Church Hill Association of RVA Newsletter - May 2017 Issue by Church Hill Association of RVA

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C ommunity NEWSLETTER Â· MAY 2017

IN THIS ISSUE pg.04 Mulch Day Recap

pg.06 Richmond Cycling Corps pg.10 Richmond Hill

Historic Marker

pg.22 Breaking Poverty Cycle pg.31 Brief Reed Square History

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About the Church Hill Association

CHA Board of Directors President: John Sieg president@churchhill.org

M E E T I N G S & N OT I C E S

Secretary: Ali Schneider: secretary@churchhill.org

Historic Preservation and Land Use Committee Meeting

Assistant Secretary: Pam Masters asstsecretary@churchhill.org

First Tuesday of each month: 6:00 pm Location: Patrick Henry Pub

Treasurer: Trish Bernal: treasurer@churchhill.org

Generally held on the Tuesday before the Board meeting at the Patrick Henry Pub, 2300 E. Broad Street at 6:00 pm

Vice President: Genni Sasnett: vp@churchhill.org

Assistant Treasurer: Pam Lipscombe: assistanttreasurer@churchhill.org

Directors at Large Alli Alligood

Karen Jones

Christina Mastroianni

Colin Schlueter

Past President: Bill Dinkin Historic Preservation and Land Use Chair: Robert Gordon: rrgpc@mac.com

Volunteers Church Hill Newsletter: Layout Graphics: CAO Agency Ari, Arthur and Isabelle Contact: (804) 405-0969 Content Editor/Ad Sales Coordinator: Celeste Deal: newsletter@churchhill.org P: 644-2862 Lead Newsletter Distribution: South: Tom & Eileen Sanders: 343-7157 North: Sandra Horton: 780-1641 Membership Coordinator: Amy Beem: 344-0001: membership@churchhill.org Church Hill Planters: Marion Macdonald: 644-1347

For more information on joining the CHA, please see our website at: www.churchhill. org, or fill out the application included in this publication.

UPCOMING MEETING: MAY 2 UPCOMING MEETING: MAY 30 UPCOMING MEETING: JULY TBD

CHA of RVA Board Meeting First Thursday of each month: 6:00 pm Location: Patrick Henry Pub Generally held on the first Thursday of every month at the Patrick Henry Pub, 2300 E. Broad Street at 6:00 pm UPCOMING MEETING: MAY 4 UPCOMING MEETING: JUNE 1 UPCOMING MEETING: JULY 7

Membership Meeting Location: St. John’s Parish Hall Generally held on the third Tuesday of every month in St. John’s Parish Hall, 2401 E. Broad Street, at 7:00 pm. UPCOMING MEETING: MAY 16

Summer Picnic Location: TBD Time: 6:30pm Date: June 20

If any member wishes to attend any Zoning or Board meeting they are most welcome, but please check with John Sieg at president@churchhill.org for updated meeting times and dates.

CHA Mission

Call for Photos

The purpose of this organization shall be to promote a sense of unity and common endeavor among all the residents of the St. John’s Church, Church Hill North, and Chimborazo Old and Historic Districts, other residents of the East District, and other interested persons, in order to develop a stable, desirable urban neighborhood.

What does Church Hill look like to you? Send us your iconic shots of the neighborhood and see your image in the Newsletter! Let’s find some new angles that show the changing Church Hill – or a new view of the old classics like Libby Hill Park. Send images to: newsletter@churchhill.org

