March 25, 2025 | From City of New Orleans

City Announces Application Process to Restore French Quarter Spanish Tiles

NEW ORLEANS - The City of New Orleans and the Vieux Carré Commission (VCC) are excited to announce receipt of the Ambassador Gift from Ángeles Moreno Bau, Ambassador of Spain to the United States. The gift has been extended to the City of New Orleans.

The Ambassador's gift is part of the program to repair missing and broken Spanish era ceramic street tiles that can be seen as place markers on the outside of French Quarter properties.

The original 126 tiles were a gift from the Spanish government to New Orleans during Mayor Morrison's administration to commemorate the Spanish names of streets in the Vieux Carre (Viejo Barrio) during the Spanish era of the Louisiana territory between 1762-1803.

The original tiles were produced in Talavera de la Reina, Spain, in 1959 and were installed with the guidance of the Vieux Carré Commission throughout the French Quarter from 1959-1961.

Property owners with existing damaged tiles can apply for replacements, courtesy of the Spanish ceramic tile manufacturer ADEX and with the support of the Spanish Consulate, which will facilitate communication between ADEX and the Vieux Carré Commission for the tiles to be manufactured for the renovation. This application is only for existing tiles. No new signs will be approved.

Permits are available in One Stop by clicking on VCC Spanish Tile Application. There will be no charge for permits.

The VCC will be the repository for all necessary documents and data and will not have direct contact with the tile manufacturers.

Upon applying, applicants must have the following documents ready for uploading in the document section of your application before submitting:

• If your building is part of a condo association, please upload a letter from your board president, signed by all owners, that states that all parties have knowledge of and consent to the proposed work.
  
• Upload one photograph of each elevation where work is planned.
  
• Upload one photograph of each whole Spanish Tile Street sign you wish to have refurbished.

The applications process will be open from March 10 to May 9. Deadline to submit applications is May 9.