Historical foundation issues statement on Spanish Town development

The Foundation for Historical Louisiana has come out against any development in Spanish Town that does not fit in with the approved guidelines of the historic neighborhood. David Slaughter, whose plans to build an apartment complex ignited a controversy in Spanish Town, says he’s pleased with the statement. Slaughter says his Capitol Lofts development, which will contain 67 units overlooking Arsenal Park, meets all of the guidelines. “This design fits in extremely well with the surrounding neighborhood,” he says. The foundation says it would like to see everything possible done to preserve the 10 houses on the proposed site for Capitol Lofts. “Incompatible development can destroy what is important to preserve,” the foundation said in a statement. Slaughter says he will use tax credits to rehabilitate three of the houses and put them up for lease, and he’s donating the other seven to the historical foundation. “Maybe they can find some land out there for these houses,” he says. While there’s a shortage of vacant lots in Spanish Town, Slaughter says the houses could end up in Old South Baton Rouge. The Capitol Lofts project is set to go before the city-parish Historic Preservation Committee next month for approval. This is the first time the historic district ordinances and the committee have been tested by a significant development.—Timothy Boone