Public Notice Regarding Section 106 Review of
Proposed Stabilization and Mothballing of the Following Schools:

Louis D. Armstrong Elementary School Building A, 5909 St. Claude Avenue
Israel Augustine Middle School, 425 S. Broad Street
Oretha Haley Elementary, 2515 Robertson Street
Lorraine Hansberry Elementary School, 1339 Clouet Street
Morris Jeff Elementary School, 800 N. Rendon Street
Valena Jones Elementary School Building A, 1901 N. Galvez Street
George Mondy Elementary School, 2327 St. Phillip Street
John Shaw Elementary School, 2518 Arts Street

SEEKING PUBLIC COMMENT

The Orleans Parish School Board, through the process by which they created a master plan for school sites, decided to mothball the historic school structures listed above. FEMA has identified that the above schools are either contributing resources to historic districts that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), or are individually eligible for NRHP listing. These buildings will sit vacant for an undetermined period of time. They might be reused at some point but for now they will remain vacant and will be stabilized and mothballed rather than renovated.

Please take a moment to read through the legal ease below and be sure to visit THIS WEBSITE to submit comments.

THE OFFICIAL LEGAL NOTICE:

In 2009, FEMA, the RSD, the OPSB, the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Officer, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation entered into a Secondary Programmatic Agreement (RSD/OPSB 2PA) in order to fulfill FEMA’s responsibilities under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and 36 CFR part 800 regarding the implementation of the School Facilities Master Plan, which will be funded with assistance from FEMA and other Federal agencies.

As part of the Master Plan, the RSD and OPSB are requesting that FEMA provide funds to stabilize and mothball the buildings listed above. Some properties may have additional structural and/or roof work completed in order to further stabilize the buildings if necessary. All work will be performed in accordance with the National Park Service’s (NPS) Preservation Brief 31, “Mothballing Historic Buildings” (attached). The regulations at 36 CFR Part 800 and the RSD/OPSB 2PA require FEMA to identify if any of the properties proposed for stabilization and mothballing are listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP); to assess the effects the stabilization and mothballing will have on historic properties; and to seek ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any adverse effects.

FEMA has identified that the above schools are either contributing resources to historic districts that are listed in the NRHP, or are individually eligible for NRHP listing. FEMA has also determined the proposed stabilization and mothballing projects will result in no adverse effects to historic properties conditional upon digital recordation of the interior/exterior of the buildings and submission of a security/maintenance schedule; a conditions survey; a monitoring report; and a marketing plan (if applicable). In accordance with the RSD/OPSB 2PA, FEMA will also ensure the buildings are recorded in accordance with the NPS Standards for digital photography and archived at the University of New Orleans Library, the State Archives and the State Library.

Any member of the public is encouraged to provide views on how the project may affect historic properties and ways that these effects may be avoided, minimized, or mitigated. Comments may be submitted to FEMA for a 15-day period beginning on April 22, 2011 by regular mail or HERE.

Mailed comments should be sent to:
FEMA Mail Center
Historic Preservation
1 Seine Court, 1st Floor Mail Room
New Orleans, LA 70114

If mailed, comments and requests must be postmarked by May 6, 2011.

Applicant: Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB)
Pierre Capdau School, 3821 Franklin Avenue, New Orleans, LA

THE FINE PRINT: The high winds and heavy rains of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent widespread flooding damaged many buildings in Orleans Parish. In the aftermath of the hurricanes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is issuing this public notice as a part of its responsibilities under 36 CFR Part 800, the regulations implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. This notice applies to activities carried out by FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program implemented under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5152-5206.

PRESS RELEASE FROM CITY COUNCIL:

City Council to Hold Citywide Redistricting Meeting

(Public invited to get the facts and information on redistricting, and why it’s necessary)

New Orleans – The New Orleans City Council will hold a citywide meeting to inform the community-at-large about the process to redraw council district boundaries. The public is encouraged to attend. The meeting will take place on Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chamber at City Hall, 1300 Perdido St. At the meeting, Council members will inform the public about why they are required to redraw district boundaries, according to the City Charter. They will also offer specifics about the redistricting process and how it will move forward.

The City Council Redistricting Plan is not to be confused with the redistricting effort that is ongoing in the Louisiana State Legislature. That separate redistricting effort impacts seats in the State House of Representatives and State Senate, as well as, Louisiana’s United States Congressional Districts.

The City Council’s redistricting effort affects the five New Orleans Districts; A, B, C, D, and E  Residents will receive current population information by district and citywide. Each district is required to have, as nearly as possible, the same number of residents. The council will inform the public how this number is reached and what the new boundaries might mean for each district.

