Baton Rouge *DO NOT USE*

The Martin-Brower Company, a division of Reyes Holdings, is expanding in Louisiana. Last week, the company announced that it plans to build a $16 million food distribution facility in Walker. The project will retain 160 existing jobs and will create more than 50 direct and indirect jobs.

At the start of March, Governor Bobby Jindal announced that EPIC Piping will invest $45.3 million in Livingston Parish, to establish an advanced pipe fabrication facility and corporate headquarters. The governor called the project an important economic development win for the region, as did other local officials.

Skanska announced last week that Louisiana State University has canceled the order for the renovation and expansion of the Patrick F. Taylor Hall building. The contract was worth $54 million.

Louisiana State University will not start work on its new Tiger Athletics Nutrition Center this spring. Joe Alleva, LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics, has recently announced that the athletic department is going to delay breaking ground on the $12 million project until further notice.

A Lafayette-based developer plans to start work on a massive, mixed-use development in the Baton Rouge metro area. The $325 million project will replace a former cattle ranch with retail stores, apartments and homes.

Governor Bobby Jindal joined officials from the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, LSU, the City of Baton Rouge, and the Water Institute last week, to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Center for River Studies. It is the first building of the $45 million Water Campus development, a soon to be world-class research and engineering center in Baton Rouge.

The Domain Companies has secured financing for its second residential project in Baton Rouge, The Addison. The New Orleans and New York-based developer first announced its plans to build the $23 million development at the end of September. Construction started in November.

The Greater Baton Rouge area is about to get more homes. About 700 more homes.

With Baton Rouge-area apartment vacancies declining to levels slightly lower than historical norms, it’s no surprise why investors are rushing to buy apartment complexes. According to the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report, two such properties have changed hands in the region in the past 30 days.