Morganza levee bond sale a milestone
April 10, 2013
Naomi Louviere Griffin
April 12, 2013
The Morganza to the Gulf project is considered by most to be vital to the long-term sustainability of Louisiana’s land.
If ever fully completed, Low Land Construction in Thibodaux is a sure bet to have a hand in the construction process.
With roots dating back to the 1950s, the family-owned business prides itself on taking care of the Tri-parish area.
With eyes toward the future generations, the company has earned the low bid on several Morganza projects – something Low Land employees say shows the company’s commitment to the area.
“We’ve done a lot of work in Terrebonne Parish on that Morganza project,” said Sterling Boudreaux, manager of operations with Low Land Construction. “We’re very active in that project. It’s very important. Nowadays, it’s very hard to get any federal help, so we work with the Terrebonne Levee District as best we can to share up the levees in a way that can best alleviate the flooding risk in the parish while we wait on the funding to get the project complete.”
One of the biggest reasons why Low Land is active in its Morganza to the Gulf efforts is because they are locally owned.
The company is owned by David J. Robichaux Jr. and his wife.
Low Land Construction itself was founded on May 1, 1972.
“We’ve been around a while,” Boudreaux said.
Boudreaux said the Robichaux family understands that the future of their business will be greatly impacted if our area’s lands continue to evaporate at current rates.
He said Low Land creates a plan of action each time Terrebonne Parish auctions out work for the Morganza Project.
From there, Boudreaux said the company examines the work needed, creates a game plan for how much they’d need to complete the project – a plan that isn’t geared solely toward profit.
“That plan of action has a lot to do with what our bidding price will be and how we’re going to construct a project,” Boudreaux said. “We always want to do it as efficiently and as cost effective as possible for the parish. Like any business, we have to turn a profit and pay our people, but we understand that the low bidder gets the job, and we understand that these projects are so important to our future.”
In addition to the levee work, Boudreaux said Low Land Construction does a litany of construction work as a “heavy construction company.”
“We specialize in pile driving, bulkheads and their construction,” Boudreaux said. “We also, of course, do levee construction and also general clearing and land embankment.
“Our specialty is in pile driving and bulkheading and building levees.”
Boudreaux said what he thinks sets the company apart from others is the family-like feel it has.
That dynamic is present because the Robichaux family has seven children and they all work and have active roles in the company’s affairs – something not often seen in a family business.
“All of his kids are around and they all are active in the business,” Boudreaux said. “That really is a neat thing we have, and it’s a good feeling within our business.”
Boudreaux said with the Morganza work chugging forward, Low Land Construction has plans to move some of its equipment into Terrebonne Parish in the very near future.
The company has the land available to make that move and will do so shortly.
With that, the company will have its foot deeper entrenched in the door to help with other Morganza projects.
It’s all about keeping Louisiana safe in the future.
“Terrebonne Parish knows that we’re qualified and that we do quality work – just like the other companies bidding on these projects, as well,” Boudreaux said. “But for us, it’s all about giving the parish the most bang for its buck. We’re local. We’ve been in the area for a long time. We know all about these projects and we know all about the drainage problems that exist in the parish. Anytime you know the history of the problem, you’re better able to fix it. We know the history of what we’re dealing with. We want to get these drainage issues fixed so that no one has to worry about them in the future.”
