Herman Hill
Association
NEWSLETTER March 1998
Herman Hill
Association
NEWSLETTER March 1998
What's inside
Historic Street Lighting to Make it's Debut This Month
Designated Neighborhood Planning
Women Take Back the Night March
Be My Valentine Progressive Dinners
A Seed of an Idea ... Master Gardening
By Sonja Roberts
It's good to put on this familiar old hat. Thank you, all, for your words of support and encouragement. The board and I promise to work as hard as we can on behalf of our special neighborhood.
This will certainly be a spring season "in it's time"! In reading the other articles in this newsletter you will see that your board is working diligently for improvement here on the Hill. From neighborhood clean-up, to planting annuals, to installing historic streetlights, to conducting tours and dinners, to designated neighborhood planning... to ensuring fiscal responsibility, to setting goals, to forming committees (wouldn't you love to volunteer) to building community, we are on the move...please call us with your ideas and concerns.
We would appreciate it if you consider increasing your dues donations...remember, it's tax deductible and it helps to keep the association going.
It's a New Year. We've said goodbye to some folks and we have new neighbors to welcome. (Please do this if you're in close proximity to someone new). We've set goals and prioritized and now the work begins. Thanks for the opportunity to get back into this comfortable pair of old shoes...I'll do my best to fill them.
Historic Street Lighting to Make it's Debut This Month
March brings thoughts of seed catalogues, flowers, green grass and this year, historic street lighting. Work will begin in March. The first streets are:
The trenches, one foot wide by three feet deep, will be dug in the parking area. In some locations it may be necessary to dig four foot square holes. The contractor will have to tunnel under driveways and streets possibly rendering them not useable for a short time. The tunnels are necessary to get power to the lights and bases.
When the work is completed, you will be asked to seed the ground with grass. Several people are already talking about this as an opportunity to plant flowerbeds in the parking area. You may want to talk to your neighbors about working together to select flowers and to haul mulch.
We will try to distribute fliers to the buildings affected in advance. Thank you for your patience in making this dream become a reality. If you have any questions, please call the Sherman Hill Office or Jon White at 280-3015.
Randa's Restoration Remarks
If you haven't heard...the latest craze is "glaze". Once reserved as a translucent sugar coating for doughnuts it is now one of the most fashionable decorative painting treatments for walls. "Glaze" is simply a clear extender for paint. Available at art, crafts and paint stores.
If you are using acrylic (water base) paint you will need a compatible water based glaze. Likewise if you use an oil base paint, oil base glaze would be what you want. Glazing mixtures tinted with paint appear translucent while also extending the drying time. Many decorative painting techniques such as sponging and ragging are enhanced by the use of "glaze" which can add sheen, depth and dimension to your painted surface. Glazed finishes can also be given a crackled effect that simulated an aged surface.
There are many new glazing products on the market and it all depends on what particular look you are trying to achieve and your level of expertise as to what product you should get. Glaze mixtures vary in ratios according to their purpose, so do a little research first.
My advice is to talk to your local paint supplier and friends and neighbors who may have experience and then have fun with your new project. Don't be reluctant to try any new paint technique, after all it can always be painted over if you don't like it. But, I'm betting once you try it that you will want to glaze everything but your doughnuts.
What, you think it's way too early to be thinking Fall Doors To The Past!? Not so! The committee has met and realizes September 19, 20, 26, and 27 will come quickly.
This is the premiere event of our neighborhood, so please be thinking how you would like to be involved. There are opportunities for everyone, please share your talents. Neighbors working together are what make our neighborhood unique.
Please call the SHA Office and leave a message or let Kathy McFarlin (280-6320) know of your interest.
This is a lot of fun - don't miss out!
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- Calling All Volunteers - Committee Members Needed For: MembershipEventsPublic RelationsSecurityPlanningBeautificationCommunity BuildingContribute your time will pay the benefit of friendships, neighborhood improvements and just plain fun. We Need You! |
Designated Neighborhood Planning
The Sherman Hill Neighborhood has been chosen as a designated neighborhood for the City's Neighborhood Revitalization Program. We will be part of a planning process to create goals for the neighborhood, and will be implementing them within three years with the help of local government moneys. This is a great opportunity for the neighborhood to organize its concerns and thoughts about what needs to be done to keep the neighborhood pointed in the direction it's been headed for the last 15 years, and to keep it moving ahead with full force.
The city of Des Moines started this program in 1990. Four neighborhoods were targeted during this first phase. These neighborhoods are now considered to have "charter status", which means they will be monitored, but the eight newly designated neighborhoods will now have priority. It's encouraging to see the progress of the first four neighborhoods, knowing that Sherman Hill and seven other city neighborhoods will be the next in line.
