The historic building on Grolee Street has been a topic of discussion in the Opelousas City Council since March. Lance Ned, the city’s bylaw officer, has spoken to the council several times, warning about the construction conditions and suggesting that the building is unsafe; however, preservationists and now several Acadiana architects say the building is worth saving.

The deadline to demolish the historic building was again postponed following the last city council meeting on August 13, where architects discussed tax breaks with the city council.

“Why save our buildings? Why save our physical heritage? Because it is part of who we are. I told the city council that if you demolish these buildings, you are destroying the wealth of the city. This is the wealth that was created by previous generations and left to us,” said Stephen Ortego, architect and owner of SO Studios.

Ortego, also an advocate for historic preservation, advised the council that the building could be a source of revenue in the future after learning that the Opelousas Downtown Development District has hired a firm to turn parts of the downtown district into a national historic district.

“And with that recognition comes federal and state funding in the form of tax credits to encourage developers to rehabilitate all of these historic structures,” Ortego said.

“In order to move forward, some things have to be sacrificed,” said Lance Ned, who is in charge of building code compliance for the city.

Ned continues to focus on the current condition of the building.

“In my professional opinion, the structural integrity of the building is not safe,” said Ned.

But after the last council meetings discussed whether or not to demolish the hundred-year-old building, Ned is slowly starting to feel a little optimistic again.

“If they could save it, I’d be all for it,” Ned said.

Ortego says the building, which may be eligible for tax breaks, could provide numerous economic opportunities for the city.

“So they can act as a catalyst and set a good example by reaching out to developers and investors to come in and rehabilitate the building and put it back into use,” Ortego said.