Some lessons from Spanish Town spat – Editorial

The controversy over developer David Slaughter and his plan to demolish seven old houses in the downtown Spanish Town neighborhood to build an apartment complex has cooled. So perhaps now is the time to step back and ponder some important lessons from this civic debate.

Residents of historic Spanish Town erupted in protest when they learned their view of Capitol Park would soon be obscured by the imposing rear wall of Capitol Lofts. They grew really angry when city-parish planning staff suggested the Planning Commission let Slaughter and fellow developer Richard Preis tear down the seven houses to make way for the new development, especially given that the city-parish would have let them demolish the homes without at least showing that project financing had been lined up and was in place.

Slaughter has pulled his zoning request change, which has quelled the debate for now, but not before offering a few reminders that everyone involved shares some responsibility.

Neighborhood residents brayed about preserving the integrity of the neighborhood, yet a stroll around Spanish Town reveals weedy lots and rent houses in dire need of yardwork, repair work and general TLC. You can’t hold only new developers to high standards. Upholding the culture and charm of a beloved historic neighborhood should be every landlord’s, homeowner’s and business owner’s responsibility.

If a neighborhood’s historic status allows a developer to demolish old buildings to make way for new ones, then historic preservation rules lack adequate teeth and should be reviewed.

Finally, all developers planning substantial new projects need to do a better job of communicating with their prospective neighbors beforehand. That means sharing their vision and listening to how their new neighbors feel about it.