Louisiana Economic Development officials recently announced that the former Kaiser Aluminum site, closed for more than 23 years, is being developed by Cemus LLC as a shipping, storage and distribution center. The 65-acre site is just south of the US Hwy. 190 bridge over the Mississippi River.

With its earlier purchase of a 22-acre tract just north of the bridge, it now gives the Cemus project a half-mile of river frontage in an industrial corridor just upriver from Baton Rouge.

This industrial property with deepwater access is strategically located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Baton Rouge is the farthest north an ocean going vessel with up to 40 feet of draft may safely navigate.

Louisiana Economic Development and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber have been actively marketing the site to potential industries. These efforts have proven to be successful, and LED is pleased to announce that the first two tenants of the Cemus distribution center have been identified as River Mountain Quarries and Southern Ionics Inc., who will develop and occupy a total of 22.5 acres.

Cemus is owned by Garry Lewis and Cary Goss, both of Baton Rouge, and has invested $14.5 million in the purchase of the property and plans another $5 million investment in dock repairs and improvements to an existing warehouse.

"We believe this river frontage and deep water pier is of strategic importance to America's heartland as well as the Baton Rouge area community," said Lewis, co-owner of Cemus. "LED did an incredible job working with us to introduce our site to current and prospective tenants."

River Mountain Quarries, a division of Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel Co. of Pine Bluff, Ark., is developing 13 acres as a crushed stone and riprap yard with the material supplied and delivered by company-owned boats and barges, and available to supply the construction industry and general public in the Baton Rouge area.

Southern Ionics Inc., of West Point, Miss., will construct an $11 million plant that will produce aluminum materials for water treatment, catalyst and alumina manufacturing. Southern Ionics will occupy 9.5 acres.

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