Courtesy Douglas Reed

threat

With the recent death of Norman Saurage, Jr., the potential sale of the property presents an impending threat. Any redevelopment of the property would likely require the removal of the grand oak. Additionally, the City of Baton Rouge has considered widening the adjacent Perkins Road from two to four lanes to relieve congestion from a nearby highway. Such a plan would require the razing of both the oak and the house it shades. To date, the civic and business associations of Baton Rouge have prevented the proposed road widening. The pressure to execute such a plan, however, will persist if residents and city officials fail to appreciate this remarkable horticulture specimen and to seek a suitable alternative to its destruction.