Buyer Beware!

The recent attention that our neighborhood has gotten is all well and good. In the last few weeks several articles have appeared in the local media that underscore how much Dignowity Hill has progressed in the minds and hearts of those that pay attention to these things. The interest in our neighborhood comes from its historical character, the architectural characteristics of the housing stock, the close proximity to downtown and the great sense of community that the neighborhood has been able to sustain over time. This has led to a high demand for houses in our neighborhood which is a good thing. That in turn has brought in investors that are buying these old homes who are then are selling them as completely restored or rehabbed houses. Here is where caution needs to be exercised!

For those who have their eyes on one of the recently restored house or a fixer upper in the neighborhood, here are some things to keep in mind:

• As a buyer the real estate agent is not your friend! Realtors are sales people working for the seller not the buyer. They are motivated to get the highest price possible to maximize their commissions.  I'm not saying that realtors are not useful, they can provide great information regarding a property, but keep in mind that they are trying to sell you a house and their interests lies with the seller not the buyer. 

• Do your homework! There is no excuse to not be well informed about a neighborhood or a property. There are a number of on line services that can provide basic information about a property. Services like Zillow or Realtor.com are good starting points. You can also research property records through the county's tax appraisal web site. For San Antonio properties you can go to http://www.bcad.org/ for the Bexar County Appraisal web site to search for property information by owner, address or account number or DBA.

• Older houses present a unique set of issues that need to be carefully assessed. If you're interested in a fixer upper then you need to understand that you will be assuming all of the risk and costs associated in buying/fixing up a distressed property.  If you're buying a restored or rehabbed house then always get a house inspection done! Never take the word of the realtor or the contractor on the condition of an older house no matter how good the finish may look on the surface.  A house inspection prior to finalizing a sale should assess the major structural and functional systems of a house. Structural assessments should always include the foundation especially if the house is built on a pier and beam foundation which is typical of older houses. The drainage around an older house should be assessed along with the foundation. Often times a foundation will fail because of poor drainage that allows water to seep underneath a house. The roof should always be checked for leaks, the age of the roof and assess the integrity of the rafter and trusses. The inspections should also include an assessment of the attic insulation. Make sure it is up to code!

• Get a survey done. While a survey is always done as part of the closing on a property make sure you that you review the survey before you sign off on the a property. This is especially critical in an older neighborhood where property lines make become compromised by encroaching fence lines or in some cases houses that have shifted onto the neighbors property line. 

• Assessment of the functional systems such electrical, plumbing and HVAC in an older house is a must. Ideally it is optimal to upgrade these systems in older houses as often times the wiring and plumbing is outdated and/or does not meet current code. Ask if permits were pulled for any of construction work done on the house. By code any work done on electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems should be performed by a licensed individual or company. As a consumer you have the right to know if the quality of the work performed met current standards and codes. A permit ensures that any work performed on house systems meets code and requires an inspection by the city for approval.  In San Antonio you can check the city's Planning and Development website to research if permits were pulled for any property undergoing construction. Go to http://www.sanantonio.gov/dsd/index.asp to access permit information. 

The bottom line: Be prudent, do your homework and ask lots of questions! 

   

New Year and New Starts!

The start of a new year is traditionally when we make resolutions to better our selves, our community, our world. I've never been big on New Year resolutions since I feel new starts can be made at any time in our lives but in the spirit new beginnings for a new year here some thoughts.
My only resolution is kick start this blog! I haven't posted since June of 2013 and lots has happened in the last 6 months!  To catch up and on a personal note, I left the corporate world of health care in April of 2013.  Some may call it a retirement, after all I'm past 60 but I call it a transition. I'm busy with various projects such starting a guest house business, serving on several non profit boards and working for a local credit union as their community/business liaison on a part time basis.  We're keeping our eyes out for another old house restoration/rehab project.  I'm still serving as the president of our neighborhood association but that gig is coming to a close in April of this year. That's a good thing. Change is always good and its time for someone else to pull the cart.  I have to say, however, that being the prez of our neighborhood association has been a great experience for me. I've learned lot about neighborhood and city politics, I have met some great folks as well as some folks I rather have not ever met. But most importantly it's a privilege to be involved in the process of community building.
Dignowity Hill has come a long ways in the time since we moved into the community in 2007. We continue to see private investment in the restoration or rehab of our older houses. A steady stream of new comers continues to either move in or raise the awareness of the neighborhood as a desirable place to live. On the other hand, the big disappointment is the lack of public investment in basic infrastructure improvements not just in our neighborhood but in the general area of the eastside.  The economic summits that were organized in 2010 to chart a path for revitalization in the eastside have been a disappointment as well because neighborhood needs have not been addressed properly.  Investors and potential businesses seeking to relocate to the eastside have sent a message to our elected officials and paid city staff that the basic infrastructure needs of the neighborhoods to be fixed first before consistent investment will take hold on the eastside. My hope in 2014 is that someone in city government can find a way to allocate more dollars for basic needs in the neighborhoods otherwise the already slow pace of revitalization could be slow down even further.

