steve3n8

Beer distributor looking to build new distribution facility Crescent Crown Distributing, which carries Coors and Miller beer products as well as dozens of other domestic and import brands, is planning to build a new distribution warehouse on Tom Drive near Cortana Mall on a 15-acre tract it is in the process of acquiring. In a filing submitted today with the East Baton Rouge Planning Commission, the Arizona-based distributor—which has its regional headquarters in New Orleans—is applying to rezone the property to Commercial/Warehouse 3, which is required for facilities of more than 100,000 square feet. "They are in the process of purchasing the property, which is a piece of vacant land," says engineer Kevin Norman, who filed the rezoning request on behalf of the distributor. "It is contingent on whether they can get it rezoned and re-subdivided, but we do not anticipate any problems." Norman says the size of the warehouse has yet to be determined. Crescent Crown's local distribution facility is currently based at 9550 Dawnadele Ave. A company representative did not return a call requesting comment in time for publication. —Stephanie Riegel Businessreport.com

K&M Automotive plans to expand on Siegen Payne Properties, which owns K&M Automotive, has purchased the auto service center's location at 8445 Siegen Lane, near Perkins Road, for $731,200. K&M Automotive in 2010 signed a three-year lease on the property, which is located across the street from Crawfish Aquatics' future location, and purchased the property last week from Corwin Odom with plans to renovate and expand the center. Jason Payne, who co-owns the business with his brother, Keith, says they plan to add four to six bays on the rear of the building, which would bring the approximately 4,800-square-foot space to between 6,000 and 7,000 square feet. Since opening the Siegen location of K&M—which is the brothers' second in the city—the Paynes have seen sales rise by 40% to 50%, an increase Jason Payne attributes to growth in the area. Payne says the expansion will allow K&M to begin offering tire services, which he estimates will increase sales by an another 30%. By expanding into a complete service shop, Payne says, they expect to hire at least two to three more mechanics and one service adviser. The brothers also plan to renovate the waiting area, redo the floors and paint, reposition the counters, and add an office, says Payne. He hopes to have a land survey completed within the next few months, which will determine the extent of the expansion, and begin construction sometime during the first quarter of 2014. —Rachel Alexander Businessreport.com

Kean's to open new location near Alexander's Highland Market A new Kean's Fine Dry Cleaning location is planned for the Highland Park development near Alexander's Highland Market and should open some time in mid 2014, says Kean's owner Rock Rockenbaugh, who is a partner in the Highland Park project. Rockenbaugh declines to discuss specifics of where his new store will be located within the shopping center on Highland Road because other tenants have not yet disclosed their plans. The new store, which will be located across from Alexander's, will make Kean's 15th location in the market and will give the company a presence in a rapidly growing area where it currently has no stores. "Our closest store to that area is Jones Creek," says Rockenbaugh. "This will enable us to serve customers from Santa Maria and the Country Club of Louisiana." Earlier this year, Kean's closed two stores in underperforming locations—one on Old Hammond Highway at Sherwood Forest, the other at Hooper and Joor roads. "Neither of those locations was growing," he says. "Our focus is on locations where we can grow." —Stephanie Riegel Businessreport.com

What does the height of a building have to do with streets being to narrow? I'm not trying to come on strong or anything, but I don't see why a developer cant come in and develop a few 20-30 story buildings on those empty lots when there is enough demand? I'm not saying fill every block with buildings more then 12 stories, but at least get the skyline looking a little better then what it is now...

Very True and Extremely Depressing......like I said maybe when somebody wakes up!

