Category Archives: community

Center Stage Siphoning Off Landmark Theater Funding?

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There’s a rumor on the street that the soon-to-open downtown Center Stage project is now taking funding away from the Landmark Theater renovation.

Instead of getting it out of City of the Future funds, the way it was supposed to,
the Landmark actually got its money from the excess surplus from the Manchester Project. But CenterStage leadership is rumored to be negotiating with Council to get the money that would have gone to the Landmark. (Remember when the City of the Future was supposed to be mainly about renovating and building new schools?)

Many Oregon Hill residents have questioned the Center Stage project from the beginning. Now as it gets closer to opening day, more and more people are raising questions. And yet, even more amazing, this sad, wasteful story just keeps growing.

The Landmark renovations will most likely get finished no matter what, but if this rumor proves true then what other public priorities is Center Stage distracting money and attention from?

New Construction At Albemarle Fire Site?

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Looks like like there will soon be new construction to replace the historic row houses that burned down earlier this year. Meanwhile, this article appeared.

We should have had a better idea of what the houses would look like before we ever made it back to Richmond. We’d been in pretty heavy contact with our friends back home who watched them burn. We had seen pictures of the fire itself on Max’s phone (thank goodness for technology these days). We had seen the charred remains of other fires on television and on the news before. But we had no idea that the damage would have been that bad. No idea. The sight of it was too much for me to handle. The front of the house didn’t exist, except for a smoky skeleton that had once been the framework of the house. You could see into the remains of our bedrooms, but there wasn’t much to look at. All we could make out by the light of the construction workers were impressions of our former belongings — charred shapes that represented bookshelves, desks, and beds.

Looking Forward to ‘CoffeeBRAKES’ and Run To The River

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Hopefully not at the same time…seriously though, two quick announcements for upcoming events (also don’t forget the Richmond Folk Festival from Oct. 9-11):

The CoffeeBRAKE is a traditional program from Off Campus Student Services with USC&A, that allows sponsors to gather or distribute information to students. This is an excellent opportunity for program promotions, membership drives, and volunteer opportunities. Starting Fall 2009, programs will be weekly, one sponsor at a time in the new Off Campus Student Services office, Room 119, in the Commons. Talk to 75 to 100 students per CoffeeBRAKE. For details on how to sponsor a Commuter CoffeeBRAKE in the University Student Commons, go to our website.

http://www.usca.vcu.edu/offcampus/coffee.php

We look forward to sharing a cup of coffee with you!

Martha Harper
University Student Commons & Activities
Off Campus Student Services Coordinator
Virginia Commonwealth University.
907 Floyd Ave. Room 104b
Richmond Virginia 23284
804-828-6500

FAX 804-828-6182
www.usca.vcu.edu/offcampus
¡Manos a la obra!

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Run to the River is a challenging 10k hill race, 5k community walk and 1k fun run to benefit the Neighborhood Resource Center (NRC). Runners will tackle three hills as they dash over cobblestone streets, through historic neighborhoods, and along the banks of the James River. Enjoy live music, refreshments, a free massage or a health check at the finish line party and health fair. Run to the River is one of the most difficult and scenic races in Richmond – and one of the most rewarding. All event proceeds directly support the NRC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing quality resources to families with limited means in the Greater Fulton community of Richmond, VA. The NRC helps youth achieve academic success through individual tutoring and a sliding-scale Montessori preschool. Art and music programs provide youth creative outlets to express themselves. Parents earn their GED and conduct job searches at the NRC. To register or learn more about the race, visit
www.runtotheriver.org.

OHHIC Gets POD For New Houses On Laurel Street, Including Affordables

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Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council received City approval for its Plan of Development for the 600 block of S. Laurel Street. Two affordable and one market rate house are planned for what is currently a large blank lot.

Because these are modular houses developed by ‘Golden Hammer’ winner Allen Townsend, they will hopefully be in place relatively soon and OHHIC is looking for buyers. If interested, please contact Todd Woodson at 804 644 3812 or candylandmusic@earthlink.net

More details forthcoming…
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It’s Not The First Time That VCU Disregarded Slave History

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Sadly, the recent repaving of the parking lot at 15th Street is not the first time that Virginia Commonwealth University has disregarded important African American slave history.

Back in the 1990’s, Richmond activists warned President Trani that it was wrong to tear down the Jacob House in order to make room for the VCU Engineering School. So, to mute protests, he decided to have it moved across the street. There were still concerns that this would ruin the historical integrity of the site since it was considered a probable Underground Railroad site. One man, Alan Schintzius, actually got arrested when he laid in front of the bulldozer. Sure enough, a hidden basement room was discovered after the house was moved. Its gone now, filled in and buried by VCU.

You have to wonder what other Richmond history has been buried.

At least the moved Jacob House survives, for now, at the corner of Cary and Pine.

Student Rental Trash

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The end of July means moving for many people. Unfortunately, for far too many renters and landlords that means pile up your trash on the sidewalk and leave town, and let others deal with their trash. Although I posted before about the problem on Idlewood and Cherry, here is what will greet the Byrd Market attendees this afternoon:
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Again, in the Idlewood situation, an easy solution would be to create a trash containment area along the alley which goes north behind the residences just a few yards away, and make sure residents use it. City trash trucks are supposed to be picking up from the back alleys in the neighborhood.

Unfortunately, this is not the only place where this happening, as the following pictures will attest. In every single case, it involves VCU student renters of absentee landlords. All of these places are repeat offenders. While not every Oregon Hill residence has a back alley access due to the way the lots are laid out, all of these places in the pictures have back alley access. There are other trash problems in the neighborhood, but I find these particularly egregious because they block front sidewalks. Personally, I suggest the City increase fines against the landlords, who are easier to identify and locate. I would be in favor of landlord licenses, not unlike what other university towns have implemented.

In the meantime, I will go out this morning since I have the day off from work and try to at least tidy the sidewalk trash on my block. Maybe this will stop the City from fining me for not mowing along my back alley while I was away on vacation.

614, 616 S. Laurel St.

614, 616 S. Laurel St.


500 block of S. Laurel Street

500 block of S. Laurel Street


100 block of S. Cherry Street

100 block of S. Cherry Street


800 block of Holly Street

800 block of Holly Street