Bigger Buildings Would Mean Better Business

Government always finds a way to insert itself into people’s lives.

 

For example, here in downtown San Marcos, buildings cannot be higher than four stories or 45 feet, according to the San Marcos City Code of Ordinances.

 

The ordinance was probably enacted to preserve the old buildings decorating the Square. However, if owners decide they want to build upon the existing buildings they own, they should be able to. I can understand the city not wanting the demolition of the historic buildings, but there are ways to build up without tearing down what already exists.

 

What city officials fail to understand is that building height also restricts how owners conduct business.

 

“A maximum height restricts how buildings are designed on the inside,” said Andy Howard, owner of the Hub Bicycle Lounge on the Square.

Making rules like this one, while perhaps with good intentions, will negatively affect some businesses.

 

“I would prefer to expand up rather than out,” Howard said.

 

Not allowing the expansion of buildings does not necessarily negatively affect the economy, but it does not help either.

 

All buildings on the Square are more than one story. However, if something were to happen to one that caused it to be demolished, the city should welcome taller buildings. I am not suggesting a skyscraper be built in place of a fallen building, but the four-story requirement is not necessary. For example, a 10-story building could be very beneficial. More than one business could occupy that building, resulting in more jobs and more money for the city.

 

San Marcos is not getting any smaller, and neither is the university. With a bigger city and growing university come more people in need of jobs. A building with more than one business in it would help alleviate unemployment.

 

If a new building were built downtown, it could still be constructed in an aesthetically pleasing and historically accurate way. Architects would easily be able to replicate the style that defines the cozy downtown area of San Marcos.

 

After all, if aesthetic continuity was the motivation behind this ordinance, it has not really worked. Just look at the Hays County Records Building. It looks nothing like any of its neighbors and is, frankly, quite unappealing.

 

Having a city ordinance that restricts the height of buildings might have its benefits, but it also has plenty of negative side effects. Cities change over time, and with this ordinance, San Marcos cannot grow and change.

 

Bigger buildings would result in more businesses and more space to utilize in a multitude of ways. The four-story requirement hurts the city more than it helps.