2 April 2017

Letter from the President Dear Church Hillians, This note will cover three topics; the significant changes proposed for our community, recognition of the great work by members of our association and a summary of the community survey we conducted earlier this year. The Church Hill Association has actively voiced interests and concerns regarding activities that influence the quality of life within Church Hill. There is considerable momentum by the City of Richmond to finalize a Pulse Corridor Plan along E. Main Street and the areas surrounding our community. The plan will ultimately influence the density and height of new construction, changes to existing land use, transportation and all forms of future development. Our latest comments to the City regarding the Pulse Corridor Plan can be found within this newsletter. Our post office closed without any advance notice, creating an imposition for many citizens that have mobility issues or depend on PO boxes and other services provided by that branch. It is unclear as of this writing whether this closure is temporary or permanent, but you can read responses by our Congressman to pressure the Postmaster General to reopen the post office in this newsletter. The CHA will stay proactive and engaged on this issue. Further development within Church Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods continues to draw the interest of developers. Some developers are collaborative and allow us to work with them to create projects that are complimentary to Church Hill. Others move quickly and silently with hopes their projects will be approved without any community input. Recognition Our Historic Preservation and Land Use Committee continues to monitor development activities. This committee recently adjusted how they work to anticipate and respond quickly to new development and zoning changes. I’m happy to highlight the great work done by our Historic Preservation and Land Use Committee. They have been working overtime to address all of the changes proposed by the City and developers. The past several responses to Director Olinger were developed and drafted in collaboration by David Herring, Stewart Schwartz, Rae Gordon, Barbara Cotter and other members of their Committee. They have invested many hours making sure the interests of our community are front and center among those who are driving the Pulse program. Please take a moment to thank them for their hard and effective work! Community Survey Earlier this year, we surveyed our members, and our broader community, asking six questions to help the CHAofRVA board stay in touch with those we serve. The questions covered 1) areas of important focus; 2) specific organizations or projects for CHA support; 3) monthly newsletter readership; 4) CHA event participation; 5) committees of interest for respondent’s participation and 6) a space for respondents to provide contact info and specific areas for which they would like to volunteer. The board has seen the responses and they are scheduled to be reviewed with the membership during our April meeting. Here is a summary of conclusions from the survey that will be reviewed in April with our membership: 1. The CHA received 99 responses to the survey. Respondents were split between CHAofRVA members and from others across our East End community. 2. 55% of survey respondents answered question 6 and provided some amount of optional response regarding personal information. 3. The survey shows strong support for our existing committees (per answers to question #2). 4. There is strong interest in having CHAofRVA form 2 additional committees; • Youth and Education Committee (to address opportunities to strengthen the quality of education and support youth activities) • Community Outreach Committee (to welcome new members of our community, encourage inclusion, participation and to support new Church Hill businesses) 5. The areas for which people would like CHAofRVA to donate time or money largely aligned with our committee structure. To this end we’ll ask committees to look at those results and prioritize areas for our association to invest effort and funds. 6. Some of the survey results point to topics of interest that would best be addressed via future newsletter articles. To that end I’ll be asking our board to provide additional oversight to focus additional newsletter to topics surfaced by the survey. We are very grateful to everyone who responded to the survey. We (Board and Membership) will use those responses to focus and improve our efforts on support of our community. I will add that if we do add the two new committees, mentioned above, we will require volunteers to populate those committees. I’ll close with a request for your help! As mentioned, we need additional volunteers who are willing to participate on committees, to write articles about the history of our community and to help make Church Hill an even better place to live. There is meaningful work to be done and CHAofRVA membership isn’t required for you to get involved. Please contact me, board members or committee chairs (see our Churchhill.org website for details) of you can help!

Best regards, John Sieg, President CHA 2017 ChurchHill.org |

What a Wonderful Neighborhood!

The luck of the Irish lingered on Saturday morning, March 18 - long enough to get new tress planted, old trees mulched, and tummies filled with good food and the good cheer of hanging out with neighbors and friends. The forecasted rain didn’t happen Saturday morning - the day was perfect for vigorous outside work. And when the rains did come the new trees were in place and old ones mulched, ready for their Saturday night bath. Saturday’s lucky numbers were 55 – 8 – 105 - 50- 1 – 4 When all was said and done -

55+ folks came out 8 new trees were planted 100+ trees were mulched 50 cubic yards of mulch spread 1 toasty warm pot belly stove 4 tables laden with tasty food and drink

The park was full of high spirits. In a warm park house waiting - full of camaraderie for hard working folk to be well fortified and rejuvenated with: An abundant fruit bowl Piles of ham biscuits Scrumptious blue berry coffee cake and muffin Bite size banana bread muffins Hot coffee and cold fruit juice Gallons of delicious hot soup A generous bread and cheese board An abundant spread of humus and crudites’ from The Hill Cafe.

