FreeTown and the Apartments North of UL

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Developer expected to appeal to City-Parish Council. After Freetown residents argued that a proposed student apartment complex in their neighborhood would be overrun with "party crazy" University of Louisiana students, the Lafayette Planning Commission on Monday denied a developer's request to build the complex. "This development does not complement the historical significance and value of that neighborhood," said Commissioner Fred Prejean before making a motion to deny the plat. "The fact that ULL may lose out on some housing is no sweat off my brow." The proposed 142-unit apartment complex would be built by Capstone Development Corp., which has built similar student housing in other college towns. The developers are expected to appeal to the City-Parish Council, but Freetown residents said they'll continue to fight the proposal. The rest of the story Kayla Gagnet kgagnet@theadvertiser.com

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In the years before the Civil War, it was possible for the enslaved African-Americans of the South to purchase their own freedom, in many different ways, including through extra forms of work done on what was normally their own time. Additionally, as various planters became fond of their workers, some of the older African-Americans were set free in return for good service rendered over several decades. Ultimately, before the Civil War in the 1840's and 1850's, in the Town of Vermilionville (a town which was later to become the City of Lafayette) these "free men of color" settled in a newly engineered subdivision known as the "Mouton Addition". The Mouton Addition was populated by a heterogeneous mixture of lower and middle class Caucasians and free men of color. Nonetheless, because of the presence there of the freed African-Americans, the Mouton Addition became known, in the years immediately preceding the Civil War as "Freetown". The land used for the "Mouton Addition" had been part of the plantation of Governor Alexandre Mouton, and many of the "free men of color" had worked on that plantation, called “Ile Copal”. Alexander Mouton was the son of Jean Mouton, founder of Vermilionville. The plantation faced the Vermilion River and was on the site of the present LeRosen School on Pinhook Road. The rest of the story

[studentfan]

Eventhough I am still at a young age, I have become numb to this happening. Louisiana is run by morons in power stopping things that make sense. If things happened like they were supposed to, Louisiana would run a lot smoother.

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Residents in parts of downtown Lafayette have the next two weeks to decide whether to allow the city-parish to proceed with tentative plans to vastly change their neighborhood. The area in consideration extends from Pinhook Road to Johnston Street, bordered to the south by University Avenue and to the north by the railroad tracks. It includes the Freetown neighborhood, which was originally settled by free blacks and whites in the Civil War era and still consists of homes that date back 100 years or more. Under the proposed Lafayette In a Century plan, the area would see significant changes, including the construction of a large park, a community center, single-family housing units, a jazz heritage amphitheater, a commercial plaza and other community amenities. "The neighborhood park would be the major icon, the centerpiece of the whole plan," Lafayette Consolidated Government Planning Manager Mike Hollier told a group of the area's residents Thursday night. "We're also looking at making improvements to Jefferson Street, McKinley Street and General Mouton Road. This plan is comprehensive in scope. But this is your plan, not mine." The rest of the story Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvertiser.com

[ATXCajun]

Is a meal plan included with rent at LP?

What about utilities? Is an off-campus place still cheaper after utilities?

Thanks for your responses. I am genuinely curious. Stokes had just been renovated before I moved in and it still sucked. I can only imagine what it was like before.

As a Voorhies inmate for 2 years, I was jealous of Stokes. Of course, it is all relative. I thought Voorhies was better than living at home. FREEDOM!

[CDeb]

As a Voorhies inmate for 2 years, I was jealous of Stokes. Of course, it is all relative. I thought Voorhies was better than living at home. FREEDOM!

I was definitely better off than you, for sure.

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After emotional appeals from residents of the historic Freetown neighborhood, the City-Parish Council voted Tuesday 6-3 to allow an apartment complex for UL students. Capstone Development Corp., an Alabama-based company, wants to build a 142-unit apartment complex on Stewart Street that would cater to UL students. The company also has asked to build an additional complex adjacent to the property, bringing the total to 600 units. The Planning Commission previously voted to deny the apartment complex, agreeing with Freetown residents that the complex does not fit with the neighborhood. The council reversed that decision Tuesday after nearly two hours of public input, including emotional pleas from residents. Council members voting in favor of the Capstone complex cited that the developer met all the planning and zoning requirements. Some members also said the development could spark a revival of the once-thriving neighborhood. Freetown homeowner and business owner Catherine Schoeffler said the neighborhood is a versatile, mixed-use area that wants growth but with integrity. "It's smart growth, old style," Schoeffler said. "It's what River Ranch wants to be." The rest of the story Claire Taylor ctaylor@theadvertiser.com

[Cajun Power]

The student apartment boom is coming. There is already Campus Edge (which is nowhere near the edge of campus, but still student apartments) and then that Capstone project in Freetown that caused a big stir. I would expect more projects like that in the near future.

I also don't think it's a bad idea for UL to have more on-campus apartments, but they'd need to be on campus. Living under the University's rules for 700 a month while being several miles from campus is not my ideal set-up.

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Construction of Capstone Quarters, the newest tenant in Freetown, will begin in mid-September, according to developers. "We will start construction on Sept. 15 and the project is scheduled for completion next August," said Kent T. Campbell, executive vice president for Capstone Development Corp. Residents haven't exactly rolled out the welcome mat for the proposed new complex, which will add 575 beds to the mix of student housing options for UL students. On Monday, Capstone representatives will meet with their new neighbors to address concerns and questions they may have about nearly 600 university students moving into their neighborhood. And on Tuesday, the council will decide whether to approve the second phase of the Capstone project. Istvan Berkeley, a Freetown resident, said he hopes the meeting between residents and the corporation will open a dialogue on how to mitigate the impact of the development on the neighborhood. "I would like Capstone to actually hear the voice of the people," said Berkeley, who also is an associate professor at UL. "I would like them to just realize that they are actually hurting real people and this is a real neighborhood with flesh and blood people there." The rest of the story Marsha Sills msills@theadvertiser.com

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LAFAYETTE — The University of Louisiana’s history department will begin documenting the history of Freetown — an old neighborhood near downtown that served as a safe haven for black people after the Civil War. The study is being paid for from some of the $200,000 donated by the developer of a student apartment complex under construction in the historic neighborhood. Last year, residents fought approval of the apartment complex, saying it could degrade the area. As a result of a compromise, Capstone Development made the donation to be used to help preserve the neighborhood’s uniqueness. A committee of three — two residents and a representative of the company — was appointed by the City-Parish Council to administer the funds. The rest of the story By KEVIN BLANCHARD Advocate Acadiana bureau

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Lafayette's historic Freetown neighborhood is at a crossroads. After months of community meetings, the first phase of the controversial 142-unit student housing complex The Quarters is almost complete, with about 200 residents expected to move in Saturday and Tuesday. On Stewart Street, the gated apartments, complete with a clubhouse and swimming pool, mark the most significant new construction in the area in several years. Outside those gates, however, are dozens of residents living in woodframe houses, many of which date back to the 1800s. Nestled between Jefferson and Johnston streets and including Garfield, Taft and Stewart streets, the area was settled by freed slaves and was once the center of racial discord, with blacks fighting for their rights against the Ku Klux Klan and the Knights of the White Camellia. "We're talking about white guys who were terrorists against black people right after the Civil War," said attorney Glenn Armentor, who has done extensive research on the area's history, "but many of the African-American citizens were leaders and rose up against that. There was a lot of courage exhibited by leaders of the Freetown community." The rest of the story Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvertiser.com