A Happy Story

While there's a bittersweet undertone, of course, it was good to run into some of the positive results of the architectural salvage that was mandated for the LSU/VA site preparation.

Pushed for by preservationists and required by the Programmatic Agreement (PA) that came out of Section 106 consultations, salvage of certain architectural elements led to a massive output of salvaged items at Habitat for Humanity's Marigny Re-Store, as I've documented here on the blog.

Last week, however, I was making my rounds in the Lower Garden District, only to learn that several of the historic renovation projects I was touring...used doors and windows, almost exclusively, that had been salvaged from properties in the LSU/VA Footprint.

I've shared photos of two such properties here.  Again, while it's unfortunate that a neighborhood was lost, it is good to see that some elements survived what otherwise would have been outright demolition for reuse in other buildings that are being brought back online from decades of sitting in a blighted condition.

Following Up

Thankfully, the brackets from 2408 Palmyra were at the Habitat ReStore down in the Marigny this morning.  I didn't see any items from the red house at 321 S. Galvez, though.

Look Familiar? Where the Salvaged Items End Up

These items might seem vaguely familiar.  That's because many of them were salvaged from properties that have been demolished in the VA Footprint. 

Under the Programmatic Agreement for the hospitals project, Habitat for Humanity's ReStore down in the Marigny has received many of the salvaged architectural elements for re-sale.  Salvage has been a positive aspect of the process, but it still must be viewed within the larger context of the neighborhood being dismantled - it's better than destruction, but it's inadequate consolation in the grand scheme of things.

Several recognizable items, like a bracket from 317 S. Tonti and ornate yellow trim from 319 S. Tonti, are for sale.  So is the board full of ornate, decorative quoins from 319 S. Tonti.  The store also has plenty of doorframes, mantelpieces, etc. from the Footprint.

A Question with the Salvage Process

Recently, I encountered a local for-profit company stripping architectural elements off of a house at 226 S. Miro in the VA Footprint.

While the head of the crew that was removing quoins and doors, etc. and loading them onto a trailer was very nice, I was a bit concerned.  Under the Architectural Salvage Plan that governs salvage of the homes that are to be demolished or moved, a non-profit receiver, Habitat for Humanity, is supposed to pick up all of the historic architectural elements.  This arrangement falls under the umbrella "Programmatic Agreement" or PA that governs the entire site preparation process.

I've confirmed that Habitat did in fact receive some of the earlier architectural elements at the group's Restore down in the Marigny - stop in if you'd like to purchase a reminder or two from the Footprint.  Several distinctive pieces from the ornate house at 319 S. Tonti Street, since demolished, are on hand.

I just want to make sure that other parties aren't cutting in...in violation of the Programmatic Agreement.  I've contacted the proper parties to inform them, but please contact me if you happen to be in the Footprint and you see someone who doesn't appear to be from Jacobs, Durr, Builders of Hope, Tim Clark, or Orleans Shoring taking things off houses.