Repurpose Or Demolish?
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
The Opelousas Board of Aldermen is expected to decide next month whether to accept a financial proposal which could provide rehabilitation for a 19th century downtown building that will otherwise be demolished.
Investor Ben Trant and historical architect Stephen Ortego told the Board during a Tuesday night meeting that they intend to reconstruct the city-owned building on the corner of East Grolee and Main Street into a combined residential and commercial structure.
Ortego said during the meeting that it would be unwise to consider destroying the building, since the Board passed an Opelousas ordinance two years ago that is aimed at placing vacant buildings back into commercial vibrance.
Although the building, which has served multi-municipal purposes for two decades, is without a roof that collapsed and fell inside the building two years ago, Ortego has told the Board on previous occasions that he considers the structure to be stable.
Members of the Board were told that the appraised value of the building is about $33,500.
Code Enforcement Director Lance Ned said on Tuesday night that previous estimates obtained for tearing down the building range from $35,000 to $37,000.
The Board agreed to purchase an excavator two months ago to help tear down citywide structures that are considered to be blighted.
At past meetings when questioned by the Board about the overall condition of the brick building, Ned said that in his opinion, the building is unstable and needs to be razed.
Alderman John Guilbeaux said the building which was donated to the city, should be considered surplus property.
If the building demolition costs exceed what the building is worth according to the appraisal, Guilbeaux said it would not be cost effective for the city to pay to tear it down in order to create a parking lot for city court.
Ned said the estimated cost to tear the building down was made two years ago.
“I assume that now those costs will go up,” said Ned,who told the Board that he has contacted two demolition companies to provide estimates at current prices.
Updated demolition estimates, Ned said, were not received by code enforcement in order to be provided at the Tuesday night meeting.
Trant has not provided the Board with a proposal price, something that city attorney Travis Broussard is necessary so the city can attach a price to an ordinance that acknowledges a sale.
Ortego stressed the importance of preserving the building.
“Not only does this building come with a great history, but it also provides the buyer with federal tax credits which help pay the rebuilding costs. Preserving it will inject new life into the downtown and (Trant) has indicated that he is really interested in doing this project,” Ortego said.
It was the second time in two months that Trant and Ortego appeared before the council in connection with buying the building.
In August Opelousas Downtown Development District chairperson Lena Charles told the Board that saving the building from destruction might create a catalyst project for the downtown area.
Mayor Julius Alsandor told the Board that the city has a prospective buyer with the intention to address a downtown issue.
“We have a buyer. He will put the building back into commerce. Let’s move forward so this (building) will not be in (the city’s) possession anymore. This project will create apartments and commerce,” said Alsandor.
Alderman-at-large Marvin Richard said it is time the city made a decision on whether to sell the building or decide to do something else with the structure.
