Street Closures For VCU Construction

From City press release:

Street/Lane Closure – South Pine, West Cary, West Main and South Laurel

WHO: City of Richmond Department of Public Works

WHAT: Street/Lane Closure

WHEN: Monday, July 25, 2016 to August 1, 2016

WHERE: The following areas will be impacted:

– South Pine Street between W. Main & W. Cary streets
– Portion of parking lane on W. Cary between Laurel & Pine streets
– Parking lane on W. Main between Laurel & Pine streets
– Parking lane on Laurel between W. Main & W. Cary streets

BACKGROUND: The aforementioned areas will be closed during construction of student housing at VCU Monroe Campus.

For more information, contact: Sharon North 804-646-5607

So it begins…the Gladding Residence Center Capital Project

Monroe Park Concerns Continue

From neighbor Todd Woodson:

Ive just been informed there is a “site redesign” from the Monroe Park master plan. It is a substructure in front of the Altria theatre to accomodate the tent that goes up on occasion for corporate events. Ive seen nothing in the planning commission schedule about a hearing and believe it may be an end run. My understanding also is that VCU will be more involved in the day to day management of the park than the conservancy. VCU advocated about ten years ago for cutting down most of the old growth trees in the park. I dont like where all of this is heading and I say the park belongs to the people.

VCU Warns About Upcoming Traffic

From VCU press release:

RICHMOND, Va. (June 1, 2016) – The Virginia Commonwealth University Police Department expects an increase in traffic near VCU’s Monroe Park Campus and around the Stuart C. Siegel Center during high school graduation ceremonies starting Tuesday, June 7. Twenty-seven high schools from Richmond and Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and New Kent counties and a technical school will host ceremonies at the Siegel Center between June 7 and June 18.

Graduating students and their guests are advised to arrive early at the Siegel Center. Attendance for the ceremonies is expected to range from 2,500 to more than 6,000. In anticipation of these events, VCU Police, VCU Parking and Transportation, the City of Richmond Transportation Engineering Division and the Richmond Police Department have established a regional traffic plan and have added staffing.

Law enforcement officers will be directing traffic around the Siegel Center before and after each graduation. Guests with mobility impairment can be dropped off in front of the Siegel Center on Broad Street, near the intersection of Broad and North Harrison streets.

“Our goal is to keep drivers and pedestrians moving as quickly and safely as possible through the area,” said VCU Police Capt. Sean Ingram. “Drivers in Richmond may want to consider alternate routes to avoid heavy traffic before and after the ceremonies. We appreciate the public’s patience during one of the busiest times of year at the Siegel Center.”

Attendees with blue or red parking passes, issued by area schools, can park in either the West Broad Street Parking Deck at 1111 W. Broad St. or at the Bowe Street Parking Deck at 601 Bowe St. The Siegel Center is located at 1200 W. Broad St.

2016 Siegel Center Graduation Schedule
(Doors open one hour prior to the start of each ceremony.)

Tuesday, June 7

3 p.m., St. Gertrude High School

Thursday, June 9

10 a.m., Thomas Dale High School
2:30 p.m., Clover Hill High School
7 p.m., Monacan High School

Friday, June 10

10 a.m., Cosby High School
2:30 p.m., Manchester High School
7 p.m., Matoaca High School

Saturday, June 11

10 a.m., James River High School
2 p.m., Midlothian High School

Monday, June 13

10 a.m., Meadowbrook High School
2:30 p.m., L.C. Bird High School
7 p.m., Carver College and Career Academy

Tuesday, June 14

11 a.m., Henrico High School
3 p.m., Highland Springs High School
7 p.m., Glen Allen High School

Wednesday, June 15

11 a.m., Hermitage High School
3 p.m., J.R. Tucker High School
7 p.m., Deep Run High School

Thursday, June 16

11 a.m., Varina High School
3 p.m., Douglas S. Freeman High School
7 p.m., Mills E. Godwin High School

Friday, June 17

1 p.m., ECPI
7 p.m., New Kent High School

Saturday, June 18

8:30 a.m., Hanover High School
Noon, Patrick Henry High School
3:30 p.m., Atlee High School
7 p.m., Lee-Davis High School

Open High Does It Again- Gold Medal

Open High School joins other Virginia schools in continuing its winning streak with a gold medal in U.S. News rankings of best high schools in the country.

From the magazine:

Open High is ranked 10th within Virginia. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Open High is 100 percent. The student body makeup is 42 percent male and 58 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 60 percent. Open High is 1 of 10 high schools in the Richmond City Public Schools.

RVA Cleanup/VCU Paint The Town Green This Saturday

From announcement:

Randolph neighbors are looking for a few more volunteer hands this Saturday. We will be covering from Meadow to the western parts of Oregon Hill. In addition to the litter cleanup we will be working to finishing the storm drain marking we started last year.

We will meet at the Randolph a Community Center at 1415 Grayland from 9-12pm. If you can only come for an hour, we’ll take it! Thank you!

Www.meetup.com/RVA-Clean-Sweep
Www.facebook.com/rvacleansweep
@rvacleansweep
#pickuplitterRVA

Note that this is also the date for VCU’s Paint The Town Green community event.