LSU Business School will soon break new ground

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By Emily Carden

The state of Louisiana, along with other charitable organizations and individuals, have granted the E.J. Ourso College of Business at LSU the ability to break new ground on its $60 million new facility possibly as soon as spring 2010, according to Eli Jones, E.J. Ourso College of Business dean.

Dr. Eli Jones stated, "The new $60 million business school at LSU will be funded through a public-private partnership, with $30 million provided or committed by donors of LSU's School of Business."

Dr. Jones continued, "LSU is about to begin the construction bidding process, with a contractor being chosen in the beginning of 2010. LSU is now looking at a 2012 opening for the complex. We hope to have a spring 2010 groundbreaking, just in time for LSU's sesquicentennial."

The new construction, known as the Business Education Complex, will be located next to the existing Patrick F. Taylor Hall. As of now, Taylor Hall is the home to both the College of Business and College of Engineering. After construction of the Business Education Complex the College of Engineering will reside in Taylor Hall alone.

The LSU Business Education Complex will feature 156,000-square-foot with amenities such as four buildings surrounding one, large common area of 14,000-square-foot. The Business school administration and academic affairs will occupy a 56,000-square-foot facility containing four stories, along with a Business Disaster Recovery Command Center.

Another two-story building will house undergraduate endeavors and faculty. A 12,600-square-foot auditorium and Graduate Pavilion will also be established within the construction.

"This state of the art facility will enable us to attract and retain top researchers and teachers, and attract and graduate great students," Dr. Jones stated.

The new business facility is felt to be a major milestone for the university as a whole and in portraying the quality of business instruction at LSU.

"The Business Education Complex at LSU will help transform business education," Dr. Jones said. "It will be a beacon of hope, entrepreneurship, economic development and cutting edge business education and research, and the best part is it will be in the great State of Louisiana. On behalf of the E. J. Ourso College of Business faculty, staff and students, thank you Governor Jindal and your administration for supporting our efforts to build a state of the art facility for the future of business education."

Though the building process will take approximately 24 months to complete, both business affiliated individuals and the public will be pleased with the new facility after completion.

Dr. Jones expressed much gratefulness for the response of those that have supported this endeavor. "We are also very grateful to our major donors and corporate partners including: JP Morgan Chase, RoyOMartin, Cathy and Billy Rucks, Amedisys Inc., Sherry and Ross Centanni, Lillian and Jimmy Maurin, Cherie and Rob Arkley and the LSU Foundation," Dr. Jones remarked.

Images and information of the new building can be found at www.lsu.edu.

Originally Published: Issue 823 - November 11, 2009

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