Squandered Heritage

HDLC

Historic District Landmarks Commission Meeting Agenda
May 11th, 2007
City Council Chambers 9:30 a.m.
City Hall

RESULT: Approved

Joseph Tolliver, owner, represented by the Housing Unit Demolition Task Force. Right now, we are in the vortex of the demolition process we could see coming 6 months ago.

It could be an Imminent Danger declaration at the City level that brings this to the agenda or a FEMA demolition. Because of the timing, I think it’s a FEMA list, voluntary application, for a taxpayer sponsored demolition. In the minds of the owners, these are FREE demolitions. There is no free demolition. The taxpayers pay or a lien is put on the remaining vacant lot.

Even though this building has been altered in design from it’s original contributing status as an architecturally important structure, at one point it was contributing. Regardless of the provenance of demolition, there will be a lingering and unrecompensable cost to our city’s architectural heritage that is lost forever. The Imminent Danger properties listed by the city as part of their code enforcement program are just now going coming to the point where they will actually be demolished.

Nevertheless, this demolition is not due to Katrina. It’s due to neglect. It’s a lack of responsibility on the part of the owners to maintain or sell the property, and also many years of complete lack of real code enforcement in New Orleans.

Housing Conservation District Review Committee Meeting
Monday, April 23rd, 2007
10a.m. Room 7E07
City Hall

More Photos

Applicant City of New Orleans Housing Unit Demolition Task Force has applied for the owner to demolish this residence under the city’s voluntary demolition program (no information on the
building included with the agenda). This is a new trend we have noticed with this meeting, that the Housing Unit Task Force ( the City of New Orleans) is representing the owner for these properties, probably due to the issuance of the Imminent Danger deadline for city sponsored demolitions of very damaged properties.

Housing Conservation District Review Committee Meeting
Monday, April 23rd, 2007
10a.m. Room 7E07
City Hall

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More Photos

Applicant City of New Orleans Housing Unit Demolition Task Force has applied for the owner to demolish this residence under the city’s voluntary demolition program (no information on the building included with agenda.)

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

RESULTS: IN A HCDLC DISTRICT

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

The Housing Unit Demolition Task Force, an entity of the city attorney’s office, has applied to demolish this Victorian-style single shotgun for the owner, Wilmot Shows, who plans to replace it with a vacant lot. This is a great little house. And Wilmot’s shed in the back is pretty wonderful too.

We have been trying to figure out the role of the HUTF. It seems to be the city entity that is operating as Neighborhood One. Most likely the funds for these demolitions are federal matching funds from FEMA.

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

RESULTS APPROVED

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

Applicant, City of New Orleans Housing Unit Demolition Task Force, on behalf of owner, Ocelia Wingate, will be replaced by a vacant lot.

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

RESULTS: APPROVED

3216-18 Second St. Applicant City of New Orleans Housing Unit Demolition
Task Force for owner Emelda Coleman has applied to demolish this
single-family residence with a vacant lot.

I ran into Miss Coleman while I was out at this lot.

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

RESULTS APPROVED

Result: This address is on the agenda for next Monday’s Meeting but it looks like someone at HUTF is getting a little ahead of the process. Huge swaths of homes in this area of the lower ninth are being demolished, it will be a rare case that survives.

Applicant, Housing Unit Demolition Task Force, has applied for the demolition of this brick ranch double to be replaced with a vacant lot on behalf of the owner, Helen Anthony.

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.