Never comfortable resting on past accomplishments — like being named the Largest Tonnage Port in the Western Hemisphere several years running — the Port of South Louisiana currently has several construction projects in various stages of building or development, all designed to help them meet the needs of current clients and future tenants.
By the first economic quarter of 2020, workers will be either modifying, expanding or building anew at seven locations spread out between Globalplex, the Port-run Executive Regional Airport, and other Port-owned properties. Additionally, near the end of November 2019, the Port accepted contractor bids for dock reinforcement and dock equipment upgrades at Globalplex — just another example of the Port’s proactive approach to doing business.
“You can’t predict the future, but it’s always a positive to have the flexibility to accommodate opportunities when they arise — and that’s what so much of this is about,” Port of South Louisiana Executive Director Paul Aucoin said. “Whatever opportunities come the Port’s way, we want to be able to handle it. So we’re always looking ahead, and if you’d ask me what the Port could use more of right now, it’s warehouses. There’s always a need for warehousing.”
Within Globalplex, the Port is already addressing that need as it nears the end of the initial renovation phase of Building 71 — an unoccupied, dated warehouse that Aucoin politely said, “needed a little help.” By the end of March 2020, construction will have removed and replaced the exterior skeleton (including the roof of the building), thus completing Phase 1 of the multi-million-dollar makeover. From there, workers will strengthen the foundation of the warehouse and update the dated conveyor system within the building.
“It’s an old warehouse that if I had to guess was built in the 1950s or 1960s. But with the proper adjustments, it can still be of use,” Port Chief Operating Officer Dale Hymel said. “And we’re going to get it back in use. We really identified a need for more warehouse space in and around Globalplex, so to us the best way to achieve that was to upgrade old facilities so that they perform like new facilities. We always have to be mindful of what our customers’ needs are, what direction they’re going, or where the market is taking us in order to keep operations up and running.”
Staying in Globalplex, the Port authorized an interior demolition to the unused portion of Building 11 — the old Pepsi bottling facility the Port purchased back in 2013. Currently, only half of the 142,000 square-foot structure is in use, even though there’s a need for more space. The $400,000 interior demo — which includes upgrades to the existing roof — will knock down old office walls and conference rooms, thus opening up the space to better serve warehousing needs.
At the airport, construction of 10 “T-Hangars,” all of which will be housed in a single building, should be complete by February 2020. The joint partnership project between the Port and the Aviation Section of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development offers hangar space available for the public to lease through the Port — a benefit that hasn’t been available since every hangar on the grounds was privately owned. Aucoin said those who applied for space doubled the number of T-Hangars being built, meaning construction of more hangars might be in the works soon. As part of regular maintenance and safety, the Port will also be resurfacing the runway at the Reserve Airport, a project that should be complete by early to mid-Spring 2020.
The Port is also involved in an ambitious project on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, the construction of a new railyard that will be leased to DOW. Once fully operational, the new railyard will increase DOW’s railcar capacity by more than 25 percent. Roughly, the new railyard will be a storage area (no loading will take place) and house 200 to 250 railcars — about half of which will be empty and the other half holding plastic materials ready to be sent to customers via Union Pacific.
Currently, the DOW plant in St. Charles is capable of housing 900 railcars, meaning this expansion will push that figure into four figures.
“We’re in the business of keeping our tenants happy, and keeping them here, because it’s all about economic development,” Aucoin said. “To stay competitive and reliable in a world market, you have to always look for ways to expand and improve facilities, and to maintain what already exists.”
