Months after the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank resumed operations at its flooded warehouse at 10600 S. Choctaw Drive, the nonprofit is embarking on a round of extensive renovations aimed at getting its staff back into the flood-damaged building.
Permits were pulled on Feb. 24 to repair the food bank’s 154,000-square-foot building, which took on about 4 feet of water during the flood. The flood also destroyed about a half a million pounds of food, temporarily displacing the food bank, its staff and operations.
The nonprofit resumed operations at the warehouse about a month after the flood. But Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank CEO Mike Manning says the staff hasn’t been able to fully utilize the building. Instead, it has been working out of three temporary trailers in the parking lot.
“We have essentially tried to look at it as: We’re in business, we’ve moved on from the flood, and we just have to do these nuisances to get back into our office,” he says.
The work to fully repair the building is expected to take at least four months, Manning says.
According to the permit, the scope of the renovation work consists of replacing eight feet of sheetrock, as well as doors, windows, receptacles, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, the air unit and ductwork.
In addition to the work listed on the permit, Manning adds that offices and restrooms will be rebuilt, and a new front entrance will be installed. Electrical breakers, the main power feed, generators and light switches also will be changed.
The power at the facility also will have to be turned off for a few days, Manning says, adding this may occur around Easter when the food bank is closed for the holiday. The renovations are expected to cost upwards of $1.4 million. The food bank, Manning adds, has been careful to follow the bid process so it can qualify for reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“We have lot of repair work that we need do,” he says. Arkel Constructors is doing the repair work.
—Alexandria Burris
