Merchants Association president calls amount ‘amazing’ but ‘just a scratch’ in total needed; Art Festival set for April 26
 |
| Scott Whittall |
The Cedar Springs Merchants Association took a big step toward its goal of renovating the gayborhood shopping district on Friday night, March 20, when its Beautification Benefit and Gala brought in about $16,000."That’s amazing," said Scott Whittall, president of the CSMA and owner of Buli Cafe. "This was our first really major benefit for the beautification project, and I know we had more than 500 people there."
The event, held at The Round-Up Saloon, included a silent auction, an underwear fashion show and auction, and a live auction. The silent and live auctions included donated items such as spa and salon packages, furiture, lighting fixtures, event tickets, dinners and a Puerto Vallarta vacation.
"Everyone was really generous. And it was a real blast. We had a really good time," Whittall said.
Whittall said he knows the $16,000 total from last Friday’s gala "is really just a scratch" in the overall amount needed to pay for the beautification project. But, he said, it is a very good first scratch.
"We’re still in the middle of figuring out what the actual budget for the project will be. The money we are raising right now is just paying to put the project together, paying for consulting fees and renderings, for getting someone to help us to put everything together to take to the city council," he said.
Whittall explained that CSMA hopes to get grants from the city of Dallas to help pay for the project, which will include cobblestoning on the streets, uniform landscaping up and down the strip, new lighting and new banners and signs, as well as posts to use in displaying the banners.
The project will also include archways at either end of the strip intended to designate the area as a distinct destination neighborhood.
"We don’t have final designs for the arches yet," Whittall said. "We’re still working on that."
But the placement of the arches was marked in an artist’s rendering of what CSMA hopes the project will look like when it is complete. Whittall said that rendering was unveiled on Friday at the gala and met much approval.
"Right now, we’re raising the money to get the ball rolling," he said. "The merchants are all on board. Everyone is excited.
"We are already re-establishing Cedar Springs as the most fun street in Dallas to party and shop, and now we are working to make it safe and pretty, too."
The next project coming up will be First Wednesday, next Wednesday, April 1, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Participants are encouraged to collect "gold coins" at merchants on the Cedar Springs strip to earn entries into a drawing for a gift basket.
Next up will be CSMA’s first Art Festival, set for April 25, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
It will be a one-day-only affair. But, Whittall said, "if we get the kind of turnout we are expecting, maybe next year we can expand it to two days. I think it will be amazing."
E-mail nash@dallasvoice.com
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition March 27, 2009.
How much more needs to be raised for this consulting fee and budget planning? Is this a reputable firm that CSMA is hiring? When does CSMA plan to have a proposal ready for the city council?
And how about showing the artist rendering online, to get people excited about the project.
Wow I guess the owners who will stand to make all the profits want everyone to put up the money. Amazing to me. I can think of countless other things that need charity money for the community that are far more important.
I am happy to hear the event was such a success. I am all for this project even though I have not seen the artist rendering. Anything that will help clean up the gayborhood and give it a safer feeling should attract more people and reputable businesses. We ALL benefit in the end. I look forward to upcoming events.
I find it amazing that ‘fundraisers’ are being held without even knowing what this project is going to cost.
It would seem more fair, logical and/or acceptable to me that the CSMA put up the necessary ‘front’ money to get this project to the point where money is to be raised. Even so, shouldn’t all of the fundraising be held AFTER the city APPROVES the project?
Upon approval by the city, logic would also then dictate that ALL money raised in these ‘fundraisers’ would actually go TO the physical beautification project… At this point it seems as if money is being ‘donated’ to funding the exploratory phase of a project that may never even happen. Who benefits then?
Could not make it down to Cedar Springs but heard it was a great event at the ROundup and Union Jack. I want to thank all that were involved for such a great project. Sixteen thousand is a lot to raise from the events. I agree it would be great to hear what you are thinking about doing. If you need volunteers for more fund raising email me
I have to admit I agree with some of the suspicions. I GET that the money is being raised for an architecture firm who will design and/or budget the project.
But why can’t CSMA tell us how much they need to raise for this “consulting fee”? Is it $25,000? $50,000? What is it?
To anyone who thinks the businesses should pay for this themselves: you don’t know anything about running a business. Imagine renting an apartment and, when your AC or heater go out, the landlord says you have to fix it yourself. Good luck with that!
Eric, I agree that the Bradford trees are beautiful but the amount of bird sh!t on the sidewalks is sickening. Next time: more trees, fewer birds, less bird poop.
I was disappointed to read the plans include the removal/replacement of the beautiful Bradford Pear trees aligning Cedar Springs.
I hope these elegant trees will be donated to people’s homes, agencies, or some other outdoor venue so that they are not destroyed.
I, for one, would like one!
This is awesome. Anyone who own property in the area will benifit from this. The “strip” has been in need of a face lift for a long time. It can only benifit us as a community when people drive by and see what a beautiful area our community has. Right now it look awful. When we have pride in our surroundigs it commands respect.
In response to clifdwllr’s ” Upon approval by the city, logic would also then dictate that ALL money raised in these ‘fundraisers’ would actually go TO the physical beautification project… At this point it seems as if money is being ‘donated’ to funding the exploratory phase of a project that may never even happen. Who benefits then? “. I tell who benefits, They do. I am sure the money will be used to go party down and live it up with many a happy hour and hustleboi’s. What would really be beautiful is some parking garages down there so folks dont have to walk so damn far. That is what would be beautiful. And get rid of some of them crackhouse’s around there as well.