Renovation of former Capital One building to begin in December The renovation of the former Capital One Bank building downtown should begin before the end of the year, says local architect and new owner Dyke Nelson, putting the building in a position to house new tenants as early as May 2014. He hopes to begin construction in December. "We could be ready for a commercial tenant within six months, easily," he says. "Probably less than that, depending on how anxious someone is to get in there." Although the new owners haven't yet signed any tenants, Nelson says they are prepared to accommodate almost any kind of tenant. Real estate agent Jonathan Walker is actively and aggressively marketing the property, which includes Class A commercial space, a minimum of 114 on-site parking spaces, and expansive views of the Capitol and the river, Nelson says. The new owners, who acquired the building in June, plan to renovate the entire 111,000-square-foot building and add a ninth floor, which will be almost 6,000 square feet. The ninth floor will be one of four commercial floors, with the other five being residential. The renovation also includes knocking down the drive-through canopy, which will provide additional space for parking, says Nelson. That will give the tower a unique advantage downtown, where parking is scarce. —Rachel Alexander Businessreport.com

Belk signs on to Juban Crossing; construction to begin soon on first phase Funding was put in place earlier this week to begin construction on the long-stalled Juban Crossing mixed-use development in Livingston Parish, the developer says, adding "construction will begin soon on site." Creekstone Companies announced the progress this morning, and noted another retailer has signed onto the project: Belk, which is slated to open in October 2014 along with other retailers included in the first phase. Late last month, Creekstone announced it has signed deals with several other retailers, including T.J.Maxx, Michael's, Rouses supermarket, Bed Bath & Beyond, Petsmart, Ulta Salon, Shoe Carnival and Old Navy. Though the project planning dates back to before Hurricane Katrina, Creekstone held a groundbreaking for Juban Crossing in early 2011. Since then, multiple delays have occurred. The developer now anticipates having the first phase—which consists of about 374,000 square feet of retail space, including a movie theater—open by October of next year. Ultimately, developers anticipate Juban Crossing will include roughly 1.2 million square feet of retail, but a timeline for future phase completion was not provided this morning. "While the ever-changing landscape of the national economy has presented its challenges over the past years and months, we have never wavered on that dedication and that vision. We think Belk fits the development perfectly," says Creekstone Principal Stephen Keller in a prepared statement. Read a recent Business Report story on the Juban Crossing saga. —Staff report Businessreport.com

Preservation commission recommends downtown building for historic status The East Baton Rouge Parish Historic Preservation Commission today recommended that the Baton Rouge Savings and Loan Association Building at 400 North Blvd. be named to the National Register of Historic Places. HPC Chairwoman Carolyn Bennett hopes the application will increase the chances for the building, currently owned by Bob Dean, to be returned to commerce and not torn down. A state commission is expected to consider the application next month before it is forwarded to the National Park Service. If listed, the property could be eligible for federal tax credits for renovation. The mid-century modern building, built in the international style, was completed in 1955 and designed by Bodman & Murrell & Smith, Architects, according to the application. On its façade, it features a large clock and a bas relief of a mother holding a child while watching workers build her home. The commission has been under fire recently, with Metro Council member Ryan Heck circulating a draft proposal to suspend for a year its authority to issue certificates of appropriateness. The COAs are needed for building permits in certain historic districts; Heck's proposal would transfer that power to the Planning Commission. Bennett says commission members have not yet met with Heck. —David Jacobs Businessreport.com

