535 Mandeville St.

Mounting tension in the Marigny came to blows, literally, Thursday.

Conflict has been simmering between Marigny business owners and the neighborhood group, the Faubourg Marigny Improvement Association, over the past year. Business owners accuse the organization of targeting them with false complaints as part of a campaign to close establishments such as Mimi’s bar, and the Plan B bike project. The FMIA accuses businesses of noise violations, “open doors,” and using residentially zoned spaces for commercial purposes. The disharmony was exposed last month when an Association meeting devolved into a shouting match. Ironically, though, a showdown between the two sides was not the conflict's nexus. Instead, Thursday's boiling point took place within the walls of the Association's offices, between two members of the Association's board.

According to the NOPD, Association President Chris Costello and the group’s treasurer, Eva Campos, became involved in an altercation. Campos sustained minor injuries to the leg and arm before contacting the police. Just after 10 a.m., the NOPD responded to a complaint and issued summons for assault to both parties. In addition, Campos was given a trespassing citation.

As the tension around the neighborhood has mounted, so too has a debate mounted within the Association about how best to run the organization. The weeks of discord flared up in the midst of an accounting dispute between the two.

The altercation occurred at 535 Mandeville, an office shared by both the FMIA and St. Claude Main Street. In addition to being Treasurer of the neighborhood organization, Campos is also an employee of St. Claude Main St. According to their mission statement, the organization “exists to cultivate, nurture and sustain an economic revival of this historic commercial district.” Campos has worked for St. Claude Main Street for two years, during which time the office has been housed at 535 “on and off.” Campos has a key to the office, and has accessed the premises at all hours over those years.

According to Campos, Costello cited a broken foot, and asked her to speak with him in his apartment, next door to the offices. After the policy debate, Costello, the Chairman of St. Claude Main Street (in addition to the FMIA helm) asked Campos to leave the premises. Campos headed to the adjacent property to clean out her desk in the FMIA office. Campos claims Costello then trailed her into the office, and declared that he did not trust her. She then reached for the phone "to call 911," and Costello grabbed her arm, preventing use of the phone. Campos' story concludes that Costello allegedly put her in a headlock, throwing her against the wall, and then onto the floor. Campos sustained bruising on her arm, and cuts to her leg.

Costello did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

When police arrived on scene, they offered both parties a choice. The police explained that since it was one person's word against the other, they could act as if nothing happened or issue summons to both parties. Costello asked to ignore the problem, but Campos pushed for charges to be filed, the report said.

"I love the Marigny, and I am proud of the work that I have done with both the FMIA and St. Claude Main Street," Campos said. "Both organizations have done good things for the community, and I am deeply saddened that this incident occurred, and even more alarmed by the prospect that it could overshadow our good work."

A call to Louisiana Main Streets was returned by the Lieutenant Governor’s office. They had been briefed on the incident, but deflected any jurisdiction, claiming it was a local issue.

The FMIA lists their address as 2401 Burgundy. When NoDef visited the location, we found no offices, only the WhoDat Coffee Shop. The clerk said that Gretchen would be in for coffee in the morning if we wanted to leave a message. Likewise, St. Claude Main Street lists their address as 2372 St. Claude, but that address yielded only the shell of the future healing center. Instead both organizations apparently operate out of 535 Mandeville.

The building itself is owned by Hestia LLC, an entity registered with the state of Louisiana by John Deveney. Deveney also owns the building next door, which houses Deveney Communications. Costello also works there. Sources stated that no rent money is exchanged, but Hestia reaps tax benefits for the donated space. 

According to records provided by the City Planning Ofifice, 535 Mandeville is zoned Residential III.  The building (pictured) is a house, with no clear commercial intent. Such conditions would make the property ineligible for use as an office even according to the secondary provisions set forth in Section 10 of the Residential Diversity Overlay. For the last year, it has housed an organization that has prided itself on enforcing these very same violations. As recently as Monday, the FMIA released an article in their newsletter “Les Amis de Marigny” countering the validity of Mardi Gras Zone owner, Benny Naghi’s complaints, by noting that Mardi Gras Zone is zoned Residential.