“First we shape the buildings, afterwards they shape us.” As simply stated by Winston Churchill, just might be the motto for Corsicana’s participation in the Texas Historical Commission’s Visionaries in Preservation (VIP) Organization.  The Texas Historical Commission presented a call to action for the citizens of Corsicana to help them to restore downtown, historic houses, and any other projects that have to do with the heritage of the town. The first meeting was Monday, June 16, 2008, which was called Preservation 101.  What is historic?  At least 50 years old-high degree of integrity-association with significant historic events or themes (local/state/national)-exemplary of a particular style.

The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties; the 10 commandments of preservation, has four treatment approaches.  Preservation: places a high premium on the retention of all historic fabric through conservation, maintenance and repair.  Rehabilitation: emphasizes the retention and repair of historic materials, but more latitude is provided for replacement.  Restoration: focuses on the retention of materials from the most significant time in a property’s history, while allowing the removal of materials from other periods.  Reconstruction: establishes limited opportunities to re-create a non-surviving site, landscape, building, structure, or object in all new materials.             

The committee wanted to let the citizens of Corsicana know that we are well on the way to working through the Texas Historical Commission’s Visionaries in Preservation program.  Once the program is completed with the assistance of citizens’ input, a preservation plan will provide the framework for positive improvements and preservation of our existing community assets.  Please watch for upcoming announcements of meetings, participation from anyone within our community that has an interest in the preservation of our soon to be beautifully restored downtown and the other projects that the community will decide on.  

 Here are the top 10 things you should know:

1. VIP is the community-planning program of the Texas Historical Commission (THC).  VIP asks how you want your community to look and feel.  It provides tools to help Corsicana retain its identity and sense of place as it changes and grows.
2. You make up the VIP organization. Corsicana’s VIP organization is made up of citizens like you who partner with the THC.  The purpose of your VIP organization is help plan how Corsicana will utilize its historic resources to support its values, attract investment and enhance quality of life.
3. Visioning looks forward to the future of Corsicana. The VIP process is based on an innovative planning process called visioning.  Visioning creates a forum for citizens to brainstorm about what makes Corsicana a wonderful place to live and how to protect and develop those attributes.
4. VIP will meet once a month for 7 months.  The first two meetings were on June 16th & 17th, 2008, your VIP organization’s next meeting will be on July 14, 2008, at 6:00 p.m. Each VIP meeting will be structured, brief and targeted to your interests and goals.
5. The VIP Action Plan.  At the end of the VIP process, Corsicana will have created a clear, achievable and realistic historic preservation action plan.  Corsicana’s action plan will contain goals that the community’s citizens develop and prioritize.  Please visit the Texas Historic Commission website to take a look at VIP action plans in other communities:
6. VIP is proactive, not reactive.  VIP will not impose any rules and regulations on you.  No one will tell you what you can or cannot do with your property, what color to paint your fence, etc.  VIP is simply a planning partnership between Corsicana and the THC.  You and your neighbors plan for your future and entirely determine the outcome of VIP.
7. Planning will help your community’s bottom line.  The difference between successful and unsuccessful places is typically how the community embraces and guides change.  VIP planning is about protecting the places that make Corsicana special, while allowing appropriate growth and change to occur.
8. You can have your community on your terms.  VIP works to help Corsicana citizens articulate how they would like to see the community develop to ensure the historic fabric of the community is protected.  Protecting your historic resources attracts investment and assures that Corsicana’s unique assets will be around for your grandchildren to enjoy and appreciate.
9. Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.  The old axiom is true.  Take advantage of the opportunity to affect how your community changes and grows.  Participating in VIP can improve your community’s quality of life now and for generations to come.
10.  Take charge of your community.  Through the VIP process, citizens will work to articulate development and preservation issues and devise an achievable action plan to realistically accomplish preservation goals that work for the benefit of the entire community.  If you have any questions about the program, please contact VIP team leader Josh Lasserre at 512-463-3345

 Do not be the hysterical society, calm down, have a plan, prioritize it, and become a great historical society that your town can be proud to give back to the community and the state.

http://www.thc.state.tx.us/visioninpres/vpcommunity.shtml

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