Burying history, destroying our heritage for a buck

Having destroyed the home of the first desegregated lunch-counter in New Orleans, C. Mohan Kailas now seeks to demolish two other historical landmarks in the name of expediency. Last week, he won the approval of New Orleans Fire Dept. Chief Tim McConnell in his aspiration – and City Hall. However, opponents contend that these properties need not be removed to safely deconstruct the collapsed edifice at Canal and N. Rampart Streets.

The developer of the Hard Rock Hotel has long sought to take down three other adjoining properties which he owns, 1022 Iberville St. and 1027, 1025 and 1019 Canal St. Historic preservationists have fought him, noting that two of the buildings once housed the historic W.T. & Grant Department Store, whose upper floors at one time housed the politically powerful Choctaw Club, and the circa 1908 Alamo Theater, one of the main birthplaces of early jazz performance.

VCPORA, the Vieux Carre Property Owners, Residents and Associates, , explained in a press release, “Based on data from the Orleans Parish Assessor, almost 22,000 square feet of ground space could be added to the overall development plan if the three adjacent buildings are removed. That would result in nearly a 54 percent increase in the footprint of the site and two-thirds of the block demolished and left as cleared land. Magnify that land area by the number of build-able floors, and the boon to [Kailas’] 1031 Canal Street Development LLC is staggering.

The land development regulations for this district do not require setbacks from the property lines. So, if the developer were allowed to implode the adjacent buildings, 1031 Canal, LLC, would be allowed to completely cover the newly cleared, three-parcel site with a huge building that could be added to whatever is rebuilt at Rampart and Canal.”

From the beginning, he has voiced a desire to rid himself of the historic “encumbrances” to his Hard Rock development, as he has unsuccessfully fought to demolish other historic buildings in the CBD in the name of progress – in the past. However, when Tim McConnell issued a demolition order for three buildings surrounding the site, the Fire Superintendent justified it as “necessary to facilitate the safe demolition of 1031 Canal,” referring to the Hard Rock by its address. “It has been looked at from every different angle and to lessen the threat to human life and public safety it needs to be done.”

Apparently, the Chief McConnell had been advised by demolition experts retained by Kailas that the adjoining properties block the “line of site” necessary for cranes to remove most of the remaining structure. On the contrary, there were other expert opinions of which McConnell never heard. One owner of a local demolition firm who spoke to The Louisiana Weekly on the condition of anonymity said that his firm submitted “a bid to 1031 Development to dismantle the Hard Rock, which would not have required demolition of the three historic buildings…No one knew there were other options.”

The demolition expert claims that the project could have safely been deconstructed without impact on the surrounding properties.

Prior to breaking ground, Kailas originally dismissed pleas from civil rights activists not to bulldoze the old Woolworth’s at the corner of N. Rampart and Canal. He wiped from existence one of the first sites to host a successful sit-in against segregation, which might have been the perfect location for the proposed Louisiana Civil Rights Museum. As the 20th century era building did not enjoy historical protection, and sat outside of the Vieux Carré Commission’s legally protected zone, little could be done to stop Kailas from clearing the land for the Hard Rock Hotel development.

However, a greater possibility of defense exists for the preservations of 1022 Iberville St. and 1027, 1025 and 1019 Canal St., if the Civil District Court chooses to intervene. While Mayor LaToya Cantrell endorsed the fire chief’s ruling, lawsuits immediately challenged the demolition orders. Orleans Division “L” Judge Kern Reese announced that he plans to review the case this week, and hope has poured out that the CDC jurist will take into account other demolition alternatives to preserve these key historic structures. Reese has a little time to issue an injunction, though, before these landmarks demolish into memories, simply to rebuild a faulty developer’s profit margin.

This article originally published in the May 11, 2020 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.