By LEONARD GRAY

Managing Editor

LAPLACE — The Port of South Louisiana took a giant step Wednesday at its regular meeting Wednesday. The port commission approved the sale of up to $3.5 million in revenue bonds to build its long-planned central administrative office.

Since the development of Globalplex more than 10 years ago, administrative functions have been split between the Globalplex office in Reserve and the port office in LaPlace. This necessitated constant travel between the two offices and duplication of some personnel.

The spoiler in the project, though, also came to light when the commission learned recently that construction costs for the project have skyrocketed since Hurricane Katrina by 40 to 50 percent.

No architectural or construction plans have yet been finalized for the new central office. The project itself could run as high as $5.5 million for the state agency, which draws its revenues from fees levied from usage of dock facilities along its 54-mile stretch of the Mississippi River.

In other activity at Wednesday’s meeting, the commission also approved $1 million in revenue bond sales for roof repairs and building improvements at the former Constar Plastics building in Reserve, which is to be occupied soon by Baumer Foods.

Baumer recently announced its relocation from New Orleans, where its plant there was devastated by Katrina.

In addition, the commission approved an additional revenue bond sale of up to $2 million to refinance the cost of the Constar plant remodel-

ing to take advantage of a lower interest rate, trimming debt service costs.

Also, the commission approved a cooperative endeavor agreement with St. John the Baptist Parish to improve another Globalplex building for the National Meat and Provision Co., a frozen steak and poultry wholesaler, displaced from New Orleans by Katrina. National Meat arrived in Reserve back in November.