A Baton Rouge-based nonprofit has gone public with a unique new coastal restoration idea: building an ecolodge at the edge of the Louisiana marsh in the shape of an offshore oil platform.
The Restoration Initiative in the Gulf Foundation announced in July the launch of a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to commission market analysis and develop an investor toolkit for capitalizing the facility, 10/12 Industry Report details in its new third quarter issue.
Called “The RIG,” the structure would serve as a base of operations for the scientific and education communities, as well as provide an adventure/travel destination catering to the rapidly expanding marketplace of volunteer tourism.
Architecturally, The RIG is an industrial superstructure perched on the edge of the marsh, incorporating a fully appointed ecolodge designed to withstand the onslaught of a major hurricane.
It is part research outpost and part sustainable boutique hotel—elevated 25 feet above the water with expansive views of the Gulf of Mexico. Three sites in Terrebonne Parish are currently under consideration.
Read the full story, and be sure to check out the third quarter issue of 10/12 Industry Report below. Be sure to sign up for a free subscription of the quarterly publication. Send your feedback, story ideas and company news to editor@1012industryreport.com.