Iconic College Drive Waffle House to get new building One of south Baton Rouge's best-known examples of retro-kitsch architecture—the Waffle House at 2363 College Drive—will be demolished in 2014. But the iconic Waffle House, which is the only restaurant in the national chain to have a bar attached to it, isn't going away. On the contrary, it's getting a redesign that will be unique in the chain of some 1,700 restaurants. Bo Miller, who owns the local restaurant as well as 26 others in south Louisiana, says his franchise agreement with Waffle House requires that he renovate his restaurants every 15 years and completely rebuild them every 30, which is why it's time to re-do College Drive. Longtime residents of Baton Rouge may remember that the building previously housed a Howard Johnson's. Miller says he and many of the 450 customers who eat at the College Drive location every day like the wood-paneled walls and Americana feel of the 60-seat restaurant, and he's hoping the parent company will come up with a retro design for the new version. Part of the redesign will include space for Miller's other longtime tenant in the building, Port Royal. —Stephanie Riegel Businessreport.com New office shell to start going up on Interline in mid-November EJW Properties LLC expects to break ground on a 5,500-square-foot shell office building at 9843 Interline Ave. near Airline Highway by mid-November, says owner Sean Wendell. The building will be located next to an existing office building which houses Securitas, Manpower and Beacon Behavioral Health. EJW Properties hasn't yet signed any tenants. "We're going to leave it a shell so you could put one, two or three tenants," Wendell says. An old bank on the property, which Wendell says hasn't been used in around 15 years, must be demolished before construction on the new building begins. "We hope to start the demolition on the old bank building Nov. 1," he says. "The demolition will last two weeks, and then we'll start on the metal building, and that'll go for 12 weeks." Wendell estimates the office shell will be ready around mid-March. —Rachel Alexander Businessreport.com

Second phase of Siegen shopping center to break ground by end of year The second phase of Siegen Place Shopping Center—which will bring the retail outlet at 6555 Siegen Lane to nearly 30,000 total square feet—will begin construction by the end of the year, says Charlie Colvin of Beau Box Commercial Real Estate. At 17,000 square feet, the second phase will be slightly larger than the first, with the potential to house as many as 10 tenants in suites that range from 1,600 square feet to 3,000 square feet. "We're in the final stages of negotiating with a couple of tenants," Colvin says, "but the leases haven't been signed yet." Colvin says he expects the shopping center to be ready for tenants by around July of next year. The first phase of the center, which welcomed its first tenant in January, houses Mattress Firm, Batteries Plus Bulbs, New Orleans Original Daiquiris and Mooyah—which is the first Louisiana location for the Texas-based burger chain. —Rachel Alexander Businessreport.com

Redevelopment of Richoux Building appears ready to begin The city-parish Department of Public Works has issued sidewalk closure permits for preliminary construction work to begin on the Richoux Building downtown at 302 N. Third St. But the future of the local landmark—well known for its rooftop neon Coca-Cola sign—remains uncertain. As previously reported by Daily Report, Raising Cane's is negotiating to open its first downtown restaurant in the 8,000-square-foot ground-floor space, while another restaurant tenant has plans to open a rooftop beer garden in the 3,000-square-foot second-floor space. Local businessman Mike Crouch, who purchased the historic mid-century modern building for $1.2 million in late March, previously said he has plans to use historic building tax credits to renovate the structure. He could not be reached for comment this morning. A spokeswoman for Raising Cane's says the company "does not have any information to share at this time." According to DPW, Picou Bros. is the general contractor on the project. No date for the beginning of construction was specified on the permit application. —Stephanie Riegel Businessreport.com

Sacred Heart of Jesus buys adjacent Mid City building Sacred Heart of Jesus has purchased a building neighboring the Mid City Catholic school at 2279 Main St. with hopes of one day building an early learning center on site. Father Miles Walsh says the early learning center is just "one of the many goals the school is hoping to achieve," adding, "We believe it is smart growth for Baton Rouge." A purchase price on the roughly 5,000-square-foot building, which is currently vacant and was once home to Lancorp Inc., was not disclosed. There's no firm timeline for development of the early learning center, but the school is planning to demolish the former Lancorp building at some point to make room for it. Sacred Heart Parish Administrative Assistant Tiffany Dykes says the building won’t be torn down until the plan for the early learning center is more complete, adding the parish hopes to make additional purchases in the future to further expand. “Our goal is to purchase more property in our immediate surroundings for continued growth,” she says. Celebrating 85 years, Sacred Heart of Jesus was the first Catholic school established in the city, say parish administrators. The school serves children from pre-Kindergarten through grade 8. —Steve Sanoski Businessreport.com

