The new year is starting well for St. Martinville, where an entrepreneur wants to buy city property for a business venture.

The St. Martinville City Council has discussed the plans submitted by Chip Durand of Durand Enterprises Inc. to acquire property and build on land along the scenic Bayou Teche, including the old Talley Ice House. Documents were unsealed at Tuesday’s City Council meeting and supported by City Council members Paul Williams, Mike Fuselier and Craig Prosper. 

St. Martinville officials will advertise the proposal for three weeks. If there are no objections from local residents, the property will be sold. The appraised value is $104,000.

It’s a win-win for St. Martinville. A vacated building and land around it along the bayou will be developed into additional parking, a greenhouse, farmer’s market and, eventually, a 100-seat restaurant in which seating includes a patio fronting the bayou.

Durand told City Council members there is a three-phase plan for the project. 

“We’re going to use concrete from the ice house to build a greenhouse and we’ll grow cucumbers, tomatoes, all our vegetables, year-round, to supply local restaurants. And we’ll have space there for a farmer’s market, and a place to raise chickens and ducks and geese,” Durand said.

The developer will start by building a parking lot, then move onto the greenhouse, he said. The third phase includes the restaurant.

Blake Douet of Poche Prouet Associates LLC, which drew the plans, emphasized the plans unveiled this past week were preliminary to give the mayor and City Council members an idea. He noted they are subject to change.

Councilmen liked the idea.

“I am excited about Mr. Durand’s plan,” Fuselier said.

“Thank you for investing in our community and in your community,” Williams said.

That’s a good way to start the new year.

DON SHOOPMAN

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR