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VOLUME 2

chapter 6

CULTURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION

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Historic Districts

• An historic district is a defined, geographical area designated for its cultural, social, economic, political and/or architectural significance.

• In New Orleans there are 26 historic districts and over 140 sites on the National Register, and 14 that are locally-designated). Their boundaries often overlap. The Vieux Carré has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. In addition, several especially noteworthy buildings within the District have been individually designated as National Historic Landmarks. The 1921 Louisiana Constitution was amended in 1936 (Article XIV, Section 22A)to specifically address the preserv

• The 1921 Louisiana Constitution was amended (Article XIV, Section 22A) authorizing what was then known as the Commission Council of the City of New Orleans to create the Vieux Carré Commission. This commission was charged with preserving buildings within the Vieux Carré deemed to have architectural and historical value “for the benefit of the people of the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana”. The amendment declared that this preservation was a “public purpose” so that the “quaint and distinctive character of the Vieux Carré...may not be injuriously affected, and in order that the value to the community of those buildings...may not be impaired, and in order that a reasonable degree of control may be exercised over the architecture of private and semi-public buildings erected on or abutting the public streets of said Vieux Carré section...” The amendment went on to require that plans for new buildings and “alterations or additions to any existing building, any portion of which is to front on any public street in the Vieux Carré” be reviewed and approved by this commission.

• National Register districts are designated by the National Register of Historic Places. In Louisiana this program is administered by the Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism Division of Historic Preservation.

  • National Register Districts: Esplanade Ridge, New Marigny, Parkview, Mid-City, Bywater, Faubourg Marigny, Vieux Carré, Holy Cross, Carrollton, Upper CBD, Algiers Point, Uptown, Lower CBD, Central City, Lower Garden District, Garden District, Irish Channel, Gentilly Terrace, Broadmoor, South Lakeview

• Locally-designated districts are designated by the New Orleans City Council and administered by two local historic district commissions: The New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission (NO HDLC) and the Central Business District Historic District Landmarks Commission (CBD HDLC); the French Quarter was designated by the state and is administered by the Vieux Carré Commission

  • Local Historic Districts include Algiers Point, Bywater, Canal Street, Esplanade Ridge, Faubourg Marigny, Lafayette Square, Lower Garden District, Picayune Place, St, Charles Avenue, Tremé, Vieux Carré (state-designated historic district), and the Warehouse District.

• There are over 400 designated or nominated local landmarks.

Historic Sites

• An historic site is a building, structure, site, or object that is recognized for its cultural, social, economic, political, archaeological, and/or architectural significance. Generally they are at least 50 years old. Districts can be historic sites as well.

• There are approximately 37,000 contributing buildings within New Orleans’ National Register Districts.

• The National Register of Historic Places currently lists 143 historic sites in Orleans Parish, including houses, neighborhoods, churches, cemeteries, public plazas, statues, monuments, the campuses of Xavier, Tulane, and Dillard University, the St. Charles streetcar line, and one steamboat.

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Tout Ensemble

• The Code of the City of New Orleans, Section 166-151 defines the concept as follows:

  Tout ensemble means the historic character and ambience, characterized by quaint, historic or distinctive architectural styles; landscaped patios, courtyards, public alleys and squares; interesting and diverse retail shopping stores and shops; pleasing and proportionally scaled streetscapes; buildings attractive to and compatible with pedestrian activity; use and presence of indigenous building materials and flora; and diverse peoples, cultural attractions and facilities.

• According to the Design Guidelines for the Vieux Carré Historic District, "In its regulation of the Vieux Carré, the VCC's jurisdiction is limited to proposed exterior changes to a property including the rooftop, interior of a courtyard, alleyway and/or carriageway. However, to preserve the tout ensemble, the Commission has the responsibility to comment on, or raise concerns regarding, any issue not specifically under its regulatory authority that has the potential to jeopardize the built environment. Examples include comment on sidewalk materials, cellular telephone tower placement or the potential effects of vibrations of tour buses or trucks."

Cultural Resources

Cultural Resources are defined as the physical things and places such as historic archaeological, architectural, and historical interests as well as historic musical and artistic traditions and other social institutions and community cultural amenities.

These traditions and amenities include musical traditions, street performers, craft-makers, traditional culture bearers, 2nd-line vendors, Mardi Gras Indians, and the venues and small-business owners that support them.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER?

• Federal projects must mitigate impacts on National Register properties.
• It is an honor.
• Eligibility for federal tax credits for a portion of qualifying renovations for all uses except private residences.
• There is no impact on property rights. Owners may alter or even demolish the property when private dollars are being used, subject to municipal laws and regulations.
• Owners must agree to nomination for National Register status.
• Eligibility for state tax credits for a portion of qualifying renovations for income-producing properties and for owner-occupied properties.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT?

• Local historic district designation does not affect the usage or zoning of any property.
• Work to the exterior visible from the public way is regulated for properties in local districts. All exterior work to local landmarks is regulated.
• Owners must file a request for permission to perform new construction, routine maintenance work, or demolition that affects the exterior of the property.
• Owners within an Historic District can be cited for "demolition by neglect" if a property owner fails to maintain a building and allows deterioration to occur. This may result in legal action and/or a fine if the owner fails to correct the violation.
• The Commissions do not have the authority to force a property owner to restore or renovate his property.
• There are no tax benefits of local district designation, but historic districts have been proven to have a positive and stabilizing effect on property values.
• The HDLC and VCC offer technical assistance and advice to property owners on making changes to their property. HDLC and VCC also provide free reference materials on the HDLC and VCC rules and regulations and guidelines for new construction.

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FINDINGS

• New Orleans’ rich heritage is well known throughout the nation and the world and is a tremendous asset in the city’s global economic competitiveness.
• New Orleans’ physical historic fabric encompasses a wide variety of structures and landmarks, including housing, commercial buildings, industrial buildings, cemeteries, cultural landmarks, steamships and streetcars.
• New Orleans’ cultural heritage, in addition to the built environment includes unique varieties of music, cuisine, festivals, and visual and performing arts.
• Historic New Orleans neighborhoods are characterized by mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly environments that continue to appeal to residents of all walks of life and enhance the city’s livability and global attractiveness as a place to live.

CHALLENGES

• Linking preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods to cultural preservation in order to broaden the constituency for historic preservation.
• Raising awareness about the role historic preservation plays in the global identity and economic competitiveness of New Orleans.
• Making historic preservation and conservation more affordable for all residents.
• Enhancing partnerships to coordinate preservation with neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and sustainability.
• Addressing the vacancy and blight that threaten much of New Orleans’ historic architecture.
• Overcoming the perception that preservation is overly restrictive, impractical, and bureaucratic.
• Increasing the capacity of local preservation agencies and groups.
• Ensuring the availability of skilled artisans and contractors, and appropriate building materials necessary to achieve high-quality rehabilitation of historic structures.
• Ensuring that all property owners in historic districts understand the benefits and obligations of being located within an historic district.
• Recognizing that a balance must be struck between the needs of the residents of historic districts with those of a thriving tourist industry without damaging the delicate historic infrastructure.

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Acronyms

To aid in reading this section, below is a list of acronyms used within the text:

EQUITY New Orleans is one of America’s first multi-cultural cities, richly influenced from the presence of native and global traditions and peoples. As New Orleans passes its 300 year milestone, the principle of Equity lives through the inclusive recognition of these contributions to our lives and the opportunity to identify and elevate the history of our citizens who made this city the amazing place that the world flocks to see. Our approaches to preservation, conservation and restoration must incorporate the buildings, art, music, dance, and oral traditions that reflect all of our citizens’ contributions, and must preserve the residency of longtime neighbors and culture-bearers throughout historic neighborhoods.

