Category Archives: crime

Letter and Article On Canal Wall Controversy

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Letter sent to Richmond Chief of Police:

Dear Police Chief Tarasovic,

It has been eight months since the demolition of the historic Tredegar wall on city property below Oregon Hill. At a regularly scheduled meeting on June 25, 2013, the membership of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA) approved a resolution asking for a thorough investigation into the identity of the entity responsible for the tragic loss of this important historic asset and the processing of this entity through our legal system.

On Tuesday, October 16, 2012, an Oregon Hill resident witnessed a bulldozer purposely demolishing the Tredegar wall on city property. Within an hour of the demolition, contractors were photographed stacking the bricks on pallets, presumably for removal.

According to articles in the Richmond Times Dispatch, contractor Liesfeld admits that it was the contractor that demolished the wall. In the Oct. 20th T-D, Liesfeld identified NewMarket as the firm that hired them to demolish the wall. Later NewMarket, Dominion and Venture Richmond all denied that they hired the contractor to demolish the wall. Who hired Liesfeld to demolish the Tredegar wall on city property and what was the purpose of the destruction of this historic asset?

Dominion was apparently responsible for hiring the contractors for the 2nd Street Connector project, but according to Times Dispatch articles, Dominion states that they did not hire Liesfeld, and Liesfeld was not a sub-contractor for the project. Why was Liesfeld demolishing the 20+ section of the Tredegar wall if they were not a sub-contractor for the project or hired by Dominion?

The historically significant Tredegar wall was on city property and consequently was an important asset belonging to the citizens of Richmond, yet no effort has been made to identify the responsible party or to seek a suitable replacement wall in the exact location. This wall could possibly cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to replace.

The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association, a legally registered corporation of the Commonwealth of Virginia, hereby requests that an investigation begin immediately and that the responsible party/parties be identified and subjected to due process under applicable laws of the Commonwealth.

Sincerely
Jennifer Hancock
OHNA, President

Click here to see article that appeared in today’s Times Dispatch.

Click here, here, and here to read some of the previous coverage on this site.

Questions For The Chief

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Dear Police Chief Tarasovic,

I would like to know who hired the contractor that destroyed the pre-Civil War Tredegar wall on city property, and the public would like to know if the entity that hired the contractor be held responsible. The reasonable citizens of Richmond assume that the laws against destruction of public property will be applied equally and that this destruction of public property will not be “swept under the rug.”

I would greatly appreciate it if you applied transparency to the case of the destruction of the Tredegar wall on city property.

Thank you very much for your assistance.

Scott Burger

Email sent March 23 (An earlier, similar email was sent by a neighbor in February and an even earlier email was sent last year to predecessor Chief Norwood). No responses received as of yet. I am hoping that Chief Tarasovic will be willing to speak to this issue tomorrow evening at the 5th District meeting.

From a February Times Dispatch article:

“I’m a transparent person,” Tarasovic said Tuesday after joining Mayor Dwight C. Jones in congratulating dozens of officers for winning awards. “I’ll tell you how I feel. I’m telling you how I feel now.”
“I believe in sunshine, and I think we will shine in the sun,” Tarasovic added, referring to transparency.