The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has purchased approximately 104 acres in Zachary on the south side of Mount Pleasant Road, west of U.S. 61, which it will use to expand the Port Hudson National Cemetery. Bill Jeansonne, a commercial investment specialist with Saurage Rotenberg Commercial Real Estate, closed the sale from Land Investments of Louisiana to the VA on Sept. 22. Negotiations for the purchase of the property began in early 2010, and the land sold for $2,080,000, or $19,265 per acre. “We worked to coordinate a number of different parties with ownership of property, surface rights and mineral rights, while also assisting the VA with their design and environmental efforts,” Jeansonne says. The VA plans to begin work immediately to prepare the site, and has extensive plans, including a proposed lake on the western edge of the property. Port Hudson was a Confederate stronghold along the Mississippi River during the Civil War. Many veterans are interred at the Port Hudson National Cemetery, which has reached its maximum capacity.



Bill Jeansonne, a native of Alexandria, Louisiana, received both his undergraduate degree and master’s in business administration (
MBA) from Louisiana State University (LSU).  Bill has 19 years experience in the commercial and industrial real estate business and 14 years experience in commercial/industrial warehouse design and sale of handling equipment.  His specializations include commercial and industrial development, brokerage, and leasing, as well as lease negotiations.

A Designee member of the Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute (CCIM), Bill’s professional memberships include Baton Rouge’s Commercial Investment Division (CID), the LSU MBA Alumni Association, a founding member of the board of managers for the Louisiana Commercial Data Base (LACDB), a member of Louisiana REALTORS® (LR), a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), and a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).  Bill has also served as a president of CID, a chairman of the CID Trends Program, a chairman of the LSU MBA Alumni Association Louisiana Looking Up Program, and on the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) Trends committee.  His current civic affiliations and past service include board chairman of the Baton Rouge Speech and Hearing Foundation and president of the Capitol SERTOMA Club of Baton Rouge.  He is currently a member of the Cadets of the Ole War Skule, an alumnus of Omicron Delta Kappa (OΔK), and a member of the Lakeshore Lions Club.

Saurage Rotenberg Commercial Real Estate is a member of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce (BRAC); the West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce; the Baton Rouge Better Business Bureau; the Louisiana Commercial Data Base (LACDB); and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Several agents, on an individual basis, are members of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors® (SIOR), the Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute (CCIM); the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR); and the Greater Baton Rouge Association of REALTORS® Commercial Investment Division (CID).