Eyesore to remain standing

Ken Grissom

Breaux Bridge — The Domingues Motors across from City Hall here has won another reprieve — this time at the behest of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, which wants the former auto dealership left standing while contractors do soil remediation under it.

The City Council voted March 11 to hold off indefinitely from seeking an order of condemnation until it gets the go-ahead from DEQ.

A pending lawsuit between multiple owners of the old beige-and-maroon building should not be a hindrance, however, City Attorney Chester Cedars told the council.

Sean King, representative of a company hired to clean up spilled motor fuels and lubricants from the soil beneath Domingues Motors, told the council that DEQ wants the building left standing to help prevent the wind from scattering the tainted soil. It will also cut down on the noise of the operation reverberating throughout downtown, he said.

King said the remediation should take about two weeks but that there are no guarantees when the work will actually be finished.

“We don’t have a choice,” said Councilman Glenn Angelle. “DEQ wants the building standing. We want it cleaned up. We have to do what DEQ asks.”

The council and Mayor Jack Dale Delhomme have been adamant about the destruction of the building, an eyesore in the gentrified historic district and a bad precedent which smudges the attempt to force property owners to fix up or demolish dilapidated structures.

Also addressing the council was attorney Malcomb Brasseaux, representing Carencro businessman Charles Bundrick, one of the owners of the building. Brasseaux said his client is proceeding with a lawsuit to force a sale and a division of the proceeds. The other owners, Kip Lastrapes, representing Madlyn Domingues Lastrapes, and Randy Rees, are paying for a cleanup prior to a sale.

“The lawsuit won’t keep you from exercising an order of condemnation,”

Cedars, the city attorney, advised the mayor and council.