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The Importance of the Vieux Carré Commission (VCC) and the VCC Foundation

Most, if not all, of the historic buildings and structures in the French Quarter would be gone, or their exterior historic qualities and character would be lost, but for the Vieux Carré Commission (VCC).

The French Quarter / Vieux Carré is the section of New Orleans that was the capital of the French, then the Spanish, colony of Louisiana. 

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The influx of Americans into New Orleans following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, increased the development of the upriver areas above the colonial town. By the second half of the 19th century, New Orleans’ commercial center and most of its wealthy residents had moved out of the French Quarter. The grand buildings they once occupied became immigrant rooming houses, industrial sites and the like.

The French Quarter became derelict. By the end of the 1800’s, City leaders were discussing demolishing the entire colonial town, including the Cabildo (where the Louisiana Purchase was signed) and 12 other Vieux Carré sites that are now National Historic Landmarks.

Despite the objections and efforts of preservationists, by 1920, the St. Louis Hotel, the French Opera House and an entire square bounded by St. Louis, Royal, Conti and Chartres Streets and Exchange Alley were razed.

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In 1925, the City’s Commission Council gave in to the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects and created an advisory VCC, the first in the United States. But, preservationists protested its lack of power.

The current VCC was created by the City after Louisiana voters approved a 1936 Amendment to the Louisiana Constitution of 1921. The Amendment authorized the City to create the VCC and mandated the VCC’s purpose, authority, duties, board composition and geographical area of regulatory jurisdiction. [The Louisiana Constitution of 1974 continued the VCC’s constitutional authority.]

However, in 1946, the Commission Council passed an ordinance that decreased the geographical boundaries of the Vieux Carré and the VCC’s regulatory jurisdiction. Before that ordinance was declared unconstitutional by the Louisiana Supreme Court, most of the historic buildings along the riverside of North Rampart and Decatur Streets and blocks of Iberville and Bienville Streets were razed.

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After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was in dire economic straights. The City slashed agency budgets, including the VCC’s. To support the work of the VCC, the founders of the VCC Foundation (Foundation) reorganized their dormant organization into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. 

The Foundation’s post-Katrina Mission is to support and further the cause and constitutional charge of the VCC to preserve and protect the invaluable historical architectural heritage of New Orleans’ Vieux Carré / French Quarter through educational and charitable means.

Consistent with this Mission, the Projects and Programs that the Foundation funds and undertakes for the VCC and public primarily include:      

• Undertaking an expanded second edition of the 2015 Design Guidelines which will add coverage of climate change and resiliency;
• Creating a national 2016 award winning, online, user-friendly, full color, 200+ page Vieux Carré Design Guidelines that replaced the VCC’s 30 page, black & white, hyper technical design guidelines it had used for 30 years;
• Producing a series of hands-on Quarterly Care Workshops that demonstrate the how-to’s of historic preservation consistent with the DG. Videos of past Workshops, including proper care of historic masonry, windows and woodwork, exterior paint and the colors of the French Quarter are on the Foundation YouTube channel; and
• Creating and continuing to develop the locally award winning online Vieux Carré Virtual Library (VCVL) of all the VCC’s records and property files through an user-friendly interactive map; and
• Supplying the VCC with special equipment, outfitted bicycles for its inspectors, and other items to assist the VCC in fulfilling its constitutionally mandated duties.

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