Many recognize Downtown Lafayette as a place of art, music and culture, but are all these things here to stay?
Artist Robert Dafford painted murals on many buildings around downtown 30 years ago. The massive paintings showcase Louisiana culture through cypress trees, music, scenery and more. There used to be six murals downtown, but now there are five. This is because if the art is on private property, the owner does not have to keep it there.
Before Dafford started his work downtown, Bob Wright, owner of Jefferson Towers, said the area was just a few streets and businesses.
"It was really dying down in the downtown area and they reformed the street system and replanted these trees. They really did a lot to improve the appearance of downtown and I think the murals fall right into place with that," Wright said.
Some of those murals are on privately owned property, including the mural on the side of Jefferson Towers.
"Having been a parking garage for automobiles, we put that mural out there, which as you may, know depicts various automobiles in forms and fashions," Wright said.
But unless it's on public property, it's not necessarily here to stay. Owners of Karma nightclub for example, decided to paint over the mural on the building when they took ownership.
Katie Durio with Downtown Lafayette said they encourage business owners to preserve art, but they cannot force businesses to act.
"We don't really have a say what happens to the art once it's on a private business," Downtown Lafayette Marketing and Events spokesperson Kate Durio said.
Durio explained that the murals are just one drop in the fountain of culture in Lafayette that makes it the place it is.
"This year, we started the creativity everywhere initiative," Durio said.
This added decorations and a lounging area known as "parklet." Durio said more plans are in the works.
"I think it adds a lot to the beauty of the city and the community," Wright said
It's a beauty that Wright said he hopes is here to stay.
Downtown Lafayette is pushing a new project called "Y Lafayette" in Parc Sans Souci. The project is about half-way funded. To learn more visit the website, click here.