(The Center Square) – North Louisiana Economic Development leveraged millions in public funds and state backing to reposition a key manufacturing complex in Shreveport that was shuttered and dormant.
This month, the regional economic development arm announced plans to demolish and redevelop the former Libbey Glass industrial complex, a 54-acre site on Jewella Avenue, for modern manufacturing use. Demolition is expected to take one year.
The sprawling factory complex has been part of the Shreveport business landscape for nearly 100 years, with its highly visible water towers, furnaces and maze of pipes. At one time, there were more than 1,500 employees working around the clock.
After decades of declining production, operations officially ceased in 2020.
Located at an Interstate 20 exit, the site will be cleared and prepared for new industrial clients to start construction projects, rejuvenating an area of the city eroded by disinvestment. The site has rail access, beneficial visibility, high-capacity industrial infrastructure and industrial zoning.
“That adjacency to Interstate 20 is incredibly valuable,” Justyn Dixon, president and chief executive officer of NLEP, told The Center Square in an earlier interview. “You can’t find a property like this within two hours in either direction.”
A 2025 state appropriations bill provided NLEP with $10 million from the general fund for redevelopment purposes. Northwest Louisiana Finance Authority, along with other city and parish funding programs, will provide additional funding.
“Without the obsolete 100-year-old building sitting there, it would be a tremendous asset, but private sector real estate developers weren’t going to take that initiative,” Dixon said. “The purpose is to put the property into a condition where it becomes attractive for companies to invest and create jobs. We’re not trying to make money off the property itself.”
Dixon initially pursued funding through state capital outlay money used for public facilities and infrastructure projects but learned from Gov. Jeff Landry that pursuing appropriation funds was a better choice.
“We explained to the governor exactly what we intended to do with the money – ultimately bring more jobs and investment to the region,” Dixon said. “Economic development is a priority for him, and the project aligned with his mission.”
NLEP is evaluating the full cost of mitigating environmental issues, which may require additional funding, Dixon said.
Twelve companies submitted proposals for the remediation and demolition project. Lloyd D. Nabors Demolition was selected as the contractor, with remediation oversight assigned to Jones Environmental. Management of the site’s redevelopment will be overseen by Wieland.
“We’re doing it in phases, starting at the interstate and moving south,” Dixon said. “There’s a reason for that. We’re working with companies that may be able to use parts of the warehouse, so we’re keeping options open as the project moves forward.”
The goal is to bring the complex back into commerce by providing companies “a shovel-ready opportunity” to build manufacturing and logistics operations that align with today’s industrial demands, according to NLEP.
“Everything we do is driven by jobs and investment,” Dixon said.
