From email today:

Dear President Rao,

At the October meeting of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA), a resolution was passed to request that VCU preserve the facade of the historic Branch Baths building on the site of the Gladdings Residence dormitory on Main Street. We also resolved to express our appreciation for the work of Tito Luna who has done an admirable job in keeping the neighborhood informed regarding the new residence dormitory. According to Mr. Luna, the contractor for the project has been selected. But, unfortunately, the RFP for the replacement dormitory made no mention of preserving the facade of the Branch Baths building.

Attached to this e-mail is an article on the construction of the second Branch Baths on Main Street from the May 15, 1912 edition of the Times Dispatch. The article notes that no expense was spared by architect Mitchell in constructing the baths with an elegant facade of Indiana limestone.

Also attached is a summary of the Branch Bath #2 annual reports from 1915 – 1918. In 1918, the report indicates that 47,433 bathers used the facility in the previous calendar year. This remarkable figure is an indication of the bath’s importance historically in the life of Oregon Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods, whose residents relied upon the public baths before private indoor-plumbing was ubiquitous.

Also attached is the a 2006 photograph of the Branch Baths from the Valentine Collection. The facade of the Branch Baths #2 should be preserved because of its historical and architectural value to the city of Richmond.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Hancock
President
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association