In keeping with the Mayor's commitment to eradicate 10,000 blighted or vacant properties by 2014, the Landrieu Administration today announced its plans for the cleaning and remediation of 2646 Westbend Parkway in Algiers, formerly known as the Higgins Gate Apartments. On May 26, 2011, the City released a bid for demolition and clearing of the site to include any environmental remediation. The owners began demolishing the complex in November 2009, but never completed the job and instead left acres of debris filled with asbestos material. The cost of the blight clean-up effort will be shared by the City and the Algiers Development District (ADD). The City intends to secure reimbursement of the cleanup and remediation costs from the principally responsible party through litigation. The 7.8-acre property, first cited for blight in August 2008, has long been an environmental concern in the Algiers community.
"Cleaning up this large blighted property has been a priority of ours since we came in over one year ago," said Mayor Landrieu. "Blight threatens our safety, the value of our homes, our quality of life, and in this case, our environment. We'd like to thank Councilmember Gisleson Palmer and Rep. Arnold who have been leaders on this effort and partners in developing this plan. Our team will proceed as quickly as possible to remove this eyesore."
"I am very pleased that the City is moving forward on cleaning up the Higgins Gate site," said District C Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer. "This 7.8 acres of blight, created by a private land owner, in the center of Algiers has been a black eye for the community and the City for over a year now. My office has been working very diligently with the Administration on this since taking office and I am glad this is now a reality."
"I am very grateful to Councilmember Palmer and her staff and Mayor Landrieu and his administration because my office has been working on this for a very long time, and we needed a team that could help us do it," said Council President Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson. "No longer will it be a disaster."
"Higgins Gate has been a problem for years," said State Representative Jeff Arnold, Chair of the Algiers Development District. "Multiple owners have failed to bring this property back into commerce so our membership is stepping up to help remedy one of Algiers' top priorities for blight. ADD has long been involved in eliminating blight in Algiers which is why we have agreed in principle to share the cost of the clean up with the City."
The bid released yesterday is for the removal and disposal of all debris on the site. On June 6 at 10am, a non-mandatory pre-bid conference will be held in the Purchasing conference room on the 4th floor at City Hall. Bids are due to Purchasing before 11am on June 21st.
"Each day, we are making progress towards our blight goals," said Jeff Hebert, Director of Blight Policy & Neighborhood Revitalization. "We will continue to collect the over $17,000 in liens against the property. Property owners across the city should be on notice that we are serious and will do what it takes to protect and restore our neighborhoods."
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Photo by Vincent Sylvain
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