NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – A New Orleans property owner has filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming the recent demolition of his building was unlawful and violated his due process rights.
Cedric Patin’s building, located near the Superdome at the corner of South Claiborne Avenue and Poydras Street, was demolished by the city’s Department of Buildings on July 31 after the building was declared in an imminently dangerous condition in May.
The department cited eleven building code violations and classified the property as a public nuisance.
“You never want to be part of something that hurts the city,” Patin said. “But the reality is they forced me to do this.”
According to Anthony Davis, director of the New Orleans Department of Building Inspection, Patin had ample opportunity to correct the violations and make improvements to the property.
“No work has been done on this property for over two years,” Davis explained.
Patin disputes the city’s claims and provides photographs in his lawsuit showing the work he claims was done on the building before it was demolished. He also stated that his family trust hired an engineer to inspect the building, who found it to be structurally sound.
“I guarantee you that we have always tried to protect the integrity of this building because it is very important. It is important for revenue,” he said.
Patin, who has maintained the property for nearly two decades, believes the city has been inconsistent and selective in its approach to demolition.
“I would say it’s very selective, to say the least, and I hate that I’m one of the chosen ones,” Patin said.
Patin argued that the building code violations cited by the city were purely cosmetic and did not justify demolition. He pointed to many other buildings, some on the city’s “Dirty Dozen” list, that are in far worse condition but remain standing nonetheless.
Patin said he had planned to use the building during the upcoming Super Bowl, but the city took away that opportunity and potential revenue.
“When someone takes away what was hard earned … blood, sweat and tears … If you’re not frustrated and your blood pressure isn’t going up, there’s probably something wrong with you,” Patin said.
The lawsuit seeks compensation of at least $870,000.
When asked for a comment on the lawsuit, a spokesman for the mayor’s office referred to previous statements by the head of the building inspection authority, who had “already dealt with this issue.”
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