Regional construction firms and public works shape local projects

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, October 8, 2025

News Summary

Three Baton Rouge-area construction firms and several public programs illustrate how labor, materials and planning are shaping regional building work. A firm that started in 2012 has expanded from multifamily housing into commercial projects; a family-owned contractor is blending long-standing client relationships with modern management tools; and a major electrical contractor has pivoted from oil and gas into large energy and tech projects. Rising material costs are pressuring school budgets, voter-approved road taxes are funding many infrastructure projects, and large energy and data center developments are driving workforce and regional growth.

Regional Construction Snapshot: Contractors, Costs and Public Works

Major local contractors and public projects are shaping the built environment across the region, even as rising material costs and tariffs push budgets higher and change how work is planned and delivered. Leading private firms are expanding into new markets and new sectors while parish and school officials wrestle with larger-than-expected price tags on public work.

What matters most now

Three contractors stand out for recent activity and influence: Grant Ethridge Construction (GEC), Wesley Construction, and MMR Group. Materials inflation and tariffs are raising costs on school and public projects. Meanwhile, a voter-approved sales tax program is funding dozens of road projects under a multi-decade timetable, and large energy and tech projects are bringing big private work to regional contractors.

Grant Ethridge Construction at a glance

GEC was founded/got its start in 2012 and built a base in multifamily new construction and renovations before expanding into commercial work. Projects include housing developments such as Progress Park and Hollywood Acres, restaurants in Baton Rouge including Jubans, Soji and BLDG 5, and apartment homes at Les Maison de Bayou Lafourche in Lockport.

Les Maison de Bayou Lafourche received the first Fortified Gold Multifamily Designation from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety and was designed to withstand a Category 3 hurricane. The project saw minimal damage during Hurricane Ida in 2021, a Category 4 storm, which highlights resilience in design and construction. Leadership at the company takes a hands-on approach, assigning a field superintendent and a project manager to every job, running biweekly owner, architect and contractor meetings, and using Procore software for project coordination/management. Safety partnerships and an internship program that often converts interns into permanent staff are also core elements of GEC operations.

Wesley Construction: long history, selective modernization

Wesley Construction was started by Steve Wesley in 1984. The business began before computers, when records were paper files and checks were handwritten. Over time the company added an email address and, more recently, modern tools such as direct deposit, social media, and Procore construction management software, while keeping a strong focus on client relationships and craftsmanship. Wesley Construction is based in Baton Rouge and has completed work in 33 states, using a one-stop-shop approach for clients and pursuing organic growth.

Notable work includes renovations of historic and hospitality properties and local projects with community partners. Contact details are listed as 10182 Patriot Drive | Baton Rouge 70816, phone 225.753.5600, website wesleyusa.com.

MMR Group expanding from energy into tech and infrastructure

Founded in 1991 by James B. Pepper Rutland, MMR Group is headquartered on Airline Highway in Baton Rouge and reported record growth, with annual revenue rising 75% in 2024 to more than $2.3 billion. The firm has more than two dozen offices across North America and has long worked in oil and gas. In recent years MMR moved into large tech and infrastructure projects, installing electrical wiring at a $15 billion semiconductor complex in Idaho and working on hyperscale data centers, LNG export terminals and renewable projects.

MMR has worked on Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass and Plaquemines LNG facilities and on Calcasieu Pass 2. Baton Rouge-based MMR Group was an electrical contractor on the Venture Global Plaquemines LNG project. The firm also recruits heavily from local universities, launched a two-year workforce program called MMR University, and plans to remain privately owned and Baton Rouge-based.

Materials inflation, tariffs and school projects

Rollover inflation from the pandemic combined with tariffs on wood and steel has driven material costs significantly higher, straining contractor and public budgets. School officials closely align budgets with scopes of work before starting projects, but unforeseen tariff and material changes can push final prices above bid amounts. Contractors report significant increases in wood, cabinets, upholstery and other raw materials. One contractor estimated a previous 25% jump in costs and a further 10–25% increase on top of that.

Specific school project cost changes include Brownfields Elementary, which was initially bid at $25.1 million in 2023 and now has a budget of $28.9 million, and the Baton Rouge Center for Visual and Performing Arts, budgeted at $28.1 million in 2023 and increased to over $34.4 million. Demolition and remodel work at Banks Elementary also rose from a comparable $290,000 in 2021 to an expected figure exceeding $500,000 for the current project.

MoveEBR road projects and funding

Voters approved a half-cent sales tax in 2018 to fund 71 road projects under the MoveEBR program. The sales tax began April 1, 2019, and will remain in effect until March 31, 2049. Proceeds can be used only on the approved project list. Some original projects have been divided into smaller related projects, creating a total of 139 MoveEBR projects. As of the latest report, 27 MoveEBR projects are complete. The most recent ribbon-cutting marked a new two-lane road from Picardy Avenue to Constantin Boulevard on August 1. The work focuses on new roads, improved traffic flow and added sidewalks.

Summary

Regional contractors are adapting to market changes and expanding into new sectors while public projects grapple with higher material costs and long-term voter-backed funding programs. The mix of private and public work is reshaping how projects are run, who gets hired, and how communities will use new roads, schools and facilities for years to come.

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Key features table

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

Additional Resources

• Business Report: Wesley Construction — Company Insights
• Wikipedia: Wesley Construction
• Business Report: Grant Ethridge Construction (GEC)
• Google Search: Grant Ethridge Construction
• WAFB: Rising construction costs challenge school projects in East Baton Rouge
• Google Scholar: construction cost inflation schools
• The Advocate: Baton Rouge road projects (MoveEBR)
• Encyclopedia Britannica: MoveEBR
• NOLA: MMR Group expands into data centers, LNG and energy projects
• Google News: MMR Group Baton Rouge

Author: Construction CA News

CALIFORNIA STAFF WRITER The CALIFORNIA STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at constructioncanews.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in California and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Rose Parade, Coachella, Comic-Con, and the California State Fair. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the California Building Industry Association and Associated General Contractors of California, plus leading businesses in technology and entertainment that power the local economy such as Apple and Alphabet. As part of the broader network, including constructionnynews.com, constructiontxnews.com, and constructionflnews.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into the dynamic landscape across multiple states.