Archives > Mesquite News > News
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
Truman gets new coat
By Kenny Green, kgreen@acnpapers.com
Armed with buckets of paint donated by Benjamin Moore, volunteers kicked off the Truman Heights paint project on Saturday.
About 13 volunteers, many of them city employees, began the three-year paint project by painting the first house in the neighborhood. Among the city volunteers doing some of the painting was Richard Gertson, director of community development.
“As a city planner it felt extremely good kicking off the revitalization of the neighborhood,” Gertson said. “It is always gratifying to assist those in need.”
“The rehabbing of the first house on Saturday was just one piece of the whole picture,” Gertson said.
According to Gertson, around a year and a half ago Benjamin Moore agreed to supply enough paint for the approximately 60 homes in the Truman Heights neighborhood, located near the intersection of U.S. 80 and Galloway Avenue.
“About 18 months ago the city approached us about the project. We are very committed to the communities, especially where we do business. We have been in Mesquite for many years, so whenever the city comes to us we do everything in our power to work with them and support their programs,” said Eileen McComb, national director of communications for Benjamin Moore. “We thought this was a fabulous project and for us this was a no-brainer.”
An application from residents is needed for the free paint. Residents who qualify based on income are eligible for paint contractors to provide free labor. For residents who do not qualify, the city is seeking volunteers to help get the work done.
“Benjamin Moore also donated the services of one of their color designers. The designer is working with the homeowners for a set of agreed-upon colors to be used on the house,” Gertson said. “The donations by Benjamin Moore have allowed us to revitalize this neighborhood at a quicker pace.”
The paint project is going to be done over a three-year span with public works projects scheduled to begin at some point during the three-year period. The city currently does not have funds budgeted for the project.
“We hope to have the bulk of the projects completed in around three years. We have to have some flexibility due to funding and other considerations; even with that we should have most of the work done within three to three and a half years,”
So far not everyone has accepted the offer for free paint; for those who are reluctant we want to let them know the city is committed to the neighborhood, Gertson said, adding that the city is committed to the revitalization and will work with them to find a way to get the work done. Residents in the Truman Heights neighborhood seeking information or to apply for the paint project should contact Danielle Wonkovich at 972-329-8523.
In addition to the projects, the city council has adopted a new form-based code for this neighborhood. The goal of the code is to make the area much more pedestrian-friendly and much greener.
“The city is currently working with commercial property owners that are interested in revitalizing their property. For homeowners that want to do a simple remodel, the code does not affect them. One of the things you try to do [when revitalizing an area] is to maintain the current fabric and look of construction in the neighborhood. The new code is not a license to make the area look modern. The goal is to restore the condition [of the neighborhood] and to sustain useful life,” Gertson said.
Gertson said that based on the code, if you are going to build on an infill lot, then you have to use the same style and setbacks as exist in the area, with a few exceptions.
“In most other areas of the city the homes have around 75 percent masonry. That is not the case in this neighborhood,” Gertson said.
The Truman Heights neighborhood, along with Casa View Heights, Mesquite Park and the Sherwood Forest neighborhoods, was one of four targeted by the city council four years ago as areas of the city that needed to be revitalized.
“The neighborhoods were chosen based on many factors. Some being the age of the housing stock, a history of environmental code issues, the age of the public infrastructure and demographic and statistical information,” Gertson said.
Gertson indicated that the city was currently putting together an application in the Casa View Heights neighborhood for revitalization at the intersection of Oates Drive and Gus Thomasson Road.
“We have two private property owners who are interested in partnering with the city to revitalize the area,” Gertson said.
Based on the strategy for Mesquite Park, some street upgrades and sidewalk replacement are needed. According to Gertson, there has already been some sidewalk replacement completed in the neighborhood, and code enforcement is working with residents to ensure that the area is being maintained.
In Sherwood Forest the city is working with some residents looking to upgrade their homes. Gertson indicated that there are several infill projects that need to be completed in the neighborhood.
“The strategies for those two neighborhoods varied depending on what the residents felt was important,” Gertson said. “So far in the Mesquite Park and Sherwood Forest neighborhoods we have yet to have the funding to begin the projects.”
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: News «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
