No one wants to live next door to a blighted building. And no one wants to see a home fall into disrepair, especially since deteriorating buildings can be dangerous. Demolishing historic properties, however, isn’t the only solution to the urgent issue of cleaning up blight in New Orleans.
Over the past year, the New Orleans Department of Code Enforcement has accelerated its efforts to reduce blighted buildings throughout Orleans Parish. But the department’s strategy has shifted to target properties for demolition — even historic buildings that are structurally stable and not beyond repair. Instead of tearing these buildings down, the PRC encourages the department to consider alternatives, such as securing the properties or seizing and selling them so a responsible owner can return them to commerce.
Once a building is demolished, its history — and all of its historic materials — are gone forever. If a historic building can be restored, demolition is an unreasonable response.
hile PRC agrees with Code Enforcement’s overall objective, we are concerned that the agency is using demolition as a primary tool, instead of a last resort. Code Enforcement’s recent slate of demolition applications in local historic districts have all been denied by the Historic District Landmarks Commission that oversees their regulation.
Proponents of preservation appreciate buildings that show their age and history, but, from a different perspective, old can seem obsolete, and patina might make for an eyesore. Seeing the potential in a decaying or dilapidated building comes from understanding the value — culturally, environmentally, economically and aesthetically — of the design, materials and stories within those walls.
Code Enforcement faces an enormous backlog of properties with maintenance violations that need to be addressed promptly, and this is no easy feat. The PRC has met with Code Enforcement Director Anthony Davis, and we hope to work together to help explore alternatives to demolition that can effectively and efficiently reduce (and prevent) blight in historic neighborhoods.
There are many reasons to consider alternatives to demolition when dealing with blight in New Orleans’ historic districts.
A vacant lot is a short-term solution to the problem and can introduce a host of new problems. Many vacant lots become unkempt, long-term nuisances or sites for illegal dumping. Demolishing a historic building is the equivalent of treating the symptoms without addressing an underlying disease. Owners neglect buildings for a variety of reasons and with a range of intentions. Some owners are deliberately negligent, some cannot afford repairs, and still others are caught in complicated successions where there is no clear owner to take on the responsibility of caring for the property. Demolishing a building does not solve any of these issues and instead, frequently results in little more than an unmaintained vacant lot and continued public nuisance.
The quality and craftsmanship of historic buildings is superior to new construction. Historic buildings achieve longevity because so many were constructed by master craftsmen using higher quality materials than what is available today. Old wood is denser than today’s lumber, making it more resilient to moisture and insects. Plaster walls are more durable over a longer span of time than modern drywall materials. And the cost of new construction, with materials and labor, makes the addition of intricate architectural details cost prohibitive. Since new materials do not last as long, they need to be maintained and replaced with a higher frequency than historic building materials. Repaired and restored historic materials will last longer (and look better for longer) than newer materials. While the cost of historically appropriate renovations can vary, and in some cases may be initially more expensive than new construction, the long-term maintenance costs of historic materials are frequently lower.
Demolition is wasteful and bad for the environment. When a building is demolished, those materials are sent to a landfill. The workmanship of the city’s early craftsmen, many of whom were free people of color, is lost when a building is razed. In addition, the removal and disposal of materials during demolitions, as well as the manufacturing and transportation of new construction materials, results in substantial carbon emissions that are harmful to the environment. Reusing historic architectural buildings is environmentally friendlier.
Returning buildings to commerce is an important economic driver. New Orleans’ historic architecture is a draw for tourists and residents alike. Living or working in a historic building is an experience specific to this city that cannot be replicated in other parts of the country. For this reason, there are many people who are interested in buying a building in a historic neighborhood — even if that building appears to be in poor condition or dilapidated. The renovations included below show the potential of historic buildings, even after years of neglect.
Instead of tearing down buildings, could the city use its resources to secure blighted buildings that are exposed to the elements, such as tarp roofs and patch holes in the walls? Code Enforcement uses the Hearings Bureau to conduct title research to identify current owners before demolitions. Could this service be provided to assist property owners with succession issues?
While these would be temporary fixes, they would alleviate some of the worst symptoms of blight while the best course of action is chosen for a given property. Such assistance would allow time to remedy the neglect when there is a responsible owner; and for an irresponsible owner, the city’s forced intervention would secure a building while it made plans to move forward with a more aggressive approach, such as seizure of a property for auction at a sheriff’s sales. Through sheriff’s sales, Code Enforcement could transfer properties into the hands of a responsible owner and return valuable historic buildings back to commerce.
Blight causes enough harm to the city; let’s make sure the solution avoids any further harm to New Orleans’ historic architecture.
