NEW ORLEANS – The blighted and unsecured condition of a once-proud military base in Bywater is increasingly disturbing to those who live in the area.
Eyewitness News previously reported on the millions of dollars diverted by the city away from the former naval base and into other projects.
People who live near the base say the conditions continue to go downhill – quickly.
Phillip Cobb says things have gotten so bad, that after 22 years of living on Poland Avenue, he’s packing up and moving out.
“I hate to leave, but I feel like I’m being chased out,” he said.
Across the street from his home he points to trash, graffiti and overgrown grass. The building is an eyesore and neighbors say they’ve been seeing people removing parts of the building and the fencing.
“If it’s not copper, it’s aluminum,” Cobb said. “If it’s not copper or aluminum, it’s a piece of steel. I believe that our whole neighborhood is being picked apart.”
The naval base closed in 2011 and was turned over to the city of New Orleans in good condition two years later. Leonard Jackson, who also lives nearby, said he remembered joining the military inside of the walls.
“It was a beautiful building, made you feel important, made you feel good,” he recalled. “I had high hopes that one day it would be restored back to its original form.”
Jackson said he has lost hope that things will change. He said that over the years, there were promises of turning the building into a residential property or a substance abuse treatment facility. So far, nothing.
Although Cobb feels fed up and forced out, he says moving isn’t easy.
“I would’ve bought another place if I would’ve felt safe that I could leave my wife, go on the road and make money. But, I can’t leave her and not be safe. It’s all I can say.”
Eyewitness News contacted the city for a comment but had not received a reply by the time of the 6 p.m. newscast.
Kristin Pierce can be reached at kpierce@wwltv.com.