Masonry Magazine September 2012 Page. 52
INDUSTRY NEWS
Dickinson Public Library
Dickinson Mayor Julie Masters says, "The development of the State Highway 3 Overlay District has been a collaboration of the Planning and Zoning Commission, City Council, and Dickinson Economic Development Corporation over the last year and a half, and it is the first Overlay District ever created in Dickinson. The Overlay District provides a guide for future redevelopment along Highway 3 that will, ultimately, create a pedestrian-oriented main street for Dickinson that takes it back to its vibrant past."
The overlay district masonry requirements are similar to the requirements in Galveston's "Design Standard for Historic Properties," adopted earlier this year, which specifies brick as the primary exterior building material within the business historic districts throughout the city, according to Meg Belmontes, community planner with the Texas Masonry Council.
"Many historic Texas towns were shaped by local ordinances passed in the late-1800s requiring masonry on the exterior of buildings in their downtown areas," Belmontes says. "These policies likely were a response to fires like the one in Galveston in 1885, which consumed 42 blocks and 562 buildings, before burning itself out. Initially constructed of wood and siding, most of the buildings were replaced after the fire with masonry construction. It's not surprising that many buildings constructed under these policies are still standing and in use today - more than a century later."
Research has shown that masonry requirements result in higher overall property values; growth in the tax base, lessening the tax burden on residents; continued population and housing growth, and no significant impact on affordability for either renters or buyers of housing.
NCMCA State Golf Tournament
The 20th Annual NCMCA State Golf Tournament is Sept. 27 at Mill Creek Golf and Country Club in Mebane. Join in the fun and fellowship as you support important North Carolina Mason Contractors Association projects with your registration and sponsorship. Visit www.ncmca.com/images/stories/newsletterImages/golfregistration2012.pdf to register. IMAS