Planning Commission members are recommending approval of developer David Slaughter’s request to tear down seven houses in Spanish Town to make room for his proposed Capitol Lofts apartment building. Meanwhile, some Historic Preservation Commission members are questioning the reasoning behind the demolition of houses that contribute to Spanish Town’s designation as a historic district.
In a memo to the historic commission, planning staff listed 12 problems found in the houses, including wood deterioration, missing roof components and asbestos shingles, and other factors that create “severe health and safety issues.” Tenants are currently living in at least some of the homes. For a link to the staff recommendation in favor of the demolition, click here.
“I’m more than willing to donate them to anyone willing to move them,” Slaughter says. “You would probably have to get an engineer to go and look at those houses to see if they’re structurally sound enough to be able to move.”
The staff also recommends approving the development itself. The development is in a historic district, so the historic commission must approve the demolitions and the development before Slaughter can receive a building permit; however, the developer can appeal that decision to the Metro Council. For a link to the staff recommendation in favor of the development, click here.
The Planning Commission must also approve any demolition within the Downtown Development District. The Planning Commission, however, does not need to approve the development itself because Slaughter no longer wants to rezone the property. The historic commission will discuss Capitol Lofts on Aug. 12, while the Planning Commission will consider approving the demolitions on Aug. 17.
Some historic commission members are asking how the 12 issues discussed in the report can be said to lead to an unsafe condition when people are living in the houses, and why houses in the district need to be demolished simply because they need a lot of work. Tax credits are available to help fix up such houses, and many Spanish Town residents argue tearing down the houses defeats the whole point of the historic designation.
“I’ve built my practice and reputation in Baton Rouge and the region on doing residential renovations,” says architect Kevin Harris, who is not a historic commission member. “When we go in and renovate really nice houses, we tear them up in order to make them better. Not a one [of the seven Spanish Town houses] is in such bad shape that you can’t bring it back.”
Comments
Posted by spanishtownproponent on July 31, 2009 at 4:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
so hard to believe that the planning commission cannot find value in maintaining the integrity of spanish town. i certainly hope that the historic commission can come to the rescue of this neighborhood. thanks for speaking out Kevin Harris.
Posted by stone on July 31, 2009 at 4:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What is this city's problem?!? The developers, for one. Our historic significance has been whittled away by greedy developers who would rather build build build than restore, renovate and recognize the importance of historic preservation. We already have enough cheaply-constructed unoccupied developments in this city--and I use the term "city" with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Baton Rouge is an embarrassment, not a city.
Posted by Diva on July 31, 2009 at 4:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What the planning commission staff didn't say is that those homes have been deliberately neglected by the developer, who has owned them for years. Several of his homes have already been torn down. This is disgraceful.
Posted by tlclsu on July 31, 2009 at 5:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm not an architect, but all those problems sound fixable to me. Asbestos shingles? My (Southdowns) home is covered by them - they're not a danger unless you take them off and break them up!
Here we go again with a developer wanting to change the character of an historic neighborhood (in this case perhaps our most historic one).
Wonder if this one pays his bills???
Posted by Being_Stupid on August 1, 2009 at 5:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You want to preserve a piece of history???
HOW ABOUT PRESERVING PROPERTY RIGHTS???
The opponents will accuse developers and property owners as being selfish, greedy, and arrogant for wanting to build their property in accordance with their own vision.
But what I find extremely ARROGANT is the belief that these opponents somehow think they have control over what does not belong to them.
That the sale of their "Historical Home" somehow included the surrounding land use.
That they have the right to dictate to other property owners how they should use their land.
and then seek the coercive power of a lone council representative or government official to impose their will over their neighbor, and STEAL their neighbor's property rights.
& what is worst, that they succeed, in a government that is becoming more and more about REGULATIONS and LAWS instead of protecting FREEDOM & PROPERTY RIGHTS.
Posted by spanishtownproponent on August 5, 2009 at 5:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
PROPERTY RIGHTS??? one person's PROPERTY RIGHTS do not preclude the rights of others. how is it a single developer with the desire to develop a multi story building can over rule the rights of all other spanish town property owners? that makes no sense.
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