College Drive sees shakeup in Asian restaurant offerings Three Asian restaurants in the College Drive area between Perkins Road and Interstate 10—Kamado's Japanese Grill and Sushi Bar, Great China and The Great Wall Restaurant—have closed within the past year, a trend which Mark Hebert of Kurz & Hebert Real Estate attributes to market oversaturation. "I think it's probably because we have quite a few of them that have opened throughout the city," Hebert says. “I think the problem now is that we have an abundance [of Asian restaurants]." That's probably just the news Carlos Antunez wants to hear. Antunez plans to open Katrachos, a Honduran restaurant, by the first of November at 4554 Bennington Ave. in the space that formerly housed Great China, which landlord M.K. Wong says closed about a year ago. Katrachos will focus on Spanish food—which is different from Tex-Mex—notes Antunez, who's originally from Honduras. Antunez moved from New Jersey to Louisiana in 2001 and says he immediately noticed the absence of true Spanish food in Baton Rouge. Hebert says the former Kamado's a few doors down is a prime location, too, though that space, at 4612 Bennington Ave., has been on the market since the spring. At least one restaurateur appears confident that there's room for one more Asian restaurant in the area. Jing Du is opening as a Japanese buffet with more than 60 menu items in the space that until recently was home to The Great Wall. —Rachel Alexander Read the full story. Businessreport.com

B.R. firm building data center at Bon Carré Venyu, a Baton Rouge-based provider of cloud services that was acquired by EATEL last month, is constructing a new 15,000-square-foot data center adjacent to its existing space in the Bon Carré Business Center on Florida Boulevard. The new center—which is being built in the space once occupied by the movie theater at the old Bon Marché mall—will be about half the size of the firm's existing facility, says Venyu Vice President of Marketing Matt Wallace. "But what's different and special about this is not only the physical capacity we're adding, but we're also including more power redundancy to our platform and increasing the power density," Wallace says. "What we're finding is that as technology moves faster and faster, the demands on servers are increasing, and they're actually using more power than they have in the past. So, this new facility will have more power per square foot than our facility now." Work on the new center has already begun, and it's expected to be complete by April next year. From its two data centers in Louisiana—there's another one in Shreveport—Venyu serves more than 1,200 customers across industries ranging from government, professional sports and insurance to health care and nonprofits. —Steve Sanoski Businessreport.com

Scott: Next two years poised to be among brightest in B.R. history The Baton Rouge metro area's economic outlook for the next two years is one of the brightest economist Loren Scott can remember over his four decades of assessing the state's economy. But Scott told a crowd of more than 1,000 at Business Report's annual Top 100 Luncheon this afternoon that the optimism that runs throughout the 2014-15 Louisiana Economic Outlook must be tempered by concerns about the nation's political and economic climate. "I have never seen anything like this, especially in Baton Rouge," Scott says. "I would be extremely optimistic—except for what is going on nationally." Scott says the current administration in Washington is hindering the nation's recovery from the recession of 2008 by raising taxes and increasing regulation on industry. "This has been the worst recovery of all the recoveries we have been through since World War II," says Scott. "The problem is not the economy, though. It's the policies." That said, Scott maintains Louisiana is in a better position than most states and Baton Rouge is in one of the best positions of the eight metro areas in the state. The economic outlook released today forecasts the nine-parish metro area to add 21,700 new jobs over the next two years, growth that will be fueled not only by a whopping $23.7 billion in industrial expansion projects planned for the Capital Region but also by investments made by companies like IBM and CB&I. "Last year at this time we were worried about CB&I buying Shaw and losing 800 jobs," Scott says. "Instead, the exact opposite happened—they are adding jobs here." Overall, Louisiana is expected to surpass the 2 million employment mark sometime in 2015 for the first time in the state's history, Scott says, noting the state is currently one of just 12 with more people employed today than at the outset of 2008. "There are some good things happening elsewhere in the state," Scott says. "But nothing compared to what's happening here." Daily Report has more specifics from the economic outlook and access to the executive summary here. —Stephanie Riegel Businessreport.com

