University Lakes Project Advisory

To do so, the Lakes will be reimagined as a sustainable ecological jewel that increases water quality and offers habitat for aquatic and land-based animals. The Lakes will become a place where people and nature come together, a celebration of the South Louisiana environment and Baton Rouge culture.

The goals of the University Lakes Project include: 

• Deepening the lakes to provide a more sustainable aquatic system

• Providing increased flood protection for upstream and downstream communities

• Enhancing environmental performance to improve natural habitats

• Improve and diversify recreational uses while improving safety for walkers, runners, and cyclists.

A coalition of state, local, and university partners was formed in the fall of 2019 to restore the lakes by implementing the 2016 University Lakes Master Plan. Partners include the State of Louisiana, the City of Baton Rouge - Parish of East Baton Rouge, BREC, LSU, the LSU Foundation, and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. Together, these organizations make up the Project Management Committee, which oversees and provides direction to the project. University Lakes LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the LSU Real Estate and Facilities Foundation, is issuing the contracts and will oversee work that includes deepening all six lakes, restoring habitat, and building sidewalks and bike paths around the lakes.

In January 2020, University Lakes LLC selected our joint venture of Brailsford & Dunlavey/CSRS (B&D/CSRS) as the Project Advisor for the University Lakes Project. Progress was temporarily suspended in spring 2020 while partners prioritized maintaining the health and wellness of the community during the pandemic. In response to the evolving impact of COVID-19, the initiative will occur in phases. Funding is in place to move forward with Phase I, the scope of which includes due diligence and design of all six lakes, and construction to deepen all six lakes, along with targeted mobility improvements.

As Project Advisor, the B&D/CSRS Joint Venture is managing a large, multidisciplinary team of consultants in order to implement this large, complex, and high-profile community project with numerous stakeholders and funding sources.