NOW is the time for all good architects, preservationists and active citizens to come to the aid of the Wheatley and Lafon Schools threatened with imminent demolition by the so-called Recovery School District. Submit public comments in support of preservation here.

Deadline Wednesday 9.30.2009.

Yes, that deadline is tomorrow.

And for everyone's information, most of both Wheatley and Lafon did not suffer major damage from flooding or winds over four years ago. Wheatley in particular had most of its classrooms raised above the street level; the only building that would need any major remediation there would be a small administrative structure that was at street level and some bathrooms that were at street level just beneath the raised main structure -

The main school building, however, is intact and fully gutted, ready for renovation and reuse.


There is no real reason, in the end, for the Recovery School District to demolish this structure other than money - money they can get from FEMA to tear down this school and, most likely, to put into another school that will require families in the Treme to drive well out of their way to get their kids an elementary education.

It was nice to see Warren Easton High School featured in this week's Gambit as a school utilizing solar technology. I know one of the arguments put forth for not doing anything with Wheatley is the consideration of what sort of glass to use, as most of the outer structure of the main building is glass. "It could disturb the neighbors....or allow too much heat or cool air to escape from the building and make the classrooms uncomfortable."

If solar panels can be put atop a high school building, there is most certainly glass that can be installed at Wheatley that will not blind passersby or provide inadequate insulation for the rooms within without compromising the architectural integrity of the place. I'm sure the cost would be at a fraction of what it would take to build a new school.

What better lesson could be taught to our children than that?

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In better news today, mazel tov to Humid Beings on its launch. Very nice to see all systems are go. Head on over there and get yourselves stuck to New Orleans online.

What I find velcro'd to me, however, in recent days is flattering and unsettling at the same time. Will Poll NOLA start getting some election debates and events together? Will it go beyond news/opinion aggregation and truly interact with the community in the upcoming elections? It would be nice.