Idlewood Avenue History

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Scott

Neighbor Todd Woodson continues to help with the Idlewood traffic project.

He recently sent this to the committee members:

While we are awaiting design updates from our friends at Kimley – Horn, I thought i’d share some of the background of the area we are working to improve. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, i’ll simply start with a grid map from the 1924 Sanborn map (thanks, C Pool!). As you can see, the downtown expressway destroyed the northern portion of grid seen here. Harrison and Idlewood (also known as Beverly street) remain as they were laid out. The pink highlighter is a rough approximation of the exit ramp and Grayland redux surrounded by Harrison and Idlewood as they exist today. The second shot is a 1976 photograph of the downtown expressway right before it opened (looking east from where the toll booths would be today). This amenity truly fractured the Randolph and Oregon Hill neighborhoods and splintered our communities. We lost a total of 700 residences and experienced 150 business relocations from the expressway…

(RRHA owns the pie shaped parcel bordered by Harrison, Idlewood and Grayland.)

Virginia Emancipation Proclamation Monument For Brown’s Island

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Scott

This past Friday, local architect Burt Pinnock gave a public talk at the University of Richmond entitled “Race In Architecture: Can Memorialization and Development Coexist?”.

Although most of the presentation was philosophical in nature with the subtext of the raging Shockoe Bottom controversy, Mr. Pinnock did generously show some slides of VERY PRELIMINARY ideas for the proposed Virginia Emancipation Proclamation and Freedom Monument for Browns Island. These visuals showed a raised structure that would offer enclosed meditative space with slats that would allow light to come in.

It will be interesting to see if this proposal, or the controversial ‘Tredegar Green’ amphitheater proposal, will be allowed for discussion at tonight’s Riverfront Plan forum. It’s worth noting that the Proclamation Monument proposal has not been without some controversy, and its worth remembering that Browns Island has been brought up as an alternative to the Kanawha Canal site for the proposed amphitheater.

OHHIC Historical Documentation of the Site of Richmond’s Proposed Amphitheater

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Scott

Remember the 60 page report? Well now Charles Pool has expanded it to 106 pages. We can only hope intellectual honesty and historic fact will matter as the City decides on Venture Richmond’s plan. It is also important to again recognize that there is a compromise plan that Venture Richmond has so far ignored that would avoid cutting into the historic canal.

OHHIC Historical Documentation of the Site of Venture Richmond’s Proposed Amphitheater (final) January 2014

Because of its national importance, the James River and Kanawha Canal should not be altered, cut, lowered or filled for trivial reasons, such as for improving sight lines or making it easier to cut the grass. It is vital that George Washington’s 18th century canal be afforded the respect that it deserves so that this rare historic resource one day can be a restored “blueway,” a treasure for future generations of citizens of the Commonwealth.

City Schedules Three Land Use Meetings on Same Day (TOMORROW!)

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Scott

With a nod to the City Hall Review:

City of Richmond
January 21, 2014
1:30pm – Planning Commission Meeting
3:00pm – Land Use Standing Committee Meeting
7:00pm – Richmond Riverfront Plan Projects Public Forum

Also, from Fans of Monroe Park Facebook Page:

On Tuesday, January 21, 2014, Alice Massie, president of the Monroe Park Conservancy, will make a presentation to Richmond’s Land Use Committee at 3PM. This is the first step in turning the park over to this private entity. There is a public comment period. This will take place at city Hall, 2nd floor council chambers.

Click here for previous post on Monroe Park privatization.

Also note how the Riverfront Plan Public Forum will happen AFTER Venture Richmond’s Tredegar Green amphitheater plan goes to the Planning Commission.

Virginia War Memorial Expanding Again

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Scott

The Times Dispatch has an article this morning on plans to expand the Virginia War Memorial.

Excerpts:

The Virginia War Memorial is planning an estimated $17 million expansion to honor Virginia’s service members who have died in the global war on terrorism.
Plans for the new wing also call for building a 350-seat auditorium, a roughly 200-space parking deck, a new exhibit gallery and a classroom for long-distance learning.

—

Though the state-funded expansion’s details are not fully determined, officials hope to break ground on the project by the end of summer and complete it in 2015, said Jon Hatfield, the memorial’s executive director.

Victory Apartments Now “Pre-Leasing”

Posted on January 17, 2014 by Scott

From Craigslist ad:

Pre-Leasing Now!!! Victory Apartments!! Luxury 2 BD/2 Bath home in Oregon Hill! Mixing Old World Charm With Modern Style! Building completely renovated!! SS Appliances with Granite countertops. Minutes to downtown. Call for an appointment today. Available Feb 1st

Grand opening for the building will be January 25th from 10-2. Everyone is welcome!