RESILIENCE New Orleans enjoys an unusual condition where it is emblematic of a rich architectural history as well as a geographic location that has historically subjected it to the shocks and impacts that confirm the community’s devotion to this place. There are many lessons in resilience to be learned from the buildings that have survived the tests of historic storms and floods, including the means and methods of construction and the wise placement of many of our oldest structures along the city’s natural levee at the Mississippi River. In addition to learning resilience from New Orleans’s history, part of resiliency’s mission in this place will be to “prepare our past for its future. New Orleans resilience strategy should include the retrofitting, restoration, and protection of historic sites and districts in recognition of their importance as unique residential sites and neighborhoods that attest to the authenticity of the city. They also bring value as economic drivers behind the tourism economy and as cultural touchstones that enhance social resilience.

A Introduction

In 2018, New Orleans will celebrate 300 years as a unique and vibrant urban place. Few American cities match New Orleans’ extensive and living historic character. As of July 2016, New Orleans had over 140 landmarks and 26 districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Recognition by the US Department of the Interior for listing on the National Register is an honor, but it does not have any effect on a property owner’s right to modify or even demolish a listed property. There are approximately 37,000 buildings in the National Register Districts. The French Quarter is a National Historic Landmark as well as a state-designated historic district under the jurisdiction of the Vieux Carré Commission, while the Historic District Landmarks Commission has jurisdiction over 14 locally-designated historic districts . As of 2016, there are 288 designated or nominated local historic landmarks. Buildings in the Vieux Carré and local historic districts, as well as local historic landmarks, are subject to design review of proposals for exterior alterations. A larger area, comprising land south of I-610 on the East Bank, the historic districts on the West Bank, and all present and future National Register historic districts, has been designated as the Neighborhood Conservation District. Proposals to demolish buildings in the Conservation District must be reviewed

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for historic significance and other characteristics.

The Master Plan focuses on expanding the meaning, constituency, and overall benefit of historic preservation:

• Embrace preservation of cultural heritage within the mission of historic preservation.
• Provide opportunities to make preservation affordable to property owners in all neighborhoods with buildings of historic or “conserving” value.
• Strengthen partnerships to coordinate historic preservation initiatives with neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and sustainability.

B Recommendations

A recommendations Summary linking goals, strategies and actions appears below and is followed by one or more early-action items under the heading Getting Started. The Narrative follows, providing a detailed description of how the strategies and actions further the goals. Background and existing conditions discussion to inform understanding of the goals, policies, strategies and actions are included in Volume III, Chapter 6.

Summary

FIRST FIVE YEARS: 2010–2014 | MEDIUM TERM: 2015–2019 | LONG TERM: 2020–2030

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FIRST FIVE YEARS: 2010–2014 | MEDIUM TERM: 2015–2019 | LONG TERM: 2020–2030

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FIRST FIVE YEARS: 2010–2014 MEDIUM TERM: 2015–2019 LONG TERM: 2020–2030

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Getting Started

These items are short-term actions that can be undertaken with relatively little expenditure and will help lay the groundwork for the longer-term actions that follow.

• Create a Sustainable Preservation Committee with national and local preservation and sustainable building partners to create the framework for grant applications for a sustainable preservation plan and pilot project.
• Create the Preservation Plan Committee to create the framework for grant applications for the community- based preservation plan.
• Identify a vehicle for regular communication with property owners in local historic districts.
• Create a 2018 Tricentennial Committee to begin planning for the Tricentennial year.

Narrative

Below is a more detailed narrative of the various goals, strategies and actions highlighted in the “Summary” chart.

GOAL 1

Historic preservation initiatives are supported by a broad range of constituents who share a common vision.

STRATEGIES

1.A Create a community-based, comprehensive citywide preservation plan informed by a broad range of constituencies and interests. Many U.S. cities with extensive historic resources like Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia have recognized the need for a new approach to historic preservation for the 21st century. They have created community-based historic preservation plans to guide policies and practices, and to foster partnerships with housing and neighborhood revitalization organizations that can help to achieve preservation goals in the course of their work.

A community-based, 21st century preservation plan for New Orleans should involve not only historic preservation professionals and advocates, but also housing, small business, and neighborhood revitalization interests; developers and community development corporations; lending institutions; and the city agencies whose actions involve historic buildings. It should be guided by a broadly diverse Advisory Committee that includes civic, business, and government leaders from all over the city. The plan should focus on how preservation of the city’s historic fabric can contribute to the goals that

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preservation interests share with advocates of economic development, neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing, and sustainability.

The preservation plan should include a vision, goals, strategies and an action and funding agenda for:

• Broadening audiences and support through enhanced interpretation of the links between people and the history of buildings, not just architectural styles.
• Enabling wider participation by persons of limited means and income.
• Achieving more effective incentives to encourage private investment in historic buildings, including property tax relief, granting bonuses to developers of historic commercial buildings in the CBD, and including financial vehicles for closing the gap between the cost of substantial renovation verses market values.
• Developing new appealing heritage tourism experiences that pull visitors into historic areas of the city beyond the French Quarter.
• Expanding job opportunities in the building crafts related to historic preservation.
• Incorporating preservation into neighborhood and commercial corridor revitalization.
• Adapting cost-conscious rehabilitation materials and practices for application in historic districts.
• Continue to engage the African American and Vietnamese communities in dialogue about historic sites and areas that are linked to their history.

Expanding the FEMA survey to all historic neighborhoods with a complete and thorough parcel- by-parcel survey of New Orleans’ historic buildings is a worthy goal over the long term. This plan should take a strategic planning approach in light of pressing needs aimed at stemming the loss of historic fabric through disinvestment—tackling the issue in a wholesale manner rather than exclusively building by building.¹

PRESERVATION AND REVITALIZATION IN BALTIMORE, MD

Baltimore’s innovations in historic preservation go back to the 1970s with its “dollar houses.” As part of a larger neighborhood revitalization strategy, in target neighborhoods dilapidated vernacular row houses were acquired by the city for failure to pay taxes, and sold to new owners for $1 if they rehabbed and occupied them within three years. Hundreds did. Today, the federal funding sources that helped such programs do not exist, but Baltimore’s commitment to preservation and neighborhood revitalization continues. Recently, the city enacted a Historic Restoration and Rehabilitation Tax Credit for all qualifying property in designated historic districts. With more than 30 locally designated historic districts, and scores of historic neighborhoods, approximately 54,000 structures qualify for the city’s tax credit program. The credit is granted on the increased assessment directly resulting from the qualifying improvements. The city calculates that it is worth an average of $40,000 on commercial properties, $11,000 on owner-occupied houses, and $28,000 on residential investment properties. Such innovations go a long way in making the rehabilitation of historic buildings an attractive option, particularly if they are marketed and promoted actively as Baltimore is doing.

Baltimore’s clear and easy to follow procedures and design guidelines, coupled with a streamlined design review process have been important factors in expanding public and neighborhood support for historic preservation. How well is it working? As part of a conscious strategy for neighborhood reinvestment, Baltimore’s bargain-priced historic housing stock is now marketing successfully to potential homebuyers who work in high-priced Washington DC, 45 minutes away.

www.livebaltimore.com

The plan should develop preservation tools for areas not regulated by the HDLC. The plan should identify periods of significance for more recent areas and establish a timeline for their evaluation as

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possible HDLC districts. A more strategic approach to design review may be more appropriate in Holy Cross and areas with similar economic and market profiles. Similarly, a more flexible approach to preservation standards might be appropriate in areas of with historic buildings where there has been significant loss of integrity or character either through abandonment or demolition ..

