SAVE THE DATE!
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Mail:
Post Office Box 56095
New Orleans, LA 70156
Office:
816 N. Rampart Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
Phone: 504-581-7200
Fax: 504-581-7201
Candidate Interviews - Mayor, District C, and At-Large
Vieux Carre Property Owners, Residents and Associates and French Quarter Citizens conducted interviews with the major candidates for mayor, council district C, and council-at-large. Below are links to summaries of those interviews and the text of the mayoral interviews (we'll send the full text of the council interviews in a separate email).
We used a set list of questions for all candidates, although naturally in the course of the interviews other topics were covered. We attempted to capture the salient points from these interviews, and in cases where we quote the candidates directly, we’ve used quotation marks.
Click here to read the mayoral interviews.
Click here to read the district C interviews.
Click here to read the council-at-large interviews
VCPORA and FQC thank all the candidates for their time and for their energy. Now it’s up to us, as citizens, to study the candidates and their positions, and make informed votes.
Remember, early voting continues until this Saturday. It's fast and easy - click here to see where and how.Royal Cosmo Condo-Tel is BACK!
IT’S BAAACCK….
The Controversial, Cosmopolitan Condo-tel
proposed for 121 Royal Street…
“THE TOWER
THAT ATE ROYAL STREET”
See for yourself. Click on pictures below…
Don’t laugh -- Something is seriously wrong when developers need a 26-story building -- to restore a single five-story building!
In the first picture below (all from developers’ architect), see the proposed skyscraper towering over original five-story Royal St. building…
http://www.themarketingcenter.com/vcp/Tower.Royal-front.jpg
The view from historic Canal Street -- See how much higher it is than anything else on the block!...
http://www.themarketingcenter.com/vcp/Tower.Canal.jpg
Next, notice the grey box in rear. That’s a hotel that was sued because it was 159.5 feet. The rules allow 85 feet. The height of this project busts through at 268 feet!
…And, don’t forget to compare the height of neighboring buildings on this Royal Street block!
http://www.themarketingcenter.com/vcp/Tower.Royal.jpg
Please take a moment to e-mail or phone your New Orleans City Councilpersons… click below for contact information, and for more details on this important issue!
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VCPORA's At Home - this Friday!
VCPORA invites you to
At Home in the Vieux Carre
At Home in the Vieux Carre
Friday, January 15 * 5:30 - 7:00 * 1104 Dauphine Street
So head on over after work, then have dinner at one of Quarter's many fine restaurants. We hope to see many of you there, and encourage you to forward this invitation widely!
Admission is $5 for VCPORA members, $10 for non-members, and anyone joining at the event will receive free admission!
For more information, call 504-581-7200 or email info@vcpora.org.
Upcoming At Home dates and locations:
- no February event -
March 19 - location TBA
April 23 - 1019 St. Philip St. NOTE DATE CHANGE
May 21 - location TBA
- no February event -
March 19 - location TBA
April 23 - 1019 St. Philip St. NOTE DATE CHANGE
May 21 - location TBA
VCPORA Welcomes our New Board Members!
On Thursday, October 29, VCPORA bid a fond farewell to our departing board members, including outgoing president Mike Moffitt. We also welcomed our new and returning board members, including Ann Masson, VCPORA's new president! To see a list of the 2009-10 VCPORA board members, click here. And to read the remarks and thanks of our outgoing president, click below.
We are prepared for another year of challenges and successes in protecting and preserving the Vieux Carre, and thank our board members and our membership for their dedication and support!
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We are prepared for another year of challenges and successes in protecting and preserving the Vieux Carre, and thank our board members and our membership for their dedication and support!
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Riverfront Park - More Info Needed
Below is a letter sent by VCPORA as well as French Quarter Citizens and the Faubourg Marigny Improvement Association regarding the proposed rezoning of riverfront land for the "Reinventing the Crescent" park. While we wholeheartedly support the creation of the park, we have some specific concerns about this proposal, and have asked the Council to defer the matter until key questions have been answered. Click below to read the letter.
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711 Bourbon - VICTORY!
On Friday, October 9, Judge Robin Giarrusso denied the owners of the business at 711 Bourbon (aka Bourbon Lights) their request for a preliminary injunction.
