HOUSTON – A construction project in Freedmen's Town came to a screeching halt Tuesday when a judge issued a temporary restraining order.
"You don't want to fight, but sometimes you have to," said Dorris Ellis Robinson, with the Freedmen's Town Preservation Coalition.
The temporary restraining order stopped crews from removing bricks that line the streets of the historic neighborhood in Houston's Fourth Ward.
"That is history, don't disturb our history," said Pastor Samuel Smith of Mt. Horeb Missionary Baptist Church. "You're disturbing what the forefathers fought to put down."
The Freedmen's Town Preservation Coalition asked for the restraining order because they want to save the bricks.
The project is part of a new infrastructure plan for the Fourth Ward. It's a project worth millions of dollars. For years the coalition has pleaded with the city to find another way for the upgrades.
"We're not against progress," said Ashley Jones. "There are ways to deliver that without ruining our history."
The temporary restraining order lasts for two weeks. It gives the coalition time to speak with the city and try to negotiate. But residents say the area is in desperate need of an infrastructure overhaul. They say they're sick of major plumbing issues and other problems.
"It's not done," said Robinson. "It's temporary. We still have a lot of work to do."
Residents who live in revitalized housing in Freedmen's Town are disappointed with the temporary restraining order. They say they believe in preserving history, but say it's time they get the infrastructure and services they're paying for. They're hopeful work resumes soon.
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