Take a good look at this house in the 1700 block of North Villere Street. It might not be around much longer. Photo by Karen Gadbois
A second house moved to make way for a massive new hospital complex in Lower Mid-City may be demolished after standing open to the elements for months.
It’s not clear how much money the city spent to move the house, an effort to preserve part of the city’s historic housing stock. Nor is it clear whether the city will now shoulder the cost of razing the structure.
The fate of the house now in the 1700 block of North Villere Street could be determined at Monday’s meeting of the Neighborhood Conservation District Committee. That body would have to approve the demolition request being sought by the new owner, Neighborhood Housing Services, the nonprofit which received the donation of the building from the city.
It’s now teetering atop a temporary foundation without a roof.
The house originally sat in the 2200 block of Palmyra Street. It was moved as part of an initiative by Mayor Mitch Landrieu to save historic buildings from the wrecking ball.
Landrieu spokesman Ryan Berni said in an email that the organization that moved the houses, Builders of Hope, put the house in the wrong place. Neighborhood Housing Services has been waiting for Builders of Hope to correct the problem before it put on a new roof and secured the house, he said.
Neighborhood Housing Services did not respond to a request for comment.
The structure took a beating in Isaac, Berni said, and the city’s Code Enforcement inspectors determined that the house fit into the “imminent danger of collapse” category. That allows the city to demolish it without review, if necessary.
Scores of houses were moved out of the 29 acres that were cleared to make room for the new Veterans Administration and Louisiana State University hospitals. The house-moving program was billed as the largest of its kind, but it has been riddled with problems.
Another house moved to the Treme neighborhood is also on the Historic District Landmarks Committee agenda requesting permission for demolition.
Take a good look at this house in the 1700 block of North Villere Street. It might not be around much longer. Photo by Karen Gadbois
A second house moved to make way for a massive new hospital complex in Lower Mid-City may be demolished after standing open to the elements for months.
It’s not clear how much money the city spent to move the house, an effort to preserve part of the city’s historic housing stock. Nor is it clear whether the city will now shoulder the cost of razing the structure.
The fate of the house now in the 1700 block of North Villere Street could be determined at Monday’s meeting of the Neighborhood Conservation District Committee. That body would have to approve the demolition request being sought by the new owner, Neighborhood Housing Services, the nonprofit which received the donation of the building from the city.
It’s now teetering atop a temporary foundation without a roof.
The house originally sat in the 2200 block of Palmyra Street. It was moved as part of an initiative by Mayor Mitch Landrieu to save historic buildings from the wrecking ball.
Landrieu spokesman Ryan Berni said in an email that the organization that moved the houses, Builders of Hope, put the house in the wrong place. Neighborhood Housing Services has been waiting for Builders of Hope to correct the problem before it put on a new roof and secured the house, he said.
Neighborhood Housing Services did not respond to a request for comment.
The structure took a beating in Isaac, Berni said, and the city’s Code Enforcement inspectors determined that the house fit into the “imminent danger of collapse” category. That allows the city to demolish it without review, if necessary.
Scores of houses were moved out of the 29 acres that were cleared to make room for the new Veterans Administration and Louisiana State University hospitals. The house-moving program was billed as the largest of its kind, but it has been riddled with problems.
Another house moved to the Treme neighborhood is also on the Historic District Landmarks Committee agenda requesting permission for demolition.
Posted: 2012-10-12 17:23:07
