LAFAYETTE, La (KLFY) -- A plan to bring a large apartment complex to downtown Lafayette will undergo major changes, if it is to survive at all, according to Mayor-President Monique Boulet.

Boulet announced she will restructure the public-private partnership agreement between the City of Lafayette and downtown business owner and developer Johnny Blancher to build a housing development near his Rock’n’Bowl building. The new proposal will not include the city-owned building where Lafayette City Court and the Lafayette City Marshal’s Office currently operate.

Any new agreement is still to be negotiated but those negotiations have begun, Boulet said.

“Mr. Blancher and I met and had a productive discussion about the need for housing as well as parking in Downtown Lafayette and the ideal location of his property," Boulet said, in a Friday news release. "It is in close proximity to the university and brings much needed housing to the downtown area. He and I agree there is a path forward that does not require the City of Lafayette to take on the expense of acquiring a new courthouse. I am excited to work with Mr. Blancher as we balance the demand in the housing market with the expected growth in Lafayette Parish.”

The original agreement called for Blancher to develop a 208-residential unit complex, along with a city-owned parking garage in the heart of downtown Lafayette. The idea was to have the parking garage in the center with the units surrounding the area.

The plan now scrapped included the city buying the 42,175-square-foot Lemoine Building at 214 Jefferson St. and moving the Lafayette City Marshal's office and city court into it. That will also not happen, Boulet said.

“Lenny Lemoine has the best interest of our community at heart, and I hope to keep an open dialogue with him as we continue to grow our downtown and our community,” she said.

“In addition the courthouse building currently in use is in good shape," Boulet said. "It is a mid-century building that has a character authentic to downtown Lafayette. It would not be a wise use of taxpayer dollars to demolish our current courthouse.”

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