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Residents raise concerns as Hyundai Steel Facility moves forward in Ascension Parish
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MODESTE — The state has purchased land in Ascension Parish for the planned Hyundai steel facility, a $5.8 billion project expected to create more than 1,300 direct jobs. While officials tout the economic benefits, nearby residents say the project is moving too quickly and comes at a high cost to their quiet community.
In Modeste, the land is just a fraction of more than 1,700 acres along the Mississippi River that the state now owns. The property is slated to become a new carbon-steel plant that will supply Hyundai’s automotive facilities in Georgia and Alabama. Construction is expected to start later this year and is anticipated to be completed around 2029.
The controversy began in October, when residents watched crews tear down dilapidated structures on the property. Those structures were homes that once served as slave quarters at the historic Mulberry Grove Plantation.
“And to just see them just coming down. It just puts a hole in your heart,” said resident, Twila Collins.
After residents complained, Hyundai halted demolition. However, crews had already torn down two homes before work stopped. The company noted the land was privately owned at the time, prior to the state completing the purchase.
Charles Jang, president of Hyundai Steel Louisiana, said the company takes historical and cultural preservation seriously and will secure all required permits before construction continues.
“It would be something that should be preserved,” Collins said.
Concerns resurfaced in December when residents, including Collins, spotted heavy machinery on the Germania Plantation near a sugar mill tower. Following the October demolitions, Collins said the activity raised further concerns and left residents feeling misled.
“It's, you know, puzzling to say you won't do something and you're still doing it anyway,” Collins said.
WBRZ contacted Hyundai Steel regarding the machinery. The company said it served evaluation purposes and “does not involve the removal or disturbance of any cultural assets or artifacts.”
“It's too fast for everybody to just really keep paying up, paying attention or keeping up with it,” Collins added.
While the project is expected to bring more than 1,300 jobs to Ascension Parish, residents argue the development comes at a cost to the community of Modeste. Even after receiving additional information from Hyundai, Collins says she and her family want the company to leave.
“What do I want from Hyundai? I want Hyundai to pick up their bags, leave and go somewhere else, because we don't want them here,” Collins said.
Construction on the facility is expected to start later this year, with completion anticipated around 2029.
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