Commissioner Jackson's Statement on 114 Texas Fire

Photo Courtesy of Shreveport DDA Facebook

On yesterday (September 21, 2022) many of us watched with disbelief and sadness as 114 Texas in downtown Shreveport went up in flames. While we do not know the cause of the fire, we do know that the fire damaged the structure beyond planned preservation. I can confirm for many months a group of developers, real estate professionals, state elected officials, and local elected officials have worked with the Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC) and Louisiana's Office of Community Development (OCD) to secure significant financial resources to rehabilitate and preserve the oldest remaining building in downtown Shreveport. Such support was affirmed as recent as last Wednesday (September 14,2022).

While it would have been easy to simply demolish the building as it had been proposed by some, those on the side preserving that which is unique to our city understood and supported the vision of a public-private-investment to preserve the oldest remaining building in downtown Shreveport. No city "worth its salt" would ever prioritize another empty lot in downtown over its architectural and cultural heritage. Many Shreveport residents have fond memories of the former Humphfrees Dance Hall and other businesses at 114 Texas that made downtown a place people wanted to visit.

Downtown Shreveport is no stranger to devastating fires, as many of us can recall the 2009 fire that completely destroyed the Shreveport Regional Arts Council (SRAC). What ultimately emerged was a commitment to see a bigger and better community of Creatives which has served us well. As the Caddo Parish Commissioner for downtown and the Louisiana Housing Corporation representative for this region, I am confident working with the team of private developers, state officials, and local officials to secure financial resources to create the envisioned multi-use development in this location. I am also committed to supporting a development that compliments the architecture and integrity of downtown and place 114 Texas back into active commerce.

Thank you to the brave men and women of Shreveport's Fire who have worked tirelessly throughout the night to extinguish this fire. Thank you to the men and women of the Shreveport Police who secured the perimeter. I do hope for a full investigation into the cause of the fire that destroyed this historic building.

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