Claire Taylor

ctaylor@theadvertiser.com

The top floor of the Children's Museum of Acadiana in downtown Lafayette is being eyed for residential apartments.

John Arceneaux, chairman of the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority, briefed his board in February about the museum loft project and another the LPTFA is planning on Monroe Street.

Arceneaux said he approached the museum board about transforming the top floor of the 18,000-square-foot museum building, between Parc International and Parc Sans Souci, into lofts.

The building was constructed in 1938 and once housed the Heymann grocery store. The top floor is vacant at this time.

Fifteen residential loft apartments could be built on the top floor, Arceneaux said, adding that a downtown development plan calls for additional residential space. The transformation could include a rooftop deck for residents and employees of the museum and restoring the original facade of the historic building, including the corner entrance, he said.

The LPTFA is looking into applying for historic tax credits to assist with the project, according to Rebekke Miller, LPTFA program coordinator.

Further along are plans to build a 38-unit apartment complex at the corner of Monroe and Olivier streets.

Miller said preliminary plans call for a three-story building that would include three two-bedroom apartments, 30 one-bedrooms and five studio apartments with a pool on top of the building. He said the apartments will probably rent for market rate, about $900 for a studio, $1,100 for a one-bedroom and $1,300 for a two-bedroom.

The LPTFA will present plats for the project to the planning commission at its March 13 meeting.

Also on Tuesday, the LPTFA elected new officers. Pat Magee will serve as chairman, Anthony Daniel as vice chairman and Melissa Theriot as treasurer.

Stacey Singleton, who was treasurer, resigned from the board. The Lafayette City-Parish Council will be seeking to appoint a replacement in coming weeks.

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