– Includes range, fridge, dishwasher, microwave, washer, dryer
– Eat-in kitchen
– Living room
– Sorry, No Undergrads, Please!
– Electric heat pump
– Central air cooling
– Electric hot water / range
– water, trash included
– Off Street Parking Available for just $25/month!!
– **Photos may not be of actual unit but of comparable construction**
– All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed
– $100 Processing Fee Due at Lease Signing

816 Riverside Park To Be Demolished

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Scott

from email:

Notice of Pending Demolition of Imminent Hazard to Public Safety – 816 Riverside Park

In accordance with Section 36-105 of the Code of Virginia, as the Commissioner of Buildings for the City of Richmond I have signed the attached imminent hazard order. This building has deteriorated to the point that its immediate removal is necessary. As a result of this order, the building will be removed, as soon as possible, by either the City of Richmond or the property owner.

If you have questions about the unsafe conditions and the code enforcement status of this building, please contact Michelle Coward, Code Enforcement Program Manager (at MICHELLE.COWARD at RICHMONDGOV.COM or 646-6357).

Please keep in mind that the issuance of the imminent hazard order means that in accordance with City Code Section Sec. 114-930.6. (j), for those properties in City Old and Historic districts demolition can proceed without a certificate of appropriateness being issued by the Commission of Architectural Review (CAR). Also if the building is an area identified for Federal funding, in accordance with the terms of the Richmond Programmatic Agreement, the City will complete Section 106 review of the property on an emergency basis.

If you have questions regarding these historic preservation programs please contact T. Tyler Potterfield (at 804-646-6364 or Thomas.Potterfield at richmondgov.com). Mr. Potterfield can also add or remove individuals from the distribution list for future imminent notices.

Regards,

Douglas H. Murrow, AIA, CBO
Commissioner of Buildings

Another Riverfront Plan? This Wednesday At The Va. War Memorial…

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Scott

From Church Hill People’s News:

The Virginia Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (VA ASLA) will hold a public input meeting for the James River Corridor Viewshed study within the City of Richmond.

The viewshed study is being conducted by the VA ASLA in association with the national organization of the American Society of Landscape Architects as a community service project which each state chapter is conducting or has conducted within the year 2013.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday November 20, 2013 at the Virginia War Memorial Building at 621 S. Belvidere Street, Richmond 23220. The meeting will be between 6-8PM in the Freedom Hall room.

Anyone with an interest in James River Corridor is welcome to participate.

Contact VA ASLA at (804) 523-2901 or marykidd@vaasla.org with any any questions.

Idlewood Roundabout Project Receives Funding From VCU

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Scott

This ordinance was passed by City Council last night:

Ord. No. 2013-209 (Patron: Mayor Jones) – To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer to accept $250,000 from Virginia Commonwealth University and to appropriate the increase to the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Capital Budget by increasing estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to the Department of Public Works’ Traffic Calming/Idlewood Roundabout project in the Transportation category by $250,000 for the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Idlewood Avenue, Grayland Avenue and an off ramp from the Downtown Expressway.

Theater Controversies Continue: Venture Richmond Main Stage Comparisons

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Scott

This weekend Venture Richmond employees and volunteers will be putting together stages for the upcoming Folk Festival. Still looming in the background is the controversy over Venture Richmond’s ‘Tredegar Green’ theater plan. It seems like a good time to present this information from concerned citizen C. Wayne Taylor:

I have an aerial photo that show the Newmarket venue after a festival. People trampled the grass except where it was protected by structures. The stage, control tent, cable runs, and concession tents locations are clearly visible as green areas. I marked the areas that the audience occupied; excluding space for foot traffic.

Then I laid the area over the Venture Richmond (ed.- proposed ‘Tredegar Green’) site. It’s interesting that none of the Newmarket footprint reaches the “upper lawn” of the VR site. Spectators in the upper lawn would be further away from the stage than anyone at the Newmarket venue.

Sq Ft Percent
Newmarket 86,234 100%

Venture Richmond

Lower 34,567 40%

Upper 16,419 19%

TOTAL 50,986 59%

Reduction 35,248 41%

The canal, street, etc. on the Venture Richmond site eliminate 60% of the Newmarket footprint. The upper lawn adds back 19%. That is a net reduction of 41%.

The Venture Richmond venue is very poor and cannot accommodate the crowds experienced on the Newmarket site. I think a main reason Berry (ed.- Jack Berry of Venture Richmond) wants to modify the canal is to increase the lower lawn square footage.

It appears to me that it really does make sense to consider moving the main stage to Brown’s Island and move the two stages on Brown’s Island to the lower lawn and upper lawn. The sizes of the venues would more closely match the sizes of the audiences. The regrading expense would be less. I don’t understand why Berry has rejected that alternative.

As the Folk Festival (Venture Richmond’s propaganda push) gets closer, expect more information and history to be shared on oregonhill.net. It’s important to recognize that Oregon Hill is not against the Folk Festival, but the neighborhood association is strongly against the current ‘Tredegar Green’ plan that Venture Richmond is wrongly insisting on and arrogantly pushing upon our historic neighborhood.

Oregon Hill

News For Oregon Hill, in Richmond, VA

Category Archives: construction