NEW ORLEANS (Dec. 13, 2024) — On Thursday, members of the New Orleans business community gathered to celebrate the 20th annual meeting of the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce. Among the featured speakers was Sandra Hernan, founder of the Celebrate Canal! Coalition, a new citizen-led initiative dedicated to revitalizing Canal Street.
The Coalition, which held its inaugural meeting in October, aims to transform Canal Street—one of the city’s most iconic thoroughfares—into a vibrant, world-class destination. With more than eight million visitors annually, Canal Street holds immense potential to become a pedestrian-friendly hub that celebrates New Orleans’ rich cultural heritage, spurs economic growth, and provides an inviting space for both locals and tourists alike.
“I’m excited about this project, and I’ve been involved in many similar initiatives throughout my career,” said Hernan, speaking from the stage alongside notable figures like Master P, Jay Cicero, and Sandra Lindquist. “What stood out to me were the memories people shared about Canal Street, mixed with a sense of sadness about its current state. That’s when I decided to take on Michael Hecht’s challenge—to lead a citizen-driven movement to turn things around.”
In a pivotal step toward revitalization, the New Orleans City Council unanimously passed a resolution on Sept, 19, led by Councilmember Helena Moreno, to update the 2018 Canal Street Study. This comprehensive review of past research identified successful trends and obstacles in previous revitalization efforts and set new goals to guide future improvements. Among the study’s key recommendations were the development of new commercial and residential spaces, encouraging the use of upper floors (including through short-term rentals), attracting diverse retail to the street level, and implementing supportive policies to sustain these changes.
Hernan, who took on the revitalization challenge just six months ago, remains deeply committed to the project. “Every day, I wake up with a passion to help bring this vision to life—for the people of New Orleans, for our future, and for Canal Street,” she said.
Here are more of the week’s top business stories:
Helena Moreno Officially Announces 2025 Campaign for Mayor of New Orleans
$3.5 Million in Grants Awarded to 65 Local Organizations by Impact 59 Powered by Entergy
New Orleans Business Alliance to Transition Initiatives to Local Partners, Dissolves Effective 2025
Nunez Student Completes Exclusive NASA Aerospace Scholars Program
International AI-Focused Tech Company Establishes Innovation Office in New Orleans
East Jefferson General Hospital Achieves VAD Accreditation
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center’s Micah Allen-Chambers Named Director of Sales
