San Marcos Downtown Area Plan

CHAPTER 4: RECOMMENDATIONS

CREATING A CULTURAL TRUST & CULTURAL DISTRICT (Recommendation G.5, G.6)

To help fund the visual and performing arts, San Marcos can follow the example of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The area surrounding Eddie Durham Park is ideal for a Cultural District.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust was founded as a non-profit in the 1980s with the hopes of revitalizing a declining part of the city. The 14-block area subsequently went through a process of restoring old theaters for use, redeveloping adjacent properties, creating new performance, public art, park, and recreation spaces. It attracts a variety of uses, which keeps the spaces activated with locals and tourists even when there is not a large performance. A district like this would encourage business development, establish a tourist destination, provide opportunity for state funding, preserve and promote historic sites, and attract artists and cultural enterprises.

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Other communities in Texas that have successfully created a cultural district:

· Bastrop · Denton (shown) · Wimberley · Smithville

Downtown Denton, TX

SAN MARCOS DOWNTOWN AREA PLAN

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