The fire in pot belly stove took the chill off providing a congenial place for rest and refueling.

Thanks go to many many folks – from those who brought firewood and built the fire; to those who passed out fliers; those who stayed to the bitter end collecting trash, stowing food and cleaning up the park house; from the wonderful Church Hill cooks to the skilled graphic artist who designed our flier. Support is gratefully received from CHA, Tree Stewards,The Community Roots program, Marlie Smith, Parks Operations Manager, City DPRCF, Norm Brown, city Arborist, Richard Bruce and his DPRCF team, Staples Macdonald and The Hill Cafe, and the many friends of Libby Hill Park In particular thank you’s go to Alli, Beauchamp, Curt Payne,Trish, Brian Loos, John W, Benedicte, Sharon Moffatt, Tom Moffatt, Chuy - Jesus Palacios, Amanda, Mark B., Tom Layman, Larry Masters, Peggy Croke, Elliott Beaulieu.

And Laurence Miller, Steve Morrison, Maude, John B., Kirby, Shawn & Steve Huskins, Ruby, Leo, Nina, Dave Holman, Tim Bunchman, Suzanne Lee, Barb Munjas, Eugenia Anderson Ellis, Howard Ellis, Christina Mastrioanni, Sandy Nye Moran, Allan Rosenbaum, Bill Dinkin, Heather Dinkin, Liz Whitehurst. And Elizabeth Barrett, Alexander Hubble, Martha Kent, Al Newell (for Elsa), Jamie Isaacs, Ginny Campbell, Suzette Lyons, Alva Johnston, Jim Koren, Sarah Janeczek, Katherine Miller, Joel, Louise, Mary Lorino, Chris Chase , Carol Wolf, Staples, Karen Jones, Pam Masters, Sara Baltzegar, Curtis Payne, Marc Johnston and all the folks left unnamed.

A visitor familiar with city volunteer efforts commented ‘’.... so many people came out .. [to tend the trees and plant the new ones and just love on the park]... It is like a commune.’ It really does take a village.

Coqui Macdonald For Friends of Libby Hill Park

4 April 2017

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What do these historical movers and shakers have in common? •

Luther Libby, whose name is forever linked to

•

hiLary baker, uncle of Elizabeth Van Lew,

•

here’s one for you

the Civil War through the infamous Libby Prison the notorious spy for the Union

Dr. John aDams, Richmond mayor from 1819-1826 and founder of the Richmond Academy of Medicine

Jennie Dotts sold their houses. Let her heLp you buy or seLL your own bit of history.

The John Quarles House

Built ca. 1822, the John Quarles House offers 3 BRs & 3 full baths, including an optionally separate, self-contained first floor unit Desirable R-8 zoning allows for office and/or residential use. mLs# 1704493 Your Old House Authority

Jennie Dotts ReALtoR®

804.370.6565 Luther Libby

Dr. John aDams

hiLary baker

Virginia ProPerties, A Long & Foster Company 412 Libbie Avenue, Richmond VA 23226

ChurchHill.org |

Richmond Cycling Corps By: Matt Crane

It was the drive home that year, not the racing or plush accommodations, that really make this trip stand out. We were all in good spirits, laughing at the awesome hotel rooms, and reliving moments from the race day action. It felt as if we had hit a turning point, that perhaps we were starting to hit gold with all the hard work we were doing preparing for the racing season. If we could have more events like this, more days of such a profound attitude shift, then, we felt, we could really make some headway toward using the bike as a tool for change. Upon our return to Fairfield Court to drop the guys off, that fell away as precipitously as the bell boy’s smile had the day before when we rolled our hardtail mountain bikes through his lobby. The shift, which occurred immediately upon arriving home, was unforgettable.

