Calcasieu Parish approves $51.47 million courthouse contracts after local-hiring questions

The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury on April 10 approved amendments to two contracts for a new Calcasieu Parish Judicial Complex, a roughly $51,474,002.47 project the architect and contractor said will take about 28 months to complete.

The contracts were approved after a presentation by the architect and a period of questioning from jurors about the use of local subcontractors. Juror Landry pressed the contractor for specifics on local hiring; a Lemoine Company representative said about 31–35% of subcontracted dollars were tentatively expected to be awarded to firms in Calcasieu Parish.

Bridget Evans, an architect who identified herself by name and business address during the meeting, presented project plans and renderings for the three-story, roughly 100,000-square-foot building. Evans said the building will include 11 courtrooms, expanded public waiting areas, jury rooms, secure holding and separate detainee circulation, and space for the district attorney, public defender and clerk of court staff. Evans said the existing Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) will remain in use during construction and the JDC site will be reworked into a public green space called Calcasieu Square after the new building is finished.

“Total cost of the project is $51,474,002.47. The timeline the total timeline for this building is 28 months,” Evans said during the presentation.

A Lemoine Company representative, George Bridal, described outreach to local firms and the contractor’s prequalification and selection process. Bridal said about $43 million of the project budget represents subcontracted or purchased items, broken into roughly 38 bid packages, and that Calcasieu Parish firms could realistically bid on about 12 of those packages. He gave jurors a tentative estimate that “somewhere between 31 to 35% of that subcontracted work” could be awarded locally, noting that some packages require firms or capacities not available in the parish and that some subcontract awards remain contingent on final negotiations.

Juror Landry repeatedly sought more detailed lists of specific subcontractors and said he needed to be able to answer constituents’ questions about whether a conscious effort was made to use local labor. “For $51,000,000 there ain’t but two people I trust that much and that’s Jesus Christ and my daddy,” Landry said, underscoring his reluctance to approve large contracts without firmer commitments. The contractor representatives said some letters of intent have been issued to lock pricing and that final subcontract awards require further interviews and prequalification checks.

Juror Andrew Klein, speaking in support of moving forward, said the Parish’s priority is getting a quality project completed without overruns and that he would rely on the contractor’s reputation.

After the presentation and discussion, the jury adopted a resolution approving an amendment to the professional architectural contract with Shampo Evans Hotard (as listed in the agenda) and a professional service contract with the LeMoyne Company. Motion and second were recorded in the meeting minutes; the chairman stated each item “carries.”

Discussion points - Project scope: a new three-story judicial complex of roughly 100,000 square feet with 11 courtrooms, secure holding, expanded public spaces and future Calcasieu Square where the existing JDC now sits (presentation by Bridget Evans). - Schedule and cost: $51,474,002.47 total construction cost and a 28-month timeline (presentation by Bridget Evans). - Local subcontracting: Lemoine Company said about $43 million is subcontractable/purchase scope and estimated 31–35% of subcontract dollars could be awarded to Calcasieu Parish firms, subject to final negotiations and prequalification (statements by George Bridal and Michael Galasso). Juror Landry pressed for a specific subcontractor list before final awards.

Decision and direction - Formal action: The Police Jury adopted resolutions approving the two contract amendments (architectural contract amendment and professional services contract with the LeMoyne Company). The meeting record states the items “carry.” - No additional binding direction to hold or expand the procurement process was recorded; contractors said they would continue the prequalification/interview process before final subcontract awards.

Clarifying details - Project cost: $51,474,002.47 (presented by Bridget Evans). - Project timeline: 28 months, in three sequences/phases (presented by Bridget Evans). - Built program: ~100,000 sq ft, 11 courtrooms, jury rooms, offices for judges, DA, public defenders, clerk of court staff, secure holding separated by adult/juvenile and sex (presented by Bridget Evans). - Local subcontracting estimate: contractor stated approximately 31–35% of subcontracted dollars tentatively could be awarded to Calcasieu Parish firms; contractors solicited about 72 Calcasieu-area subcontractors and received 26 bid responses on some packages (statements by George Bridal).

Speakers - Bridget Evans — architect, Champot/Evans Hotard (business) - George Bridal — representative, LeMoyne Company (business) - Michael Galasso — representative, LeMoyne Company (business) - Juror Landry — Police Juror (government) - Juror Andrew Klein — Police Juror (government) - Mister Bollin — staff member (government) - Chief Judge Cynthia Gilroy — Chief Judge (judiciary; present at meeting)

Authorities - contract: Professional architectural contract between the Police Jury and Shampo Evans Hotard (referenced in agenda/resolution adopted) - contract: Professional service contract between the Police Jury and the LeMoyne Company (referenced in agenda/resolution adopted)

Proper names [{"name":"Calcasieu Parish","type":"other"},{"name":"Calcasieu Parish Judicial Complex","type":"facility"},{"name":"Calcasieu Square","type":"location"},{"name":"Bridget Evans","type":"person"},{"name":"LeMoyne Company","type":"business"},{"name":"Shampo Evans Hotard","type":"business"},{"name":"Juvenile Detention Center","type":"facility"},{"name":"Chief Judge Cynthia Gilroy","type":"person"}]

Discussion_decision {"discussion_points":["Project scope and features (11 courtrooms, secure holding, DA/public defender/clerk spaces)","Cost and timeline (presented as $51,474,002.47; 28 months)","Local subcontracting and how much subcontracted work will go to Calcasieu Parish firms (contractor estimated ~31–35%)"],"directions":[],"decisions":["Adopted resolution approving amendment to the professional architectural contract with Shampo Evans Hotard","Adopted resolution approving professional service contract with the LeMoyne Company"]}

Provenance {"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"747.385","local_start":0,"local_end":200,"evidence_excerpt":"Thank you, mister president. You know, this is a project that started officially in 02/2014, but as many of you know, there's been a lot of design plans even even before that. There were a lot of delays over the years, hurricanes, COVID, and, really, we never could get the cost to align with the design of the project.","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"1814","local_start":0,"local_end":160,"evidence_excerpt":"Got a motion on the second bullet by mister Steli and a second by mister Quinn. Any further discussion? Any question? That item carries. Thank you, gentlemen.","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]}