MARK CLARK

Mark Clark's Galeria 409 on 13th between Elizabeth and Levee is becoming known as the House of Renaissance. Historic downtown's rebirth is beginning here in a two-story brick building trimmed in green.

"This structure was constructed in 1852," says Clark. Returning to the security of bachelorhood, the painter resides on the second floor. He paints, sleeps in a hammock cooled by a fan and bathes in his courtyard under a hose. "I have absolute privacy. I couldn't be more content."

Galeria 409, since its inauguration several years ago, has opened its doors to all Brownsville's painters and musicians. For many residents, Galeria 409 is the sole reason they venture downtown at night. They are seldom disappointed.

"There was a group from Brooklyn filming a documentary last month and they wanted local music as a backdrop for their production," recalls Clark, dripping from his morning shower. "I contacted The Connectors. They blew the New Yorkers away. I'm still getting e-mails from them. They are in awe of the Brownsville scene."

Clark anticipates a busy year.

"I hope to host a musical event every weekend, evenly divided between the youngsters doing their thing and a more reserved card for the older crowd," continues Clark. "For the kids the rules are strict: No smoking! No drugs! No alcohol! No slam dancing! I'm upstairs and I descend to make sure things aren't out of control. I've had to escort a few individuals off the premises. They don't seem to understand that we don't mosh at the Galeria 409. I suppose their lack of comprehension is due to having their heads bashed against floors too many times."

Clark is a man of unforgiving opinions. Only his inspiration transcends his impatience with a community that refuses to recognize the treasure it has sitting in its midst.

"Until we fix up the El Jardin Hotel, we're fucked," he says. "We have all this money coming from Matamoros and it's all going north of 802. We need to tear down Villa de Sol and construct a Home for the Dying way out on the northside next to the Sports Park. We must build upscale condominiums and attract people with means and energy to reside downtown. Austin and Houston have rebuilt their inner cities with this strategy. We don't have to reinvent the wheel in order to progress. But we have too many cheap-ass people in this town who don't want to reach into their pockets to make a difference."