Pouring the Foundation for a Happier Home
For nearly two decades, Builders Supply has partnered with Chimp Haven to support the growth of the world's largest chimpanzee sanctuary, helping provide the infrastructure needed to care for hundreds of medically vulnerable retired chimpanzees.
Located on 200 acres of forest outside Shreveport, Louisiana, Chimp Haven provides lifelong refuge and critical care for chimpanzees previously used in biomedical research. Since welcoming its first two residents in 2005, the sanctuary has grown into a nationally recognized leader in chimpanzee care and sets the standard for other sanctuaries and zoological facilities.
As Chimp Haven's population increased, so did the need for facilities designed to support the animals' long-term health, safety and well-being. Builders Supply has been proud to support that growth, providing ready mix concrete and construction expertise for critical expansion projects across the sanctuary.
Building for a Growing Sanctuary
Following the arrival of its first chimpanzees, Chimp Haven experienced rapid growth. The end of biomedical research involving chimpanzees in 2015 accelerated that expansion, creating a need for additional habitats, infrastructure and care facilities as hundreds of animals transitioned to sanctuary life.
Chimpanzees can live 30 to 40 years in the wild, and many cared for in sanctuary settings may live well into their 50s and 60s. As a result, every expansion project at Chimp Haven is designed with long-term care in mind, balancing safety, durability and quality of life.
To meet the sanctuary's evolving needs, Chimp Haven launched multiple phases of construction aimed at creating environments that provide chimpanzees with greater freedom, enrichment and opportunities for social interaction.
Throughout each phase, Builders Supply remained a trusted partner, helping keep construction projects on schedule through reliable deliveries and close coordination with project teams.
Supporting Critical Infrastructure
Constructing facilities for hundreds of chimpanzees requires more than standard infrastructure. Enclosures must be durable, secure, and designed to support complex social groupings while withstanding Louisiana's demanding climate.
Builders Supply provided ready mix concrete for several key components of the sanctuary, including:
Reinforced containment walls
Integrated moat systems
Climate-controlled chimpanzee habitats
Veterinary and animal care facilities
Multi-level climbing and enrichment structures
Visitor and welcome facilities
One particularly important enhancement involved the construction of reinforced enclosure systems that incorporated both concrete walls and protective moats. These features allow different chimpanzee social groups to live in close proximity while maintaining safe boundaries for both animals and caregivers.
Louisiana's heat and humidity added another layer of complexity to the project. New facilities needed to withstand the region's challenging conditions while creating comfortable, safe environments for year-round care. Builders Supply worked closely with construction teams to ensure concrete deliveries met performance requirements and supported demanding construction schedules.
A Lasting Partnership
As new groups of chimpanzees arrived from research facilities across the country, construction timelines often became critical. Each phase required flexibility, coordination and consistency to ensure facilities were ready when needed.
Builders Supply continued to meet those demands, delivering materials where and when they were needed to support the sanctuary's ongoing development. From the facility’s first expansion efforts to major facility improvements, we are proud to have played a role in helping support Chimp Haven to become a world-class sanctuary.
Today, Chimp Haven is home to hundreds of chimpanzees and continues to expand and enhance its facilities to meet evolving care needs. Through decades of growth, Builders Supply has remained a trusted partner, helping provide the infrastructure that allows the sanctuary to fulfill its mission.
What began as support for a growing sanctuary has evolved into a lasting partnership that continues to create safe, enriching spaces where chimpanzees can thrive for years to come.