The City of Lafayette has made public a design for the proposed Lafayette Public Safety Building to be located in the 600 block of Columbia Street across from City Hall.  While we believe a new public safety building will fill a need that has existed for many years we were shocked at the style of the building.  Lafayette claims to be a city that supports historic preservation and yet this plan does exactly the opposite. It will tower above surrounding historic structures along South Street, Columbia Street, and the beautiful Central Presbyterian church across the street at 7th. In addition, a truly historic structure, the Horner Automobile dealership and garage will be demolished to make room for the parking garage. That building dates to the very early days of Lafayette Automotive history.   

It is commendable that the city has promised to save the facade of the Horner building and put it back up "if there is money to do so".  However there is no clear promise that it will be reinstalled into the project.  Even if it is reinstalled as part of one side of a parking garage we fear the result will look like a giant cement building simply crushed an existing building...there did not seem to be any plan to blend the style of the Horner building into the new project.  

We do not object to many aspects of this project....Interior structure or even the overall size of the project is not in question...only the way the building fails to blend with the neighborhood.  In a different location the proposed style could be quite striking and impressive but the 600 block of Columbia in the heart of our historic downtown is not the place for an ultra modern glass and steel and concrete structure.    

This issue might have been prevented had the city brought the public in at an earlier phase of the planning.  We urge the Mayor and Chief and others involved in this project to rethink the exterior design elements of this structure. We value historic preservation and maintaining harmony within our historic downtown.  Let's let them know that the current style would be a mistake, and one we don't want to live with for the next 50 or more years.