Siegen Lane tract under contract for new car wash Geaux Clean, a locally owned express car wash business, has plans to open a fourth location on Siegen Lane between Industriplex Boulevard and Cloverland Avenue. The company recently signed a purchase agreement for $720,000 to acquire a 1.14-acre tract next to Champs Collision Center and has filed to rezone the property from rural to light commercial, according to Mark Hebert of Kurz & Hebert Commercial Real Estate, who represents the buyer. The sale is expected to close by the end of the year. Geaux Clean opened its first location in Central four years ago. A second location on Highland Road between Airline and Jefferson highways opened last year, while a third location at Burbank Drive and Bluebonnet Boulevard is currently under construction. General manager Vince Ward says the market for express car wash services is strong in Baton Rouge, and there is plenty of demand. "This is just a nice deal to get into," Ward says. "In Detroit there are 60 facilities like this in a 50-mile radius. It's a good business to be in all over the country, and Baton Rouge is no exception." —Stephanie Riegel Businessreport.com

A step in the right direction!

Gauge maker moving from Houston to EBR Jogler, a liquid level gauge manufacturer, today announced plans to relocate its headquarters and manufacturing facility from Houston to East Baton Rouge Parish. Officials say the relocation will involve a $1.1 million investment and create 60 permanent direct jobs, with an average salary of $59,300 per year plus benefits. Jogler manufactures liquid level indicators, sight flow indicators, magnetic level indicators, level controls and other accessories for process industries. The company is leasing a 17,000-square-foot facility in the Industriplex Boulevard area on Siegen Lane, according to LED, and is upgrading the site to support its manufacturing lines. The company plans to move into the facility in November. Hiring is expected to begin this month, and the company says it will fill the 60 positions within 10 years. “We plan to build Jogler LLC into a market leader through technological advancement, increased operating efficiencies and superior customer service with the help of our workforce in Louisiana,” says Jogler President Tony Harper in a prepared statement. Harper purchased the 50-year-old company in June. Jogler is expected to utilize FastStart, the state’s workforce training program, for certain projects, along with the Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs. —Staff report Businessreport.com

Man, this is a HUGE announcement!!! Ascension to potentially get $12.5 billion facility Shell is considering building a $12.5 billion gas to liquids facility in Ascension Parish that would create 740 new direct jobs with an expected average salary of $100,000, plus benefits. Shell is evaluating a site near Sorrento and will make a final decision on the project based on the findings and a preliminary engineering study. Construction would follow on what could be Shell’s second natural gas-related facility in Ascension. In March, Shell and its affiliates announced plans to build a small-scale natural gas liquefaction plant in Geismar and another in Canada that will provide fuel for commercial transportation customers. The Geismar facility will produce 250,000 tons of liquefied natural gas each year, or around 400,000 gallons a day, according to Shell. The unit, planned for its Geismar Chemical facility, will supply LNG along the Mississippi River and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, to onshore exploration areas in Texas and Louisiana, and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Shell did not release the estimated cost for that facility At its peak, the project announced Tuesday near Sorrento would lead to 10,000 new construction jobs. “Today’s announcement is a historic new opportunity for Shell to potentially expand its manufacturing operations onshore in a world-class, gas-to-liquids facility in Ascension Parish on the Mississippi River,” said Gov. Bobby Jindal in a statement. “Here in the heart of Louisiana’s world-scale petrochemical industries, the Gulf Coast GTL project would give thousands more of our people an opportunity for a rewarding career right here at home. We know that the final investment decision is yet to come, but we also know that Shell’s selection of Louisiana proves once again that there’s no better place in the world for major business investment.” The Louisiana’s economic development department said the project would create 3,900 new indirect jobs and have a total economic impact of $77.6 billion. http://theadvocate.com/home/7146237-125/ascension-to-potentially-get-125

I agree timelirdnerd. BR needs to incorperate that area!

