Category Archives: editorial

Riverfront Railroad History

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Andrew McRoberts has written an interesting article in Richmond.com on the “Reasons Richmond Should Love the CSX Railroad Viaduct”.

Excerpts:

The C&O (now CSX) Viaduct is enormously long (about three miles in length). It starts beneath the Robert E. Lee Bridge near Oregon Hill Overlook, and stretches all the way to Nicholson Street and the former Fulton Yard (across Route 5 from Rockett’s Landing in far eastern city of Richmond). It allows a nearly at-grade (level) train crossing of downtown Richmond along the James River and the Great Shiplock for much of its length.

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In 2014, the viaduct is celebrating 113 years in its existence. And, as you know if you ever visit the riverfront downtown, the viaduct is still in active use by CSX Corporation

Like much of Phil Riggan’s articles in Richmond.com on the James River, this deserves reading.

I can’t help but wonder if this is a bit of public relations on CSX’s part, given recent concerns stemming from the Lynchburg explosion.

But, getting back to the history…The C&O Railroad Viaduct is a treasure, and Richmond residents should be aware of other important railroad history that is now threatened within sight of the Viaduct. A remnant of the Tredegar Branch railroad connecting the iron works on Belle Isle with Tredegar is slated to be destroyed by Venture Richmond for yet another amphitheater. These tracks sit on the towpath of the historic James River and Kanawha Canal. Venture Richmond’s plan is to lower the towpath below the historical level of water in the canal and in the process of irreparably damaging the canal, the old railroad line will also be scrapped. Alternatives, such as putting Venture Richmond’s largest stage on Brown’s Island, already leased to Venture Richmond, were ignored. It is unbelieveable that Venture Richmond is destroying the Tredegar Branch railroad remnant that is within the Tredegar Historic Site.

Sierra Club Asks For Monroe Park Pledge

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The Sierra Club Falls of the James Executive Committee sent this public request today (Disclosure: I am a member of the SCFOJ Executive Committee and actually wrote the following):

The Sierra Club Falls of the James Executive Committee, recognizing VCU’s representation on the Monroe Park Conservancy board, respectfully asks for a public pledge to keep, at the very least, the same amount of mature trees and natural shade canopy as what is currently in Monroe Park. Given some past Monroe Park proposals, we believe this public pledge is necessary. We also request a careful inventory of the current mature trees, and ask to be notified before any are removed. While it is understandable that dead and dying trees may need removal and replacement, it is vital that Richmond retain valuable urban green resources. City trees, and groups of trees, are extremely important to offsetting downtown’s heat island effect, creating a habitat for birds, supplying a calming presence on human beings, and offsetting climate change caused by global warming.

We also note that Monroe Park has been a historic place of public gathering and political protest, and we request that the Monroe Park Conservancy continue to allow these important civic activities. The ACLU of Virginia recently sent a letter that raises questions on these points in regard to the City’s Monroe Park lease.

Lastly, it is also worth noting City Councilperson Parker Agelasto’s resolution, adopted by City Council, to work with the Conservancy to expand the board, and consider requesting an increase in the membership of the board to include a.) the Director of the city Parks Dept.; b.) a representative from the city’s Urban Forestry Division; c.) a representative of the Falls of the James Sierra Club; d.) representatives of the neighborhoods near the park that rely on the park as a fundamental community resource.

Letters To City Council On Shockoe Stadium Controversy

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There is interest all over the City on what happens with the Shockoe stadium proposal. It is piquing as more information leaks.

Recent letter from an Oregon Hill neighbor (Editor’s note: I did take the liberty of adding a few links):

Dear Members of the Richmond City Council,

I wrote to you last January (below) regarding the Mayor’s unseemly association with convicted felon Louis Salomonsky in the effort to acquire land to build the Shockoe stadium debacle. As indicated in the attached “Statement of Facts,” Salomonsky was convicted of bribing a City Councilperson and of attempting to defraud the City of Richmond of a rehab tax abatement.

It now comes to light in an article by Paul Goldman that SWA Architects, closely linked to Salomonsky, would also get a “sweetheart no-bid deal for architectural and engineering service” for the Shockoe stadium farce. (Please see link: http://wtvr.com/2014/05/19/goldman-shockoe-documents-reveal-mayor-councils-secret-partner/ )

Keep in mind that the secretary of Venture Richmond, which has spent tens of thousands of dollars lobbying for the Mayor’s flawed Shockoe stadium plan, is a close business partner of Louis Salomonsky. Why is convicted felon Salomonsky allowed to drive policy for his benefit at Venture Richmond and City Hall to the detriment of the citizens of Richmond?

