Salvage Work Proceeds on Banks Street

This raised basement house at 2415 Banks was shorn of its decorative elements this morning.

Two unfinished structures were also razed at the corner of Palmyra and S. Tonti.

Demolitions Restarted

On my return to the VA Footprint today, I saw that three additional properties have been demolished on S. Tonti Street, two of them contributing properties in the National Register Historic District.

In the photo above, the first and third houses from the left were demolished earlier.  As of today, the second and fourth houses from the left (contributing properties) are now gone as well.  An additional apartment structure visible only barely (black metal steps) has also been demolished.

ADDED: Here is what the row of houses looked like as of the evening of 8/30/10:

ADDED: Here are shots of the two contributing properties that were destroyed, as mentioned above: 317 S. Tonti and 321 S. Tonti.

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Another Sign of the Times

With respect to LSU funding.

ht/Sandra S

"LSU is still at least $500 million short..."

"...of the estimated cost of construction, and its own consultants conclude that, once the medical center is up and running, the state may be on the hook for another $100 million a year.


Spirited discussions lie ahead."

A Shift Inside the Footprint - and Outside as Well

I've been off studying for and taking the Bar, and it's good to be back.

In the roughly two weeks I've been gone, the overall picture of the prospects for the Footprint have changed.

While it's unfortunate that Louisiana and the nation are suffering through a period of economic uncertainty, that black cloud may have silver lining as it relates to the people and the historic architecture of the neighborhood.

In this week's edition of The Louisiana Weekly, Christopher Tidmore takes an in-depth look at the politics and players involved in the controversy and makes a rather significant finding.  The headline of the lengthy feature article sums up the new atmosphere that surrounds the project:


"Delays, Cost Overruns May Save Neighborhood"

Here's the introduction to the piece:

What had seemed impossible only a month ago, suddenly entered the realm of reality over the last week.  The news that the new LSU Medical Center would take at least another six months over its original estimated opening date, and cost millions more than was originally proposed for its construction left some senior state officials wondering if the demolition of a historic, 19th-century neighborhood in Mid-City was the best answer.

The article goes on to outline the grim fiscal realities that may ultimately save the neighborhood - the parts that weren't already demolished.

It's unfortunate that dedicated medical care has not yet been restored to the community as anticipated.  But the new fiscal climate makes even more apparent what many, myself included, have been arguing all along: a more limited footprint and the inclusion of the existing Charity facility in the plans is the faster, cheaper, and more responsible way forward.

Sandra Stokes of the Foundation for Historical Louisiana does a great job of outlining the details of those arguments in the body of the Tidmore article linked above.  Be sure to read the whole thing.