A preservation plan will take 9–12 months and require assistance from consultants with expertise in historic preservation, planning and urban design, skilled at facilitating cross-disciplinary dialogue and collaboration, and mindful of neighborhood and commercial area revitalization strategies.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

1. Convene a Preservation Plan Committee comprised of leaders from preservation, development, business, housing, neighborhood associations, historic districts and city planning and reflecting racial diversity. Who: HDLC, VCC When: First five years Resources: Staff time

Working with the HDLC and VCC, the initial function of this committee would be to identify the goals of the plan, a statement of purpose, a framework for development and a time line, in order to apply for grant funding for the plan.

2. Develop the plan with the advice of the committee and a public participation process. Who: HDLC; VCC; Committee and partners When: First five years Resources: Grants

3. Provide recognition for all publicly owned or utility owned historic properties, sites and structures, that contribute to the tout-ensemble of the City though are not under City jurisdiction. However, the City cannot exercise regulatory authority over infrastructure not legally within its jurisdiction.

Said properties or structures to include but not limited to historic buildings, cemeteries, and memorials; inventory all such properties and structures, and identify National Register eligible properties or structures.

4. Historic properties and assets that are publicly owned shall be properly maintained so as to ensure protection of the historic resources. However, the City cannot exercise regulatory authority over infrastructure not legally within its jurisdiction. Who: Property Management When: Ongoing Resources: General Fund

Historic properties and assets that are publicly owned shall be properly maintained so as to ensure protection of the historic resources, including retention of historic fabric and design, and shall be managed so as to enhance public access to and appreciation of these assets. The city shall protect historic resources and identify adaptive uses and potential funding sources for restoration, use protective techniques and preservation best practices and seek compliance by all public agencies with proper and compatible design and renovation guidelines.

5. Ensure proper preservation, maintenance, management and operation of New Orleans public cemeteries. Who: Property Management When: Ongoing Resources: General Fund

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6. Give operational priorty by all City agencies to protect and preserve historic architecturally significant properties, to minimize or eliminate adverse impacts and embrace and inculcate such protection as an important and indispensable part of all agency operations. Who: City departments When: Ongoing

7. Explore options to prevent or delay demolition to ensure the viability of proposed development plans. Who: Preservation Plan Committee When: First five years

1.B Ensure that historic preservation values and interests are coordinated with economic development groups, affordable housing developers and advocates, and ethnic and cultural groups. Some economic development interests view historic preservation efforts as overly restrictive, bureaucratic obstacles that contribute to economic stagnation. However, the sections of this plan that discuss economic development (see Volume 2, chapter 9 and Volume 3, chapter 9) emphasizes the importance of quality of life and unique character to New Orleans’ economic success in the 21st century. Young workers and knowledge workers tend to prefer living and working in authentic, culturally vibrant, and walkable environments such as New Orleans’ historic neighborhoods. Protecting and restoring the character-giving elements of New Orleans’ historic assets will be critical in giving the city a global competitive economic edge. To this end, fostering partnerships between economic development and historic preservation initiatives will be an important step in ensuring the city’s future success.

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Citywide preservation initiatives have succeeded in restoring, one building at a time, irreplaceable historic structures such as this one. The historic character of New Orleans’ neighborhoods, however, comes from more than just individual buildings. The tout ensemble of overall setting gives each neighborhood its distinct flavor and this intangible quality will require a comprehensive, strategic approach to preservation planning to assure its survival for future generations of New Orleanians. (See page 6.7 re: tout ensemble)

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

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1. Ensure cross-representation of historic preservation, cultural development and economic development interests in initiatives that promote either of these interests to leverage historic assets as part of the city’s competitiveness as a place to live, visit, invest, and do business. Who: HDLC; VCC; HANO; Hasing NOLA; public-private economic development partnership; others When: First five years Resources: Staff time

The proposed economic development public-private initiative (see Volume 2, Chapter 9 and Volume 3, Chapter 9) should continue to work with historic preservation interests in developing tourism, business attraction, workforce attraction, downtown development, and other economic development initiatives. Similarly, redevelopment efforts led housing agencies should coordinate with the HDLC and other preservation interests. Historic preservation advocates can be commissioned to develop marketing materials to “sell” the city as a place to live and work. In addition, New Orleans’ historic elements should continue to be marketed to the film and media industries. Images of New Orleans in media such as TV and fi lm will in turn serve to further advertise the city’s unique historic character. New Orleans’ ethnic and cultural heritage is as much a part of its uniqueness and identity today as its physical and architectural heritage. Both physical and cultural preservation initiatives can support and bolster one another. In addition, neighborhood-based arts and entertainment venues provide opportunities for creating heritage tourism destinations, generating jobs and enhancing quality of life. The 19 Cultural Districts—areas established by the State which provide tax credits for economic development in historic cultural areas (See Volume 3, Chapter 5) in New Orleans have established this link. See below for further discussion of heritage tourism development, and Volume 2, Chapter 9 and Volume 3, Chapter 9 for additional discussion of cultural economies.

These new, energy- efficient homes represent the latest technologies and strategies for resilient and energy-efficient building while reflecting their historic contexts in character and scale

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1.C Enhance the Guidelines for New Construction so that they emphasize the role contemporary design can play in historic districts. .

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

1. Work with the local American Institute of Architects chapter to convene a committee of architects and preservationists to enhance the guidelines for contemporary design in historic areas. Who: HDLC; VCC; AIA-New Orleans; PRC; National Trust When: Medium term Resources: Staff time; volunteers

2. Educate new Orleanians about the nature of architecture as a continuum. Who: HDLC; AIA-New Orleans; PRC; National Trust When: Medium term Resources: Staff time; volunteers

1.D Protect important cultural sites, activities, and traditions.

Many of New Orleans most important cultural sites still extant are in danger of being lost. These may take the form of crumbling buildings, such as the Karanofsky Tailor shop, the loss of neighborhood music venues, or the displacement of musicians and culture bearers themselves. If New Orleans does not take action quickly, much of this damage and loss may become irreversible.

Because of the prominent role culture plays in the identity of the City and its citizens, New Orleans has a unique opportunity to create a groundbreaking cultural preservation program, focused on not only protecting historic sites, but also providing space for living culture to grow and develop. The following initiatives will begin this process.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

1. A comprehensive survey of existing musically, historically, and spiritually important cultural sites should be completed, and site should become eligible for protection. Who: Cultural community; universities; CPC When: First five years Resources: Staff time; volunteers; grants, non-profits

Protection of existing cultural sites has been haphazard at best, and many continue to be lost, most recently Club Desire in the Upper 9th Ward. A community led survey must be undertaken to examine which sites remain, as well as their current status and threat level. Once sites are identified, the appropriate steps for preservation can be undertaken.

2. Allow historic music venues to be reestablished at sites where such former use is identified. Who: CPC When: First five years Resources: Staff time

The vast majority of New Orleans’ neighborhood music venues and performance spaces are non-conforming uses and in constant danger of permanently losing their ability to have live entertainment. If one of these bars or venues was to close for more than 6 months, they would no longer be able to host live music, no matter how long they had done so previously. In order to preserve the location as an important cultural space, venues and barrooms that can prove a history of hosting live entertainment should be able to be reestablished as music venues.

