Concept stage · No site secured

New Orleans East / from November 2026

A place to build what comes next.

SoLo is studying a 15–25-acre first campus for creative manufacturing, a small semiconductor process study, solar and agriculture, and its AI operations. DoLo REI would lead site diligence. The larger campus image shows the long-term vision.

Illustrated future SoLo campus with publishing, apparel, Solutions Lab, factory and solar areas
Vision rendering. This is proposed future scope, not an existing facility or a surveyed site.

The right-sized first move

Start on 15–25 acres. Expand only when the facts support it.

The new phasing plan replaces the earlier 150-acre first-site concept. It studies adjacent options for a later 50–100-acre footprint. None of these parcels has been selected or acquired.

01 / DoLo REI

Find the ground

Screen real parcels, flood and wetland constraints, zoning, access and expansion rights.

02 / First factory pod

Prove demand

Test supply, apparel and publishing lines with customers, equipment quotes and unit economics.

03 / Advanced work

Scope the cleanroom

Study a 5,000–8,000 sq ft initial process area only after product, utility and safety feasibility.

04 / Power & land

Engineer the mix

Test the proposed 2 MW solar and under-panel crop concept against a real parcel and utility response.

Concept diagram of compact SoLo launch campus, showing first-phase factory, semiconductor area, utilities and AI core
Compact launch diagram. Concept only; dimensions, utilities and placement require a surveyed engineering plan.

Phase 1 / the practical sequence

The first build is a decision, not a rendering.

The factory line must show buyers and workable margins. A parcel must clear land, flood, environmental and utility checks. The cleanroom and foundry stay in the feasibility or later-phase lane until qualified engineering and capital support them.

See the decision gates

Visual roadmap / November 2026 onward

From concept to groundbreaking.

These are overlapping planning windows, not promised dates. Groundbreaking means permitted work on a secured site with financing and a contractor in place; it does not mean a fab is producing chips.

  1. Now–M2

    Define the first pod

    Prove one buyer need; shortlist three 15–25-acre parcels.

    Gate: Buyer signal + site list
  2. M2–M6

    Screen land

    Check zoning, flood, wetlands, title and expansion rights.

    Gate: One viable parcel
  3. M4–M9

    Engineer the concept

    Get survey, geotech, utility response and costed design.

    Gate: Qualified design + quotes
  4. M6–M15

    Secure demand & capital

    Document offtake, site control, funding and cash needs.

    Gate: Signed evidence
  5. M9–M24

    Clear approvals

    Complete required city, utility and environmental reviews.

    Gate: Approvals + conditions
  6. M18–M36+

    Groundbreak first pod

    Start permitted site work with land, funding and contractor.

    Gate: Notice to proceed

Working range: 18–36+ months for a first permitted pod if the gates clear. No groundbreaking date is announced.

Download visual roadmap (SVG)

Capital model / preliminary

$14.6M is a paper estimate for a 20-acre Phase 1.

The founder-supplied Capital Cost Analysis totals nine proposed land, site, building, equipment, power and utility cost lines. The arithmetic checks, but the inputs have no parcel, dated vendor quotes, utility study, buyer contracts or financing terms behind them yet.

This figure is an unquoted, unaudited planning scenario. It is not the Phase 0 fundraising goal, committed capital or a construction bid.

What comes next

Price the first decision.

Commission a costed Phase 0 feasibility scope, then update the estimate using actual site conditions, engineering, supplier quotes and a realistic contingency.

See the separate Phase 0 tally

Phase 0 / feasibility funding

Fund the proof before the groundbreaking.

The first funding target will come from real quotes for parcel due diligence, survey, engineering, utilities and commercial validation. The public tally starts at the founder-reported amount below; it does not count unverified pledges.

Discuss backing Phase 0

Public fundraising tally

$0

Founder-reported starting total · No public receipts posted

Goal: pending a quote-backed Phase 0 budget

As of November 6, 2026

How we check the ground truth

Public sources for the gates.

Site zoning: New Orleans Property Viewer. Flood maps: FEMA Map Service Center. Wetlands: U.S. Army Corps New Orleans District. Utility requests: Entergy connection requirements. Environmental permits: Louisiana DEQ. Construction: New Orleans new-construction permit.