Design Guidelines for the Vieux Carré Historic District
In 2015, the Foundation transformed preservation guidance for the French Quarter by replacing outdated 30-year-old, 30-page mimeographed guidelines with comprehensive, full-color Design Guidelines for the Vieux Carré Historic District. City Council adopted these expanded 200+ page guidelines in August 2015, providing critical direction for preserving and protecting the district’s architectural and historical resources.
The new guidelines offer detailed information and illustrations to instruct property owners, design professionals, contractors, VCC staff, and Vieux Carré Commissioners on appropriate exterior changes to properties within the historic district. In 2016, the Design Guidelines won the NAPC Commission Excellence Award for Best Practices. Demand was so strong that the hardback edition sold out in 2016.
Accessing the Guidelines
The Design Guidelines are available free of charge online for public access. The comprehensive resource features 200+ pages with 369 color photographs and 219 detailed drawings.
Building on the success of the 2015 edition, the Foundation is developing an updated edition for release in 2026, when new hardback copies will become available for purchase.
Table of Contents
Click below to view the design guidelines or download a PDF.
