Hitting the wall

Andrew Glazer

COSTA MESA -- The wall looks like a medieval ruin -- cracked, crumbling

and covered with ivy.

But residents of the French Quarter Town Homes -- a quaint housing tract

designed to look like its New Orleans namesake -- are hardly charmed by

it.

“It just diminishes property values, and it’s dangerous!” said Denise

Latta, who attended a meeting with fellow residents at a nearby Burger

King.

The wall, property of the French Quarter, divides the town home complex

and a Motel 6 on Gisler Avenue at Harbor Boulevard.Residents said motel

guests frequently back their trucks and cars into the wall, boring holes

in the masonry and loosening bricks. They’ve asked the motel’s management

to rebuild the wall and post signs asking drivers not to back into the

parking spaces.

Motel 6 management could not be reached for comment.

But Nick Gentile, the motel’s maintenance manager, said motel managers

last month offered to fix the wall.

“We’re trying to get in there to fix the wall,” he said. “We’re just

waiting for permission from the homeowners.”

Eddie Rojas said a pile of bricks from the wall nearly pummeled him and

his car. He’s been ready for the repairs for years.

“It’s scary,” Rojas said.

Gentile didn’t deny the wall’s precariousness.

“It’s very unstable, but it is their wall, their property,” he said. “But

I’m not denying our guests hit the wall.”

Last weekend, residents hung dozens of handwritten pink signs reading

“Fix our wall, it’s been six months. Please be a good neighbor,” and

“Hazard: loose bricks. Please don’t back in.”

On Monday, several homeowners called City Manager Allan Roeder’s office

to complain.

While Gentile said the motel would fix the wall, neighbor Marie Louise

Juno said she’s heard it all before.

“They haven’t done anything in years,” said Juno, who moved into her

French Quarter home in 1965.