More subdivision delays in Hahnville

Former Saints player owes contractor and parish money

Brookshire Subdivision, located in Hahnville and spearheaded by former New Orleans Saints football player Willie Whitehead , has not come to fruition after three years of planning. Now, Whitehead owes St. Charles Parish and the projects’ contractor money.

The parish is considering filing suit if something doesn’t take place with the subdivision soon.

“In the 10 years I’ve worked for the parish, I’ve never seen anything like this,” Lee Zeringue, engineer for the parish said. “I’ve not seen a contractor walk off a job before.”

Whitehead states that he hasn’t dropped the ball on the subdivision.

“We’re back on the road to get things rolling with it,” he said. “We’ve got some investors, one of whom is a former New Orleans Saints player. He’s going to come into the project, and we’ve secured a builder. Within the next month the project will be rolling again.”

Bill Hubbard, of Hubbard Enterprises, Brookshire’s contractor said he walked off of the job because he wasn’t paid for work he did on the project. Hubbard says Whitehead owes him more than $700,000.

“I spoke with Louis Authement, Willie’s attorney consulting on the project, and he presented an agreement to me where Willie would pay me monthly installments until the debt is paid off,” Hubbard said. “I’ll accept that agreement, but I won’t do any work on that subdivision until I’m paid the money that I’m owed.”

St. Charles Parish’s department of planning and zoning said that even if Whitehead does come up with all of the money owed, he will have to start over from the beginning to get new approval to develop the subdivision.

“Once a project sits for six months without any construction taking place, it is no longer certified for development,” Steve Ramona, spokesman for planning and zoning said. “Mr. Whitehead is going to have to start all over from the beginning.”

Zeringue believes if Whitehead pays the money he owes everyone, then the parish won’t have a problem

“I’m not sure what happened to this project, but we’re still willing to work with Willie Whitehea, within the parish guidelines,”

As long as Whitehead has the outstanding debt and lien against Brookshire, lots can’t be purchased. The parish debt is a result of inspection fees.

“He owes St. Charles parish $10,000, and we will take the steps necessary to ensure that we are paid,” Bush said. “We know he can’t sell any lots until he pays the parish, the lien is cleared, and the subdivision has been dedicated.”

Some parish residents who applied for a spot in the subdivision have requested their money back. Latter and Blum refunded money to any lot owner who asked for a refund based on a clause written in the contract.

Thomas Wilson of Tridum Development, an Arizona based development firm, had purchased exclusive reservations for lots in the hopes of building in St. Charles Parish within the Brookshire subdivision. Wilson’s money was refunded.

“I’m not surprised on how this is turning out,” Wilson said. “When my company attempted to solve Brookshire’s issues we were treated like we had caused its failures,” he said. “We took the initiative and attempted, in every way possible, to get the whole subdivision up and running by expending our own resources and bringing new money into the project.

“If we had been given the right to participate fully in the project, two things would have happened by now; he would have made money and St Charles parish would have had a new subdivision that it could have been proud of.”

Whitehead hired an Atlanta base consultation firm to help with developing the project.

 

 

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