Old Sixth Ward proposal: a step in the right direction

Yesterday, Mayor Bill White announced a new plan for Old Sixth Ward - the Chronicle stated that "[Mayor White] proposed creation of a special district within the neighborhood west of downtown with design guidelines for construction and renovation, along with financial incentives to discourage demolition of historical houses." Historic, indeed: according to the Old Sixth Ward Historic District site, the neighborhood has the largest amount of Victorian homes in this region (except for Galveston, of course), and is the oldest "intact" neighborhood in Houston.

The new protection may include a longer waiting period for demolition (the current is ninety days), more monetary persuasion, and construction/renovation guidelines. Another plus could be additional funding for owners of historic structures that can't keep up with the costs of renovation - this would come from the Sixth Ward's TIRZ fund. With history (and money) talking, it sounds good, but as far as the guidelines go, we're pretty sure that anything more than unenforceable advice will upset developers and real estate folks. Sixth Ward Property Owners Association's Janice Jamail-Garvis, who previously voiced concern that developers would shun the area if there were restrictions, said her support would be determined by the details of the plan.

Old Sixth ward, which snugly fits between Houston Ave., Washington Ave., Memorial Dr., and Glenwood Cemetery, has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.

Photo: Flickr user WesternGulf