3. A grant program for sound proofing businesses, similar to a façade grant program, should be developed and implemented, with an emphasis on music venues and barrooms. Who: Office of Cultural Economy, NOLA Business Alliance, HDLC When: First five years

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The most common complaint/point of opposition to live music venues is potential or actual excessive sound. This problem is especially acute in neighborhoods where the buildings are old and in close proximity. To mitigate this, the City should develop a grant program that would allow small, locally owned cultural businesses access to sound proofing. This could be carried out in a process similar to façade improvement grants, and within a few years, because of the finite number of cultural business, virtually all located in historic neighborhoods could be soundproofed.

4. The permitting process and fee structure for cultural businesses should be streamlined, and a user friendly guide to the process created. Who: Office of Cultural Economy, NOLA Business Alliance, Safety and Permits When: First five years Resources: Staff time

Explore the fee structure for live entertainment venues, and create a user friendly guide. In addition, live entertainment venues that charge a cover should not have to pay a higher fee than those that offer ‘free’ entertainment, as that creates a disincentive to pay performers a fair wage, and devalues their work and product.

GOAL 2

Historic preservation initiatives support and invigorate neighborhood

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regeneration.

STRATEGIES

2.A Support and expand cultural heritage destinations in less-traveled areas of the city and expand visitor access to these sites. Growing New Orleans’ heritage tourism sector represents an opportunity for the city to capitalize on its wealth of historic and cultural assets to expand the city’s tourism economy and spread its benefits to a broader cross-section of New Orleans. Heritage tourists seek authentic experiences “off the beaten path,” typically staying longer and spending more money than other visitor market segments (an average of $623 a day verses $430 in 2003). New Orleans contains a wealth of potential heritage tourism sites beyond current popular tourism destinations.

The national Main Streets program established by the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides support for the revitalization of historic, neighborhood-scale commercial areas. The city has six designated Main Streets which, along with the 19 Cultural Districts, promote preservation and provide marketing and small business development assistance. These districts should be seen as potential heritage tourism destinations. (See Volume 3, Chapter 5 for maps and other information on the city’s Main Streets and Cultural Districts.)

In other U.S. cities with successful heritage tourism initiatives, non-profit organizations—with funding support from the city, Convention and Visitors Bureau, foundations, and business—have taken the lead in organizing and creating visitor “products” from the raw materials of historic character, history, arts and cultural expressions. These appealing products can then be promoted. Chicago¹ and Philadelphia² offer excellent heritage tourism products, beginning with their robust web sites, and offer outstanding visitor experiences. In both Chicago and Washington, D.C., local governments invest financially in supporting this work, benefiting from heightened economic activity and local pride as residents show off their neighborhoods.

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RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

1. Convene a Heritage Tourism Task Force. Who: Tourism organizations; HDLC; VCC When: First five years Resources: Staff time

New Orleans holds tremendous opportunity for cultural and heritage tourism development, which could create a lucrative new niche for the tourism industry while extending its economic benefits more broadly throughout the city.

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The city’s tourism marketing organizations or the proposed economic development public-private partnerships should convene a task force on heritage tourism to de fi ne and create new heritage tourism experiences such as guided tours, events and trails. The task force should also include Main Streets and Cultural District program managers, historic preservation leaders, historians, interpreters, guides, storytellers, and representatives of the tourism industry. Initially, the task force should focus on promoting and developing existing cultural tourism attractions and sites. In the long run, the Task Force should also work in partnership with Cultural Arts organizations to develop new cultural tourism attractions and sites.

Develop a quality approach to cultural tourism. According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation there are five principles for successful and sustainable heritage tourism:

• Collaborate:
  • “Successful cultural heritage tourism programs bring together partners who may not have worked together in the past… Its success depends on the active participation of political leaders, operators of tourist sites, artists and craftspeople, hotel/motel operators and many other people and groups…Regional partnerships are also useful to cultural heritage tourism efforts. Cooperating in a regional arrangement lets you develop regional themes, pool resources, save money and expand your marketing potential.”
• Find the Fit:
  • “Balancing the needs of residents and visitors is important to ensure that cultural heritage tourism benefits everyone. It is important to understand the kind and amount of tourism that your community can handle. Programs that succeed have widespread local acceptance and meet recognized local needs…Base your cultural heritage tourism program on what is appropriate and sustainable for your area:
    • How will tourism revenues improve life in your area and affect services such as fire and police protection?
    • What is the maximum number of cars or buses your area can handle? On roads? Parking lots?
    • Can you accommodate group tours?
    • Can you accommodate visitors with disabilities or special needs?”
• Make Sites and Programs Come Alive:
  • “The human drama of history is what visitors want to discover…Interpreting sites is important, and so is making the message creative and exciting.”
• Focus on Quality and Authenticity:
  • “Quality is an essential ingredient for all cultural heritage tourism, and authenticity is critical whenever heritage or history is involved…The true story is the one worth telling. The story of the authentic contributions previous generations have made to the history and culture of where you live is the one that will interest visitors, because that is what distinguishes your area from every other place on earth. It’s authenticity that adds real value and appeal.”
• Preserve and Protect:
  • “A community’s cultural, historic and natural resources are valuable and often irreplaceable…(W)hen your historic and cultural assets are at the heart of your plans to develop tourism, it’s essential to protect them for the long term…The preservation and perpetuation of traditions is important to telling the story of the people who settled the land. By protecting the buildings, landscape or special places and qualities that attract visitors, you safeguard the future.”

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2. Develop resource materials on heritage tourism. Who: Tourism organizations; VCC When: First five years Resources: Tourism marketing funds; grants

Early action items for the Heritage Tourism Task Force include developing tour guide materials to existing heritage tourism sites. Materials could include Web pages, itineraries, maps, audio tours, and training resources for guides. The Task Force should initially aim to create three to five heritage tourism experiences (tours, events, trails, etc.) that will encourage visitors to explore historic areas of the city and can be implemented during the next 24—36 months. Successful heritage tourism initiatives in Philadelphia (www.gophila.com) and Chicago (www.architecture.org) provide good examples of user-friendly resource and planning materials that the task force should emulate.

3. Capitalize on the city’s Tricentennial in 2018 to promote heritage tourism. Who: Tourism organizations When: Long term Resources: Tourism marketing funds

To celebrate the city’s Tricentennial, the Convention Bureau and Visitor’s Bureau, the Heritage Tourism Task Force, and a broad spectrum of representatives of the Cultural Arts should plan and market special events and exhibitions throughout the city as part of an extended Tricentennial celebration.

2.B Support and promote preservation-based economic development in historic areas. As mentioned earlier, the city’s six Main Streets programs and 19 Cultural Districts are initiatives that currently promote the dual causes of historic preservation and economic development at the neighborhood scale. The districts targeted by these programs enhance economic opportunities and quality of life for residents, and also provide the basis for expanding heritage tourism as described above. As state-designated programs, Main Streets and the Cultural Districts do not receive direct support from the City. A possible approach to enhance funding for these programs is to follow the example of the Boston Main Streets Program. In addition to CDBG funds from the city, each Main Street program in Boston has a “corporate buddy” that provides some funding and other assistance to the program. Corporations recognize that strong neighborhood commercial districts can benefit them.

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Adopting a holistic approach to historic preservation means looking not just at historic structures in isolation, but also preserving the cultural traditions, community and social structures, and socioeconomic diversity that characterize beloved New Orleans neighborhoods.

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REVIVING HISTORIC RETAIL DISTRICTS THROUGH BOSTON MAIN STREETS

A very relevant example is Boston Main Streets (http://www.cityofboston.gov/mainstreets/), which has achieved documented success in a preservation-based approach to stabilization and rebirth of some twenty neighborhoods over the last two decades.

