GRETNA, La – The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission, in partnership with the city of Gretna and the Jefferson Parish Council and Administration, is celebrating the grand opening of a local environmental consulting firm’s new location. Leaaf Environmental LLC used JEDCO’s SBA 504 loan program to purchase and renovate a 7,500-square-foot headquarters.
Established in Gretna in 2005, Leaaf Environmental provides soil, groundwater and air quality investigations in Louisiana and throughout the Gulf Coast. The company assists clients by helping them minimize environmental risks at properties they either own or seek to acquire. Claire Renault, Jim Blazek, Jr. and Jesse Hoppes own Leaaf Environmental; together, they have decades of experience in asbestos, lead and mold, environmental assessments, remediation, environmental training and legal support. Leaaf currently employs 21 people with new space for future growth.
Leaaf’s clients range from landowners, developers, architects, contractors, banks, school and healthcare facilities to federal, state and local government agencies. As demand for the business grew, Leaaf began operating out of several different buildings in the City of Gretna until it was able to identify a new space. JEDCO partnered with Fidelity Bank to finance the $1 million project through the SBA 504 loan program. The loan covered the purchase of the land and building as well as renovations for the new headquarters. The loan program is specifically designed to support small business owners through fixed-rate financing and borrower equity as low as 10%.
 “We are delighted to celebrate the retention and expansion of a valued Jefferson Parish company,” said JEDCO President & CEO Jerry Bologna. “Leaaf Environmental supports economic development and redevelopment of underutilized properties through their work. This is integral to bringing brownfield properties and sites with environmental stigmas back into commerce, which allows JEDCO to attract prospective and expanding businesses into the area. In addition to their great work, we commend Leaaf for their community engagement and focus on workforce development and education. Leaaf is a respected community partner and we are grateful that they continue to choose Jefferson Parish.”
