The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA), at its February meeting, voted to oppose the Shockoe stadium proposal, due to the questionable finances and the possible destruction of important Richmond history.
OHNA meets again tomorrow evening at 7 pm at the William Byrd Community House. At 8 pm the meeting will focus on planning for the Idlewood roundabout project.
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.)
If you didn’t catch Friday’s Open Source RVA on 97.3 FM and http://wrir.org/, check out the podcast! Oregon Hill neighbor Charles Woodson of the Monroe Park Advisory Council talks about a controversial lease agreement that would give Richmond’s oldest park over to a private conservancy.
This should be required listening prior to attending the “Community Conversation” happening tomorrow evening at 6 pm at the Nile.
Join us as we collaborate with Richmond Magazine, TMI Consulting Inc., the Future of Richmond’s Past and local restaurants to offer our next series of “Community Conversations.” Each month we will discuss a locale in the city spanning from Shockoe Bottom to the Boulevard. Attendees will participate in a discussion with Harry Kollatz, Jr., senior writer with Richmond Magazine and author of two books on Richmond history: Richmond Ragtime and True Richmond Stories, who will facilitate a conversation on the significant events and changes that have occured in Monroe Park over time. By the end of the evening attendees will have a comprehensive view of the history of Monroe Park and how it has become the locality that we see today.
I know some neighbors will be missing this due to a conflicting meeting about the Idlewood roundabout project at the Randolph Community Center.
From Councilperson Parker Agelasto’s newsletter:
At 7:30 pm, the City’s Traffic Engineer, Tom Flynn, along with consultants from Kimley-Horn and Associates will meet with a task force of Randolph and Oregon Hill residents to discuss the problems and solutions in crafting a design for the a proposed roundabout along Idlewood Avenue.
The proposed roundabout has been a recommendation of the City Traffic Engineer with the City for about 10 years and was codified in the long-range Richmond Connects Multimodal Transportation Plan. In 2012, this had a series of public work sessions to make recommendations and included several modifications in March 2013 before being finalized in July 2013. The complete document is available at www.yesrichmondva.com/sites/default/files/documents/RichmondConnects.pdf.
The roundabout project was spearheaded by a coalition from Oregon Hill, William Byrd Community House, Byrd House Market, St. Andrew’s School, St. Andrew’s Church, and VCU. Due to the nature of the Downtown Expressway exit ramp and the traffic intersection at S. Cherry Street, this section of Idlewood Avenue is dangerous and poses a safety concern. VCU offered to contribute half of the cost of the project if the City contributed the remainder. These funds are currently in the budget and the City leveraged its share to receive matching funds from the State (meaning the City’s cost is only 1/4 of the entire project). That said, the concept is fully funded and a consultant has been hired to begin the design process with public input.
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.
From email announcement:
The Goings On
First: The Food! I mean, really, SO good. Right?!?! You want to hop on your bike and ride right over!
2nd Tuesdays mean St. Andrews home canned marinara, pickle juice and other yummies. Soul Ice will be back this week and the ready to eats for dinner are from Phal’s and Ted & Kirsten’s. Herbal teas and medicinal plants from Shakambhari Gardens. We have breads and croissants from Margie’s, cakes and yam rolls from Bernie’s. Crocheted fineries and Felted toys from Pleased to be Crafting and Wandering Cow Farm. The best produce and fruit from Byrd Farm and Amy’s Garden and Deer Run Farm, Tomten Farm, Origins Farm, Agriberry, Heath Farm, and Epic Gardens. Sausages from Salt Pork, Mushrooms from Steve Haas, Yogurt, Milk and Cheese from Old Church Creamery, Herd Shares, butter and pasture fed beef from Faith Farm, Roasters and honey and jam and lordee it does go on…
Find recipes at EatGoodGrowGreat.blogspot.com or ask at the Byrd House Market Info Tent. We’d love to get some and share some!
Second: Did you not LOVE?
the acrobats from the Cirque Italia at last week’s market?? Shopper’s daughter Tegwyn certainly did!