Created by the National Trust to “stimulate economic development within the context of historic preservation,” the Main Street approach involves an integrated, comprehensive framework of actions and investments by the city, community organizations, property owners and residents towards achieving a community-based strategy. It stimulates significantinvolvement of community volunteers in an innovative public– private initiative, generally orchestrated by a full-time Main Street manager. Boston was the first to apply the National Main Street Center’s integrated preservation-based approach to a major city. Others – Chicago, Washington DC, among them – have followed with equal success. Boston’s mayor and council are strong supporters of this nationally-recognized innovative partnership approach. Boston devotes a significant portion of its CDBG funds to supporting staffed Main Street programs in twenty historic neighborhoods, and coordinating technical assistance, training, and support from the city’s Office of Business Development.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

1. Facilitate city and/or corporate support for New Orleans Main Streets and Cultural Districts programs, including financial support for coordination, program management, façade loans and grants, technical assistance and marketing.

   • Who: OFICD
   • When: Medium term
   • Resources: Housing Office Funds; foundations

2. Offer incentives for preservation projects that also support locally-based economic development.

   • Who: HDLC, VCC, Economic Development
   • When: Medium term
   • Resources: Staff time

2.C Foster relationships with neighborhood-based housing and community development initiatives to stimulate preservation as part of overall neighborhood revitalization. Partnerships between historic preservation and neighborhood revitalization initiatives will support a more holistic approach to preservation that emphasizes all aspects of neighborhood character—not just individual buildings—and strengthen the viability of New Orleans’ beloved neighborhoods for both current and future residents. The PRC’s work in rehabilitating and reselling historic houses is an example of neighborhood-based preservation. HDLC can assist in furthering neighborhood revitalization through historic preservation by providing information and guidance on cost-effective restoration of historic properties. The city’s housing agencies can make federal funds for rehabilitation available to historic projects.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

1. Empower neighborhoods to identify and prioritize code enforcement activities.
   • Who: Code Enforcement, IT
   • When: First five years
   • Resources: Staff time; volunteers

IT would develop a web based mapping portal to assist neighborhoods with this work.

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2. Provide funds from federal programs to rehabilitate historic homes. Who: Office of Facilities, Infrastructure, and Community Development When: First five years Resources: Housing Office Funds; HOME

A portion of HOME funds for rehabilitation of housing for low- and moderate-income renters and homeowners could be earmarked for historic properties.

3. Consider neighborhood-based design guidelines for areas not regulated by the HDLC. Who: CPC; HDLC When: First five years Resources: Staff time

Design guidelines, created with neighborhood volunteers, would provide limited regulation and provide guidance to the NCDC in its deliberations.

4. Encourage adaptive reuse of existing historic structures that contribute to overall neighborhood character and quality of life. Who: CPC; HDLC; VCC; CAO; Mayor and City Council When: Medium term Resources: CZO rewrite; Staff time

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Many historic structures are threatened because their original purpose has become outmoded or has outgrown its original home. Schools, churches, corner stores, theaters, warehouses, factories, and other historic structures are threatened by blight and disrepair because they no longer serve their original intended use. However, numerous examples of adaptive reuse preserve these buildings’ architectural contribution to the fabric, scale and character of their surroundings while reinvigorating them with new life. Zoning should facilitate adaptive reuse.

5. Conduct cost-benefit analysis of adaptive reuse alternatives to new construction when siting city-owned facilities. Who: HDLC; VCC; Capital Projects When: Medium term Resources: Staff time; volunteers; additional permanent staff

When evaluating space for new city facilities or services, reuse of historic structures should be investigated to determine financial feasibility. Studies have shown that in many cases, reuse costs about the same or less than new construction. Cost-benefit analysis should give consideration to the benefits (not always monetary) of maintaining the historic fabric of the city. Adaptive reuse also showcases the city’s commitment to environmental sustainability (See also Volume 2, Chapter 12).

6. Consider ways to address economic impacts of historic preservation to ensure that both affordability and preservation goals can be achieved simultaneously, such as leveraging available financial incentives, supporting a funding mechanism to provide financial support to low-income homeowners to comply with historic regulations, and maintaining design guidelines that allow for historic design to be achieved at a lower cost.

Who: Housing Organizations; HDLC

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When: First five years Resources: Staff time

GOAL 3 New Orleans is a model of “green”, sustainable and resilient historic preservation.

STRATEGIES

3.A Develop a “Sustainable Preservation” plan and pilot project to minimize perceived conflicts between stormwater management/flood mitigation and historic preservation.

New Orleans’ resilience strategy should include the retrofitting, restoration, and protection of historic sites and districts. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the construction industry produced 6 percent of total U.S. industrial greenhouse gas emissions in 2002 (the most recent year of analysis).¹ Historic preservation is therefore an important component of carbon emissions reduction in the United States. Additionally, historic structures in New Orleans tend to be well-adapted to New Orleans’ ecology, making them inherently energy-efficient: Many are raised above the floodplain, and vernacular architectural features like the shotgun floor plan and elongated windows that characterize many historic New Orleans homes facilitate cross-breezes that decrease reliance on air conditioning. Even so, historic structures and neighborhoods may be vulnerable to the more intense storms and higher average temperatures associated with climate change, necessitating appropriate retrofits.

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The Preservation Resource Center has exemplified the potential “win-win” of working within the intersection between historic preservation and environmental sustainability in its “green” renovations of many historic homes.²

Because of New Orleans’ national visibility as a treasure house of historic architecture and as an environmentally vulnerable location, the city could become a national model for sustainable preservation. In New Orleans, sustainable preservation should encompass on-site water management and green infrastructure because energy savings result from decreased reliance on pumped drainage and improved water management may protect historic fabric from excess moisture and related damage. To avoid perceived incompatibility between preservation standards and the city’s resilience goals, the city’s historic preservation agencies and non-profits could join with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which has a New Orleans affiliate, the American Institute of Architects, Make It Right, Global Green, Greater New Orleans Water Collaborative, the State Historic Preservation Office, National Trust for Historic Preservation, FEMA, the National Center for Preservation Training and Technology and other groups to establish guidelines for appropriate resilience retrofits in historic settings. These guidelines should address energy efficiency, on-site water management, elevation and related issues.

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RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

1. Form a committee to create a framework for a sustainable preservation program and funding request, and to advise as to appropriate use of green infrastructure for flood mitigation in historic areas. Who: HDLC; VCC; USGBC; AIA; SHPO; NCPTT; FEMA; NPS; non-profits; other appropriate groups When: First five years Resources: Staff time; volunteers; grants

The program should include a plan to develop integration of green features and resilience measures into historic district regulations and funding for a pilot project to implement the plan. The committee should include members of both the historic preservation and green building communities familiar with best practices and incentive programs, and should make recommendations within 12 months of forming. The program should minimize perceived conflicts between stormwater management/flood mitigation and historic preservation by identifying best practices that protect historic resources from flooding while applying the standards of the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office for eligibility for tax and other incentives. An advisory committee comprised of representatives of preservation nonprofits, the State Historic Preservation Office, FEMA and the National Park Service’s National Center for Preservation Training and Technology and identified local government entities shall be formed to advise as to appropriate use of green infrastructure for flood mitigation in historic settings and to provide guidance and disseminate information as to the appropriate elevation of historic structures and design considerations for such elevation, as well as available alternatives to elevation.

2. Support and promote deconstruction as an alternative to demolition. Who: HDLC; NCDAC When: First five years Resources: Staff time

Retain and repurpose historic fabric such as lumber, millwork, granite, etc., which materials should be part of the city’s comprehensive preservation plan. Deconstruction saves between 45 and 70 percent of the materials in a building for reuse as components of other structures.¹ NCDAC decisions allowing demolition of historic structures should include a requirement that property owners partner with The Green Project or other deconstruction organizations and with volunteer-based organizations to identify and save salvageable elements.

