It's been the center of multiple WDSU investigations — the rotting Plaza Tower on Howard Avenue in New Orleans.Mayor LaToya Cantrell says she wants the eyesore redeveloped but is exploring the idea of having it torn down if necessary. “We don’t know how much it’s going to cost. That’s the next step and that is one step in addition to steps we have taken to prepare for demolition if that should occur,” Cantrell said.WDSU asked if there was an estimated date when a decision could be made. “I’m not locking us into that, but as we get closer, we will share,” Cantrell said. WDSU asked how the demo could potentially work. “Right now, I don’t have that information. We haven’t taken that deeper dive. I can say that’s the next step,” Cantrell said. Cantrell named a new code enforcement director and announced plans to tackle blighted properties across the city. She named the “Dirty Dozen” list, or the top 12 blighted properties for the administration to address. The Plaza Tower is one of the properties.Plaza Tower, 1001 Howard Ave. — owned by Joe Jaeger; City imposed a $180,000 fine to recoup costs of barricades and lost revenue due to closed metered parking spaces and later imposed $220,000 in fines for 11 guilty violations, which is the second largest fine the department has ever imposed due to a Code Enforcement matter; it is currently in litigation. Jaeger issued the following statements to WDSU:“It is under contract and the buyer is doing their Due Diligence currently. Their challenge will be the financing and that will determine their decision in the end. We continue to market it as a back up and time will continue to entertain any and all interested parties if any comes along. The negative publicity has turn off a number of interested parties and they were unwilling to deal with the difficulties of doing a project of this size in this environment.“As it relates to what it could be, we had our own ideas. I will meet with the buyer next week and I am sure he will disclose to me his plan, although we are under an NDA. Hopefully the meeting he has requested is not to abort based on the current position the city has taken.“I believe if the buyer moves forward, and after his DD period, it will be at least 120 to 180 days before a close. He has 60 more days left on his extended DD period.”WDSU Jaeger asked about a potential demo. "I think only the courts can decide that. Obviously, this is not something that we would just stand back and let happen. I know the city is reaching out to Demo companies for a price, but again, this will be decided in the courts. Depending on what happens in the national economy and especially the local economy, it would be a shame if this property would be demoed. This is an iconic historic property and comes with $48 million in monetized tax credits. If torn down, I believe it would remain an empty street-level parking lot and not be redeveloped for a very long time, maybe never. That being said, with a city that I believe continues to lose its luster, a population that continues to shrink and has shrunk to the level it was in 1915, what the right use might be is yet to be determined, in my opinion. I think the buyer will have their idea on what might work. I believe if we don’t do something drastic to change the image of the city that the outside world has of us, getting investments in it will continue to be difficult."
It's been the center of multiple WDSU investigations — the rotting Plaza Tower on Howard Avenue in New Orleans.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell says she wants the eyesore redeveloped but is exploring the idea of having it torn down if necessary.
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“We don’t know how much it’s going to cost. That’s the next step and that is one step in addition to steps we have taken to prepare for demolition if that should occur,” Cantrell said.
WDSU asked if there was an estimated date when a decision could be made.
“I’m not locking us into that, but as we get closer, we will share,” Cantrell said.
WDSU asked how the demo could potentially work.
“Right now, I don’t have that information. We haven’t taken that deeper dive. I can say that’s the next step,” Cantrell said.
Cantrell named a new code enforcement director and announced plans to tackle blighted properties across the city. She named the “Dirty Dozen” list, or the top 12 blighted properties for the administration to address. The Plaza Tower is one of the properties.
Plaza Tower, 1001 Howard Ave. — owned by Joe Jaeger; City imposed a $180,000 fine to recoup costs of barricades and lost revenue due to closed metered parking spaces and later imposed $220,000 in fines for 11 guilty violations, which is the second largest fine the department has ever imposed due to a Code Enforcement matter; it is currently in litigation.
Jaeger issued the following statements to WDSU:
“It is under contract and the buyer is doing their Due Diligence currently. Their challenge will be the financing and that will determine their decision in the end. We continue to market it as a back up and time will continue to entertain any and all interested parties if any comes along. The negative publicity has turn off a number of interested parties and they were unwilling to deal with the difficulties of doing a project of this size in this environment.
“As it relates to what it could be, we had our own ideas. I will meet with the buyer next week and I am sure he will disclose to me his plan, although we are under an NDA. Hopefully the meeting he has requested is not to abort based on the current position the city has taken.
“I believe if the buyer moves forward, and after his DD period, it will be at least 120 to 180 days before a close. He has 60 more days left on his extended DD period.”
WDSU Jaeger asked about a potential demo.
"I think only the courts can decide that. Obviously, this is not something that we would just stand back and let happen. I know the city is reaching out to Demo companies for a price, but again, this will be decided in the courts. Depending on what happens in the national economy and especially the local economy, it would be a shame if this property would be demoed. This is an iconic historic property and comes with $48 million in monetized tax credits. If torn down, I believe it would remain an empty street-level parking lot and not be redeveloped for a very long time, maybe never. That being said, with a city that I believe continues to lose its luster, a population that continues to shrink and has shrunk to the level it was in 1915, what the right use might be is yet to be determined, in my opinion. I think the buyer will have their idea on what might work. I believe if we don’t do something drastic to change the image of the city that the outside world has of us, getting investments in it will continue to be difficult."
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New Orleans Plaza Tower owner responds to potential demo - WDSU New Orleans
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