Salomonsky also has before City Council on May 27th a proposal to build a 13 story tower, dubbed James at River bend, that is not in keeping with the city’s master plan. Salomonsky is also pushing to loosen rules on the city’s tax abatement program, in spite of the fact that he was sentenced to federal prison in part for trying to defraud the city of a tax abatement.

The public was promised that all aspects of the Shockoe stadium proposal would be available in March, that the proposal would be withdrawn if land acquisition costs exceeded the $4,4 million figure, and that a complete Section 106 historic review would be undertaken of the Shockoe Valley site. All of these promises have been broken.

As City Council members, it is your responsibility to avoid any impropriety or appearance of impropriety and to uphold the fiduciary responsibilities of your office. Please do not take ownership of the Mayor’s misbegotten Shockoe Stadium proposal that is mired in a corrupt and secretive process, benefiting cronies with secret no-bid deals and land swaps. The Mayor has chosen to closely associate and partner with a convicted felon who brought shame to our city. It is now time for City Council to stand tall and not endorse this toxic process.

Sincerely,
Charles Pool

And there’s also these recent letters from Better Government Richmond (Editor’s note: Disclosure: I am a board member of BG-R):

Dear Members of Council,

The Mayor’s Shockoe development proposal will require Planning Commission approval. The Commission cannot approve the proposal if it is not in substantial accord with the city’s Master Plan. City Council is bound by the Planning Commission’s decision unless the Council votes to overrule the Commission. City Council cannot arbitrarily overrule the commission.

According to the Master Plan the baseball stadium belongs on North Boulevard.

The Master Plan also states that it is important to preserve and enhance the historic character of Shockoe Bottom. The Plan calls for buildings three to five stories tall. The Plan also calls for returning 17th street to two-way traffic. The Mayor proposes a stadium and high-rise buildings in Shockoe Bottom. The Mayor proposes closing part of 17th Street.

The Downtown portion of the Master Plan is a people’s plan. A professional planning team held a series of very large public meetings. Attendance at one of these meetings exceeded 450 people. The Planning Commission held informational meetings, a seminar and four public hearings. A total of 138 people addressed the Commission at the public hearings.

At City Council’s public hearing one developer and one individual opposed the Master Plan. Twenty people spoke in favor of the Plan. After the hearing, City Council unanimously adopted the Plan. (Conner, Graziano, Hilbert, Jewell, Robertson, Trammell, Tyler and Pantele voted aye; McQuinn was absent.)

The Planning Commission will be compelled to reject the Mayor’s proposal. City Council will have no basis to overrule the Commission. Approval of the Mayor’s proposal would be a breach of trust.

The Mayor’s proposal should be rejected as soon as possible.

Sincerely yours,

C. Wayne Taylor, Secretary
Better Government Richmond
Better Government – US LLC
www.bg-us.org

From this morning:

Dear Members of Council,

Did Mr. Byron Marshall misrepresent the facts?

On November 11th 2013 Mayor Jones stood at the Weiman’s bakery building to announce his Shockoe plan and said “I am standing on home plate.” His plan showed a stadium extending northwest across Crane Street onto city property. No other development was shown on Crane Street. The plan showed two proposed apartment buildings on other portions of the site.

On May 12th 2014 Mr. Marshall told City Council that development of the Crane Street property would trigger a federal Section 106 review because the city used federal money to purchased the property. He then said that “the current development does not anticipate using that land.” (Mr. Marshall referred to Crane Street as Ambler Street.)

On May 15th Mr. Marshall presented a more detailed development plan to City Council’s Finance committee. He said that “home plate is basically where the bakery is.” He said that the Crane Street property was shown as “city parking” and it was where “an apartment building was originally planned to be built.” He said that “if that parking lot were used for development it would trigger 106.”

On May 16th the news media reported that the stadium had been moved and that additional property was need. According to the reports, Mr. Marshall said the original plan was just conceptual and they were considering apartments on the Crane Street.

There seem to be several problems with Mr. Marshall’s statements to City Council and the Finance committee:
1) the “current” plan on May 12th showed the stadium on the Crane Street property;
2) Mr. Marshall did not mention that the stadium had been moved;
3) Mr. Marshall did not mention that additional property was needed;
4) home plate moved across the alley from Weiman’s bakery;
5) the plan never showed apartments on Crane Street; and
6) the plan still seems to show the stadium on Crane Street property.

