Squandered Heritage

Housing Conservation District Review Committee Meeting Agenda
January 8th, 2007
10 a.m. Room 7E07
City Hall

Result: This property is up for review at next Monday’s Meeting

RESULT:DEFERRED<OWNER NOT PRESENT
March 26th, 2007 Result: Approved

2/5/07 again Owner not Present

Owner First House of Prayer Baptist Church has applied to demolish this raised basement, Art-and-Crafts style double shotgun. It was Freddy and Dorothy’s Restaurant, back in the day.

This neglected responsibility will be replaced by a vacant lot. The rear wall has fallen off. I am shocked at how many properties are left to blight and later demolished by churches. It dawned on me that there must be a house heaven. Angels fix them up and live in them.

Housing Conservation District Review Committee Meeting Agenda
January 8th, 2007
10 a.m. Room 7E07
City Hall

Result: This house is up for review at next Monday’s Meeting

The City Attorney’s Neighborhood One, Housing Unit Task Demolition Task Force has applied to demolish this two-story structure in Central City. The owner, the Second Mount Calvary Baptist Church permitted this building to fall into blight in recent years and intends to leave the lot vacant. Churches consistently purchase property, allow it to blight and have it torn down by the city or tear it down themselves simply to bank land around a church. There are about six churches in one square block in this neighborhood, they are not open, there are few residents who have to returned to attend. However, the city’s new wifi system is available here.

Historic District Landmarks Commission Meeting Agenda
December 15th, 2006
Council Chambers, 9:30 a.m.
City Hall

Result: Application for Demolition. This application beings the standard, 30-day, layover.

Click to see more photos

Owner, Jonathan G. Clague proposes to demolish this modest shotgun and build a new residence. He owns the lot next to this building which is becoming a small junkyard.

Housing Conservation District Review Committee
Meeting Agenda
December 4, 2006

Result: Approved

This shotgun double is in fair shape. The extension on the back is not as good, it’s sitting lower to the ground. The owners next to this property are renovating. If these folks could perhaps, just demolish the back part and then renovate the front, original part of the home, that would be ideal.

Housing Conservation District Review Committee Meeting Agenda
December 4th, 2006
10 a.m. Room 7E07
City Hall

RESULTS=APPROVED

This is an example of slab construction where it just doesn’t belong. This house is in the Hawthorne Triangle, a ‘Back o’Town’ part of the city that is devastated, but within a mile of St. Charles Ave. There is no argument here regarding approval. While on this site visit, I heard a common sound of running water. The house next door had a broken water pipe under the house. This neighborhood is largely vacant, just north of Galvez. The water leak could have been going on forever, the owners probably have large Sewerage and Water Board bills they are debating with the utility. I know how to turn the main water line off at the front of the house and at the street if I have to, with a special tool I carry in my car. I turned it off, the sound of wasted resources stopped immediately.