Preservation Resource Center
Encyclopedia
The Preservation Resource Center is a non-profit organization
which promotes the historic preservation
of buildings and architecture in New Orleans
.
is a city famous for its architecture
. From the townhouse apartments
of the French Quarter
to the shotgun house
s of Uptown
, New Orleans features a wide array of architectural styles, styles which are often unique to the city. It is a visible testament to the rich history and culture of the city.
However, New Orleans has suffered from the same problems with sinking property values and urban decline
as other major cities. Many historic structures have been threatened with demolition. Even the now famous French Quarter was once a neglected immigrant ghetto in the early 20th century, which was also threatened with destruction. In the 1960s, there had been a serious attempt by the federal government to demolish the French Quarter's scenic riverfront and replace it with an interstate highway
.
The Preservation Resource Center promotes the protection of historic architecture
in New Orleans, which it believes are vital to the economy, culture, and aesthetics of the city. The organization also advocates the involvement of citizens and communities in the restoration of historic neighborhoods and buildings
. Most of the organization's programs are directed toward several target historic neighborhoods in the city.
The offices of the Preservation Resource Center are located in the historic Leeds-Davis Building in the Warehouse District
, near the National World War II Museum
and Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
. The building was built by the noted New Orleans architect James Gallier
in 1853, during the antebellum period of New Orleans history. The structure features a restored cast-iron Gothic Revival
facade. Preservation purchased the Leeds-Davis Building in March 1998, and financed an extensive modernization and renovation of the structure for the next two years. It moved into its new office on November 11, 2000. The building features a classroom and a showroom on the first floor. The office is located at 923 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130. Phone: (504) 581.7032. E-Mail: prc@prcno.org.
which favored historic neighborhoods and properties. The organization frequently joins neighborhood associations
in city planning sessions
with the New Orleans City Council and other government agencies. It has been involved in legal cases which have prevented the demolition of specific houses and neighborhoods.
each year. Many of these seminars are held in the organization's office building, and they are open and free of charge to the general public. The organization also publishes material relating to the renovation of historic homes and buildings. The organization has a monthly newsletter, Preservation in Print, which publicizes events relating to historic preservation, and features articles on historic neighborhoods and buildings.
of vacant historic properties, instead of the demolition of existing structures and the construction of new buildings. Established in 1987, the original objective of the program was the revitalization of the Coliseum neighborhood in the Lower Garden District
. Today, Operation Comeback helps prospective homeowners locate and purchase renovated historic houses throughout the city. The program also holds interviews with homeowners and helps them finance and organize renovation projects.
in that the organization renovates existing homes instead of building new ones.
and Hurricane Rita
, several historic New Orleans neighborhoods were flooded, and numerous historic buildings were severely damaged. Preservation Resource Center is currently assisting homeowners throughout the city repair their flood and wind-damaged homes.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
which promotes the historic preservation
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
of buildings and architecture in New Orleans
Buildings and architecture of New Orleans
The Buildings and architecture of New Orleans are reflective of the History of New Orleans and the city's multicultural heritage. New Orleans is world famous for its plethora of unique architectural styles, from creole cottages to the grand mansions on St...
.
Mission
New OrleansNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
is a city famous for its architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
. From the townhouse apartments
Townhouse
A townhouse is the term historically used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in many other countries to describe a residence of a peer or member of the aristocracy in the capital or major city. Most such figures owned one or more country houses in which they lived for much of the year...
of the French Quarter
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
to the shotgun house
Shotgun house
The shotgun house is a narrow rectangular domestic residence, usually no more than 12 feet wide, with doors at each end. It was the most popular style of house in the Southern United States from the end of the American Civil War , through the 1920s. Alternate names include shotgun shack,...
s of Uptown
Uptown New Orleans
Uptown is a section of New Orleans, Louisiana on the East Bank of the Mississippi River encompassing a number of neighborhoods between the French Quarter and the Jefferson Parish line. It remains an area of mixed residential and small commercial properties, with a wealth of 19th century architecture...
, New Orleans features a wide array of architectural styles, styles which are often unique to the city. It is a visible testament to the rich history and culture of the city.
However, New Orleans has suffered from the same problems with sinking property values and urban decline
Urban decay
Urban decay is the process whereby a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude...
as other major cities. Many historic structures have been threatened with demolition. Even the now famous French Quarter was once a neglected immigrant ghetto in the early 20th century, which was also threatened with destruction. In the 1960s, there had been a serious attempt by the federal government to demolish the French Quarter's scenic riverfront and replace it with an interstate highway
Vieux Carré Riverfront Expressway
The Vieux Carré Riverfront Expressway was a controversial mostly-elevated never-built freeway that would have cut through the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
.