For more information on pairing resource conservation and historic preservation, see Volume 2, Chapter 12 Adapt to Thrive

3. Encourage the preservation, re-installation and re-use of historic building materials on public property, such as granite curbs and ballast brick streets, and develop rules for protection of same by public entities and private contractors. Who: Capital Projects, DPW When: First five years Resources: Staff time

3.B Develop a clear and focused preservation strategies and a pattern book that illustrates solutions for maintaining historic and pedestrian friendly character while meeting the requirements for the ADA as well as elevated Base Flood Elevation Maps.

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RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

1. Form a committee to develop appropriate solutions, research solutions used in other cities, and publish an illustrated pattern book.
   • Who: HDLC; AIA; other appropriate groups
   • When: First five years
   • Resources: Staff time; volunteers; grants

4 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.EPA). Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Key Industrial Sectors. Sector Strategies Division, May 2008. 5 www.prcno.org

GOAL 4

Acquiring and renovating an historic structure is feasible and affordable for a broad range of property owners and investors.

STRATEGIES

4.A Provide accessible, user-friendly information and resources on preserving of historic structures. The new illustrated design guidelines for historic preservation will be a significant help to property owners. (See Volume 3, Chapter 6 for more information.) In addition, historic renovation often requires specialized components or materials that, even when newly constructed, maintain the architectural integrity or style of an historic structure.

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RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

1. Create a “one-stop shop” for historic rehabilitation resources.
   • Who: HDLC; PRC
   • When: Medium term
   • Resources: Grants; staff time

Property owners and others interested in preservation should have all preservation-related resources available in one location (ideally both a brick-and-mortar location as well as on the Web).

2. Ensure that building materials and components are appropriate for historic renovation are accessible and affordable. Survey and codify elements of our historic architecture to be used in conjunction with Design Guidelines currently available. This should include recommended proportions and details of buildings and building elements.
   • Who: HDLC; VCC; PRC; building materials retailers
   • When: Medium term
   • Resources: Staff time

In addition to salvaged original materials, new materials and supplies that support historic renovation may not be readily available.

6 The Green Project: http://www.thegreenproject.org/what_we_do.php

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4.B Support workforce development initiatives in traditional crafts that support preservation such as traditional construction and artisan trades.

The craftsmanship that created New Orleans’ historic architecture is an art that needs to be consciously preserved. Through its education and workforce development initiatives and in partnership with local educational institutions, the city can promote crafts such as traditional construction techniques, iron and wood working, glass arts, and others that contribute to the historic fabric and character of the city. See Volume 2, Chapter 9 – Sustaining and Expanding New Orleans’ Economic Base for further discussion of workforce development initiatives in the traditional arts.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

1. Work with Delgado Community College and other providers. Who: HDLC; PRC, AIA, Homebuilders Association When: Medium term Resources: Staff time; volunteers

4.C Support workforce development initiatives in traditional crafts that support preservation such as traditional construction and artisan trades.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

1. Provide rehabilitation assistance for low-income owners of historic properties. Who: PRC; Non Profits When: Ongoing Resources: Grants; fund raising; volunteers

GOAL 5

Historic preservation information and administration is enhanced.

5.A Expand communications and information sharing with agencies and the public The wealth of historic resources in New Orleans, both in the highly regulated local historic districts and outside them, is a significant responsibility as well as a tremendous asset. A variety of activities can help the HDLC and other preservation agencies be more effective.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

1. Develop new and more visible public notice methods to increase awareness of permitting requirements within districts. Who: HDLC When: First five years Resources: Staff time A simple notice in a water bill or tax bill can direct property owners to the HDLC web site for more information.

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2. Continue to provide as much information as possible on the HDLC and VCC web site. Who: HDLC; VCC When: First five years Resources: Staff time

3. Place improved and expanded interpretive signage at landmarks, historic structures, monuments, parks, and other historic points of interest. Who: HDLC, VCC, Non-Profits When: First five years Resources: Staff time, donations

Use the occasion of the tri-centennial celebration to place improved and expanded interpretive signage at landmarks, historic structures, monuments, parks, and other historic points of interest with the goal of fostering appreciation for the city’s historic and cultural heritage. A commission, including representatives of academic institutions, preservationists, museums, the tourism industry and neighborhood associations, shall be formed for this purpose and charged with curating a series of historical markers and related materials, including websites, apps and brochures, seeking to broaden the narrative history of New Orleans in a factual, comprehensive and inclusive manner.

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Volume 3

chapter 6

Historic Preservation

A Context

In 2018, New Orleans will celebrate 300 years as a unique and vibrant urban place with an extensive and living historic character rivaled by few American cities. New Orleans’ appealing historic character is not confined to the French Quarter, Garden District and St. Charles Avenue—the areas that tourists most commonly visit. For residents of the city’s many walkable neighborhoods of shotguns, cottages and bungalows on both banks of the river, the city’s history is part of everyday life. More than house forms and architectural details, much of the appeal of these neighborhoods comes from their settings—buildings rhythmically sited on streets lined with canopies of river oaks, parks and neutral grounds. Together, they make up the historic character of the city in which residents live their lives.

Residents of New Orleans are fiercely attached to the historic character of their neighborhoods. The need to preserve that character was a top priority at many Master Plan meetings. The city’s physical connection to its historic roots is part of the identity of New Orleanians. Perhaps because it is so ubiquitous, the city’s architectural character is not generally recognized as potentially one of its strongest economic assets for growing a robust 21st century economy. Among the city’s business, economic development and political leadership, historic preservation is sometimes viewed as an obstacle to progress and a barrier to the city’s growth, rather than an economic asset.

For New Orleans to achieve the vision of 2030, its image will be critical in competing globally for talent, business and private investment. Today and for the next decade or more, the convergence of market forces and demographics is putting cities that have historic neighborhoods and “main streets” of local shops and amenities in the forefront of exciting places to live and do business. Historic preservation is at the root of retaining this character and has been the foundation of neighborhood revival in cities all over the country. Viewing historic preservation as a key component in a comprehensive, integrated approach to neighborhood revitalization, rather than as an isolated function, will enable the city’s historic character—so beloved by residents—to be harnessed more consciously towards a future where innovation and preservation are linked.

1. Designated Historic Assets

New Orleans’ historic resources include federally-designated districts and landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places, locally-designated historic landmarks and local historic districts, and neighborhoods outside historic districts that contain a wide variety of buildings dating from more than 50 years ago that are protected from demolition without a historic review because they lie within a Neighborhood Conservation District.

National Register Landmarks and Districts As of June, 2009, New Orleans had over 140 landmarks and 19 districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The entire Vieux Carré (French Quarter) has been designated a National Historic Landmark. National Register districts and landmarks are designated by the US Department of the Interior and are administered by the State Historic Preservation Office in Baton Rouge. National Register

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designation is an honor—designation as a national landmark is the highest historic honor—but does not have any effect on a property owner’s right to modify or even demolish his or her property. There are approximately 37,000 buildings in the National Register Districts in New Orleans. After Hurricane

mAp 6.1: New oRleANs HistoRic DistRicTs AND NeiGHboRHooD coNseRvATioN AReAs, 2009

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Katrina, FEMA funded a very detailed historic survey with extensive photos of a number of New Orleans neighborhoods: Carrollton, Central City, Lower Garden District, Marigny, Parkview, Mid City, Tremé, and Esplanade Ridge. Expansion of this survey would provide New Orleans with an unparalleled resource.

