1980 Chauvin - Moon Thesis Report

Hammond, like many other small cities in the United States today, is challenged with both the advantages and the problems that come with rapid change and growth. In recent years, two interstate highways have been constructed through the Hammond area. The building of these highways has made a great impact on the economy of the city. Ease of access has made the prospect of locating in Hammond more attractive to industrial concerns and regional shopping centers. Many individual commercial outlets have located near the interchanges, in some cases abandoning the traditional shopping centers to do so. Population growth has been more rapid since the completion of the interstates and there are more visitors to the area than in previous times.

This influx of people and opportunity has affected the lives of the local population in significant ways. The downtown area was once the principal gathering place in which people shopped and socialized, but today these activities· are dispersed over wide areas of the city. These changing functions have, in turn, caused physical changes in the environment to occur. The names "Hammond" and "downtown" were in the past synonymous, and the image of tree­lined streets surrounding the commercial area was the image of the city. This once strong ima􀌺e has deteriorated with the advent of street widening and city expansion, and the decrease of human activity has resulted in a decrease in the number of businesses located downtown. Fewer people are aware of the historical associations of the area, and many irreplaceable early commercial buildings stand vacant, fronting on equally vacant sidewalks.

It is the downtown, and the loss of its status as a social and commercial center, that is the concern of this study. (Prefeace 1-1 - 1-2)

1983 - 1986 Comparable Sales Study
By Joaquin J Matheu, Jr, Real Estate Appraiser

A comparable sales study conducted in the Central Business District of the City of Hammond for the CBDA of Hammond, LA from Sept 1983 to May 1986.

1990 Main Street Survey: For Lease & Sale
Compiled by Paul E. Fomberg

There are a wealth of properties available in Downtown Hammond both for sale and for lease. These properties are suitable for a variety of uses including retail, service, offices and also residential. Most of these buildings are protected by the municipal historic district ordinance, and many are eligible for federal rehabilitation tax credits (which were the only tax credit retained by Congress). More information on the tax credits is provided at the back of this booklet.

1995 - 1996 Photo Survey by HHDC & 2021 Analysis (Mia Gibson-Goad)

The Photo Survey was created to assess the restoration needs of downtown historic Hammond. The area's historical significance invoked a need for renovation due to the mass deterioration that had previously been left unaddressed. This analysis is supported by the Moon-Chauvin thesis, which focused on, “This restoration, plus others being planned in the area, will enhance the visual distinctiveness of downtown Hammond. This distinctiveness will be a positive factor that will support the physical and economic revitalization of the area”.

2021 Write up completed by Mia Gibson-Goad, SELU

1983 - 1998 Slide Collection by HHDC

A collection of 950 digitized slides taken over 1983 through 1998. Files can be accessed through the button below and sorted streets. The 1980s-1990s Slide Collection was able to be achieved in the span of two months and will reside with Historic District Coordinator in the Hammond Historic District. Mia Gibson-Goad, a student of Southeastern Louisiana University and intern with the HHD were able to obtain further experience with the process of digitizing.