The banging of hammers, wood scraps and a giant hole fill the area between Tureaud Hall and the Food Science Building. The construction — projected to end in June — is in preparation for a new AgCenter laboratory building, and the holes that span about six feet deep are a means of relocating 24-inch chilled water lines for the lab, according to Roger Husser, director AgCenter Facility Planning.”We’re developing the [ground] and relocating utilities for a future laboratory building to be built at that location,” Husser said of the construction site. “It will be a two-story laboratory building. It’s serving the departments of animal sciences, food science and veterinary science.”Utilities — like sewage and water — are being rerouted around the frame of where the building will be located, Husser said.He said the laboratory will replace a smaller laboratory and two greenhouses currently located between Tureaud and the Food Science Building. The live oak tree located in the area will be unharmed.The budget for the current construction phase is $1.6 million and is being funded through Capital Outlay, Husser said. Ken Courtade, Facility Development manager, said Capital Outlay projects must be approved at each level of the University and by the LSU System, the Board of Supervisors and the Board of Regents. The projects are re-prioritized at each level.The projects are then voted on by the Louisiana House of Representatives and the Louisiana State Senate before being approved by the governor.”Once it’s signed [by the governor], it goes to the bonding commission and bonds are sold,” Courtade said. “Funding actually becomes available to start the planning of the project.”Once approved, projects can be on the list of Capital Outlay projects for several years before construction can begin, Courtade said. For example, the Music and Dramatic Arts building is nearing the end of construction, and it was submitted for Capital Outlay funding more than 20 years ago. Husser said the AgCenter project was submitted for Capital Outlay funding about 20 years ago.The new state-of-the-art lab — which will be a different phase of construction — is projected to cost $17 million. Forestry Lane, the road that runs alongside Tureaud, has been temporarily closed for construction. Gary Graham, director of Parking, Traffic and Transportation, said the road will remain closed for a “couple more weeks” and have only caused a minor inconvenience.”We’ve had to reroute one bus route around it,” Graham said. “It was pretty easy to detour around it.” –Contact Lindsey Meaux at [email protected]