There are of course other bright spots even shining stars in the midst of the slow pace of revitalization. The Choice Housing Grant is starting make an impact in area of the eastside with persistent poverty. The Eastside Promise Neighborhood Education Grant is making some headway although its been slowed down by the bureaucracy of its administrative agency. These two grants represent close to $60 million in federal dollars. That's a lot taxpayer money going directly into the community. The best news to hit our neighborhood was the ground breaking for the Alamo Brewery to be built next to the historic Hays Street Bridge.  Despite the controversy that this brewery generated,  the construction of the brewery means private investment in the eastside, city support in the form of incentives and most importantly the opportunity to potentially create an environment to attract additional investment in area. It's all good at this point!

In August of 2013 a large scale mural was installed on the underpass of Nolan Street...see the image below. In many ways the mural with its dynamic use of color and free flowing graphic design represents the energy that has developed in our part of the world.  This blog has always been about the happenings in and around Dignowity Hill and it will continue to be that way as we move forward into 2014 but look for an expanded view as well and like the mural my intent is to capture that energy as we move forward into making the world a better place. Peace in 2014! 

Dedication of the Mural on the Nolan Street Underpass.

Moving Forward

It was recently announced that the owner of proposed micro- brewery to be built next to the Hays Street Bridge has changed the location where it will be built. The plans still call for the brewery to built next to the historic old bridge but it will be built on property owned by the brewery's owner, on the southside of the bridge.  This is good news for the neighborhood and the Eastside. The project has been stalled since August 2012 when city council approved the sale of city owned land to the developer. The project has created controversy from the start. The bridge restoration group cried foul when the city moved to sell the land that the restoration group has insisted was to be used as a park.

The neighborhood has supported the project from the start. Much of the organized opposition has come from outside the neighborhood. The opposition has demonized the neighborhood association making accusations that the association is infiltrated by newcomers. Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality the folks that have organized the opposition do not live in the neighborhood and therefore do not really have a good understanding of what is behind the support by the neighborhood. None of these folks have ever sat down with me or others in the neighborhood to talk about why we don't need another park and would rather see a project that can generate jobs.

The basic truth to all of this is that our neighborhood has supported the project because of the potential of being able of kick starting sorely needed economic development in and around the neighborhood.  More importantly, getting the brewery project off the ground will be a first step in tearing down some of the negative perceptions about the Eastside.

For my part I'm glad to hear that the brewery will be moving forward.

. 

Lockwood Park Is Moving on Up!

The rock seating installation in Lockwood Park is moving along nicely. Workers have been working feverishly for the last couple weeks and we're starting see visible progress! Once completed the are will be transformed into a nice gathering space with a great view of downtown!
The project was the award winning submission of the Lighter Quicker Cheaper neighborhood revitalization contest sponsored by Texas Public Radio (TPR). The idea for the concept came from a Dignowity Hill resident who thought it would be cool to improve the seating in one of the parks to view the downtown fireworks displays. Working with neighborhood residents, the city's Parks and Recreation department and TPR the final concept for the seating was decided upon in September.  The project will be completed by the time the annual Pushcart Derby rolls around on Oct 27, 2012 when the seating will be dedicated and celebrated!

Eastside Cemetery Tour

 I played tour guide this morning for the city's Office of Historical Preservation cemetery tour. A large part of the historic Eastside cemeteries are located within our neighborhood. Walking around those old cemeteries is like walking among the who's who of many familiar names to San Antonio. Steves, Guenther, Groos, Wurzbach, Bullis, are some of the many historical and well known San Antonio figures buried in these cemeteries.

