GNO, Inc. Sunday Night Highlight – Jefferson Parish Celebrates Bicentennial with Big Wins
Jefferson Parish, the second-most populous county in Louisiana, celebrated its 200th anniversary this week. Established in 1825 and named after President Thomas Jefferson, the parish has evolved from a rural frontier into a thriving suburban hub that bridges the cultural vibrancy of New Orleans with the natural beauty of the Gulf Coast. The settlement of Jefferson Parish dates back to the 1600’s, as seen in excavations within the boundaries of the Barataria Preserve of Jean Lafitte’s National Park. Native American tribes, including ancestors of the area’s Houma Indians, were found throughout Jefferson. French colonists began farming, soon joined by Spaniards, Germans, Africans, and settlers from the Canary Islands. Later groups included Acadians (Cajuns) resettling from elsewhere in Louisiana, as well as Italians, Chinese and later Hispanic and Vietnamese immigrants.
The bicentennial of Jefferson Parish was marked by three economic development wins, all announced this week:
- Japanese company UBE began construction on a $491 million facility in Waggaman to produce EV battery elements
- The facility is the first of its kind in the U.S., and aims to reduce reliance on imports
- The project is part of a broader statewide $2.4 billion investment in Louisiana’s EV materials industry
- RNGD, a home-grown construction and design firm, opened its $25 million Southeast Region campus in Jefferson Parish
- The 14-acre site includes office space, a training center, manufacturing facilities, and a logistics warehouse
- RNGD is among the fastest-growing companies in the Southeast, with recognition from Engineering News Record and the Inc. 5000
Primary Workspace Grand Opening
- A historic 1911 schoolhouse in downtown Gretna was transformed into Primary Workspace, a modern coworking and event venue
- The $3.5 million project is a public/private adaptive reuse of an iconic building, and was funded with a combination of American Rescue Plan Act funds and state historic tax credits
- JEDCO, Jefferson Parish, the City of Gretna, and Formwork Development partnered on the project