A fairly common complaint here on DM is the design and construction quality of new homes and downtown buildings. Some of these reflect matters of personal taste; others lament market realities that can’t be legislated.

But maybe there’s something the Zoning Task Force could recommend that would cost the city nothing, yet do wonders towards civic pride and our shared perspective on what buildings mean to a growing community.

I’m talking about mandated cornerstones on all new construction.

Not a new idea by any means but perhaps one that’s fallen out of popular use, the cornerstone has been used historically to document a building’s important details — when it was completed, who designed it, who built it and, for civic buildings, who helped make the project a reality.

The reasons I love them are twofold. First, they make us acknowledge the long-term (or what should be long-term) implications of the things we build. Second, they make those responsible for the buildings accountable for the end product. If you’re fly-by-night, it’s a shaming exercise. If you do great work, it’s a lasting testimonial on your behalf.

Either way, the community benefits. So what do you think? Could we boost the dignity of our built environment with something as simple as a couple lines of legal text?