About the Vieux Carré Commission

History of the Vieux Carré Commission

New Orleans was the first city to pass an ordinance creating a historic district. An amendment to the Louisiana Constitution of 1921 (Article XIV, Section 22A) laid the groundwork for the creation of the Vieux Carré Commission. This amendment specifically addressed the preservation of the "quaint" traditional architecture in New Orleans' Vieux Carré, the so-called French Quarter, and enabled the creation of a municipal body to safeguard the structures bounded by Iberville Street, Esplanade Avenue, North Rampart Street and the Mississippi River.

In 1925 the Commission Council of New Orleans, responding to pressure from the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects, established the first Vieux Carré Commission. This first commission faltered, however, because the agency was merely advisory in function. The successful 1936 legislation derived from the efforts of a small group of determined activists during this period who insured the continuing preservation of the only intact Spanish and French Colonial settlement remaining in this country.

Act 139 of 1936 amended the Constitution of the State of Louisiana to authorize the New Orleans City Council to create the Commission and to define its composition, purpose, and area of jurisdiction. The authority of the Commission is further described in Articles I, II, III, IV & V in Chapter 166 of the 1995 Code of the City of New Orleans.

Architectural Review Committee

The Architectural Committee is composed of the three (3) Commission members representing the American Institute of Architects and up to four (4) non-Commission architects. The Architectural Committee reviews all applications for work in the Vieux Carré that VCC staff may not approve. See the Application Review Process for full information.

Committee Members

• Stephen Bergeron, A.I.A.
• Rick Fifield, A.I.A.

Vieux Carré Commission

The Commission is composed of nine (9) volunteer members appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the City Council. They are chosen as follows,

• three (3) from a list of six names submitted by the local American Institute of Architects  chapter
• one (1) from a list of two from the Louisiana Historical Society 
• one (1) from a list of two from the Louisiana State Museum Board 
• one (1) from a list of two from the Chamber of Commerce 
• three (3) appointed at-large.

Each of the Commissioners serves a four (4) year term.

Commission Members

• Heather Veneziano- Louisiana Historical Society
• Stephen Bergeron- AIA
• LaVerne Saulny- At Large
• Robert Pearson- At Large
• Gabriel Virdure- AIA
• Vincent Weaver - Chamber of Commerce
• Sandra Shilstone- Louisiana State Museum