Ribbon cutting marks on-stream production at Air Products' Westlake plant

Air Products' newest Louisiana hydrogen production plant is on-stream and was officially recognized in August with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Westlake facility.

The facility, with a capacity of more than 100 million standard cu. ft. per day, serves ConocoPhillips and other refining companies' growing requirements for hydrogen.

In addition, the new facility is linked to Air Products' existing hydrogen pipeline network, extending it approximately 40 miles to Lake Charles.

AIA Baton Rouge announces 2004 Rose Awards

Six member firms were selected by AIA Baton Rouge to receive its 2004 Rose Awards.

The project presentation and balloting took place at a chapter meeting and the Rose Award recipients were presented with their certificates at the annual summer social at Bocage Racquet Club in Baton Rouge.

The purpose of the Rose Awards program is to recognize members of the AIA Baton Rouge Chapter for outstanding architecture. Projects are judged on their individual merit and are not compared with other projects.

Projects may be residential or commercial and may also include new construction, additions, renovations and other architectural construction projects.

The 2004 Rose Award recipients are as follows:

• Trahan Architects, APAC, Trey Trahan, AIA for Holy Rosary Church Complex, which draws upon a geometric dissolution between the secular and sacred components of the church to explore issues of sacred journey, threshold, arrival and reflection. The chapel design is based on the purity and comfort of the womb, with natural light providing definition and representing the paschal mystery. Located in St. Amant, the church is owned by Holy Rosary Parish Church and was constructed by Quality Design and Construction.
  
• Post Architects & KPS Group, a joint venture with Associate Architects Eskew+, for Galvez Office Building, a new building that is part of the comprehensive master plan for consolidating state government into the downtown Baton Rouge area. The 13-storey, 350,000 sq.-ft. facility houses several state agencies and a Conference Center and provides appropriate architectural reference to the historic State Capital. Located in downtown Baton Rouge and owned by the State of Louisiana, the building was constructed by Broadmoor/Womack, a Joint Venture, of Baton Rouge.
  
• Chenevert Architects LLC for Surgery Center, Imaging and Medical Office Building, a new surgery center and medical office for a group of Baton Rouge doctors. Future phases are to include an imaging center and tenant improvements for additional medical office space. Buquet & Leblanc of Baton Rouge constructed the building.
  
• STBP Architects, Darrin Badon AIA for the Louisiana School for the Agricultural Sciences (LaSAS), the first of its kind, a rural agricultural high school that is dedicated to alternate hands-on learning for at-risk students. The guiding principles established with educators in early planning were the need to integrate land and building, hierarchal prominence of agriculture classrooms and building forms to be based on agricultural precedents. Located in Bunkie and owned by the Avoyelles Parish School Board, the school was built by M. D. Descant Construction Co. of Bunkie.
  
• Holly & Smith, for a private residence, a house for local artist and wife which responded to the Louisiana regional vernacular, harsh humid climate and immediate farm-house context while simultaneously providing a fresh modern environment. Located in Hammond, the home was constructed by John Wilson Construction of Pontchatoula.
  
• STBP Architects, for Tolliver Hall, which was conceived as the center for student life on the Louisiana Tech University campus. The architects were challenged to renovate a vintage 1930's campus core building into a stimulating, flexible environment for contemporary students. The program stipulated the integration of student organizations, social spaces and retail opportunities within the existing building envelope. It is owned by the Louisiana Tech Foundation and was constructed by BAS Construction Inc. of Rayville.

Baker Donelson expands New Orleans office

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC, one of the largest law firms between Dallas and Atlanta, recently announced its merger with the New Orleans law firm of Shaw Norton Degan LLP.

The merger is part of the firm's strategic plan to expand its New Orleans office and its presence in the south-central region, thereby increasing the firm's regional and national client services

Baker Donelson opened its New Orleans office in February 2004. Shaw Norton Degan lawyers joining Baker Donelson include Danny Shaw, Bill Norton, Nancy Degan, Gerry Barrios, Michael Weiner, Mark Mercante, Jennifer McNamara, David Kurtz and Mark Frilot.

The New Orleans office will be staffed by 28 attorneys representing clients in industries such as healthcare, construction, oil and gas, manufacturing, transportation, insurance, real estate, hospitality, utilities and financial institutions.

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC, recently ranked the fastest growing law firm in the U.S. by the National Law Journal, is a full-service law firm that represents regional, national, and international clients.

More than 370 attorneys and senior public policy advisors serve clients from 10 offices in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tenn.; Jackson, Miss.; Birmingham, Ala.; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Ga., and a representative office in Beijing, China, opened by BDBC International LLC.

ABC Pelican Chapter recognizes more than 130 graduates at August ceremony

Associated Builders and Contractors - Pelican Chapter's Spring 2004 craft training graduation ceremony was highlighted by the recognition of more than 130 graduates.

The event was held in August at the Baton Rouge Marriott.

Former NFL long snapper Brian Kinchen, currently teaching and coaching and Parkview Baptist School in Baton Rouge, gave a keynote presentation preceding the graduation ceremony.

Kinchen spoke strongly of his faith and how it has helped him achieve his goals. Playing for the New England Patriots, Kinchen was the snapper for the winning field goal in last February's Super Bowl in Houston.

Phil Gauthreaux, vice president of education and manpower for Harmony LLC of Baton Rouge, hosted the event.

Mississippi River Commission recommends replacement of Bayou Sorrel Lock

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi River Commission, conducted a public meeting recently concerning the final feasibility report and environmental impact statement of the Bayou Sorrel Lock Replacement project in Louisiana.

The project is being managed by the Corps' New Orleans District.

The purpose of the public meeting was for the commission to consider the project report as it pertains to the impacts on the Mississippi River and the Mississippi River and Tributaries project.

The lock is 25 miles south of Baton Rouge.

During the 90-minute meeting, the commission reviewed the project, concurred in the findings and recommendation of the New Orleans District Engineer, and voted unanimously to recommend implementation of the project.

The New Orleans District completed the project feasibility report in December for the $88.5 million replacement of the Bayou Sorrel Lock on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway alternate route, which links Morgan City and Port Allen (Baton Rouge). A feasibility report is required to present a project to Congress for construction authorization.

The 191-page report recommends a lock 75 ft. wide and 1,200 ft. long. The lock at present measures 56 by 797 ft. The greater dimensions would double the lock's surface area to 90,000 square feet and help to reduce delays for towboats and barges.

Rock would be placed along 1.5 miles of the waterway north of the lock, on both sides, to improve erosion control. The Corps would also place 27 mooring buoys in the channel to prevent waiting vessels from damaging the bank.

Flood control would be a major feature in the replacement of the lock, which was built to allow vessels to pass through the East Atchafalaya Basin Protection Levee. The levee has been raised to 8 ft. above the lock and the new lock would close the gap.

The Mississippi River Commission, established in 1879, is responsible for navigation, flood control and other water resources development on the Mississippi River.