Sincerely yours,

C. Wayne Taylor, Secretary
Better Government Richmond
Better Government – US LLC
www.bg-us.org

Because of these matters, there seems to be more scrutiny of Venture Richmond and more interest in having more competitive bidding for City projects.

A Cemetery for Both Reverence and Recreation

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Henrico Citizen newspaper Managing Editor Patty Kruszewski has a nice opinion piece in the latest issue about a small controversy regarding the use of cemeteries. (Click here to see it as PDF)

In it, she mentions her own’s daughter’s burial place in Hollywood Cemetery.

Quote: “I would never have thought to bring my own children to Hollywood (Cemetery) or to use it as a playground or public spot, but it makes perfect sense. It’s beautiful, it’s public, it’s historic”.

Actually Hollywood Cemetery is still a private business that opens to the public. Kruszewski also rightly brings up the role of the cemetery as a valuable green space. We are very fortunate to live next to it.

…And They March!

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Keeping to their word, Open High School students, some of Richmond’s best and brightest, walked out of the former Grace Arents school today to march on City Hall. Their message? Something that many of my neighbors and I have been saying for years- PUBLIC priorities, such as schools, should come before private special interests like the Redskins. Hopefully the Mayor and City Council will listen to these young citizens.

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Dominion’s Bogus Plans

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There was a small article in yesterday’s Times Dispatch regarding the move of Dominion’s operations center from Innsbrook to I 295.
When Dominion applied for the special use permit for its Tredegar St. headquarters back in 2001, approval was given because they promised to move their operations center with “hundreds of jobs” from the county to Tredegar Street. A neighbor showed photos of flooding at the Tredegar site, and neighbors pointed out that it was absurd to think that they were moving their operations center with a fleet of vehicles and fueling infrastructure to this site beside the river with limited access. But the City’s Planning Commission rubber stamped the bogus plan anyway. When neighbors met with Dominion as recently as two years ago regarding the 2nd Street connector, the Dominion representative still maintained that they have the right to build in the future the huge tower that was supposed to be the new operations center!

Hopefully, Church Hill will fare better than Oregon Hill has in fending off rapacious, private development that goes against existing planning and steals from the public river view sheds. It should come as no surprise that many of those forces supporting the high rise project against Church Hill are the same as who are supporting the flawed Shockoe stadium proposal. City government should recognize the difference between good, popular development projects that enhance residents’ quality of life vs. bad, dishonorable development projects that are based on greed.

‘Tredegar Green’ Yesterday Afternoon

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While City Council was busy figuring out how to give away Richmond’s oldest PUBLIC park, I was doing some walking down at the riverfront. I was disgusted by what I saw:

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Cars are parked right next to the historic Kanawha Canal. Trash everywhere. Venture Richmond, the property holder, has allowed this very important historical site to become a trashy parking lot! Will there be any repercussions this time?
It is outrageous that the City government wants to give them tax exemptions on the land and let them build an unneeded amphitheater.

This is what happens when you have a corporate government that is not accountable to the public.

Skipping April Fools Day This Year

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While we have had some fun for past years’ April Fools Days, I am skipping this year. Its not the first time I have skipped, but this year in particular my heart is just not in it. For one thing, I am not sure if I could come up with anything as outrageous as what is really happening right now-

Venture Richmond is getting ready to alter and diminish one of Richmond’s most historic features, the James River and Kanawah Canal, designed and presided over by George Washington, for an unneeded amphitheater. Besides putting future restoration at risk, ‘Vulture Richmond’ is doing this by breaking promises to go through the Section 106 review process. This is after a historic wall was illegally demolished on property leased to Venture Richmond.

Board members of Venture Richmond are also behind the Monroe Park Conservancy, a mysterious and dastardly plan to privatize Monroe Park (for VCU). The City government is backing this plot, saying it does not have enough money to renovate and maintain the City’s oldest public park as a public park, despite dedicating millions of dollars to establishing a training field for a professional football team, that is owned by a millionaire. The local anarchists are doing a better job of defending the public interest than City government.

‘Vulture Richmond” is also behind an even bigger plot to force the construction of a minor league baseball stadium in historic Shockoe Bottom neighborhood, despite passionate, now international, public protest. This is the third or fourth time that this scheme has been tried, and one of the principles behind it is a developer who was convicted and went to jail for his part in a City Council bribery scheme. Again, it looks like promised historic preservation oversight is being finessed despite public promises.

The mainstream media has sometimes joined the fun of reporting April Fools Day stories. Maybe this year they can try reporting on the reality of these truly outrageous happenings.