CENTRAL - BREC's Frenchtown Nature Station is getting closer to opening to visitors. Members of the media and public were invited to tour the facility and trails on Monday.

The $1.7 million building, which is built 12 feet off the ground, was constructed by Capitol Construction and has been sitting idle since late 2022. BREC says original estimates by the architect for the project were about $1.4 million before the pandemic. In November 2024, 2 On Your Side reported that the building did not have an occupancy permit and BREC was still working to meet compliance requirements with regard to the water system. Turns out, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal had granted temporary occupancy in November 2023 unbeknownst to the architect and BREC.

Monday, BREC went into more detail about those requirements and why they took so long to get to this point. The building is situated between the Comite and Amite Rivers and is in an area with no water service. A well had to be built, which was more work than originally thought. Reed Richard is the Assistant Superintendent of Planning and Construction and says the well required "much more stringent regulations and rigorous testing," including approval by the state.

Last fall, 2 On Your Side asked BREC about the final outstanding items for the occupancy permit, including approval from LDH for the well and approval from the Fire Marshal for the specialized elevator services. That was received in December. The City of Central issued its certificate for occupancy in early December while BREC worked with in-house staff to implement testing procedures for the water supply.

"It has been a long journey," Richard said.

The well reaches 250 feet below ground and must be tested regularly for public consumption. An on-site pond acts as a fire hydrant in the case of an emergency.

Frenchtown Conservation Area is nearly 500 acres. It's the largest park and conservation area operated by BREC and home to diverse plants and animals with three miles of trails and more to come. The area and station will be home to summer camps, meetings, parties, and other gatherings.

The paving and improvements to Frenchtown Road will come later and will be the responsibility of the City of Central. The railroad will be replacing the trestle bridge to accommodate larger vehicles and the improvements to the road cannot take place until that work is done.

Frenchtown Nature Station will be open after Mardi Gras, but BREC says it's still working on staffing and won't be full-time operational until the end of April. There is a ribbon cutting April 25 at 10 a.m.