Steves Family Burial Plot

Bowden School Supply Drive a Great Success!

The school supply drive for Bowden Elementary School was a great success! The neighborhood association in partnership with several businesses and other groups presented the school with backpacks and school supplies that will be used by the teachers and students through out the coming school year. Thanks to all who contributed and helped make this come together!

How to Build Community

Turn off your TV- Leave your house
Know your neighbors - Look up when you are walking
Greet people -Sit on your stoop
Plant Flowers - Use your library Play together
Buy from local merchants -Share what you have
Help a lost dog -Take children to the park
Garden Together -Support Neighborhood Schools
Fix it even if you didn't break it
Have Pot Lucks- Honor Elders
Pick Up Litter - Read Stories Aloud
Dance in the Street- Talk to the Mail Carrier
Listen to the Birds -Put up a Swing
Help Carry Something Heavy -Barter For Your Goods
Start A Tradition- Ask A Question
Hire Young People for Odd Jobs- Organize a Block Party
Bake Extra and Share- Ask For Help When You Need It
Open Your Shades -Sing Together
Share Your Skills -Take Back the Night
Turn Up The Music -Turn Down The Music
Listen Before You react To Anger
Mediate A Conflict -Seek To Understand
Learn From New And Uncomfortable Angles
Know That No One is Silent Though Many Are Not Heard
Work To Change This

Source: Syracuse Cultural Workers Poster: How to Build Community

Catching Up

Just trying to catch up since the last posting! I didn't realize it's been since Feb when we had the "big snow" that I've posted anything of worth!
Lots of stuff happening lately. We had some new sidewalks put in on Hays Street. Yeah.! It may sound a little trivial but I get excited when new concrete is poured!
The city has dollars for some capital improvements in our neighborhood and we want to spend those $$$$!
The historic street sign project was a success and we should have our signs in place this summer!
City elections are next week and it looks like our council woman will be serving another term. I just can't see how her opponent has a chance!
The San Antonio Independent School District Board elections are also on for next week. This should be interesting as the mayor has endorsed some of the candidates....hmmmm.
Met the nice folks that rehab the house on Nolan Street...nice job!!
Stay tuned as there are some interesting developments brewing for the neighborhood!

Dignowity Hill Historic District Fundraiser

Dignowity Hill Historic District Street Signage BBQ Brisket Fundraiser
$7.00 Plate –Brisket, beans, potato salad, bread & trimmings
When:Friday, January 28, 2011 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Where: Pick up Dinners at the Dignowity Center
906 Nolan (corner of Nolan and N. Pine)

Hope to see there!!!

Last Day of the Year

Last day of the year! Boy, it seems that not too long ago were starting 2010! Despite all the gloominess dealing with the recovering economy things were generally good for the neighborhood in 2010. I feel that things are slowly turning around as more and more folks are beginning to notice the unique character of Dignowity Hill. A few months ago a man on a bicycle stopped to talk to me as he was riding through our neighborhood. He wasn't a resident of Dignowity but loved the area so much he told me he had "neighborhood envy"! He was hoping to buy a house in the neighborhood sometime soon. That's good to hear so my wish for 2011 is that we can continue to move things in the right direction. Perception is reality and we all need to work on changing the perception of the Eastside. We need to push for fixing our sidewalks, improving the street lighting, we need to continually work on pushing out elements that contribute to negative or inaccurate perceptions. There's still plenty to do to as we continue to revitalize the neighborhood and it's going to take everyone of us to make a difference.

Graffiti, Art and Respect

Graffiti or tagging has been around for a long time. It's everywhere.....and I have to admit that some of the graffiti pieces I see on buildings and other public places can almost be considered works of art. I marvel at some of the mural like works of composition, color and lines that appear out of no where….but the problem I have with these works of art is that they deface a perfectly fine wall or structure.....and were done without respect for the property or the property owner. When the Hays Street Bridge was re-opened a few months ago it was tagged the night before the official ribbon cutting.
I suppose we all have a need for creative outbursts from time to time and perhaps that’s what our graffiti artists and taggers experience when they feel moved to express themselves. On the other hand…respect for property is a big deal for me and I would assume most folks feel the same way as I do. So to those graffiti artists and taggers that may actually read this blog......before you graffiti a wall in our neighborhoods…. stop, show respect and be creative in another way.

