When James Proctor moved into LaPlace, colloquially called “Fightingville, “ six years ago, there was a lot to be desired in the neighborhood on the edge of downtown Lafayette.
Residential lots were left empty after houses burned down one by one over the years. Some homes were abandoned and facing disrepair. The sidewalks were a visible reminder of homelessness from the nearby shelter and charity kitchen, and the shade trees sometimes served as a gathering spot for illicit activities.
Proctor used the term “depleted” to describe the neighborhood’s history, a condition many core urban neighborhoods across America have faced…