Vieux Carré Commission Wins National Award for Best Practices
NEW ORLEANS – Today,
the City of New Orleans announced that the Vieux Carré Commission (VCC) received a Commission Excellence Award in the category of
Best Practices for its Design Guidelines for the
Vieux Carré Historic District from the National Alliance of Preservation
Commissions (NAPC). The NAPC Commission Excellence Awards highlight "best
practices" and exceptional accomplishments by commissions at the local
level, for both large and small communities, to protect historic districts and
landmarks through legislation, education and advocacy.
“I
thank National Alliance of the Preservation Commissions for recognizing New
Orleans as a national leader in preservation best practices,” said Mayor
Mitch Landrieu. “I also want to commend the Vieux Carré Commission and the
Vieux Carré Commission Foundation for their work on the Design Guidelines that
will ensure the protection of our historic and architectural resources. The
historic French Quarter is our city’s crown jewel and preserving it is
absolutely essential. ”
The Vieux Carré
Commission (VCC) is the state-enabled city agency that was formally established
in 1936 to protect, preserve, and maintain the distinct architecture, historic
character, and zoning integrity of the Vieux Carré, which is the oldest
neighborhood in New Orleans, founded in 1718. The VCC works closely with
property owners and design professionals to fine-tune architectural projects to
reflect the historic district’s tout ensemble, or the sum total effect of its architecture
on its quaint and distinctive character and ambiance.
Within an area
of 90 blocks, the Vieux Carré Historic District incorporates more than 2,000
properties and 4,000 buildings, 15 of which are considered of national
architectural and historical significance and approximately 180 of which are
deemed of “major architectural and historical significance.” The Vieux Carré is
not only a local historic district, but also a National Historic Landmark.
The
Design Guidelines for the Vieux Carré Historic District were adopted by the
New Orleans City Council in August 2015 to provide guidance for preserving and
protecting the district's architectural and historical resources. This
comprehensive project was funded and managed by the Vieux Carré Commission
Foundation to replace the outdated 1986 Design Guidelines.
The new
guidelines provide detailed information and illustrations to instruct property
owners, design professionals, contractors, VCC staff, and the Vieux Carré
Commissioners regarding appropriate exterior changes to properties within the
historic district.
Lary
Hesdorffer, former Vieux Carré Commission Director, said, "My hope is that the work of
the VCC, particularly with the recent completion of the updated design
guidelines, will be understood better than ever before—making the protection of
New Orleans' oldest and most precious neighborhood a recognized necessity
rather than what some may consider optional. The value of our city's historic
built environment can't be underestimated and should never be taken for
granted."
Hesdorffer, who
retired in February 2016 after 35 years of service to the City, describes the
design guidelines as "the single most valuable tool to guide an applicant
through restoration, rehabilitation and even simple maintenance of a French
Quarter property.”
Deborah
Andrews, NAPC’s Awards Committee Chair,
said, “In undertaking this ambitious project, the Vieux Carré Commission not
only wisely recognized the need to revisit design guidelines written some
thirty years ago and make them more comprehensible and user-friendly for a lay
audience, they also seized the opportunity to significantly expand the scope,
relevance and specificity of the design guidelines. Covering such topics as
termite prevention and treatment and storm/hurricane preparedness, the
guidelines address preservation issues unique to the region. The new guidelines
also address challenges brought on by technological advances (e.g. security
cameras) not envisioned years earlier. The structure and organization of the
digital document is also particularly effective, with its combination of three
guideline approaches, its extensive use of images and graphics to illustrate
key points without extensive text, and its formatting that allows for sections
of the guidelines to be distributed as separate documents. NAPC's Awards Committee
agrees that the new Design Guidelines for the Vieux Carré Historic District is
an examplar for providing clear, concise, comprehensive and effective
information and guidance on preservation matters [emphasis added].”
John H.
Stubbs, Director of Master of Preservation Studies, Tulane School of
Architecture, said,
"If ever there was a longstanding example in the United States of 'best
practices' in protecting entire historic districts through landmarks
legislation and heritage protection management it would be the work of the
Vieux Carré Commission.... the VCC’s impressive new preservation guidelines
ensure that the Commission is prepared for the next generation of architectural
heritage management in a place where the stakes are quite high."
Walter W.
Gallas, AICP, City Planner II at Commission for Historical and Architectural
Preservation, Department of Planning, Baltimore, Maryland, said, "These design guidelines are
not simply a re-write of existing work. This is a completely new and fresh resource
which is broad in scope, detailed in its explanations, user-friendly, and
richly illustrated. The Vieux Carré, one of our nation's most important
historic districts, will be well-served by this document."
Peter M.
Trapolin, AIA, Principal and Founder, Trapolin-Peer Architects, said, "As Principal and Founder of
Trapolin-Peer Architects, a 35-year-old architectural firm specializing in
historic restoration and renovation projects, I have worked closely with the
VCC and frequently utilized their Design Guidelines.... These updated
guidelines are more user friendly and cover technical materials and
preservation issues in a graphic and written format that's easy for the layman
to comprehend. The guidelines' directions are useful in providing comprehensive
information to building users, owners, occupants, architects, and contractors.
These practices not only assist in the preservation of this historic district
of national importance but also allow for design professionals and New
Orleansians to become stewards of our precious architectural legacy."
Nominations
were judged on their (a) originality and innovation; (b) transferability as a
model for other commissions; (c) comprehensiveness, excellence and degree of
difficulty; and (d) impact and results. The VCC was nominated for the “Best
Practices” award by the Vieux Carré Commission Foundation. The VCC was
nominated for the “Best Practices” award by the Vieux Carré Commission
Foundation.
About The
Vieux Carré Commission
The
VCC is the nation’s second oldest historic preservation commission. It
protects, preserves and maintains the distinct architectural, historic
character and zoning integrity of the Vieux Carré including regulating repairs,
construction and violations charges.
About The
Vieux Carré Commission Foundation
The Vieux Carré
Commission Foundation (Foundation) was organized to support and further the
cause and constitutional charge of the Vieux Carré Commission: to preserve and
to protect not only the French Quarter’s invaluable historic architectural
heritage, but also its “tout ensemble”, or the sum total effect of its
architecture on its quaint and distinctive character and ambiance. Formerly
known as Friends of the Vieux Carré, the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization (Federal Tax ID#90-0424605); contributions are tax-deductible as
provided by law.
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