[Vision2020] Beauty speaks for itself

Thu Jan 27 02:11:11 PST 2005

Downtown Moscow is my favorite part of my birthplace and home town. I must 
also agree that NSA does add visual appeal regardless of the fact that I 
don't like what is inside it.

But I also think the rest of DT Moscow is great too. I like all the old 
buildings. I don't want them all to be renovated. I want some to be 
renovated, and others just to be restored to the way they were long ago. I 
like the fire station, and the Brown's Furniture building the most. I also 
like the old Nobby Inn building. We are so lucky to have these buildings. 
And Downtown really is the real character of Moscow, not the UI which 
changes all the time. Downtown is the place for the people that represent 
the permanence of Moscow, the part that caters to the people that are in 
Moscow decade after decade, not just two to five years.

I don't know how to go about renovating the DT area because it is privately 
owned and I don't think we should give tax dollars to private businesses. I 
guess one thing we could do is maybe maintain the roads, sidewalks, 
Friendship square, and maybe have the city buy the original buildings and 
rent them whenever we can.

What do you folks think we should do to help keep and motivate the owners of 
DT to have pride in their buildings which are so much a part of the heart 
and history of this great little city we are so fortunate to live in?

Thanks,

Donovan J Arnold

>From: "Mark Seman" <FCS at Moscow.com>
>To: "Fiat Lux" <fiat_lx at yahoo.com>, <vision2020 at Moscow.com>
>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Beauty speaks for itself Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 
>00:12:34 -0800
>
>Fiat Lux (et al),
>You bring up a good point about the condition of Moscow's downtown.  There
>are very few businesses that exhibit pride in the appearance of the 
>building
>they occupy.  One significant reason is because many business owners are 
>not
>the same people that own the building or property.  I don't know the
>percentages, but there are sufficient absentee property owners that have
>minimal interest in Moscow's community-appearance.  One effort to improve
>the situation and has been in the works for 1-2 years, is a Business
>Improvement District (BID.)  In essence it is a levy placed on property
>owners, which would then be used to improve the district.  The levy amount
>and the improvements made would be defined in the petition that initiates
>the BID.  More on this can be found at the Chamber office or in the Idaho
>Code, Title 50, section 2601.  Back to your point...
>
>The improvements made to facilities by Zume, Bucer's, and other NSA
>affiliates are inspiring and have been noticeable improvements to the
>downtown.  These remodels have offered a glimpse of revitalization 
>potential
>because of someone's willingness to invest money in Moscow's downtown.
>These improvements (and other considerate ones), while still very budget
>minded, do cost money.  Not only money for the construction, but believe it
>or not, on a rare occasion there may be a designer involved and they get
>paid.  Compare these types of improvements with those built without
>design...most surely an eyesore.  And there are even those on Main Street
>that were "designed", that should never have been built.  Some people have
>taste, some think they do and others know they do not.  When investing, 
>it's
>best to have taste.
>
>And what is the taste of Moscow?  What would draw visitors here?  The most
>prominent thing I can imagine are the events. It's definitely not the taste
>of the infrastructure.  There is the random smattering of good taste and a
>lot of just bad stuff, which sure fills up with renters and buyers, but 
>what
>does it tell the visitor?  I see the lack of pride and willingness to 
>invest
>in community.  I believe, as you do, that attractive buildings (and other
>improvements) should be an integral part of Moscow's vision.  I hope that
>they will eventually be manifest and commonplace.  It's such a good way to
>taste!
>
>Best wishes for your vision,
>Mark
>* * * * * * * * * * *
>Mark Seman, Architect
>Heather Seman, Landscape Architect
>Full Circle Studios
>1404 East 'F' Street
>Moscow, Idaho 83843
>v 208-883-3276
>f 208-883-0112
>FCS at Moscow.com
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com 
>[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On
>Behalf Of Fiat Lux
>Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 10:49 PM
>To: vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: [Vision2020] Beauty speaks for itself
>
>Hi all,
>Political and religious ideologies aside, let's talk
>aesthetics for a moment.  The restorative treatment of
>the building now occupied by NSA is to be commended
>and appreciated by all.  Both the external and
>internal work, at least from what I see in the
>restaurant area, is very pleasing to the senses and
>raises the bar, with regard to street appeal, for
>other businesses in the downtown core.  The inside of
>Zume is a beautiful space.   Beautification is good.
>
>I do not know what (if anything) the city ordinances
>have to say about maintenance standards for buildings
>in the downtown core, but what NSA brings to our town
>in this regard should be inspiring, not threatening.
>There are other historic buildings in the downtown
>core, that could benefit from similar treatment.
>Sadly, some of Moscow's grand, old, cornerstone
>buildings have achieved eyesore status.   The
>condition of our town's prominent buildings speaks
>volumes about our community, to those of us who live
>here full time as well as the many visitors who pass
>through.  Attractive buildings hurt no one.  Let's
>include them as an integral part of our hopes and
>"vision" for Moscow.
>
>Yours truly,
>Fiat Lux
>
>
>
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