Summer Nights and Basketball

One of the the nice things of living in Dignowity Hill is having two great parks- Dignowity and Lockwood- located right in the middle of the neighborhood. The parks are adjacent to each other and overlook downtown. The view of the city in the evening from the parks is spectacular. Lockwood Park has an outdoor basket ball court and if you happen to pass by on a warm summer night chances are good that you'll find a night basketball game going on.

Long as I Can See the Light

Now that summer is upon us I like to take my walks in the neighborhood in the evening just as it's getting dark. It's a good time to get out...it's relatively cooler and there's something about taking a walk as the day is phasing into night. As I'm walking about I like to take note of how many of my neighbors light up their front porches. There is something about a front porch with the light on that is welcoming. It's also a good crime deterrent. There are many parts of the neighborhood that have dark areas because the street lighting falls short of providing more than adequate illumination. Our cops like to see properties well lit....burglars and other bad guys typically do not like working with lights shining on them.
So light up the ol' front porch and do your part to light up the neighborhood.

From the Credence Clearwater Revival song "Long as I can See the Light":
Put a candle in the window, cause I feel I've got to move.
Though I'm going, going, I'll be coming home soon,
long as I can see the light.

The BRAC Thing

This past Monday Texas Public Radio broadcasted an interview with yours truly and our esteemed Council woman, Ivy Taylor. The interviewer wanted our take of the BRAC and what impact it will have on the surrounding neighborhoods. Then on Tuesday, Ms Taylor and I were part of panel discussion at st Phillip's College on the BRAC that was recorded for later broadcast by Texas Public Radio. Besides myself and the council woman, the panel included the post commander at Ft Sam Houston, Col. Mary Garr and city official, James Henderson. You can catch the interviews and panel discussion on line at: http://www.tpr.org/programs/thesource.html

In case you've been away for awhile, the BRAC at Ft Sam Houston will be bringing an estimated 12,000 troops to the post. The potential economic impact from this BRAC expansion is estimated to be $8.3 billion. On the surface it sounds like a huge impact but to put things into perspective 80% of that impact is due to the new construction currently taking place on the post. Once construction is finished then it is estimated that the economic impact will increase $1.6 billion annually with additional annual sales tax revenue of $4.9 million. During the construction period on the post an estimated 62,000 construction jobs could be created. After the BRAC is completed an estimated 15,000 jobs could potentially be supported by the community due to the increase in missions on the post. The on-going earnings potential from these post-BRAC jobs is estimated to be $1.3 billion annually. Pretty impressive!
Source for the above data: Ft. Sam Houston Economic Impact Update, March 2009, http://www.sanantonio.gov.oma/

So what does this all this mean to the neighborhoods the surround Ft Sam Houston? Well, at this point not much. Expectations had been raised that since no new housing would be built on the post for the expected influx of troops, the surrounding neighborhoods would be absorbing those folks. Realistically, that is not going to happen, at least not immediately. Neighborhoods such as Government Hill or Dignowity Hill are still in the nascent stages of revitalization with much work to be done on improving infrastructure, dealing with aging housing stock, and other quality of life issues. The current reality is that many of the troops that will initially make landfall at Ft Sam will be making home buying or house renting choices away from these historic neighborhoods. This has already occur ed with the first wave of troops and civilians that have arrived at Ft. Sam. There are other questions and issues that need to be addressed as well. For example, the New Braunfels Street gate that leads into Ft. Sam Houston from IH 35 has been closed since after 9-11. Having this gate closed has had an adverse effect on businesses on that corridor and on the Government Hill neighborhood. The military is not willing to either open up the gate again or even consider the possibility of engaging in a conversation with neighborhood or community leaders. Hmmm....interestingly, the logo for the BRAC tells us to Embrace BRAC but the current attitude from the military on the New Braunfels street gate issue is not exactly a warm abrazo!

But...I remain hopeful.....the best thing we can do at this point is to plan for the long term, continue revitalizing our neighborhoods, keep nudging both the city and military on finding ways to create positive solutions and most importantly, get over the fact that this BRAC thing is not all what it was hyped up to be for our neighborhoods!