Korey Robinson racing in Charlottesville, photo by Jerry Osborne

In April of 2014, we planned a last minute spring break mountain bike racing trip in Roanoke, Virginia for two of the varsity level youth on the brand new Armstrong High School cycling team. Within minutes of opening a browser window to make arrangements, we were in disbelief. We double checked two times just to be sure, and lo, it was as it appeared to be. The luxurious, best-in-town Hotel Roanoke would cost us just a few dollars less than the nearest decent option, which was a midlevel national brand. No free continental breakfast at a Holiday Inn or its equivalent could touch this chance to stay in such luxury! We clicked “purchase” before whatever glitch creating this sweet opportunity could be caught. Or perhaps we had been given a window of grace from the online travel gods. In either case, we rejoiced: this was going to put some spring in the spring break plans. After a three hour drive from Richmond, we stopped at the next day’s race course for a pre-ride, just to make sure there would be no surprise technical sections during the event. This of course lent us the best entrance possible to the valet stand outside the gilded doors of our lodging for the night: covered in mud, lycra clad, and with four mountain bikes hanging off the back of the not-so-clean-itself Richmond Cycling Corps Chevy Suburban (window tints and all). We had egg sandwiches from Dunkin Donuts for breakfast, and went on to have a solid, but not career defining, race day. The course in Roanoke that year was really tough, with a big climb each lap on a fireroad that ducked onto an unrelenting array of elevation gain and technical descents on muddy singletrack. Our kids are tough too though, and both stuck it out to finish. 6 April 2017

“See you guys on Tuesday for practice!” (blank stares) “What do you mean, Tuesday?” “Same time as always, out back of Armstrong” “Nah man, its spring break. We don’t ride bikes on spring break” Barely anyone showed for practice all week from the eight riders we had on the team at that time. We ran through the cuts in the neighborhood, knocked on doors, made phone calls. It was a tough week. The call from other forces was too strong, and we lost out. On top of the trouble everyone seemed to get in during the week off school, the next event we went to was a disaster, one of the worst in our history. Barely anyone finished, and we had more than one major attitudinal meltdown on the race course. We finally cracked the spring break dilemma this year, and its emblematic of the work we do. We front loaded the situation, and threw all of our resources into breaking the pattern with a new paradigm. For spring break 2017, that meant taking the whole team to Wintergreen resort, straight from school on Friday. We arranged for everyone to bring their luggage to school, and we left before the last bell of the day. Saturday saw the squad taking on the first high school race of the season, at The Miller School in Charlottesville. 14 year old Korey Robinson

Richmond Cycling Corps at the Overlook Photo by Matt Kuhn

Antonio Goode, LaVone Lewis, DeShawn Winston in Pittsburgh, Photo by Matt Kuhn

Team Breakfast at the Mountain House Photo by Amelia Kir

took home 4th place out of over sixty other riders in the boy’s second division – a great result for one of the hardest working riders on the team. With it being spring break, we spent the next day at a ropes course and then a water park. Three of our most senior youth then spent three days in Pittsburgh at the world renowned Wheel Mill mountain bike terrain park, and the rest of the team had a jam packed schedule of epic rides and training. Most importantly, when back in Richmond, we were able to leverage our new programming space at 2123 Fairmount Avenue as an unbeatable alternative for where to hang out. All that being said, we have to touch upon the fact that so much of what motivated the desire to ramp up efforts to keep our youth constructively occupied was borne from the desire to keep them safe after the tragic trio of shootings in Mosby Court. The fact that retaliatory events occurred on the Southside, and again at Mosby, while we were out of the city, demonstrates that the pressing need we felt was sadly too prescient. The environment our youth live in, go to school in, and are at all times surrounded by, has an all encompassing effect upon their behavior. This is the core, the thrust, of what Richmond Cycling Corps is here to do. We do not exist to simply ride bikes. We have been far more interested, for a long time now, in empowering young people to escape poverty, and we do not attempt this as outsiders to the situation. We have become embedded in their lives. As an organization, we are history informed. We are trauma (clinically) informed. But at the front end of all of this, the sharp end of the stick, is what we see as the need to be behavior informed. Which is to say, informed of the reality that youth growing up in public housing have an experience that is very difficult to reconcile with mainstream society. The behaviors that allow one to survive on the street level do not necessarily play Tetris with the broader horizons of what society has to offer. Is this judgmental on our part? No. There is no sugar coating the fact that growing up in pubic housing is a severe disadvantage. And, we posit, much of that disadvantage stems from learned behaviors within a sub-culture (public housing). We do not have all the answers, and we know that bicycles are only a tool toward something greater. Whatever one attributes as the causes behind it, we are seeing behaviors playing out with the youth at Armstrong, and other city high schools, that require us to go as deep as we can to provide leverage away from these cycles of violence and trauma. We, Richmond Cycling Corps, are here to rectify that destructive cycle for the youth in Richmond’s public housing – during spring break, and well beyond.