The plaintiffs had sought a court action that would have allowed them to continue operating, despite the fact that permits were not obtained for virtually any of the work on the premises; despite the flouting of four stop work orders issued by the city; despite the fact that no structural permits or inspections have ever been conducted; and despite many other violations of building, preservation, and life safety codes.
The bar owners had argued that any violations were the responsibility of the building owners, and that they as tenants shouldn't be punished because a third party didn't follow the rules. But the city attorneys rightfully pointed out that the bar owners had both directed and benefited from the work, and had "unclean hands" and committed "bad acts." They also countered the plaintiff's claims that the violations were "technicalities."
We are grateful to our attorney, Alan Alario of Smith Stag, and to city attorneys Thomas Robichaux, Nolan Lambert, and Dawn Segura, who prepared the brief and successfully argued the case today.
This is a huge victory for the French Quarter, but for other neighborhoods as well. When the importance of process is upheld, and everyone is compelled to follow the same rules, then all neighborhoods win!
Thank you, FQC members and friends, for your tremendous outpouring of support and justified outrage in this case.
In plain English, we won!
The plaintiffs had sought a court action that would have allowed them to continue operating, despite the fact that permits were not obtained for virtually any of the work on the premises; despite the flouting of four stop work orders issued by the city; despite the fact that no structural permits or inspections have ever been conducted; and despite many other violations of building, preservation, and life safety codes.
The bar owners had argued that any violations were the responsibility of the building owners, and that they as tenants shouldn't be punished because a third party didn't follow the rules. But the city attorneys rightfully pointed out that the bar owners had both directed and benefited from the work, and had "unclean hands" and committed "bad acts." They also countered the plaintiff's claims that the violations were "technicalities."
Judge Giarrusso's ruling means that the bar operators cannot legally open the establishment.
We are grateful to our attorney, Alan Alario of Smith Stag, and to city attorneys Thomas Robichaux, Nolan Lambert, and Dawn Segura, who prepared the brief and successfully argued the case today.
This is a huge victory for the French Quarter, but for other neighborhoods as well. When the importance of process is upheld, and everyone is compelled to follow the same rules, then all neighborhoods win!
Thank you, FQC members and friends, for your tremendous outpouring of support and justified outrage in this case.
VCPORA Launches "At Home in the Vieux Carre!"
VCPORA invites you to
At Home in the Vieux Carre
At Home in the Vieux Carre
Friday, October 16 5:30 - 7:00 825 Royal Street
VCPORA is pleased to announce the kick off of our new event, "At Home in the Vieux Carre." This series will rotate monthly to various private homes in the French Quarter, and offers attendees from the Quarter and across the city a glimpse inside private French Quarter residences. Our inaugural event will be held at 825 Royal Street. This gorgeous home is a brick Creole townhouse tucked away behind busy Royal Street, and fronted by a magnificent courtyard (see photo below).
The goal of the series is to showcase the livability of the city's first neighborhood, to foster appreciation for the Quarter as a residential area, and perhaps even to recruit some new residents!
At Home will be held on the third Friday of every month except February, and are timed so that attendees can make a night of it by having dinner afterwards at one of the Quarter's many offerings.
Admission is $5 for VCPORA members, $10 for non-members, and anyone joining at the event will receive free admission! Light refreshments are included.
We hope to see many of you there, and encourage you to forward this invitation widely!
For more information, call 504-581-7200 or email info@vcpora.org.
Extra special thanks to Michael Wilkinson and
French Quarter Realty for underwriting the At Home series!
711 Bourbon Street - REOPENED?!?!
The bar at 711 Bourbon Street has obtained a court order to reopen! VCPORA needs your help in getting city officials to enforce the law and protect our irreplaceable Vieux Carre! Click below to read more!
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UPDATE on Illegal Bar at 711 Bourbon
First of all, tremendous thanks to the dozens of you who have written to city and state officials regarding the ongoing violations at 711 Bourbon and 814 Orleans Street.
YOUR ACTIONS HAVE GOTTEN RESULTS!
Last night, we got word that the bar was open. Representatives of VCPORA and French Quarter Citizens met with Maj. Hosli, commander of the 8th District, at 711 Bourbon at about 9 p.m. Word of our impending visit had apparently reached the bar operators, because by the time we arrived, the bar was closed! We will be checking again tonight.
CLICK TO READ MORE! Continued »