04/13/2026
Canal Street helped define New Orleans for generations. Now we’re working on what comes next.
Last Friday, I had the chance to attend the Celebrate Canal Spring Quarterly Meeting at the Four Seasons New Orleans and left genuinely inspired. In just 18 months, Celebrate Canal under Sandra Herman’s leadership has built real momentum around reimagining Canal Street as a vibrant corridor that reflects the very best of our city: restoring vacant buildings, retaining businesses that stayed, and attracting new amenities.
Keynote speaker Bhavna Mistry - New Orleans-raised, Tulane architecture alum, and former Disney Imagineering VP - shared a framework that stuck with me:
✦ Start with the story, then design the place
✦ Focus resources where people feel it most
✦ Elevate local voices — artists, architects, culture bearers
✦ Build with long-term stewardship in mind
These aren’t just theme park principles. They’re a blueprint for every important corridor in our city.
Proud to now be a business member of Celebrate Canal. If you care about the future of downtown New Orleans, consider joining too!
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