Vision Plan

The revitalization of Canal Street has been discussed for decades. Numerous studies have been completed, yet no coordinated entity has carried their recommendations forward. There have been bright spots—particularly the restoration of the Sazerac House, funded by the Goldring Family Foundation, which revived a long-vacant historic building as a destination family-friendly museum celebrating New Orleans culture and inviting both locals and visitors to linger on Canal Street. It is a strong model for high-quality, preservation-minded restoration. However, individual successes alone cannot generate the momentum or critical mass needed to reverse Canal Street’s overall decline. The recent closures of the Brennan family’s Palace Café after 34 years and the 127-year-old family-owned Adler’s Jewelry emphasize the urgency and the need for bold, coordinated action.

Meanwhile, New Orleans has lost more than 45,000 residents in the past four years, due in part to some of the lowest job growth rates in the country, combined with rising housing and insurance costs. For the third consecutive year, the New Orleans metro has experienced the steepest population decline among large U.S. metro areas. This loss of population translates directly into lost jobs, lost income, and shrinking revenue for the city, which now faces serious operating budget shortfalls and the possibility of increased taxes and fees. New sources of jobs and tax revenue are essential now.

Other cities around the country have proven the tremendous economic benefits of downtown revitalization. The contrast is evident when looking closely at the data. Following Tampa’s downtown revitalization, its population surged by 177%*.

It is time to advance a suite of transformative projects for Canal Street under one cohesive action plan led by Celebrate Canal!, the citizen-led initiative headed by Sandra Thompson Herman, who has 20 years of state-level project leadership experience. The lesson of the last fifty years is clear: piecemeal projects will not solve the problem—Canal Street will continue to decline. A coordinated group of well-designed, family- and pedestrianfriendly projects can create the critical mass needed to spur outside investment. A relatively small amount of strategic incentive funding from the state’s $2.7 billion capital fund can support up to ten major construction projects. Delivered in succession, these projects will generate new construction and permanent jobs, as well as significant new tax revenue for the city, parish, and state.