Bistro and pasta bar plans November opening on Burbank Breck's Bistro and Pasta Bar aims to open in early November at 3930 Burbank Drive in the space that housed a Qdoba restaurant until it closed earlier this year. Restaurant owner Breck Mapp, who has been in the restaurant business for 20 years, says the menu will feature a variety of pasta dishes—from BBQ shrimp pasta to spinach and artichoke pasta—as well as paninis and salads. Renovation on the 2,466-square-foot restaurant will begin in the coming weeks, Mapp says, and when completed it will seat roughly 85 people inside and 15 on an outdoor patio. Mapp describes the restaurant as "industrial-themed" with "a lot of hard corners." "It will have a small alcohol bar and a pasta bar where you can sit at the counter and watch the chefs at the back cooking," he says. The restaurant hopes to capitalize on its proximity to the Tiger Stadium, which is less than a mile away. "It's right off of the LSU campus and within walking distance of Tiger Stadium and Alex Box," Mapp says. "I think that the menu we've come up with definitely will cater to the LSU clientele as well as young professionals." Mapp hopes Breck's Bistro and Pasta Bar will be the "first of many." —Rachel Alexander Businessreport.com

THRIVE charter school looking to build new campus on Brightside THRIVE Baton Rouge, a charter boarding school that serves at-risk students from East Baton Rouge Parish, has filed plans with the Planning Commission to develop a new campus at 2585 Brightside Drive that will include classroom buildings, dormitories and athletic facilities. THRIVE founder and Executive Director Sarah Broome says the school has signed a purchase agreement for $1.2 million to acquire the 7.4-acre site, which is owned by the Diocese of Baton Rouge, and is in the middle of a capital campaign to finance the land acquisition. "We are hopeful about completing the funding, we're just not quite there yet," says Broome, who confirms she received a $400,000 commitment earlier today from the Charles Lamar Family Foundation to support the project. Broome, 27, came to Baton Rouge in 2008 with Teach for America and founded THRIVE in 2011. Now in its second year, the school is currently housed in the Family and Youth Services Center on Government Street and has 50 students in sixth and seventh grades. Plans for the school's new campus, which would open for the 2015 school year, include middle school and high school classroom buildings, a three-story dormitory consisting of 108 rooms and a gym. A subsequent phase, slated to open by 2018, includes a second dormitory. Broome says THRIVE is hoping to raise $1.6 million total to cover both the cost of the land acquisition and the initial surveying, mitigation and infrastructure work. She says the school's plans call for leveraging that initial investment to finance the construction phase of the project. —Stephanie Riegel Businessreport.com

Mary Bird Perkins-OLOL begins $23M cancer center renovation, expansion A more than $23 million renovation and expansion of the Mary Bird Perkins-Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center has begun, hospital officials announced today, with completion slated for late next year. All services at the center will continue as normal during the construction. Renovations will include the creation of a new drop off and pick up area on the first floor, as well as a new entry and lobby. The radiation oncology clinic will be completely renovated and refurbished, and new treatment rooms are also planned as part of the expansion. A new hospitality area for families and visitors will also be added, while administrative and executive offices will be renovated and clinical space will be expanded, among other aspects of the project. “This is about providing the highest level of comprehensive care for patients and their caregivers through aligned outpatient and inpatient cancer services. Upon arrival, we want every patient to immediately sense that the entire experience is designed with their needs in mind, first,” says Todd Stevens, president and CEO of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. Mary Bird Perkins-OLOL has complete details on the project and renderings at its website. —Staff report Businessreport.com

