSU chemical engineering alumnus; DSLD Homes, in which LSU EJ Ourso College of Business alumni Lee Foster and Jeff Purpera Jr. are partners; ISC Constructors, co-founded by Eddie Rispone (graduate of LSU’s first construction management class) and Jerry Rispone, LSU electrical engineering alumnus; Rene (LSU mechanical engineering) and Kay Joyce; and Harry (LSU petroleum engineering) and Norma Longwell. Important contributions were also made by Boh Bros. Construction and the late Raymond St.

“My interest in construction began as a teenager while helping build my family’s home, and it was at LSU that this interest turned into a career path,” Favre said. “I gained skills that prepared me to combine my love of construction with practical knowledge, which led me to start Performance Contractors. Forty-five years later, my connections to LSU remain strong both as an alumnus and as a business owner. LSU is a vital partner to the construction industry, and I am proud to invest in my alma mater’s vision for the future of the industry and the next generation of talented Tigers who will lead it.”

In addition to relocating construction management spaces from Patrick F. Taylor Hall, the new building will co-locate advanced manufacturing spaces spanning multiple disciplines. This will include state-of-the-art facilities for the production of innovative materials, as well as transformative three-dimensional printing design and construction methods that incorporate the latest capabilities in artificial intelligence and integrated sensing.

LSU College of Engineering Dean Vicki Colvin said, “We are very fortunate to have such a large concentration of construction companies located here in Baton Rouge. In recent years, this sector has been LSU’s largest employer of engineers, including mechanical and electrical engineers. LSU engineering faculty are also excellent construction partners. This new building will catalyze industry-university collaborations that produce practical innovations that lead to faster, less expensive and safer construction practices.”

The LSU Advanced Construction and Manufacturing Building co-occurs with the LSU Library Learning Commons, an equally transformative capital project. The LSU Library Learning Commons will move the library to Field House Drive, east of Tiger Stadium, and will be competitive with other Research 1-designated universities.

As Louisiana’s flagship university, LSU is at the forefront of producing qualified graduates that Louisiana and the nation need while bringing expertise in construction management and engineering together. With its renowned faculty and students driving innovative solutions that respond to industry demands, LSU is poised to further solidify its place among the world’s elite programs. The Advanced Construction and Manufacturing Building will produce results that advance LSU’s Scholarship Agenda, which aligns key areas of strength and potential strength with Louisiana’s most important challenges and opportunities.

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