The first four neighborhoods:
The next eight neighborhoods:
Now that Sherman Hill has been designated, we will be meeting with Tony Montgomery, a Neighborhood Planner from the City of Des Moines. Anyone is welcome to attend and contribute his or her ideas. A group of neighborhood representatives will be chosen to regularly attend these meetings.
The next meeting is:
7:00 p.m. on March 17 at Hoyt Sherman Place on 15th and Woodland (that's St. Pat's Day)
Tony will direct us in exercises discussing the strengths and weaknesses of our neighborhood. This will start a 6-month planning process of creating goals for the neighborhood. These goals are to be concentrated into four areas: 1) community enhancement 2) commercial development 3) housing 4) capital improvements. These goals will be written into an Action Plan which will be forwarded to the Neighborhood Revitalization Board, the City Council, and Polk County for approval.
People in the neighborhood will now be eligible for financing through Neighborhood Finance Corporation, which offers partial forgivable loans. Capital improvement and grant money will be available to the next eight neighborhoods. And the city and county will come up with other creative ways to fund prioritized projects.
By York Taenzer
I think they're tax deductible (check with your own accountant). A single member is only $25.00 and household membership is only $35.00, for the whole year.
YOU WANT TO GIVE MORE? We have special recognition levels for those of you so inclined (and well healed). Friend ($100-$249), Banister ($250-$499), Sponsor ($500-$999), and Patron ($1000+).
What does a membership get you?
6 newsletters a year
A great feeling!
A voice in the designated neighborhood process
New historic streetlights
Access to catalogued information on home restoration, historic colors, etc.
Property sale and apartment rental information
Great potlucks at the Quarterly Meetings
Community Involvement
Please mail your dues to the Sherman Hill Office.
A Seed of an Idea... Master Gardening
We may have an opportunity to start a master Gardening class right here in the neighborhood. If we are able to find 10-12 people, the Iowa State Extension will schedule a special series of classes for us. The required community service hours could be used to further the formal gardens at Hoyt Sherman Place...please call Sonja Roberts if you're interested. 244-2941 days, 243-2033 evenings.
SPREAD THE WORD
Are you interested in advertising in our newsletter? Please call the Sherman Hill Office at 284-5717 for our reasonable rates.
White Elephants to Come to Sherman Hill
Our annual neighborhood garage sale is being planned. Start saving your "junque". Last year's event was so successful we're going to do it again. Watch for details in your next newsletter.
Be My Valentine...Progressive Dinner
Twenty-three guests attended our Valentine Dinners on February 6th and 7th. Hors D'oeuvres were at the home of Jennifer Piscok and John Hanson. Martha Stewart provided the recipes. John and Jennifer gave a tour including the hot tub...wow.
On to Betty Jo and Wilbur Wilcox's house for an old fashioned home cooked meal. Thanks to Mike and Emily Donovan, Diana Rezak and York Taenzer for all their help. Chocolate dipped strawberries, cream puffs, and Stam chocolate...to die for.
Next dinners are July 17th and 18th.
Again this year, the Des Moines Botanical Center will offer free annuals to neighborhood associations. Over a dozen plants in a variety of colors are available. Plantings must be limited to public areas: parks, streetsides, etc.
Please consider taking on a small planting to further beautify Sherman Hill. I recommend sites not too large with access to water and reasonable sunlight.
Call me, Bret McFarlin, 280-6320 for order forms. I'll coordinate ordering and delivery (approx. 5/15/98). Order deadline is 4/15/98. Plants come 50 to a flat; you may order 1/2 or full flats.
Women Take Back the Night March through Sherman Hill
Saturday night April 18th will bring together 300-400 supporters of victims of violent crime. The rally will be held at Wilkie House at 6:30 p.m. followed by a parade through Sherman Hill. The parade, south on 17th Street, west on Woodland and north on 19th Street. Back to Wilkie House, will be led by the Iserettes.
Please turn on your porch lights as a visible sign of your support against violent crime. Sherman Hill has taken our neighborhood back from the city's highest crime rate. Today, we are proud to report that our crime statistics are below our city's average. A community bond formed by neighbors looking out for neighbors.
1623 Woodland Ave., 243-2033
666 19th street, 288-4958
920 18th Street, 288-8984
744 18th Street, 243-2168
650 17th Street #1, 280-9141
905 18th Street, 282-8751
853 18th Street, 280-6320
1701 Woodland Ave., 282-0396
911 18th Street, 280-3961
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SHERMAN HILL NEWS is a publication of the Sherman Hill Association, Inc. a non-profit corporation with officers at 756 16th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50314. The Association is dedicated to the restoration of the Sherman Hill Historic District, enhancement of the districts social environment and commitment to the district. The NEWS is published six times each year in January, February, April, June, August, and October. Views expressed are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Association. |