Residents will receive a schedule of upcoming redistricting meetings that will be held in their respective communities.  At these meetings residents will have an opportunity to voice opinions and offer feedback on the redistricting plans.

For more information:

CITY COUNCIL CONTACT
Evelyn Pugh, Chief of Staff
504-658-1082/efpugh@nola.gov

MEDIA CONTACT
Geriease Hawkins
Bright Moments, LLC
504-592-1800/gsh@brightmomentsnola.com

Despite the resounding success of the recent New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) auction of Louisiana Land Trust properties, we continue to see viable houses that contribute to the character of National Register Historic Districts and neighborhoods within the Neighborhood Conservation District on the NCDC and HDLC agendas as proposed demolitions.

The proposed demolition of the Louisiana Land Trust houses listed below will be considered by the NCDC on April 18, 2011. If you have an opinion about these proposed demolitions, please let us know!

Louisiana Land Trust (Road Home Properties) proposed for demolition

1305 ALVAR ST
1312 ARTS ST
1609-11 ARTS ST
1629 ARTS ST
1723 N BROAD ST
2717-19 N CLAIBORNE AVE
2500 D’ABADIE ST
2527 EAGLE ST
1725 FRANKLIN AVE
2832-34 GENERAL TAYLOR ST
2437-39 GRAVIER ST
313-15 JANE ST

2645-47 N JOHNSON ST
2230 LOUISIANA AVE
3512 LOYOLA ST
1720 MARIGNY ST
2124-26 MARIGNY ST
3425-27 MILAN ST
2715 N MIRO ST
2622-24 MONROE ST
428 S OLYMPIA ST
2130 PAINTERS ST
2532-34 PAUGER ST
2728-30 PHILIP ST

1222 PORT ST
1731 PORT ST
1732-34 PORT ST
2133 PORT ST
2310 N PRIEUR ST
2312 N PRIEUR ST
1715-17 N ROBERTSON ST
2723 N ROMAN ST
1509 ST ROCH AVE
2835 N TONTI ST
4472 VENUS ST
3324 VINCENNES ST

The New Orleans City Council has been asked to consider demolition appeals for the following properties. 2 demolition appeals died today with no vote. 3 demolition appeals will be considered at the Council meeting on April 28, 2011.

1120 Flood St. – appeal denied due to lack of action
1234 St. Maurice St. – appeal denied due to lack of action

2401 Danneel St. – hearing scheduled for 4/28/2011
8125 Fig St. - hearing scheduled for 4/28/2011
8129 Fig St. - hearing scheduled for 4/28/2011

These Louisiana Land Trust (LLT) owned properties in Holy Cross, named the south’s “Best Old House Neighborhood of 2011 by This Old House, could potentially be demolished.

‘Got an opinion about ‘dat?

There isn’t much time left to comment on these potential demolition proposals so ACT NOW! Go to THIS COMMENT PAGE and post your comments before April 1, 2011. The Louisiana Office of Community Development has requested “alternatives for demolition.” A simple suggestion is that these properties should be sold at auction, but the following statement is part of OCD’s request:

“Any member of the public who has specific practical information on feasible alternatives to demolition for any of these buildings is encouraged to respond. Alternative proposals should include a source of funding for repairs.” But don’t let that onerous request deter you from simply stating your opposition to these demolitions!

We at the PRC feel that vacancy should not automatically make a house a candidate for demolition. In many cases, these are viable homes that our organization has proven, even in the worst case scenarios, can be rehabilitated beautifully. While the housing market is currently weakened, it would be short-sighted to demolish homes that have stood the test of time (in many cases a century or more) simply because they cannot be sold right now. Furthermore, it would be less than prudent to consider demolition a first option when the cost of demolition for LLT properties is funded by taxpayer dollars. Your money!

Take a few moments to review the properties and voice your opinion. Commenting is open until April 1, 2011.

View properties going through the same process in other neighborhoods here.

The fine print — the following notice was published by the Office of Community Development, Disaster Recovery Unit (OCD/DRU):

Public Notice Regarding Historic Review of Louisiana Land Trust-Owned Residential Buildings Proposed for Demolition in Orleans Parish, Louisiana

OCD/DRU has conducted a survey of all properties owned by the Louisiana Land Trust. In consultation with the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), OCD/DRU has determined that there are approximately 330 homes that are eligible for the National Register that may potentially be demolished. These structures have been grouped in batches of 50 or more properties. The first batch of properties (1-50 of 330) has undergone initial Section 106 review and has also completed the public notice process. The second batch of properties (51-219 of 330) is now open to comments by the public per The Programmatic Agreement Among The Louisiana Office of Community Development (OCD); The Louisiana State Historic Preservation Officer of the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism (SHPO); The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP); The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI); And the Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana (TBTL) per Stipulation IX, Public Participation A and B. Therefore, OCD/DRU is requesting the aid of the public in identifying alternatives to demolition. Any member of the public who has specific practical information on feasible alternatives to demolition for any of these buildings is encouraged to respond. Alternative proposals should include a source of funding for repairs.