Local Historic Landmarks and Districts City-designated historic resources are administered by the Vieux Carré Commission (VCC)—which has jurisdiction over the French Quarter—and the Historic District Landmarks Commission, which has a 11-member commission focused on four downtown historic districts (CBD HDLC), and a 15-member commission with jurisdiction of all the other locally-designated historic districts (HDLC). These commissions also have jurisdiction over locally-designated landmarks. The Commissions review proposals in local historic districts that seek to change any part of the exterior of a building that is visible from a public way for historic appropriateness. They have a similar but more extensive regulatory power over landmark buildings, where any exterior surface—not just those visible from the public way—is subject to review. The Commissions also offer technical assistance to property owners and may issue citations for demolition by neglect (failure to maintain a building to such a degree that it is in danger of becoming uninhabitable). The historic fabric that comprises its historic districts has been professionally ranked according to significance. HDLC’s Buildings Rating Guide has six categories. The preservation plan for the Vieux Carré uses these same categories.

Locally-designated historic landmarks are typically located outside of local historic districts, except in the case where landmarks were designated before a local historic district was created. They include houses, neighborhoods, churches, cemeteries, public plazas, statues, monuments, college and university campuses, the St. Charles streetcar line, and two steamboats.¹ A number of local landmarks are also national landmarks. There are 406 properties that are designated or nominated local historic landmarks as of mid-2009. Once a building is nominated, exterior changes are subject to review by the HDLC. The HDLC must prepare a study on the nominated buildings before they are formally designated.

HDLC’S BUILDING RATINGS GUIDE

In addition to the French Quarter, there are 14 local historic districts. Most local historic districts are also within National Register Districts, though there are a few cases where the borders of the local districts do

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not coincide with National Register Districts and include additional buildings.

Neighborhood conservation District The Neighborhood Conservation District (NCD) encompasses an area generally south of I-610 on the East Bank, the historic districts on the West Bank, and all present and future National Register historic districts. The purposes of the NCD are: 1) to attempt to preserve buildings of historic or architectural value as defined by the HDLC or that contribute to overall neighborhood character; 2) to preserve and stabilize neighborhoods; 3) to promote redevelopment that contributes to historic character; 4) to discourage underutilization of property; 5) to advise the City Council as needed on issues related to the conservation of neighborhoods within the NCD. The NCD Committee (NCDC) is located within the Department of Safety and Permits and is made up of five community representatives from each City Council district and one representative each from the Office of Code Enforcement, the HDLC, the CPC and the Department of Health.

The primary role of the NCDC is to review demolition applications for properties within the NCD using as criteria: current condition; architectural significance; historic significance; urban design significance; neighborhood context; overall effect on the block face; proposed length of time a vacant site would remain undeveloped if demolition were granted; proposed plan for redevelopment; and public comment from neighbors, neighborhood associations or interested organizations. If a demolition permit is denied, the property owner cannot apply for another on the same building for a year, but can appeal to the City Council. Exemptions from review include: single story accessory structures not visible from the public way; demolition of less than 50 percent of the floor area and not including the front façade; structures within the jurisdiction of the HDLC or otherwise subject of demolition review; structures deemed to be in

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imminent danger of collapse. The Neighborhood Character Area Study prepared for this plan can be used to inform demolition decisions by the NCDC (see Appendix).

In other cities, Neighborhood Conservation Districts (NCDs) often include design guidelines based on an evaluation of neighborhood characteristics, so that additions, renovations and new development is reviewed for compatibility with existing neighborhood character. Design guidelines in NCDs are more lenient than in local historic districts and in many cases are developed with neighborhood participation, so that the level of regulation and type of regulation is acceptable to local property owners.

Illustrated Design Guidelines The HDLC received a federal Preserve America grant (to be matched with CDBG funds) in summer 2009 to develop new historic preservation design guidelines with illustrations. This publication will bring New Orleans up to date with comparable cities in providing guidance to owners of historic properties.

2. STAKEHOLDERS AND RESOURCES

In addition to the HDLC and VCC, there are several preservation organizations active in New Orleans.

Preservation Resource Center (RRC). The Preservation Resource Center is a non-profit founded in 1974 as an advocacy organization which has expanded into programs to rehabilitate historic houses. Its 45 staff members provide technical assistance, rebuilding assistance, advocacy on larger citywide preservation issues, and some financial assistance to community-based restoration efforts to encourage renovation of historic houses in New Orleans. PRC programs include:¹

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• Operation Comeback: Purchase, renovation, and resale of vacant historic properties since 1987, with heightened focus since Hurricane Katrina. A revolving fund provides continued resources for new projects, and the Adopt a House program seeks donations to support more housing rehabilitation. The program works with the City’s first time homeowner programs to provide affordable housing in rehabilitated historic properties.
• Rebuilding Together: An affiliate of a national organization, Rebuilding Together brings volunteers to New Orleans to assist in repair and renovation of homes for low- and moderate-income homeowners who are elderly, disabled, or first responders. From 2006 to mid-2009, 219 housing units have been repaired in New Orleans, with 38 in progress, using the labor of over 11,000 volunteers. The program works with neighborhood associations to identify eligible homeowners.
• Prince of Wales Building Crafts Apprentices program: Through the PRC, applicants who meet certain criteria (such as enrollment in Delgado Community College-Louisiana Technical College, or active membership in certain unions, or permanent residency in the Lower 9th Ward) can apply to receive stipends allowing them to attend the Prince of Wales program in England.
• Ethnic Heritage Preservation Program: The PRC developed this program with the African American Heritage Preservation Council through a partnership with Dillard University. A database of jazz-related sites is being developed and two plaques have been installed on buildings associated with jazz artists.
• Preservation Easement Program: Owners of historic properties can donate an easement on the property’s façade to the PRC in return for a tax donation. The easement gives the PRC the authority to approve or disapprove changes to the façade.

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Louisiana Landmarks Society

Established in 1950, the Louisiana Landmarks Society is the state’s oldest non-profit preservation organization, whose mission is to promote historic preservation through education, advocacy and operation of the Pitot House.

Landmarks rapidly defined preservation advocacy in New Orleans by leading the charge to preserve Gallier Hall in 1950 and defeat the proposed Riverfront Expressway a decade later. Landmarks’ most visible manifestation of its preservation principles is the historic c. 1799 Pitot House. Landmarks removed the Pitot House from the threat of demolition in 1964 when it acquired and relocated the structure 200 feet away. Landmarks’ preservation activities restored the c. 1799 Pitot House to its Creole West Indies colonial charm. Today, the Pitot House functions as Landmarks headquarters, as a venue for a variety of programs and events, and as a historic house museum open to the public.

Each year, Landmarks continues promoting historic preservation with the following events and activities:

• The New Orleans 9 Most Endangered List: Modeled on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Most Endangered program, Louisiana Landmarks implemented its own list of the most endangered historic resources in New Orleans, beginning with the first list right before Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. The goals for the program include: saving historic places, publicity for historic sites, advocacy for historic preservation, preservation education, and supporting proactive preservation efforts. A list of endangered places is an excellent tool for drawing attention to historic sites that may be threatened by demolition, neglect or bureaucracy.

• Lecture Series: Each year Louisiana Landmarks Society hosts a series of lectures on topics related to the preservation, culture, history and built environment of New Orleans, including the Martha Robinson lecture in May. Recent presentations include Roberta Brandes Gratz: We’re Still Here, Ya Bastards: How the People of New Orleans Rebuilt their City; the documentary film MisLEAD: America’s Secret Epidemic, presented by Dr. Howard Mielke, Ph.D., Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine; and, The Realities of Short-term rentals, with guest speaker Jay Brinkmann; and, The 50th Anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act and Transportation Act and the Second Battle of New Orleans, with guest speaker William E. Borah; and, The People and Places of the New Orleans Civil Rights Movement, presented by Dr. Raphael Cassimere, Jr., University of New Orleans Professor Emeritus of American Constitutional History and African American History.