BASF to build $42.6 million facility in Geismar BASF announced plans today to expand its footprint in Geismar with a new $42.6 million polyurethanes blending facility. Construction of the facility will begin this month, officials say, with completion expected in the second quarter of 2015. To secure the project, LED's Business Expansion and Retention Group provided a custom incentives package to BASF that includes a $1.2 million Modernization Tax Credit to be claimed over five years. The company is also expected to take advantage of the state's Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs. LED officials estimate the project will create 22 new direct jobs, 145 indirect jobs and 175 construction jobs. "Today's announcement is great news for Ascension Parish and our entire state," says Gov. Bobby Jindal, who was onhand to help BASF officials make the announcement. "BASF continues to be one of the largest economic drivers in Louisiana, investing more than $350 million in projects since 2009. The continued success of this Geismar chemical complex led to today's latest expansion, which will allow BASF's polyurethane blending to take place right here in Louisiana rather than being shipped out of state." Jindal has more details on today's announcement at his website. —Staff report Businessreport.com La. officials hope construction boom brings some natives back for good With more than $60 billion worth of new plants and expansions planned over the next several years, Louisiana will need more than 86,000 new skilled workers by the end of 2016, according to the state's just-released Craft Workforce Development Plan. However, the state only has the ability to recruit about 50,000 current residents into industrial construction during that time and only has the capacity to train roughly 64,000. Many of the experienced workers will have to come from out of state. A lot of those mobile workers are Louisiana expats, says Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Curt Eysink, and he expects some of them will return and then stay long-term. While the construction jobs will be temporary, he says perhaps 20% or more of those workers will have a chance to transition into permanent jobs in maintenance or operations at those plants. Jimmy Sawtelle, senior vice president for workforce solutions with the Louisiana Community & Technical College System, says moving current residents who are unemployed or underemployed into the craft workforce is the first priority, but bringing former residents home is a close second. "We want to be here for our Louisianans who remigrate back to our great state," he says. Officials are preparing as if industrial construction employment will peak in 2016, although engineering and permitting backlogs could push some of that work back to 2017 and 2018. "We still have to produce the same numbers of people," Eysink says. "Maybe we get a little more time to do it." —David Jacobs Businessreport.com

Cajun building new fabrication facility, office building Cajun Industries is expanding its local operations, with the construction of a new fabrication facility and the planned construction of a new office building—projects that will cost an estimated $6 million each. "We're really in a growth mode right now," says Todd Grigsby, president of Cajun Constructors, one of Cajun Industries' wholly owned subsidiaries. "We have agreements on several major projects right now that we cannot discuss, but there are a lot of opportunities on the horizon." The new fabrication facility will be 45,000 square feet and is already under construction on an industrial site owned by Cajun in Westport, on the Intracoastal Waterway. The facility, which is scheduled to be completed by March 1, will replace Industrial Design & Construction's existing fabrication shop in Prairieville. Cajun acquired the company last October. "They had a small shop they had really outgrown," Grigsby says. "With the amount of work coming up and the opportunities, it was a good time to expand and build a much bigger fabrication shop." Cajun is also planning to build a new, 30,000-square-foot office building that will provide office space for as many as 80 employees. Those workers will come from the former IDC office—which will relocate to Cajun's Airline Highway campus—as well as from other Cajun divisions. Earlier today, the company submitted a site plan for the construction with the city-parish Planning Commission. Once ground is broken on the project, it is expected to take about 10 months to complete. Cajun currently has a backlog of around $250 million, with at least that much potential work in the negotiation phase, Grigsby says. —Stephanie Riegel Businessreport.com New charter school planned on Burbank Charter Schools USA—a charter operator with 48 schools in five states, including the newly opened Baton Rouge Charter Academy at Mid City—has signed a purchase agreement to acquire a 6.5-acre site on Burbank Avenue near Bluebonnet Boulevard, and plans to build a new school on the property in time for the 2014 school year. Lanny Lewis, who owns the parcel, says the charter operator has the property under contract and must close by Jan. 1. "I think it's going to be a very good project," says Lewis, a real estate developer and property manager. "I like the idea and I like the concept of charter schools, so when they approached us about buying this land, I was happy to make it work." He declines to discuss the purchase price. The property is on the south, or river, side of Burbank at the corner of Parkway Drive, which is just west of Bluebonnet. —Stephanie Riegel Businessreport.com