Council allows demolition of two noncontributing buildings but bars demolition of Ted’s Frosttop until redevelopment plans approved

The New Orleans City Council on a voice vote approved motions to allow demolition of two noncontributing buildings at properties on South Clayborne Avenue but imposed conditions intended to protect neighbors and preserve an iconic diner known as Ted’s Frosttop.

Council Member McCarron said she had spent weeks convening neighbors, developers and city staff to revise the project and secure commitments that preserved the Frosttop and addressed residents’ concerns. McCarron moved to approve motion M26-231 with two conditions: demolition permits for the bank and pizza properties may not be issued until redevelopment plans and new-construction permits have been submitted and approved, and the developer must make good-faith efforts to negotiate a signed good-neighbor agreement with adjacent neighbors. The council voted in favor.

Why it matters: Residents and preservation groups had urged the council to block demolition until there were concrete plans for reuse and safeguards against construction impacts. Mary Nolan Wheatley of the Preservation Resource Center told the council the PRC ‘‘has no objection to demolition of the non-contributing building’’ but urged that demolition be contingent on an approved development plan and an enforceable good-neighbor agreement.

Public comment stretched across multiple speakers. Jeffrey Banick said he ‘‘has no issue with the 6309 Clayborne Avenue and 6307 St. Mero Street provided a development plan is put into action that we can see,’’ while resident Lee Brler said he represented ‘‘many of the 50 other residents on our block’’ who want transparent plans and protections for neighborhood infrastructure. Susan Johnson noted a petition with about 3,000 signatures supporting preservation of Ted’s Frosttop and urged continued community input.

Council Member McCarron described the revised project as a ‘‘less dense development while keeping the historic diner intact’’ and said the developer agreed to measures including vibration monitoring and dust-and-noise mitigation and committed to ongoing stakeholder meetings.

What the motion does and does not do: The approved motion allows demolition only for the specified noncontributing structures and only after the listed conditions are met; the council did not approve demolition of Ted’s Frosttop, and the developer withdrew the appeal concerning the Frosttop itself. The motion requires the developer to provide redevelopment permits for review before the city issues demolition permits.

Next steps: The developer must submit final plans and construction permits and continue negotiating the good-neighbor agreement; council staff said the district council office will host regular meetings with stakeholders during planning and construction.

Attribution: Council Member McCarron made and explained the motion; comments are attributed to the speakers as recorded in public comment and staff presentations.