• The Annual Louisiana Landmarks Society’s Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation: honors architecture and construction projects completed in Orleans Parish (outside of the French Quarter) within a one year time span that represent outstanding examples of restoration or rehabilitation. Projects represent everything from modest shotguns and Creole cottages, to revived neighborhood theatres and markets, and a variety of public and private buildings. Projects honored meet criteria such as demonstrating that historic preservation could be a tool to revitalize older neighborhoods; show that historic preservation is “green” and sustainable; support the cultural and ethnic diversity of the preservation movement; are creative examples of saving a historic building; and, involve properties that utilized various federal or state tax incentive programs.

• Education programs: Each year, the Pitot House welcomes students from schools throughout the Greater New Orleans area. Field trips to historic houses help students appreciate Louisiana’s interesting history. Filled with beauty and mystery, historic buildings offer valuable insight and a connection with those who have contributed to the beautiful fabric of New Orleans.

• The Harnett T. Kane Award: Established by Harnett Kane (1910 – 1994), Louisiana Landmarks Society’s founding member and President, this prestigious award salutes those who have demonstrated lifetime contributions to preservation. An impressive list of preservation luminaries have been honored, with the first award given in 1968.

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SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, RECREATION AND TOURISM. HTTP://WWW.CRT.STATE.LA.US/HP/TAXCREDIT09P.ASPX. RETRIEVED AUGUST 2009.

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Main Streets. Main Street programs, mentioned earlier in Chapter 5—Neighborhoods and Housing, were first developed to revitalize historic commercial districts and their program structure continues to serve as a strong foundation for preservation of historic commercial areas.

The Green Project. The Green Project is a nonprofit organization that operates a warehouse store which resells high-quality salvaged building material, much of which comes from historic structures that have been deconstructed rather than demolished.¹

Tourism. While some of the city’s tourism promotion efforts capitalize on the city’s historic character and image, and there are a few tours of historic sites and districts offered by guide services, many New Orleanians see historic preservation as focused on the more traditional tourist areas of the city, particularly the French Quarter and the Garden District. However, there is significant potential for expanding tourism activity into some of the other historic areas of the city, which could lengthen the visitors’ stay, and would benefit residents and neighborhood-serving restaurants and businesses as well as visitors.

Cultural preservation linked to historic preservation. The African American community tends to be less active in preservation organizations and initiatives, though many of New Orleans’ historic buildings were constructed and inhabited by the city’s African American working class. Moreover, these historic neighborhoods are the birthplaces of jazz (Tremé and others) and cultural traditions that are integral to New Orleans identity.

3. Historic Buildings

The ambiance created by the ensemble of historic buildings in neighborhoods—rather than monumental public buildings—is what attracts many people to New Orleans. Much of this vernacular historic housing in New Orleans was built for working people and for residents of modest means. Building rehabilitation practices mandated by historic district regulations are perceived as expensive and a barrier to historic renovation by low and moderate income owners. For developers and landlords, the gap between renovation costs and market sales or rental rates

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The national main Streets program provides resources to assist communities in revitalizing historic commercial districts.

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There is significant potential for expanding heritage tourism activity into historic areas of the city that currently do not benefit from the tourist trade.

can be a deterrent, adding to the potential for continued disinvestment in some neighborhoods with historic building stock or, alternatively, rehabilitated buildings become unaffordable to the workforce for whom they were originally intended. Over time, the socioeconomic diversity of entire neighborhoods—and integral part of the “historic character” that so many New Orleanians seek to preserve—is eroded.

In 2008, Louisiana Act 431 created the Magnolia Street Residential Neighborhood Enhancement Program, within the Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism. The Magnolia Street program, which is modeled after a successful program in Pennsylvania, is similar to the Louisiana Main

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⬚ figure Street Program. Magnolia Street helps residential districts near a Main Street district implement a revitalization strategy. The program will provide residential reinvestment grants for infrastructure and structural improvements, such as streets, street lights, trees, exteriors of buildings, and sidewalks. The program will also provide an assessment of educational and recreational opportunities and facilities within an area, as well as provide grants to market and promote urban residential living and promoting home ownership within the residential areas. The program is being stewarded by the state Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism and is still in the process of getting started.¹

Like many other older cities, New Orleans has a number of historic institutional buildings that will need to find new uses, many in the middle of residential neighborhoods. These buildings contribute to the historic character of their surroundings. The recent School Facilities Master Plan notes that: “some older school buildings will no longer be practical for use as educational facilities,” and recommends that they be “evaluated for their historic qualities and preserved and/ or adaptively reused for housing, offices, or other community uses.” Schools, churches, convents, and similar historic assets have found new life around the country (and in New Orleans) as housing, arts centers, business incubators and other modern uses.

The maritime industrial heritage of New Orleans is reflected in many historic structures on the riverfront and in its numerous historic warehouse and factory buildings. However, many are currently outmoded for modern industrial purposes and vacant or underutilized. The Warehouse District, where many historic warehouse buildings have been converted to artist studios, galleries, offices, restaurants, and housing, provides one precedent for adaptive reuse of industrial structures.

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4. TWENTIETH CENTURY ARCHITECTURE

New Orleanians’ sense of historic identity is linked to the remaining 18th and 19th-century buildings in so many neighborhoods. However, buildings over 50 years old are generally considered candidates for historic preservation status. In addition to buildings from the first half of the twentieth century, such as the Art Deco Charity Hospital building, New Orleans also has examples of Modernist and Mid-Century architecture and neighborhood design, whose preservation value should be evaluated, including City Hall, several mid-century schools, office buildings and single-family homes. The architectural community has tended to be the strongest advocate for preserving mid-century buildings.

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5. INTEGRATING CONTEMPORARY WITH TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE

Like many American cities with important historic building stock and a strong preservationist community, New Orleans has yet to develop the easy integration of contemporary and historic architecture that is more often found in Europe. Development of a set of guidelines for compatible contemporary design is needed to assist property owners and developers. Guidelines and criteria for evaluation would encourage more developers to use architects rather than engineers to design new buildings within historic contexts.

B What The Public Said

Previous plans for New Orleans—particularly the Unified New Orleans (UNOP) and Neighborhood Rebuilding Plans (Lambert) plans—placed top priority on preserving the overall character of neighborhoods and eliminating blight. Many individual plans expressed residents’ desire to ensure renovation of historic structures wherever possible (thought demolition for reasons of health and public safety was also a high priority). Preserving New Orleans’ arts and cultural heritage and the socio-cultural diversity neighborhoods were frequently mentioned in these plans.

During the Master Plan process, public attention focused particularly on the following historic preservation concerns:

• Adopt a more holistic view of preservation as not just the renovation of physical structures but also the restoration of social and cultural heritage.
• Move away from a “museum-ification” and the “curatorial” approach to preservation and towards a more useful, functional, “living, breathing” form of preservation.
• Expand preservation initiatives to include social and cultural heritage.

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• Preserve the overall historic character of neighborhoods, including their mix of uses, walkability, density, scale, architectural styles, and diversity of housing types.
• Preserve the character of streets and public spaces, including tree canopies, benches, landscaping, and both formal and informal gathering places.
• Encourage historic preservation throughout the city, not only in tourist-oriented areas
• Encourage the preservation of artisan skills and trades.