New fences were installed around Plaza Tower in New Orleans following the death of a 17-year-old who died inside the building.
On Tuesday, crews were seen installing metal barriers around the building.
This comes after New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno sent a letter to the developers demanding increased abatement measures in the wake of Jacque St. Ann’s death.
St. Ann, 17, died after he fell from a stairwell last month.
In Moreno’s letter to Alexandra Land & Development, the estate of the late real estate developer Joe Jaeger, who owns the property, St. Ann’s death is only one of several incidents at the blighted property.
Moreno’s letter reminded the developers that securing the property is a legal requirement.
She also called the developer’s current security plan “plainly insufficient” after citing that a group of teenagers were able to enter and ascend the stairs undetected.
Moreno’s letter demands the developers make the following changes to the building:
- Permanent permiter security
- Hardening of every point of entry
- Continuous on-site security
- Electronic surveillance and intrusion detection
- Lighting and visibility
- Daily documented inspections
- Immediate notice of future breaches
- Proof of security coverage
- Written security and abatement plan
- Vegetation and visibility abatement
- Expedited completion
To read Moreno’s letter, click here.
The building has a troubled history spanning decades. In 2023, a man fell from Plaza Tower hours after firefighters extinguished a fire at the site.
In 2021, debris from the building fell on a bicyclist, causing road closures.
Family planning lawsuit:
St. Ann’s family has retained Cedric Richmond from The Trial Team at Chehardy Sherman Williams.
Richmond said he and the family want to make sure another child doesn’t die at the property, which he says is a common site for urban exploration.
“The owners, security firm, and the management group knew how dangerous this building was,” Richmond said. “There were inadequate fences and the building wasn’t boarded up.”
According to Richmond, the night St. Ann died, there was already another group of teens inside the building when he and his friends entered.
St. Ann was helping an injured friend down the stairs when he fell to his death, according to Richmond.
While a lawsuit has not been formally filed, Richmond said the investigative process is underway.
“We are absolutely going to file a suit,” said Richmond.
Earlier reports:
The city of New Orleans provided more details about the blighted Plaza Tower following the death of St. Ann.
According to the city, Alexandra Land & Development, the estate of the late real estate developer Joe Jaeger, still owns the property and is responsible for securing the building.
Demolishing the building would cost up to $28 million and, according to the city, would not be recouped by the city. The city is working with the property owner to avoid demolition while still promoting redevelopment.
A proposal currently in motion would convert Plaza Tower into an affordable housing project with a focus on older residents, but there are no definitive redevelopment plans or timeline in place. The city says it would ideally like to see a financial closing and construction beginning by Q2 of 2028.
Another scenario could redevelop the building into mixed-income apartments, commercial hospitality and other uses with amenities.
When it comes to the security responsibility of Plaza Tower, the city provided this statement:
“According to New Orleans Code of Ordinances Sec. 26-444. Vacant structures and buildings to be kept secured to prevent ingress, ‘It shall be the responsibility of the owner and/or the agent of the owner of any vacant structure or building to maintain such vacant structure or building so secured and in such condition that ingress into the structure or building by unauthorized persons is prevented. The owner and/or agent for the owner of any vacant structure or building that is not secured to prevent ingress shall be notified in writing of this situation and be allowed at least ten days to secure the structure or building so that ingress by unauthorized persons is prevented.'”
READ MORE:After teen’s death, New Orleans mayor orders major security changes to Plaza Tower
