A group of business owners and community members traveled to Austin to receive the official designation. Pictured are Mike Mercado, Liz Steigent, Janice Vryoal, Barbara White, Kathy Golden, Cisco Tucker Kolkmeier, Shanta Kuhl, Renee Butler, Vincent M. Morales, Jr., Dee Casserly, Alan Macik, Marchita Priest, Marcia Vogelsang, Sandy Macik, Noel Valdes, Rachelle Kanak and Brandon Campbell. Photo by BAC Photography and Design.
In September, a second attempt at securing the Texas Commission on the Arts’ (TCA) Cultural Arts District designation for Historic Downtown Rosenberg was successful. A contingency of twenty-two local business owners, artists, patrons, country representatives and community leaders traveled to Austin to celebrate the official honor, which has been designated to only 25 cities in Texas.
Authorized by the 79th Legislature, TCA has the ability to designate cultural districts in cities across Texas. These districts are defined as special zones that harness the power of cultural resources to stimulate economic development and community revitalization. The districts can become focal points for generating businesses, attracting tourists, stimulating cultural development and fostering civic pride, essentially a thriving creative sector that is a powerful economic development asset.
What the Cultural Arts District Designation Means for Rosenberg
According to TCA, cultural district development is one strategy that helps a community boost their economies while realizing other cultural and civic benefits. The outcomes of cultural districts extend beyond the arts and benefit all members of a community in many ways including:
Attracting artists and cultural enterprises to the community. Artists, cultural institutions and creative enterprises all contribute to a community’s economic potential. Not only do they generate direct economic activity, but artists and creative entrepreneurs infuse communities with energy and innovation.
Encouraging business and job development. Cultural districts can create a hub of economic activity that contributes to the community being an appealing place to live, visit and conduct business. A thriving cultural scene helps an area to prosper when consumers drawn to cultural attractions patronize other nearby businesses. This can result in the creation of new economic opportunities and jobs.
Address specific needs of a community. Cultural districts are a highly adaptable economic development approach that allows a community to make use of unique conditions, assets and opportunities.
Establishing tourism destinations. Cultural districts are marketable tourism assets that highlight the distinct identity of a community and encourage visitors.
Preserving and reusing historic buildings. Some cultural districts are very involved in historic preservation. Adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of older buildings through preservation tax credits can result in structural and façade improvements. These rehabilitated buildings provide opportunities for affordable artist live/work space and new homes for cultural organizations.
Enhancing property values. Successful districts combine improvements to public spaces (such as parks, waterfronts and pedestrian corridors) along with property development. The redevelopment of abandoned properties, historic sites and recruiting businesses to occupy vacant spaces can contribute to reduced vacancy rates and enhanced property values.
Fostering local cultural deve-lopment. The establishment of a cultural district provides a focal point for celebrating and strengthening a community’s cultural identity. Cultural districts highlight existing cultural amenities and work to recruit and establish new artists, cultural industries and organizations.
The Future of Historic Downtown Rosenberg
Along with the economic incentives and the ability to grown their own arts identity, the future for Historic Downtown Rosenberg looks bright. “The cultural district designation formalizes what so many of us here in Rosenberg already know – that Historic Downtown Rosenberg is the heart of our community and that it has become a magnet for business, culture and tourism,” said Rosenberg Mayor Vincent M. Morales, Jr.
In a recent State of the City address, Mayor Morales highlighted a listing of existing businesses that have sprung up in the downtown area. Today, downtown Rosenberg boasts three restaurants, a wine bar, specialty shops, a salon and plans to open a bakery are underway. In 2011, Imperial Arts relocated to Rosenberg from Sugar Land joining the CAST theatre, and now, Imperial offers art classes, an art gallery featuring exhibits by world renowned artists and a venue for performers including the Houston Symphony.
And while new businesses are coming, preservation is also a goal of the area. A home built in 1900 and located in Historic Downtown Rosenberg, the Ebell House, is in the process of being renovated, restoring the home once owned by Rosenberg Mayor J. A. Carter. Carter built the home as a wedding proposal to the widowed Louise Ebell, a pioneer business woman and one of the first settlers in Rosenberg. Ironically, the restoration project has been undertaken by a Rosenberg resident, also a former mayor of the city. Joe and Doris Gurecky purchased the home in 2012 and have spent nearly a year restoring the turn of the century home to its glory as a mainstay in Historic Downtown Rosenberg.
The oldest brick home in downtown, in February the city of Rosenberg designated the home as historically and culturally significant to the area.
“Seeing the revitalization of Ro-senberg is an exciting venture,” said former Mayor Joe Gurecky. “Investing in preserving our past and creating an atmosphere for the arts, visitors and new business is a win-win for our city. This designation solidifies our efforts in creating and maintaining a diverse and strong economy in downtown Rosenberg.”