Cypress Creek Cultural District Gains Momentum

[mrfootball]

Sharing a vision for the community as a thriving edge city, more than 70 elected officials, business leaders and residents attended the first town hall meeting of the Cypress Creek Cultural District held May 23 at Cypress Creek Christian Community Center, 6823 Cypresswood Drive.

http://www.hcnonline.com/site/news.cfm?new...id=532256&rfi=6

Participants discussed the concept of the FM 1960 area becoming a satellite city outside Houston, as it contains "all the services and lifestyle advantages of a complete city even thought it is on the edge of a major metropolitan area," said Dr. Glenn Wilkerson, board chair for the new district and senior pastor of Cypress Creek Christian Church.

Wilkerson said there have already been significant developments in this direction already, including performing arts groups at the Centrum performance hall and the neighboring Texas Repertory Theatre Co., in addition to the growth of community theatres, art studios and galleries.

Cypress Creek Cultural District executive director Tom Davis said the organization will promote and communicate cultural amenities such as these to the community, working with local groups to market the area to residents and nearby neighbors.

Wilkerson said he was pleased with the number of residents and community leaders who turned out, including Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce president Barbara Thomason; Precinct 4 Constable Ron Hickman; Judge Kent Adams; Patricia Harless, candidate for State Representative District 126; and several representatives from the Precinct 4 Parks Department.

"I thought there was a wonderful turnout," Wilkerson said. "We had a good cross section of people here at the town hall meeting."

As pastor of Cypress Creek Christian Church for the past 31 years, Wilkerson said he embraces the Cypress Creek Cultural District's mission as one of faith.

"I have always thought bringing the community together was a spiritual endeavor," Wilkerson said. "From the Barbara Bush library to the new Pearl Fincher art museum, all of these institutions are things that will help bring this area together in a very thrilling, eye-opening way."

For Thomason, the district's goal to foster growth in the community is widely accepted at the Northwest Chamber of Commerce. She said the opportunity to brand the area as a place to work, reside and enjoy cultural amenities without driving into downtown Houston will be a welcome addition to the community.

"This is going to reframe our community, and this is something everyone desperately wants," Thomason said. "With this branding, we will be able to communicate more effectively to ourselves and wider world what we are about. We will become a destination where people can live, work, recreate and enjoy nature."

Growth as a destination, Thomason said, means greater community and economic development potential as people move to the area or visit from other communities to enjoy local amenities and bring revenue to the area.

Larry Lipton, chairman of the 1960 Area Community Alliance, agrees with Thomason, saying the FM 1960 area will face strong revitalization efforts as a result of the Cypress Creek Cultural District.

"The benefit of the cultural district is that it brands the area for having multiple resources that are quite valuable," Lipton said. "Without the cultural district, you don't know all the things that are available out here. I think this group is a very big deal."

Lipton said the FM 1960 community can now foster similar growth that made the Galleria area the edge city it is today.

"The cultural district now says we are maturing with significant culture, including professional theater," Lipton said. "When you realize the Texas Repertory Theatre is the only professional theater between downtown Houston and Dallas, it's huge."

The Cypress Creek Cultural District will host its first major event - a community-wide cultural festival - on Nov. 18, with family-friendly events at the Centrum, Texas Repertory Theatre, Barbara Bush Library, and the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts-Cypress Creek, as a way to bring exposure to the cultural amenities the area offers - and get Houston's attention. But success can only be assured with the help of the community and volunteers in the area, Wilkerson said.

"The community relies on a sense of communication and collaboration," Wilkerson said. "With help from the community, we are going to focus Houston on this area and our community institutions."

For more information on the Cypress Creek Cultural District, visit their Web site at www.ccculturaldistrict.org.

Comments can be sent to bdehoyos@hcnonline.com.

Edited June 1, 2006 by mrfootball

[bachanon]

The Texas Repertory Theatre Company is a corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, literary, artistic, and educational purposes, including for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify under section 501

Edited June 1, 2006 by bachanon

[mrfootball]

Good lord, Bach.

[bachanon]

sorry, lack of sleep.

Edited June 1, 2006 by bachanon