Category Archives: traffic

Parking at the James River Park

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“Why Richmond Why?!?” column in Times Dispatch mentions parking concerns along riverfront:

“Burrell said that while we all love the James River Park, there are times of the year where the park may be reaching its “carrying capacity.”

I’ve spent a lot of time in the park on those busiest days. I’ve seen motorists wait in line for 20 to 30 minutes to get into the parking lot at Pony Pasture. I’ve seen motorists overflow parking into the Oregon Hill and Spring Hill neighborhoods to get to Belle Isle. Friends who live near Reedy Creek and 42nd Street have lamented the overflow parking in their neighborhood streets, including people trashing yards with empties and untimely potty breaks.

Oregon Hill’s Firehouse

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Oregon Hill suffered tremendous losses in housing and history when the Downtown Expressway‘s construction tore a great scar through the neighborhood in the 1970’s. Among the resources that were lost was the Engine House No. 6 that was formerly at the corner of Cumberland and Laurel. The bell that was in a cupola on the roof of Engine House No. 6 was moved to the replacement firehouse at Canal and Jefferson Streets. These photographs in the collection of the Richmond History Center, show the original firehouse in 1957 and 1895:
200 s copyOregon Hill fire station, Laurel and Cumberland, 1895, Richmond History Center copyengine co no 6, laurel and cumberland, 1895, Richmond History Center
Photo credits:
slide of building, 1957, Richmond History Center
fire engine photos, 1895, Richmond History Center

VWM 5K This Saturday

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The Virginia War Memorial 5K Run/Walk To Remember will be Saturday, April 18th. The race kicks off at the Memorial @ 8:30 a.m. and will be travelling through Oregon Hill between 8:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Organizers are expecting 500+ participants and over 600 military running in formation. There will be Course Marshals and Fort Lee soldiers along the route and at each corner. Richmond City Police will be involved with the race too. Only 2nd street and Belvidere from Byrd Street to the Lee Bridge entrance ramp will be closed, but due to the number of participants there might be a few delays on the streets involved.

This race is a wonderful opportunity for the public to honor and remember veterans.

VWM 5K Flyer FINAL 4-18-15

Illegally Demolished Historic Wall To Be Rebuilt HIGHER

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After the historic Tredegar wall was illegally demolished several years ago, and much controversy resulted, several promises were made to rebuild the wall.

Recently, a neighbor who works in historic preservation has been helping preparations to finally start work on rebuilding the wall.

However, this website has recently learned that there are new plans to rebuild the wall at least twenty feet higher than its previous height. No one could comment on this development at press time.

While it remains a mystery as to the exact reasons being given for this raise, there is some speculation on the need to use ‘extra’ historic bricks that will be made available from the planned updating of old City Hall. Some Oregon Hill residents believe the higher wall will be used to host community movie screenings, while others believe that the City is preparing the wall for river level rise due to climate change.

Please stay tuned as this story develops.

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New Nearby Development

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RichmondBizSense.com has an article on new townhouse construction planned for the eastern portion of Randolph neighborhood.

From the article:

Richmond’s own TriBeCa – a cluster of brownstone three-story homes on the easternmost edge of the Randolph neighborhood – has begun work on six more units, with nine additional detached homes planned next year.

The Lower Manhattan neighborhood’s name is an acronym for Triangle Below Canal Street, and its Richmond counterpart is short for Triangle Below Cary Street. Its inspiration is a triangle of land that is bordered by South Harrison Street and Grayland and Idlewood avenues.

It’s interesting that the article makes no mention of the Idlewood roundabout project, which should be starting construction also.

Contentious Fence Proposal Withdrawn

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According to an official in the City’s Dept. of Planning and Development Review, the Location, Character and Extent item for the Brown’s Island Way fence and gate (UDC #15-02) has been withdrawn from consideration from the Planning Commission. It will appear on the agenda for the meeting on March 2nd as a formality, noting its withdrawal. That agenda should go out later today.

For background on this, please visit the following links:
Fences of Contention III
Fences of Contention II
Fences Of Contention (I)

Protest Against Dominion

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This morning there was a protest march against Dominion Power that purposefully blocked the intersection of Tredegar Street and Brown’s Island Way (aka 2nd Street Connector) to raise awareness of Dominion’s role in profiteering, pipelines, pollution, and climate change. Eventually fire trucks were called to assist a massive police presence in clearing protesters from the street.
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Editorial: You have to wonder if Dominion executives are regretting their arrogant insistence on building their riverfront headquarters and 2nd Street Connector. Their corporate hegemony, combined with some of their biggest supporters corrupting and dishonoring state office is just making citizens angrier.