The City of Pineville announced on Feb. 23 it has applied for $750,000 in federal BUILD funds. This funding request, announced by Mayor Joe Bishop, is dedicated to the planning, engineering, and design phases of the Central Louisiana Hospital Redevelopment Project, which aims to revitalize 350 acres of land adjacent to downtown Pineville.

For nearly a century, Pineville served as part of a regional healthcare hub. However, the relocation of major state hospitals has left behind aging infrastructure and a disconnected internal roadway network that functions as a barrier to new growth.

The proposed project addresses these challenges through two primary components:

• Component A: Planning for a new, continuous corridor extending Napoleon Boulevard approximately 1,700 feet to Rainbow Drive, featuring a new 50-foot bridge over Spanish Bayou.
• Component B: Designing a new internal roadway extending approximately 2,500 linear feet from West Shamrock Drive through the former Central Louisiana State Hospital campus.

“This grant is a pivotal moment for Pineville’s future,” said Mayor Joe Bishop. “By securing these funds and working with the Pineville Downtown Development District, we are building a foundation for growth. This strategic plan addresses our transportation hurdles to improve safety, reduce travel costs, and signal to investors that Pineville is ready for economic prosperity.”

The project is designed to improve daily life for Pineville workers who commute by vehicle. By eliminating dead ends and fragmented connections, the City will reduce fuel waste, shorten travel times, and provide emergency responders with vital route redundancy.

This application builds on existing momentum, including recent private investments like the Giles Hyundai dealership, Y-NOT-STOP, and commercial office growth activity. By modernizing the infrastructure surrounding these sites, Pineville aims to transform underutilized institutional land into a vibrant, mixed-use urban core.