You can still add your comments to support the preservation and adaptive reuse of the Wheatley and Lafon Schools.
http://www.crt.state.la.us/culturalassets/fema106/
Below is my statement on Lafon.
I am continually floored that the RSD wants to demolish the Wheatley and Lafon schools which DID NOT FLOOD! Eighty percent of the city was under water - and yet these elementary schools were high and dry. In addition, in the case of Lafon the RSD has no intention of building on this site. This is a historic building which needs to be made available on the market for re-development with historic tax credits. The Lafon School is ripe for a sustainable adaptive re-use. The school was designed to address the extremities of our climate - in deference to our high heat and risk of high water.
The new housing development at CJ Peete could benefit from a facility which could function like the Colton Studio. This would foster greater creativity in this community rich with culture. And the studio artists could also offer community services by teaching after school art programs to the youth in the neighborhood.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
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3 comments:
It's sad what the current set of comments on Lafon are saying: that having an empty building sitting there will hurt the development that is cropping up at the C.J. Peete site. Well, if the site were secured and if there were concrete plans under the RSD Master Plan to do something with the building, it wouldn't be a problem.
I spoke with a couple of community members at the Lafon public meeting who had fond memories of the school and the whole neighborhood.
It saddens me that the RSD prefers to demolish rather than market unwanted properties, especially those which are eligible for historic tax credits.
When RSD inherited the administration of failing schools in 05 and they also became responsible for and had authority over properties which they do not own. I believe the buildings and land are still owned by Orleans Parish.
Lafon did flood. I've spent a lot of time there since Katrina. I was a teacher there; my Monday lesson is still on the board.
This school is so worthy of being saved + on the school lot is a cemetery. My bet is that they'll try to destroy that also.
Gil Wilson
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