Goodbye, Jackson Heights........

[dimebag1980]

I've know for a while that this day was coming... downtown Shreveport's Jackson Heights projects are slated for demolition by the end of September. Since I'd been preparing for this event, I went through the empty projects a couple of weeks ago and took quite a few pictures. These are historic buildings dating all the way back before World War II. I suppose it's for the best, but I certainly hate to see history be demolished.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...EWS01/603180336

And a related article about its effect on a nearby school:

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...EWS04/603180337

And now, my photos...............................

Farewell, Jackson Heights. You may have developed a bad reputation in your latter years, but you made many people happy in the years prior.

[NCB]

I'm not familiar with Jackson Heights, but I can see why it's a shame that they have to be demolished. I'm sure they bring quite a bit of history, be it good or bad, to the area. Nice pictures, BTW.

[breaux]

I'm not familiar with Jackson Heights, but I can see why it's a shame that they have to be demolished. I'm sure they bring quite a bit of history, be it good or bad, to the area. Nice pictures, BTW.

Yeah, some of the projects in New Orleans, namely Iberville (I think), are actually architecturally appealing.

Somehow I doubt it would be a great loss to the city if they were torn down.

Time to end to a failed experiment.

[baffroom]

Apparently the demolition has just started. It's a good thing for that to go. If I remember correctly, that land will be redeveloped into a lower density housing area.

[dimebag1980]

Apparently the demolition has just started. It's a good thing for that to go. If I remember correctly, that land will be redeveloped into a lower density housing area.

You know, I heard yesterday that the demo had just begun as well, but I have some photos from a couple of months back where the demo had already begun. In the photos I have, a couple of the buildings were already being demolished. I'll have to try and get those uploaded so I can prove what I'm saying, otherwise it's just words.

Anyway, I don't know exactly what their redevelopment plans are, but they need to keep inner-city I-49 in mind. Some lawmakers are pushing to keep the current I-49 terminus where it is, right next to that development, and link up with 3132/220 (big mistake in my opinion.) We definitely need an inner-city freeway that cuts through that area rather than terminating where it does now. It's a pain to have to get off there and then take North Common all the way to North Market just to hit north Shreveport.

[baffroom]

You know, I heard yesterday that the demo had just begun as well, but I have some photos from a couple of months back where the demo had already begun. In the photos I have, a couple of the buildings were already being demolished. I'll have to try and get those uploaded so I can prove what I'm saying, otherwise it's just words.

Anyway, I don't know exactly what their redevelopment plans are, but they need to keep inner-city I-49 in mind. Some lawmakers are pushing to keep the current I-49 terminus where it is, right next to that development, and link up with 3132/220 (big mistake in my opinion.) We definitely need an inner-city freeway that cuts through that area rather than terminating where it does now. It's a pain to have to get off there and then take North Common all the way to North Market just to hit north Shreveport.

I know what you mean. Hopefully they will have I-49 cut straight through. That may help revitalize the inner city north of I20. If not, that area will likely continue to fester.

[dimebag1980]

I know what you mean. Hopefully they will have I-49 cut straight through. That may help revitalize the inner city north of I20. If not, that area will likely continue to fester.

I agree completely. In the beginning, when discussions first began about running the freeway through that area, all hell broke loose. But after numerous meetings with residents, I do believe a lot of those fears have gone away.

I have noticed signage on MLK Blvd., in north Shreveport, that there's a "Future I-49 Corridor" sign on the side of the road. Interestingly enough, the area where it's supposed to be built seems as though it was meant for just that purpose. That stretch of MLK is very rural-looking, but is surrounded by city and slums. I find it amazing just how perfectly I-49 will fit in that area without having to relocate any homes or businesses. It truly looks as if that area was left empty specifically for the construction of the freeway.

[slyder1]

Thats too bad.....I wish that they could have turned them into educational facilities, but then again that would be too hard for the city right. On the other hand it looks like a big interchange is not too far form the building's so maybe, just maybe they need to aquire the land for more road.

[Aporkalypse]

Jackson Heights just kind of sounds like a housing project, doesn't it?

Little Rock has been gradually tearing down all of the old housing projects and replacing them with mixed apartment complexes which offer federal housing assistance but where many residents don't have it. It seems to have worked well and several of the city's older hotspots for crime have improved because of it.

[dimebag1980]

Jackson Heights just kind of sounds like a housing project, doesn't it?

Little Rock has been gradually tearing down all of the old housing projects and replacing them with mixed apartment complexes which offer federal housing assistance but where many residents don't have it. It seems to have worked well and several of the city's older hotspots for crime have improved because of it.

Around here, almost anything that ends with "Heights" or "Annex" is either a ghetto of run-down homes or orange brick projects like the Jackson Heights ones. As a matter of fact, I found a set of projects just the other day, that I never knew existed. I can't remember the exact name, but I do recall telling my wife that they end in "Heights," so the name alone is a dead giveaway.

I love that these really bad areas are being cleaned up, but Jackson Heights wasn't always projects and there's a lot of history there. However what will eventually be built on that property, and the I-49 corridor that will one day cut right through there as well, will at least help to make up for it. If I had to lose a historic building, or group of buildings, that for the last few decades housed projects, or historic downtown buildings, I'd much rather lose the projects and preserve what we have downtown. Unfortunately, though, my city would rather do away with both. History, what's that?

[Aporkalypse]

Around here, almost anything that ends with "Heights" or "Annex" is either a ghetto of run-down homes or orange brick projects like the Jackson Heights ones. As a matter of fact, I found a set of projects just the other day, that I never knew existed. I can't remember the exact name, but I do recall telling my wife that they end in "Heights," so the name alone is a dead giveaway.

