New LSU Construction & Advanced Manufacturing Building Aims to Elevate Louisiana's Economy

LSU marked the final day of President William F. Tate IV's statewide bus tour by announcing the vision for a new $107 million Construction & Advanced Manufacturing Building and a $15 million leadership gift from Art Favre, founder of Performance Contractors and a graduate of the first LSU 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 on the verge of becoming a world-class leader in the field. The new building will enable LSU to accomplish that goal, providing additional lab and faculty space and increased capacity for advanced manufacturing and machining.

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

The Construction & Advanced Manufacturing Building will be located on South Stadium Drive, across the street from Tiger Stadium. It will be the home of construction management, which will relocate from Patrick F. Taylor Hall, and will offer new and enhanced labs for research that will address challenges in construction. 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 undergraduate engineers among those who participated in a post-graduation employment survey.

The new building is part of a comprehensive vision for intensifying LSU's construction education and research by seeking approval for a dedicated School of Construction. This critical infrastructure project is pivotal to achieving this vision and expanding LSU's overall engineering corridor, aiming to ensure that Louisiana remains 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 continuously create innovations that solve industry challenges.

"LSU is poised to be the best construction management and engineering science program in the United States, and a top global leader," Tate said. "Improved campus infrastructure provides a platform to seize that opportunity. 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. Their generosity and shared vision have created the momentum that will yield a generational impact for Louisiana, Louisiana-based companies, and Louisiana-educated talent."

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

Leading donor gifts made to date are Favre's; a $7.5 million investment by MMR, founded by Pepper Rutland, also a graduate of the first LSU construction management class; and a $5 million investment by Cajun Industries, founded by LSU chemical engineering alumnus Lane Grigsby and now led by fellow LSU graduates Todd Grigsby and Mike Moran. Leading gifts of $1 million or more have been made by the LA Contractors' Educational Trust Fund via the LSU Construction Industry Advisory Council; S&B Engineers & Constructors, co-founded by the late William A. Brookshire, Ph.D., an LSU chemical engineering alumnus; DSLD Homes, for which LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business alumni Lee Foster and Jeff Purpera Jr. are partners; ISC Constructors, co-founded by Eddie Rispone (graduate of the first LSU construction management class) and Jerry Rispone, an LSU electrical engineering alumnus; Rene (LSU mechanical engineering) and Kay Joyce; and Harry (LSU petroleum engineering) and Norma Longwell. Major contributions have also been made by Boh Bros. Construction and the late Raymond St. Germain.

"My interest in construction started as a teenager while helping to build my family's home, and LSU is where that interest was shaped into a career pathway," said Favre. "I gained skills that prepared me to combine my love for building with practical expertise, leading me to start Performance Contractors. Forty-five years later, my connections to LSU remain strong as both an alumnus and a business owner. LSU is a vital partner for 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 innovative materials production, as well as design of transformative three-dimensional printing and construction methods that incorporate the latest capabilities in artificial intelligence and integrated sensing.

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

The LSU Construction & Advanced Manufacturing Building is paced concurrently with LSU's Library Learning Commons, a similarly transformative capital project. The LSU Library Learning Commons will relocate the library to Field House Drive, just 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 the skilled graduates Louisiana and the nation need while uniting expertise across construction management and engineering. With its renowned faculty and students driving innovative solutions that respond to industry demands, LSU is poised to further solidify its place among the elite programs in the world. The Construction & Advanced Manufacturing Building will yield outcomes that advance LSU's Scholarship First Agenda, which aligns core areas of strength and potential strength with Louisiana's most important challenges and opportunities.

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