Barriere Construction Co. expands into Tangipahoa

New Orleans CityBusiness, Sep 24, 2007 by Deon Roberts

Barriere Construction Co. has opened a division in Hammond, bringing to five the number of divisions for the heavy construction company.

The North Shore construction division on Club Deluxe Road opened about four months ago, said David Mayer, manager of business development for Barriere.

"We opened it because of the need for heavy civil construction," which includes street, drainage, highway and utility work and site development, Mayer said.

The company's also has a South Shore asphalt division in Boutte, a North Shore asphalt division in Franklinton, a South Shore construction division in Belle Chasse and a heavy industrial division in Boutte.

Barriere chose Tangipahoa Parish for the new division because the company wants to develop post-Hurricane Katrina opportunities along the Interstate 12 corridor between Baton Rouge and Slidell, Mayer said.

"There's plenty of development over there along 1-12," Mayer said.

The North Shore construction division's manager is Doug Olsen, an engineer who has been with Barriere for more than 20 years, Mayer said.

About 20 people work out of the division, but that figure should grow to 50 by the end of the year, he said.