The New Orleans Code Enforcement Department recently demolished four buildings, including three historic houses and a non-historic dry cleaners on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard that were owned and neglected for years by the Dryades YMCA, which is located across the street. The scene on Monday afternoon, Oct. 21, was a grim one, as the final building came down and irreplaceable historic materials — crown molding, quoins, medallions, transoms — were smashed under the crushing blows of a bulldozer, with these architectural elements destined next for the landfill.
Blight is a major safety concern for residents, but when the blight removal process lacks transparency, it’s hard to know why demolition was the only option. These buildings could have been sold to a responsible owner, renovated and turned back into housing.
The Preservation Resource Center has been troubled by the condition of the three houses (2221-23, 2239-41 and 2243 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.) for the last decade, and years ago, the PRC offered to help move them or assist with their renovation. Neighbors said the YMCA had received offers from potential buyers who wanted to purchase and renovate the properties, but the board over the years has never agreed to sell. With these four gone, only three buildings remain at the end of the blockfront, and the YMCA owns a row of cleared parcels.
Demolition permits were issued for the buildings on Oct. 14 after Code Enforcement categorized all four as Emergency IDC Demolitions, subsequently bypassing review by the New Orleans City Council, even though the buildings are located within the Central City National Register Demolition Review District. While IDC previously stood for “Imminent Danger of Collapse,” Code Enforcement Director Anthony Davis re-branded the acronym as “Imminent Dangerous Conditions.” The new brand of IDC is far more nebulous, potentially referring to a range of non-structural issues.
Code Enforcement did not make any information publicly available regarding what qualified these properties for Emergency IDC Demolitions. The lack of transparency and the speed of these demolitions raises several questions:
- After years of neglect and Code Enforcement violations dating back to 2014-2015, why was something not done sooner to hold the YMCA accountable?
- How did all four buildings suddenly meet “emergency” standards? After all, they survived recent high winds during Hurricane Francine?
- The rationale behind these decisions is even more confounding since recent photos provided by a concerned neighbor showed a level foundation and intact interior architectural features at 2221 O.C. Haley Blvd.
At a recent City Council Budget Hearing, Councilmember Lesli Harris expressed concern regarding Code Enforcement’s approach to blight in historic districts, which has undermined the expertise and inspections of the Historic District Landmarks Commission. Staff at the HDLC and the Vieux Carre Commission have also raised similar concerns at public hearings.
Code Enforcement’s recent demolition applications in local and National Register historic districts indicate a shift in both its approach and terminology.
The PRC is concerned about Code Enforcement setting a precedent where demolitions are the only solution for neglected properties, even when rehabilitation is still feasible. If a building is not in danger of collapse, demolition is unreasonable. Seizing and selling the property to a responsible owner at a sheriff’s sale is a better long-term solution. Blight and the safety concerns that it causes need to be addressed in a timely and transparent manner, but demolitions in historic districts should be a last resort.
