Council seeks information on neglected sites

• By SAMUEL IRWIN
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: May 15, 2008 - Page: 8B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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DONALDSONVILLE — The City Council directed the Donaldsonville Historic District Commission on Tuesday to report next month on three derelict historic buildings, including one owned by the city.

The historic district protects buildings and homes within the city’s 50-block downtown area.

City Code Enforcement Officer C.J. Williams told the council that the property at 505 Chetimaches St., which is in the historic district, actually is used as a junkyard.

Councilman Tony Huey recommended demolition of the residence at the location.

“It’s a car mechanic yard,” Huey said. “Nothing is getting done. The house will never be fixed. We need to tear it down.”

Mayor Leroy Sullivan said the house and grounds have been cleared several times during the past four years, but junk and abandoned cars continue to accumulate at the location.

But Sullivan also said he didn’t see how the city could ask a property owner to maintain an old building when the city has allowed a property on Charles Street to fall into disrepair.

The mayor described that house, the former Department of Motor Vehicles office, as a safety hazard.

“The gutters were hanging off the building,” Sullivan said. “We had to get the manlift over there to remove them so they wouldn’t blow off in the wind.”

The council also directed the Historic District Commission to make a recommendation on the Brazier building on Railroad Avenue. Sullivan said the Brazier’s owners want to tear the fire-damaged back of the building down but are hampered by Historic District Commission rules.

“They are willing to keep the facade of the building,” Sullivan said.

In other business, city Industrial Development Board Chairman August Tassin III asked the council to reduce his nine-member panel to seven because of poor membership attendance.

“We have two vacancies now and we can only get five members to attend the meetings and have a quorum,” Tassin said.