Press Release
Preservation in New Orleans' Historic Neighborhoods: Getting the Job Done for Homeowners
National Trust President Richard Moe and Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu Celebrate how Preservation-based Revitalization is Helping Families Return Home to Holy Cross and other Historic New Orleans Neighborhoods
New Orleans, LA. (May 10, 2007) – Nearly two years after Hurricane Katrina, residents of historic neighborhoods in New Orleans continue to face a fundamental question: Demolition, or preservation. Today, National Trust President Richard Moe, Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu, Bob Brown of the Preservation Resource Center, and several owners of historic homes in New Orleans came together to deliver a strong message to homeowners and everyone who loves the Crescent City: Not only is preservation the only course that will allow New Orleans to retain its singular character, it is also preservation that is delivering results by getting the job done and—one home at a time—revitalizing neighborhoods by returning residents to their homes.
When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans historic neighborhoods almost two years ago, the National Trust for Historic Preservation took immediate action to help preserve and revitalize the city’s neighborhoods. It was evident that a task of this magnitude would require long-term, dedicated partners, and today, there has been great progress thanks to these partnerships. The National Trust and its partners—especially the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana—mobilized more than a thousand volunteers, opened a field office to lead on-the-ground work, started several programs to spearhead the actual work of restoring homes, and helped to publicize to the nation and the world the pressing need to save the unique, irreplaceable heritage of New Orleans’ historic neighborhoods. The National Trust and Preservation Resource Center also helped to successfully advocate for $40 million in preservation grants for the Gulf Coast, money that is already on the ground and making a difference.
Today, to mark the progress that has been made to address what National Trust President Richard Moe has called “perhaps the greatest cultural disaster in American history,” the National Trust met with Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu at the 5200 block of Dauphine Street in an area where a number of homes are being successfully renovated to celebrate the accomplishments of the past two years, and to announce key initiatives that will build on those successes into the future.
Standing on Dauphine Street in the Holy Cross section of New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward, National Trust President Richard Moe said preservation has been a valuable tool for the neighborhood’s revitalization.
“For the National Trust, the bottom line from day one has been that the shotgun houses, Creole cottages and vernacular homes that comprise New Orleans’ historic neighborhoods must be saved,” said National Trust President Richard Moe. “The debate over New Orleans has reached a critical crossroads, and the future of some of the most unique and irreplaceable neighborhoods in America is at stake. It is a false choice to suggest that demolition and new construction are the answer to the city’s longtime recovery. The work of the Trust and its partners has demonstrated that preservation can be a win-win for New Orleans’ historic neighborhoods; preservation-based programs have returned homeowners to their homes, while retaining the unique characteristics that make these historic neighborhoods beloved to people throughout the world.”
Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu, whose office oversees historic preservation, said the state’s lobbying partnership with the National Trust and others resulted in considerable monies for Hurricane Recovery Grants for Historic Properties. “Congress made a $9.6 million investment in Louisiana, and we honored that investment with a grant award process that was accountable, transparent, and efficient. We moved the money within 45 days, and those dollars are now on the ground helping people rebuild their lives. Louisiana homeowners are using these funds to rebuild their homes, and the restoration of each home contributes to the rebirth of our neighborhoods.”
Patty Gay, Executive Director of the Preservation Resource Center, said “Support from the National Trust enabled the PRC to hit the ground running after the storm. We will be forever grateful to the Trust for working with the PRC to welcome residents home and to encourage them in the restoration of their homes and neighborhoods.”
Going forward, the National Trust said the infusion of federal Road Home dollars makes it especially important to remind homeowners that preserving their home presents several advantages that demolition and rebuilding do not. These include: renovation of older homes can be faster and cheaper than building from scratch; older homes are usually built with higher-quality construction materials and craftsmanship, and retain their value better; older homes have features that can not be found in new construction, including plaster, molding, ironwork and mantels.
To help homeowners who are trying to determine how their home can be saved, the National Trust and the Preservation Resource Center will soon announce a new series of weekly workshops to assist homeowners in all aspects of saving their home, from structural issues, to mold remediation, financing, hiring a contractor and making sure the work is carried out according to specifications.
Also, in an exciting new corporate partnership, the National Trust is pleased to announce that Architectural Digest magazine will adopt a home in a historic New Orleans neighborhood and help provide the resources for the National Trust and the Preservation Resource Center to restore it.