For a list of the property addresses and to suggest specific alternatives to demolitions, visit www.crt.state.la.us/hp/latrust (listed within this notice, below). This information will be accepted for a 30-day period beginning on March 2, 2011. Comments should be submitted to OCD/DRU at the website or by regular mail to:

LLT Demolition Comment
OCD/DRU
150 Third Street, 4th floor
Baton Rouge LA 70801

If mailed, comments must be physically received at this address by April 1, 2011. Comments may also be made during the comment period by contacting the SHPO/OCD Liaison, Brandon Badinger, by email at bbadinger@crt.la.gov, or by Fax at (225)342-4480.

UPDATE: the applications to demolish the majority of the houses on the City Council agenda have been withdrawn. These properties will be on the auction block on April 2, 2011. Learn more about the auction here.

The owners of the properties listed below were denied permission to demolish these properties by the Neighborhood Conservation District Committee  and have chosen to appeal the NCDC’s decision. Property owners reserve the right to appeal decisions of the NCDC  to the City Council.

The City Council will consider these appeals at the March 17, 2011 meeting. Click on the Councilmember’s name to share your opinion about a proposed demolition.

The owners of the properties listed below were denied permission to demolish these properties by the Neighborhood Conservation District Committee  and have chosen to appeal Property owners reserve the right to appeal decisions of the NCDC  to the City Council.

The majority of the demolition requests on the March 3, 2011 City Council meeting agenda were deferred until March 17, 2011. Click on the Councilmember’s name to share your opinion about a proposed demolition.

The Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans has been nominated for the American Institute of Architect’s Sustainable Honor Awards!

PLEASE TAKE 10 SECONDS TO VOTE FOR THE PRC HERE!

Voting ends Friday, Feb. 11 at 5 p.m.!

Preservation funding is minimal, but we know how much is accomplished with this funding considering the economic benefits and tax revenues. Every year we lobby for this minimal funding because it means so much, but it looks like this year will be the absolute worst in over 20 years. Hard to believe!

The message below was sent by Preservation Action, a national organization that lobbies for historic preservation. P.A. needs your help! You can help by:

1) contacting your legislators to voice your support for historic preservation funding, 2) joining Preservation Action as a member, 3) consider joining the Preservation Action Board.

For more information on Preservation Action please visit their website.

Go here to write your Representative.

Patty Gay
Executive Director
Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans
pgay@prcno.org
_____________________________________________

URGENT….CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS TODAY!!!!

FY 2011 Historic Preservation Funding is at Stake!

As we have been reporting, the funding levels for the federal government are currently being provided through a Continuing Resolution (CR) that expires on March 4, 2011. This CR, as result of Congress being unable to agree on a budget, extended funding for FY 2011 at FY 2010 levels.

What happens in February and March is anyone’s guess. Many believe that there will be a serious attempt to cut funding for the rest of FY 2011 to FY 2008 levels, or much worse.

What would a rollback to FY2008 look like for historic preservation funding?

With so many disparate voices on the Hill, bills specifically calling for the elimination of Save America’s Treasures, Preserve America and Heritage Areas, and a focus on reduced spending and deficit reduction, it is important that we let our legislators know how important historic preservation is – not only for the protection of our American heritage, but for their ability to stimulate economic development and to create jobs.

WE NEED YOU TO CONTACT YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES

AND ASK THAT HE OR SHE:

1. Provide at least level funding for the rest of FY 2011 (at FY 2010 levels) for our nation’s historic preservation programs.

2. If necessary, defend our nation’s historic preservation programs from elimination or substantial cuts.

3. Support the heritage preservation and job creation effects of our federal historic preservation programs.

If you have a legislator on an Appropriations Committee (House or Senate), it is even more important that you make contact! A list of committees and members can be found here.

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 202.637.7873 or at mail@preservationaction.org. If you have not done so already, consider joining us for Lobby Day 2011 – your opportunity to join your colleagues from your state for coordinated visits to the Hill. Information can be found below.

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Have you Registered for Lobby Day 2011?

March 7th and 8th, 2011 at the historic Hotel Fairfax. Visit our website for more information.

REGISTRATION is now OPEN!