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BATON ROUGE, LA鈥�Louisiana鈥檚 flagship university is getting a big building for an even bigger program.听听听

Planned for construction on Louisiana State University鈥檚 South Stadium Drive, across from the athletic department鈥檚 iconic Tiger Stadium, the new $107 million Construction & Advanced Manufacturing building will serve one of the top construction programs in the nation: LSU鈥檚 Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management. The new building will be a significant upgrade from the program鈥檚 current location at Patrick F. Taylor Hall, offering enhanced laboratories for construction studies, additional faculty space, and increased capacity for advanced machinery and manufacturing. The new building is a central part of LSU’s broader initiative to advance construction education and research, with the ultimate aim of establishing a dedicated School of Construction. The project is essential to expanding LSU鈥檚 engineering corridor and reinforcing Louisiana鈥檚 leadership in industrial construction and manufacturing. With the industry projected to grow by 14.3% by 2030, and the Gulf Coast facing a staggering $60-80 billion backlog in construction, this addition is crucial for the region鈥檚 workforce and economic future, preparing students to meet the industry鈥檚 evolving demands. 听

鈥淟SU is poised to be the best construction management and engineering science program in the United States, and a top global leader,鈥� former LSU President William F. Tate IV said at the University鈥檚 statewide bus tour debuting the new project. 鈥淚mproved campus infrastructure provides a platform to seize that opportunity. This is a booming industry in Louisiana and across the Gulf Coast. Many of our alumni are now leading companies that are shaping the future of the construction industry. Their generosity and shared vision have created the momentum that will yield a generational impact for Louisiana, Louisiana-based companies, and Louisiana-educated talent.鈥澨� 听

When completed, the new building will also improve cross-campus and interdisciplinary collaboration by co-locating advanced manufacturing spaces spanning multiple disciplines. State-of-the-art facilities for innovative materials production will be housed in the new building as well as three-dimensional printing rooms and new construction spaces incorporating the latest innovations in artificial intelligence and integrated sensing.听

鈥淲e are extremely fortunate that we have such a large concentration of construction companies located right here in Baton Rouge,鈥� said Vicki Colvin said, dean of the LSU College of Engineering. 鈥淚n recent years this sector has been the single largest employer of LSU engineers, including mechanical and electrical engineers.鈥�听

Colvin added that the new building will catalyze industry-university collaborations that produce practical innovations that lead to faster, less expensive and safer building practices.听

LSU hopes to raise $76 million in philanthropic donations for the project by spring 2026, and has already received $32 million in capital outlay funds from the State of Louisiana. In addition, $36.3 million has been received from donors to date, including a $15 million leadership gift from Art Favre, founder of Performance Contractors and a graduate of the first LSU construction management class in 1972, and a $7.5 million investment from construction company MMR, owned by LSU alumnus Pepper Rutland.听

Construction is on track with that of LSU鈥檚 new Library Learning Commons, which will transform the campus in similar ways in terms of opportunity and research. Both projects align with LSU鈥檚 Scholarship First Agenda, an initiative committing to creating solutions and achieving excellence in research, agriculture, biomedical, coastal, defensive and energy efforts.听

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When an academic institution embarks on a construction project 鈥� whether it鈥檚 an expansion, renovation, new building or other undertaking 鈥� the first step is choosing a construction manager (CM). After research, company interviews, cost comparisons and a final decision, you鈥檙e good to go, right? Not quite.

There鈥檚 still the matter of trade partner selection. This process is often less familiar to school administrators, and is typically handled by a CM. That said, it鈥檚 a process schools should be involved in.

Below are the top-five questions school administrators should be asking CMs ahead of trade partner selection:

What criteria are most important in trade partner selection?

Trade partners are the backbone of success for any construction project, and CMs should only select partners that have been fully vetted and interviewed. They should look for trade partners with expertise that best matches the specific trade scope, availability and capacity to perform the work; an exceptional reputation; and the right cultural fit for the school. The ultimate goal is to provide the best value; so it鈥檚 important to weigh these criteria along with overall cost.

How important is it to choose trade partners with relevant experience?

It鈥檚 essential to have trade partners with experience working on school campuses. This ensures they鈥檙e familiar with operating in academic environments and can manage the logistics of working on an occupied campus. Priority should be given to trade partners with relevant experience and it can be equally beneficial to select those that have previously worked with the CM. That familiarity results in shorter learning curves and an increased sense of safety, security and trust.

Are background checks necessary?

When it comes to construction on school campuses, safety should always be the No. 1 priority. As such, academic clients (especially K-12) are urged to require background checks when not already required by law 鈥� even if workers may not have direct contact with students. Ultimately, background checks are a low-cost risk mitigation tool that builds in another layer of safety for the school community. If schools don鈥檛 take the lead on a background check process, CMs should implement a process in which trade partners manage the background checks of their own employees. In this scenario, CMs should include in contractual agreements that trade partners need to provide proof of passed background checks prior to working on site.

How will the project team limit disruptions and ensure campus safety?

To minimize campus disruption during construction, it鈥檚 important to have processes in place, create open lines of communication and ensure all workers are easily identifiable.

• • Processes
    Before construction begins, create isolated parking and entry points. This limits worker contact with students and faculty, and minimizes overall disruption. Add another layer by staggering construction start and finish times to align with school opening and dismissal. When construction activity begins before school, vehicle traffic won鈥檛 interfere with normal school traffic.
    
    Lastly, enforcing a strict sign-in/sign-out process that is safeguarded by the CM鈥檚 superintendent is another key safety recommendation. In case of an emergency, the superintendent has a complete count of all people on site.

• • Communication
    The Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule is a great tool and visual to manage myriad project details and provides the school with a granular look at what to expect during construction. All activities and adjustments should be proactively communicated to eliminate surprises.
    
    Weekly meetings with key project stakeholders are also crucial to forming open lines of communication. Facilitated by the CM, the goal of the meetings is to discuss the project and provide updates or changes. Regular meetings ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page and up-to-date on the project鈥檚 progress.

• • Wearables
    Next, think about making trade partners identifiable to students and faculty. Especially in today鈥檚 world, it鈥檚 extremely important that students and faculty are aware of who has been cleared to be on campus. One of the easiest ways to do this is through wearables and other visual identifiers.
    
    In addition to traditional identifiers such as high-visibility vests, jackets and T-shirts, provide hardhat stickers to workers who have completed a mandatory safety orientation. Without participating in the orientation, workers cannot receive a sticker or set foot on site. Finally, lanyard and badging systems can be used to authorize access to certain areas of the campus. This is vital within occupied buildings where workers are not separated from school activities by a construction fence.

Do trade partners carry their own insurance?

As a key risk mitigation tool, the CM should make sure that trade partners have appropriate insurance to safeguard the school from any liability. This is done by carefully evaluating insurance limits on key items such as worker鈥檚 compensation, liability, and umbrella coverage and proper indemnification.

Trade partners should be prohibited from the construction site until they have provided proof of insurance and signed a contract that complies with the school鈥檚 requirements.

Marc Ciaramitaro is director of field operations at Windover Construction. For additional information, call 978-526-9410, visit the company website at or email info@windover.com.

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