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Police Say Blighted Building Notorious For Drug Activity
NEW ORLEANS -- Police said drugs likely played a role in the Tuesday night murder of a New Orleans man found in a building notorious for drug activity.
The victim, whom police identified only as a man in his 20s, was shot and killed at about 10:30 p.m. He was found inside the blighted building at 1516 Laharpe street.
Police said the building is known as a gathering place for drug sellers and users.
Several officers who responded to the scene recognized the victim as someone they had previously arrested at that location.
Neighbors say the answer is to tear down the building, but the city is not supportive of that idea, according to WDSU NewsChannel 6 reporter Ken Jones.
The building is more than 50 years old, which qualifies it as a historic site, and is located in the historic district of Treme. The New Orleans Historic District Landmark Commission frowns on demolition of such buildings, usually recommending redevelopement instead, according to sources in that office.
But the building's owner said in this case, it's not possible to work around the drug activity and keep the addicts out. He said he has owned the property for five years, and for five years he says he has called police constantly to report drug trafficking and other violent crimes.
The owner said he can't sell the building because it was recently burned, and he can't tear it down because of its status as a historic site.
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Sounds me like this guy has the worse of both worlds. The cops can't get of the crackheads and he can't get rid of the building...
Maybe is the city would provide some funding to restore this historic building things wouldn't be so bad? Thoughts anyone...