The City-Parish Council, following at-times energetic discussion and input from residents, voted 7-1 Tuesday night in favor of an ordinance to acquire the Less Pay Motel at Four Corners — that’s the North University Avenue-Cameron Street intersection for you newbies — to raze the blighted property and construct a police substation and public plaza in its place.
The ordinance declares the project a “public necessity” and gives consolidated government the recourse of expropriating the property if LCG and the owner cannot agree on a sale price. An appraisal will be done first; local government is prohibited by law from paying more than fair-market value for property.
Some council members expressed apprehension at the thought of consolidated government expropriating a functional business, although several residents who live in the area addressed the council in favor of the ordinance. Councilman William Theriot was the lone nay vote. Councilman Jay Castille was absent.
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