As they left the Blue Lotus Collective crew “Nick and Friends” serenaded shoppers til market’s end. Pretty nice vibe all day.
Third: HURRAY for WBCH Byrd House Market and Byrd House Farmlet! The Whole Foods Market 5% Day was a great success – more than $5,700 raised for outreach, infrastructure and marketing for the farmlet and the market! This was especially groovy because the entire staff, executive director and board chair took shifts bagging groceries, handing out literature and sharing the great work of our agency and our nutrition education programs: the market, farmlet and community garden. What a payoff! Thanks to everyone who worked and shopped! Thanks to Whole Foods Market 5% Day and their 5th anniversary in Richmond!
Upcoming events:
September 20: WBCH CARNIVAL! 4:00 – 7:30 pm with petting zoo, giant inflatables, games and prizes! 5th District Councilman Parker Agelasto making a special presentation in honor of WBCH’s 90th Anniversary
October 22: National Food Day at the Market – Thank a Vendor Day!
October 21-25: National Food Day Week of events and opportunities with BHM and VCU.See you at the market!
_____________________
Ana Edwards, Manager
Byrd House Market & Library Programs
Grace Arents Library & Education Center
William Byrd Community House
www.wbch.org / 804.643.2717 ext.306
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association President Jennifer Hancock announced good news in regard to the Idlewood Roundabout proposal by making public an email from Councilperson Parker Agelasto:
Our roundabout is finally going to become a reality thanks to Parker.
Thanks
Jennifer
OHNAFrom: Agelasto, Parker C. – Council Member
Subject: Idlewood RoundaboutHello everyone,
I wanted to provide an update regarding the Idlewood Roundabout. Each and everyone one of you contributed to a campaign to make this a priority. My fellow Councilmembers and the Administration heard you clearly. The project that has been discussed for nearly 15 years is finally going to be a reality.
Thanks to Brian Ohlinger for working with us to secure the $250,000 funding support from VCU for this initiative. This provided the necessary leverage for the project to get the attention of those at City Hall. Likewise the commitment from the St. Andrews Association to permit easements for the project made it very doable. The City has set aside $200,000 in the FY2014 capital improvement budget. This will leverage another $200,000 through VDOT’s revenue sharing program. The project thus has $650,000 and should begin over the next 12 months.
CAO Byron Marshall has been very helpful throughout the process. If you happen to see him, please thank him for his support of the Idlewood Roundabout. In the meantime, I will try to organize a public presentation on the project once the Department of Public Works has more specific information to share.
Sincerely,
Parker C. Agelasto
Richmond City Council, 5th District
Editor’s Note: This corresponds to number 5 of my own top ten issues for the neighborhood. With issues 4,5,6,7 all getting somewhat addressed (and a sincere hearty thanks to those who helped make that happen), it may be time to repopulate the list with some new issues.
From email announcement:
Todays hours: 3pm to 6pm
This will be your last chance to feel the Renegade Market spirit – winter market vendors vending at will on our lovely village-like grounds. You should bow down before the grace of Byrd Farm, Faith Farm and Dogtown Lounge for bearing all kinds of winter weather to bring you the good meats, cheeses, noodles, honey, jams, and doggie/kittie treats EVERY Tuesday from last November through today. You should wring your hands with joy that they were joined by Deer Run and Epic Gardens, by Agriberry and Old Church Creamery, by a masseuse!!! (Robin Raver) and last week, a coffee maker (Alchemy). Woof! we’ve got good people.Next Week: Byrd House Market Opening Day!!
A roster of new and returning vendors coupled with a beautiful, long awaited spring will make for a great market season. SNAP EBT welcome again! Beautiful improvements to the grounds by scads of volunteers and our farmlet manager. Come on out and welcome back the crowd, be one of multitudes to enjoy the launch of a great new season of fresh, locally grown and produced foods. Special guests and new volunteers and great deals will be announced. College students prepare for the return of the $10 Student Box! Details can be found at byrdhousemarket.blogspot.com. (also, please see the note about parking changes below)
