Some in Lafayette have questions about the development of the old federal courthouse in downtown Lafayette.
The project was supposed to be done by the end of 2020. Where does the project stand now? One city council member has concerns.
The old federal courthouse sits in the heart of downtown Lafayette.
In 2018, the then city-parish council approved a $1.4 million contract, with the stipulations that the work begin in July 2019 and be complete by December 2020.
"They ran into some problems with credit and arranging their financing at the beginning and we knew that," explained District 5 city councilman Glenn Lazard. "We knew this project was not going to be finished by December because it didn't get started yet. It's to be determined as to whether or not they're going to be fined."
That fine was also a stipulation of the contract developers signed with the city in 2018. The contract outlines that the developers will have to pay $20,000 per month if the work wasn't complete by December 2020.
"They did get an extension to begin construction company. It's still to be determined. It's one of those issues where we're trying to work through whether or not the council controls that or if it's administrative. It's another one of those kinds of situations," Lazard added.
Lazard says he plans to bring this to the council soon for further discussion. We reached out to the Downtown Lafayette Development Authority and the current developer but have not heard back.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
