LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- Gov. John Bel Edwards was in Lafayette this morning to celebrate reinvestment in the Hub City's Northside community by attending a pair of ceremonies.
Two years ago, all you'd see on the corner of University Ave. and Cameron St. would be blighted and out-of-use property. Now it has over 100 units of affordable housing while retaining the historic nature of the old Coca-Cola plant that used to sit there. That was 'Phase One.' 'Phase Two' demolished the eyesore of the old Less Pay Motel and replaced it with state-of-the-art, hurricane-resilient apartments.
Leaders from the city level to the state level said even more significant than the building is the location where it happened. The Four Corners neighborhood has seen 40 years of disinvestment, followed by crime. This development aims to restore value and integrity to the area.
"You've taken what was once a very vibrant area, that then became distressed, and now we are going to make it vibrant again, and it wouldn't happen quite frankly if we were just waiting for market forces to do that," said Edwards. "If that was enough it would have happened a long time ago. It really requires public-private partnerships. It requires visionary leadership, and all of that came together right here in lafayette."
Today marked the official completion of Phase Two of construction, where the Less Pay Motel once stood. Tenants should occupy it in April. Forty units on one side are fully leased to local artists and creatives.
Before heading over to the Bottle Art Lofts this morning, Edwards visited a historical church on the Northside of Lafayette, as well. The World War II-era Army chapel on Jefferson Blvd. will become the new Basin Arts. A groundbreaking event was held this morning. Developer Ravi Daggula says his goal is to get residents to cross the train tracks and interact in North lafayette. He thanked the governor for attending, but he also pushed for more resources for the Northside.
"I'm excited," said Edwards. "I hope everybody else is, you know. We're here at this development, which is historically significant. But to repurpose this church, to renovate it and make it a place for the arts here in north lafayette. It'll be finished by the end of the year to unify this community."
Basin Arts opened its door in Downtown lafayette in 2016. It has become a space where artists can create, collaborate and explore according to Founder Claire Cook.