An Old Church

There's an abandoned old church building on the corner of Hackberry and Burnett. According to county property records it was built in 1940. Like many of the old buildings and houses in our neighborhood I'm drawn to it. I was poking around it the other day and I was surprised to see the pews were still in there.The building has simple lines and from the outside it looks to be in relatively decent shape. It could be rehabbed into a nice functional space. During windy days the loose metal roof will flap in the wind and I'm sure rain gets into the inside as some of the windows are broken. I get a excited when I think of the possibilities for buildings like these that are scattered around the Eastside.

The other night I was on my way home from the airport and I happen to come up to the corner where this old church is located. I noticed someone bedding down for the night on one of the small porches of the church building, no doubt a homeless person. I couldn't help but think that the vacant old church is at least serving the time honored function of providing sanctuary.

Perceptions of the Eastside Need to Change

There was a recent article in the newspaper in which a developer is quoted as saying that "there are only one or two houses worth saving in Dignowity Hill". That by it self is bad enough but unfortunately for this developer he made the statement in the presence of our Council woman, Ivy Taylor, who of course, lives in Dignowity Hill. Comments like the one this developer made are uttered out of ignorance, a lack of sensitivity for a community and misguided perceptions .....and that needs to change if we're going to progress in a positive manner.
The recent economic summits have brought much needed attention to the Eastside and it's about time. Undoubtedly, there will be many moving pieces to revitalizing our neighborhoods and bringing much need economic development.
In the case of our developer, he got an instant education about the historic nature of Dignowity Hill and why it's so important to be sensitive or at least have some common sense if you're not sure of what you think you know. The lesson for those of us that live in the Eastside is that we have to do our part to continually educate the uninformed.

It's Beyond Me

On the corner of Nolan and N Olive stands a beautiful old mansion. Built in 1895 and two stories tall, this grand old lady has seen better days. The current owner has allowed the structure to fall into a sad state of disrepair. Recently, shortly after a good rain, one of the second floor balconies partially collapsed, creating a dangerous structure situation. The city through it's Code Compliance officers and folks from the Historic Preservation Office have been pressuring the owner to repair the damage or possibly sell the house. The owner has been slow to respond and the house continues to deteriorate.

It's beyond me why anyone would allow such a grand old gem to literally fall apart. It's also beyond me why the owner will not sell the house to someone who will restore her. So to the owner of this wonderful old mansion, please consider selling it to someone who will save and restore this grand old lady to her former glory or fix her up yourself.

Rehab Politics. Part II

The half way house saga on the Eastside continues as a group of residents and others have taken the issue to court in an effort to obtain a temporary injunction to stop the facility from opening. The group was handed a setback as a judge ruled against granting the injunction. A lawsuit will most likely follow as opposition to this halfway house is still alive in the Eastside and I hope that legal action will eventually correct a poor decision by the majority of the city council.

The CEO of Crosspoint was quoted in the newspaper that "the neighbors, the business representatives, the clergy in District 2 are going to come to recognize the benefits of our being in this neighborhood."......interesting. It's too bad that he is refusing to recognize and acknowledge that the neighbors and the Eastside community including many of the residents in Dignowity Hill do not want this facility at all.

New Chapter

After 26 years of working for one employer and over 33 years of working as a health care professional, my lovely bride of 27 years has decided to "retire". Today is her last day working for Southwest General Hospital. She steps down as laboratory director eager to pursue new adventures and interests. We are both looking forward to this new chapter. In all the time that we've been married we both have always worked so this will definitely be different. Knowing Barb, she will not stay "retired" for long. In the meantime she's looking forward to some much needed down time, sleeping in, reading some good books, taking cooking classes and renewing her spirit. Congrats, you deserve it!!

Cooler Weather

Finally....some cooler weather and rain! Fall officially arrived last week. A little cool front brought much need rain and nicer temps. We had over 5o days of 100 degree temps this summer with little or no rain. My poor yard and gardens took a beating. We were pretty good about restricting our water use so now our landscape is a looking a little tired.
But it's amazing what a little rain and cooler weather can do for your plants and your spirit......the old neighborhood suddenly feels a little more alive!