I love that these really bad areas are being cleaned up, but Jackson Heights wasn't always projects and there's a lot of history there. However what will eventually be built on that property, and the I-49 corridor that will one day cut right through there as well, will at least help to make up for it. If I had to lose a historic building, or group of buildings, that for the last few decades housed projects, or historic downtown buildings, I'd much rather lose the projects and preserve what we have downtown. Unfortunately, though, my city would rather do away with both. History, what's that?

Believe it or not, the nicest neighborhood in Little Rock is "Pulaski Heights", usually just shortened to "the Heights"? Who would've thunk it?

Our cities (Shreveport and Little Rock are a lot alike) made big mistakes by concentrating poverty in a handful of locations like that. I hope by getting rid of these types of places eventually we see a big effect on crime.

Is Shreveport tearing down historic downtown buildings?

[dimebag1980]

Believe it or not, the nicest neighborhood in Little Rock is "Pulaski Heights", usually just shortened to "the Heights"? Who would've thunk it?

Our cities (Shreveport and Little Rock are a lot alike) made big mistakes by concentrating poverty in a handful of locations like that. I hope by getting rid of these types of places eventually we see a big effect on crime.

Is Shreveport tearing down historic downtown buildings?

I really never would have guessed Little Rock's nicest area would end in 'Heights.' I can only say that's one of the dead giveaways in this area as far as what is ghetto.

I will say Shreveport hasn't demolished any downtown buildings in at least a year. The last one they did demolish was necessary, as all that was left was a facade. Everything else had been ravaged by fire and was long-gone. As the brick facade continued to crumble onto the sidewalk below, the city finally agreed to tear it down. The landowner was ignoring all the city's pleas for him to demolish the building, so they took care of it and sent him the bill.

Anyway, for a while Shreveport was really busy tearing down old buildings to pave parking lots. The saddest part is, aside from New Orleans, Shreveport has the highest number of buildings listed on the National Register in the entire state of Louisiana. As a matter of fact, downtown Shreveport is listed as a Historic District with the National Register, and the city has 10 registered Historic Districts. Despite all this, it hasn't stopped the city from demolishing historic buildings within the downtown district. The biggest loss, as many already know, was the demolition of the Washington-Youree Hotel.

More recently, however, an entire section of the old Shreve Square District was demolished to make room for new buildings which were supposed to house nightclubs and restaurants as part of the Red River District. Well, the Red River District was (and still is) a huge disappointment, and most of these new buildings, which were built to APPEAR historic (they didn't do a good job with that either) were never constructed. The one building that actually was constructed there has never been occupied. Next to it still sits a construction fence, some 3+ years later, where another building was originally supposed to be constructed.

[Aporkalypse]

I really never would have guessed Little Rock's nicest area would end in 'Heights.' I can only say that's one of the dead giveaways in this area as far as what is ghetto.

I will say Shreveport hasn't demolished any downtown buildings in at least a year. The last one they did demolish was necessary, as all that was left was a facade. Everything else had been ravaged by fire and was long-gone. As the brick facade continued to crumble onto the sidewalk below, the city finally agreed to tear it down. The landowner was ignoring all the city's pleas for him to demolish the building, so they took care of it and sent him the bill.

Anyway, for a while Shreveport was really busy tearing down old buildings to pave parking lots. The saddest part is, aside from New Orleans, Shreveport has the highest number of buildings listed on the National Register in the entire state of Louisiana. As a matter of fact, downtown Shreveport is listed as a Historic District with the National Register, and the city has 10 registered Historic Districts. Despite all this, it hasn't stopped the city from demolishing historic buildings within the downtown district. The biggest loss, as many already know, was the demolition of the Washington-Youree Hotel.

More recently, however, an entire section of the old Shreve Square District was demolished to make room for new buildings which were supposed to house nightclubs and restaurants as part of the Red River District. Well, the Red River District was (and still is) a huge disappointment, and most of these new buildings, which were built to APPEAR historic (they didn't do a good job with that either) were never constructed. The one building that actually was constructed there has never been occupied. Next to it still sits a construction fence, some 3+ years later, where another building was originally supposed to be constructed.

There was a point in the past when it seemed like LR tore down way too many downtown buildings but it seems like the last few years there has been more of a concerted effort to keep them intact. It's pretty difficult to do so, though an abandoned but significant railroad freight terminal was torn down for the Clinton Library. Thankfully the condo boom is allowing conversion of a lot of older buildings downtown many had thought were no longer terribly useful. I think a residential trend in Shreveport is going to happen soon enough.

The big issue now is the tearing down of residences in the Heights and Hillcrest districts which consist of houses built between 1890-1940, to build new homes on the lots. That's becoming hotly debated.

I'd like to see as much historic preservation in Southern cities as possible, I think we'll regret it if we don't.

[imaterry78247]

I've know for a while that this day was coming... downtown Shreveport's Jackson Heights projects are slated for demolition by the end of September. Since I'd been preparing for this event, I went through the empty projects a couple of weeks ago and took quite a few pictures. These are historic buildings dating all the way back before World War II. I suppose it's for the best, but I certainly hate to see history be demolished.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...EWS01/603180336

And a related article about its effect on a nearby school:

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...EWS04/603180337

And now, my photos...............................

Farewell, Jackson Heights. You may have developed a bad reputation in your latter years, but you made many people happy in the years prior.

The last pic s remind me of the best BBQ ever to grace SBC- Silver Moon BBQ

So long projects another childhood memory is gone in SBC