[Vision2020] RE: Beauty speaks for itself - architectural standards?

[Mark Seman]

Bruce,
I will try to provide some answers, but in short, the answer is not (short
that is.)  I really don't know the answer; I just feel I know what needs to
be done to get to the answer.

I have concerns for property rights vs government regulation as well.  I do
not believe one can legislate good taste - it needs to be cultivated in
people and be part of our social values.  Art & beauty have tough
competition to gain attention in our culture.  One of America's most popular
art mediums is music.  Imagine if every community had its own unique song
that was heard through its buildings, streets, parks, sidewalks, ect.  Well,
every community does have its song, some just need better composition to
make it good music.  Then the issue "Who says it's good?" can arise.  That
needs to be answered by the community itself.  Consensus and a vision of the
music can lead to the song being harmonious.

I do not object to "metal buildings" being downtown.  I do object to bad
looking metal buildings being downtown - they don't need to look like a
farmer's shop building.  Does a community need to have regulations to say
this is not right?  The owners, designers, builders, anybody should be able
to sense this is not right.  I think a lot of it must stem from how we
perceive our community - what value does it have relative to someone's
personal ROI.  And from the looks of some Main St. buildings, apartments and
housing around town, we have pretty low community esteem and the developers
a pretty high esteem for ROI.  Most of what is being built is not built for
community or permanence.  It is built for its new look and for selling in
ten years before significant maintenance is needed.  Disposable, fast-food
construction.

This IS our culture and we build to meet our cultural needs.  We don't like
what we see, but to change it means a complete shift in cultural values.
And that comes from education, not increased regulation.  Part of me says,
sure let's get design standards in-place.  But it's a patch for a symptom
and not a cure for the cause.  If there is buy-in for design standards,
there is demonstration of common values.  Just like the BID, if there is
consensus for it, there is commonality for wanting to improve.  So, on the
flip side - if design standards are accepted by the community, then there is
evidence of movement towards common values (Wow!...could that even happen
here?)

At this time I don't know the full process of developing design standards,
but it would generally involve the City agreeing to do it; forming a
committee of council, staff & citizens; brainstorming on the concept;
receiving public input; drafting the ordinance document; receiving
additional public comment; and if all's well, final adoption by Council.  In
addition to its development there are issues of staffing, implementing,
enforcement, revisions, etc.  It would definitely take time and energy from
city staff and community - and that means shifting of everyone's current
priorities.

Is there support?  I don't know.  Let's see how much dialogue develops.

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: Bruce and Jean Livingston [mailto:jeanlivingston at turbonet.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 9:21 AM
To: Mark Seman; vision2020 at Moscow.com
Subject: Beauty speaks for itself - architectural standards?

Mark, your idea about implementing good taste and quality planning into the
construction of buildings in Moscow reasonates with me, too.  But some feel
that private property rights should always prevail over government
regulation of matters of taste and aesthetics.  Hence, we have no
architectural standards in downtown, which apparently allows sheet metal
buildings to be made in our downtown core among the other beautiful
buildings.  It shocked me when a brick building burned downtown,  about five
years ago, that it could be replaced with what appeared to be a sheet metal
pole barn.

I would be in favor of some architectural standards in our downtown core,
and I would hope that the core extends up Main Street to A Street.  What
would be involved in developing and implementing some standards, and is
there any support for this?

Bruce Livingston


----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Seman" <FCS at Moscow.com>
To: "Fiat Lux" <fiat_lx at yahoo.com>; <vision2020 at Moscow.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 12:12 AM
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Beauty speaks for itself


> 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!
>
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