Category Archives: W. Cary Street

VCU Continues To Disregard Its Own Master Plan, Counter To State Agreement

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While some local journalists have chosen to focus on VCU President’s performance review, they are missing some of the importance of VCU’s recent property grab on Cary Street.

VCU’s neighbors have relied upon VCU’s promise to abide by its Master Plan boundary when purchasing property. This promise is essential for removing speculation and inspiring a sense of trust between VCU and its neighbors. Unfortunately, VCU continues to breed community distrust with its actions. The history is not good: The Oregon Hill neighborhood at one point endorsed the VCU Master Plan 2020, which called for a small natatorium to be constructed at Cherry and Cary. In 2007, VCU abruptly changed its master plan, without community involvement, after a much larger recreational project was already submitted for state review. VCU still ignores “Issue 1” in regard to community relations.

In November 2014, VCU purchased the property at 9 W. Cary Street outside of its Master Plan boundary. In response to a request made under the Freedom of Information Act, VCU has confirmed that the VCU Master Plan boundary has not been changed to include the property at 9 W. Cary Street and that VCU did not inform its neighbors that it was purchasing property outside of its Master Plan boundary. VCU made no mention of the acquisition of the property was made at recent community advisory board meetings.

This appears to run counter to the Management Agreement between VCU and the Commonwealth of Virginia that states that capital projects must be “consistent with the University’s published Master Plan.” “Exhibit A … V. CAPITAL PROGRAM.
The President, acting through the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration or other
designee, shall adopt a system for developing one or more capital project programs that defines or define the capital needs of the University for a given period of time consistent with the University’s published Master Plan.” (Editor added emphasis for this post).

While the property in question (9 W. Cary Street) is not in Oregon Hill, and Oregon Hill neighbors are not against VCU’s Office of Continuing and Professional Studies receiving a new home, the fact that VCU continues to disregard its own Master Plan raises alarm bells for the surrounding community (and that includes more than Oregon Hill neighborhood).
Again, where is the accountability?

Architectural Post On Meat Market Mentions Gym

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The Shockoe Examiner blog has a recent, interesting post on the long gone 1886 Marshall Street Meat Market that compares other buildings, including the VCU Cary Street Gym (the 1892 Clay Ward Market, old City Auditorium), and D.C.’s National Building Museum (the 1887 Pension Building).
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(Original architectural drawing of Cutshaw’s design for the Marshall Street Meat Market, from the collection of the Library of Virginia.)
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(Postcard image of what was then called the City Auditorium, ca. 1910. Now VCU Cary St. Student Recreational Gym)

Iconically Wrong

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On the City Council agenda for July 14th is a proposed 16 story tower on Pear Street proposed by felon Louis Salomonsky and his business partners. The city’s Master Plan, developed with thousands of volunteer hours, insists that the city’s views be protected, and certainly a 16 story tower would block the view of the river from Church Hill.

The Historic Richmond Foundation sent a disturbing letter suggesting that an “iconic” building is needed at that location.

Well, here is the type of “iconic” building at 709 W. Cary that Salomonsky and his business partners threw up in the Oregon Hill Historic District.

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Higher Speeding Fines For W. Cary Street

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City Council passed a measure on Monday that places higher fines on speeders on West Cary Street between Addison and Cherry streets near VCU – an additional $200 fine for speeding.

From an earlier article on WRIC:

The speed limit in that residential stretch is supposed to be only 25 miles per hour, yet neighbors say they saw drivers appear to be going much faster.

Mark Brandon with the uptown association has been working with the city for nearly 20 years to find a solution.

“An accident in this intersection could go right up into people’s houses,” he says. “Being a city, our houses are close to the curbs.”

City Councilman Parker Agelasto has proposed a solution: a $200 additional fine on top of a speeding ticket. Many neighbors like the idea.

Agelasto says that 85 percent of drivers on that street go at least 10 miles an hour over the speed limit. According a city ordinance, the street is eligible for the fine increase, which is actually one of the most inexpensive ways to calm traffic in the area.

“For now, it could be very helpful. Cary St gets a lot of traffic, downtown, at high speeds, mostly in the morning.”