David Beale, Sarah Gish: Still Fighting For Houston's History

Good enough for DC, why not Houston?

​There's been some talk about how Houston has strengthened its historical-preservation ordinances, but -- you know -- it's Houston. Ain't too much strengthening going on.

But it's a never-ending battle, and if you want to join it, there's a meeting tonight at the Mount Horeb Missionary Baptist Church, a historic church, at 118 West Gray at Cushing Street.

"This is the meeting where we hope to form a coalition to press for a stronger historic preservation ordinance in this most important time for historic preservation in Houston's history," says activist David Beale. "The Mayor's Task Force is about to start up again to consider the permanent changes to the historic preservation ordinance." "The Mayor's Task Force is about to start up again to consider the permanent changes to the historic preservation ordinance. We need to oversee and help the process along; thus the meeting," he says. "We should have representatives from every historic district; we hope you can attend."

Sarah Gish, the capo di tutti capi of Houston preservationists (and we don't speak Italian, so don't hold us to the pronouns), is putting out the word that the time is now.

"Apparently the opposition (builders and developers that don't adhere to neighborhood standards and build to match the environment) is very strong so we need to be equally strong and organized," she says.