Gonzales Demolishes Condemned Home on S. Pleasant Ave

Gonzales city crews demolished the house at 710 S. Pleasant Ave. this week, removing a vacant structure that had attracted squatters and posed safety hazards in the city's center.

The city condemned the property in March after years of disputes over structural damage caused by a failing drainage servitude. The city had settled a claim with the former homeowners for $374,000 after a court determined the drainage problem compromised the home's foundation.

Mayor Tim Riley said the city spent nearly a year negotiating with the foreclosing bank, Citimortgage, to resolve the situation before condemning the property in February. "We gave the bank plenty of opportunity to come up with a plan," Riley said.

Chief of Staff Wade Petite cited squatter activity and liability concerns. "It was decided that this posed an unacceptable risk for those individuals and unreasonable risk of potential liability for the city," Petite said.

A deteriorating backyard pool added to safety concerns. Building officials said remedies proposed by the property owner did not adequately address the hazard.

Dempsey Pendarvis led the demolition crew. Riley noted Pendarvis's bid was significantly lower than competing offers. The drainage servitude at the property drains over 30 acres toward Bayou Francois.