The Preservation Resource Center promotes the protection of historic architecture
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
in New Orleans, which it believes are vital to the economy, culture, and aesthetics of the city. The organization also advocates the involvement of citizens and communities in the restoration of historic neighborhoods and buildings
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
. Most of the organization's programs are directed toward several target historic neighborhoods in the city.
Organization
The Preservation Resource Center was founded in 1974. It is governed by a president and a board of directors. As of 2006, the Preservation has 21 full-time and part-time employees and annual budget of $1.4 million. Its numerous outreach and renovation projects rely on federal grants, donations, and a community of volunteers and members.The offices of the Preservation Resource Center are located in the historic Leeds-Davis Building in the Warehouse District
New Orleans Central Business District
The Central Business District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the French Quarter/CBD Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Iberville, Decatur and Canal Streets to the north, the Mississippi River to the east, the New Orleans Morial...
, near the National World War II Museum
National World War II Museum
The National World War II Museum, formerly known as the National D-Day Museum, is a museum located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, at the corner of Andrew Higgins Boulevard and Magazine Street. It focuses on the contribution made by the United States to victory by the...
and Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The lower end of building one is located upriver from Canal Street on the banks of the Mississippi River. It is named after former Mayor of New Orleans Ernest N. Morial...
. The building was built by the noted New Orleans architect James Gallier
James Gallier
James Gallier was a prominent New Orleans architect.He was born James Gallagher in Ravensdale, County Louth, Ireland in 1798. He worked in England during his early career, designing the Godmanchester Chinese Bridge which crosses a mill stream of the River Great Ouse in 1827, and then working on the...
in 1853, during the antebellum period of New Orleans history. The structure features a restored cast-iron Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
facade. Preservation purchased the Leeds-Davis Building in March 1998, and financed an extensive modernization and renovation of the structure for the next two years. It moved into its new office on November 11, 2000. The building features a classroom and a showroom on the first floor. The office is located at 923 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130. Phone: (504) 581.7032. E-Mail: prc@prcno.org.
Advocacy
The Preservation Resource Center is politically active in supporting legislation which favors historic preservation and works to prevent legislation which favors unrestricted development. In the past, the organization has lobbied for legislation which saved the federal tax credit for historic rehabilitation, created a property tax abatement for home renovation, and established zoning measuresZoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
which favored historic neighborhoods and properties. The organization frequently joins neighborhood associations
Neighbourhood
A neighbourhood or neighborhood is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town or suburb. Neighbourhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. "Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition...
in city planning sessions
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
with the New Orleans City Council and other government agencies. It has been involved in legal cases which have prevented the demolition of specific houses and neighborhoods.
Education
The Preservation Resource Center sponsors several events and information workshops for homeownersHouse
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
each year. Many of these seminars are held in the organization's office building, and they are open and free of charge to the general public. The organization also publishes material relating to the renovation of historic homes and buildings. The organization has a monthly newsletter, Preservation in Print, which publicizes events relating to historic preservation, and features articles on historic neighborhoods and buildings.
Operation Comeback
Operation Comeback promotes the purchasing and renovationRenovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
of vacant historic properties, instead of the demolition of existing structures and the construction of new buildings. Established in 1987, the original objective of the program was the revitalization of the Coliseum neighborhood in the Lower Garden District
Garden District, New Orleans
The Garden District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Central City/Garden District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: St. Charles Avenue to the north, 1st Street to the east, Magazine Street to the south and Toledano Street to the...
. Today, Operation Comeback helps prospective homeowners locate and purchase renovated historic houses throughout the city. The program also holds interviews with homeowners and helps them finance and organize renovation projects.
Rebuilding Together
Originally established as "Christmas in October" in 1988, Rebuilding Together is a neighborhood revitalization program which renovates the homes of elderly, low-income, disabled homeowners. Homeowners who own a historic house can apply to have their homes renovated, and the renovations are done at no cost to the homeowners. The program relies on volunteer labor and donated supplies to perform the renovations. Both skilled and unskilled labor are invited to join the program. The program differs from the New Orleans Habitat for HumanityHabitat for Humanity International
Habitat For Humanity International , generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or simply Habitat, is an international, non-governmental, non-profit organization devoted to building "simple, decent, and affordable" housing, a self-described "Christian housing ministry." The international...
in that the organization renovates existing homes instead of building new ones.
Hurricane Katrina
During Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
and Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
, several historic New Orleans neighborhoods were flooded, and numerous historic buildings were severely damaged. Preservation Resource Center is currently assisting homeowners throughout the city repair their flood and wind-damaged homes.