President William F. Tate IV finished his statewide bus tour on Friday by announcing the vision for a new $107 million construction and advanced manufacturing building.
Already recognized as a top construction management program in the country, the new building is expected to help LSU’s Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management establish itself as a world-class leader in the field.
Along with the vision for the program, Tate also announced a $15 million leadership gift from Art Favre, founder of Performance Contractors and a graduate of the first LSU construction management class in 1972, for the building. 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.
Along with Favre’s donation, LSU has also received 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 civil engineering alumnus Lane Grigsby and now led by fellow LSU graduates Todd Grigsby and Mike Moran.
The new construction and 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.
The construction industry is projected to grow 14.3% by 2030 in Louisiana. 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.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated since original publication.
