Vieux Carré Preservation Society

Vieux Carré Preservation Society
Name	Vieux Carré Preservation Society
Founded	1938
Founder	Edith Rosenwald Stern; Jean Moreau, Moses Baer
Type	Nonprofit preservation organization
Location	French Quarter (New Orleans), New Orleans
Leader title	President
Leader name	Myrla Mallet

Vieux Carré Preservation Society is a nonprofit historic preservation organization based in the French Quarter (New Orleans) of New Orleans. Founded in 1938, the Society engages in advocacy, restoration, and education to protect the architectural fabric and cultural heritage of the Vieux Carré, aligning with local ordinances, state regulations, and national preservation frameworks. The group collaborates with municipal agencies, national organizations, and community stakeholders to influence policy, support conservation projects, and disseminate research on historic structures and urban landscapes.

History

The Society emerged in the late 1930s amid preservation movements associated with figures and institutions such as Edmund Bacon, Theodore Roosevelt Jr., and Historic American Buildings Survey proponents, drawing support from civic leaders, philanthropists, and preservationists like Edith Rosenwald Stern. Early interventions involved engagement with New Orleans City Council, interactions with Mayor Robert Maestri administration, and responses to development pressures from commercial interests proximate to Jackson Square. During the mid‑20th century the Society confronted proposals tied to Interstate 10 routing discussions, coordinated with the Louisiana Landmarks Society, and contributed documentation used by the National Park Service for National Register of Historic Places nominations. Post‑Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts saw the Society partnering with Federal Emergency Management Agency programs, state agencies such as the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development, and grassroots organizations including Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans to address damage, zoning challenges, and adaptive reuse disputes.

Mission and Preservation Activities

The Society's mission centers on preserving the historic fabric, streetscape, and intangible heritage of the Vieux Carré through legal advocacy, architectural conservation, and public outreach. Activities include review of proposed alterations coordinated with the New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission, submission of comments to the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Officer, and participation in environmental assessments tied to Department of Transportation (United States) projects. The organization conducts condition surveys, liaises with contractors skilled in traditional crafts such as wrought iron and plasterwork exemplified in buildings linked to Jacques T. Dakin and James Gallier Jr., and advocates for enforcement of local protections rooted in the New Orleans Municipal Code. It engages with academic partners at Tulane University, University of New Orleans, and Louisiana State University for research on conservation techniques and sociohistoric contexts.

Notable Campaigns and Successes

Among its campaigns, the Society opposed demolition proposals near St. Louis Cathedral and intervened in development plans affecting properties such as the Pontalba Buildings and the Soniat House. It successfully advocated for designation actions that influenced listings on the National Register of Historic Places and helped secure protections under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 in coordination with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The Society played a central role in shaping guidelines for renovations after impacts from Hurricane Betsy and Hurricane Katrina, mobilizing support from entities like American Institute of Architects, UNESCO observers concerned with World Heritage Site contexts, and preservation funders including the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Legal victories included injunctions addressed in filings before the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal and administrative reviews with the New Orleans City Planning Commission.

Organizational Structure and Membership

The Society operates with a board of directors, committees for architectural review, fundraising, and education, and a staff that engages consultants in structural engineering and historic trades. Governance aligns with nonprofit standards seen in organizations such as National Trust for Historic Preservation and Louisiana Landmarks Society, while membership attracts property owners, architects, historians, and business leaders from neighborhoods including Faubourg Marigny and Bywater. Members participate in meetings at venues near Hotel Monteleone and receive briefings on matters before bodies such as the New Orleans City Council and the Historic District Landmarks Commission. The Society coordinates volunteer efforts with groups like HandsOn New Orleans and student interns from institutions including Xavier University of Louisiana.

Publications and Educational Programs

The Society publishes newsletters, technical bulletins, and walking tour materials that reference scholarship by historians linked to Gwendolyn Midlo Hall and architectural historians at Historic New Orleans Collection. Educational programming includes lectures, guided tours of landmarks near Bourbon Street, and workshops on preservation techniques conducted with partners such as American Institute for Conservation and Association for Preservation Technology International. Archival materials support research by contributors to journals like Winterthur Portfolio and presentations at conferences hosted by Society of Architectural Historians. Outreach extends to school programs coordinated with New Orleans Public Schools and cultural initiatives involving ensembles at Preservation Hall.

Awards and Recognitions

The Society has received commendations from entities such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Louisiana Landmarks Society, and municipal proclamations from the Mayor of New Orleans. Its preservation work has been recognized in publications by Architectural Digest and awards conferred by professional organizations including the American Institute of Architects Louisiana Chapter and the Historic District Landmarks Commission for exemplary restoration projects. Federal acknowledgments have come through partnerships on grant awards administered by the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Park Service.

Category:Historic preservation organizations in the United States Category:Organizations based in New Orleans