Matt Crane is a former professional cyclist who spent a number of years on the U.S. National Cycling team before retiring from the sport. He now happily lives in Richmond, where he is the Director of Development for Richmond Cycling Corps. Email:matt@richmondcyclingcorps.org Phone:(706) 540-2340

By: Jerry Osborne ChurchHill.org |

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On-Site Specialized Equipment Includes: · Digital · Dental equipment radiography · ECG · In-house lab · Pulse oximetry

We treat Dogs & Cats

Thank you for letting us care for your pets! 8 April 2017

ChurchHill.org |

Richmond Hill Historic Marker Dedicated on April 4 At 11 a.m. on a picture-perfect Tuesday morning, friends, family, neighbors and elected officials gathered on Grace Street for the outdoor dedication of a marker honoring Richmond Hill’s Building & Grounds as a Historic Landmark of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Jim Bennett, Richmond Hill’s Musician, lead us in song. Rev. Joel Blunk and Rev. Janie Walker, CoPastoral Directors of Richmond Hill, welcomed the gathering. Rev. Ben Campbell,Pastor Emeritus, Richmond Hill, recounted the story. And there were remarks and reflections: • Deacon Charles Williams, Catholic Diocese of Richmond VA • The Honorable Ellen Robertson, Councilwoman, Gateway 6th District • Sergeant Carol Adams, Richmond Police, Community Care Unit • Delegate Betsy Carr, Virginia House of Delegates, 69th District • Delegate Delores McQuinn, Virginia House of Delegates, 70th District • Mayor Levar Stoney, Richmond, Virginia Ms. Julie Langan, Virginia Department of Historical Resources, dedicated the marker. Midday Prayers were followed by a sit-down lunch served in the Refectory. A splendid time was had by all. Here is the text on the marker: Richmond Hill Richmond Hill was an early name for Church Hill. Richard Adams, one of the most prominent men in Richmond, built a house on this site by the 1790s, and a second house, still standing, was constructed here about 1810. William Taylor remodeled this residence in the Italianate style in 1859, adding the second story and porches. In 1866, the Order of the Sisters of the Visitation of Holy Mary established a monastery and school here, and they erected a chapel in 1894-95. The monastery, known as Monte Maria, was purchased in 1987 by an ecumenical Christian community, which named the property Richmond Hill and opened it as a retreat center and place of prayer 10 April 2017

About Richmond Hill

• RUAH School of Spiritual Guidance • SOZO School of Healing Prayer / Cleansing Streams Our Mission: Actively seek God’s healing • VOCARE School for Vocation of Metropolitan Richmond through prayer, Opportunities For Community Engagement hospitality, racial reconciliation and spiritual • Armstrong Leadership Program development. Founded in 1987, Richmond • Metro Richmond at Prayer Hill is an ecumenical Christian fellowship and • Micah Association intentional residential community who serve • RVA RapidTransit as stewards of an urban retreat center within • Urban Service Corps the setting of an historic monastery. 2209 E. Grace Street, Richmond VA 23223 Richmond Hill provides: P: 804-783-7903 Opportunities For Individual Prayer & Ministry E: retreats@richmondhillva.org • Chapel, Library and Garden open to the www.richmondhillva.org public • The Jerusalem Mile – a contemplative Labyrinth overlooking the city • Spiritual Guidance • Healing Prayer • Grief Ministry • Individual silent retreats • 1st Friday & 2nd Tuesday day retreats Opportunities For Study • KOINONIA School of Race & Justice ChurchHill.org | 11

Mark Olinger Director of Planning and Development Review City of Richmond 900 E. Broad Street, Room 511 Richmond, VA 23219 Dear Director Olinger: This letter follows our recent letter dated, March 22, 2017 where we made comments and recommendations related to the Pulse Corridor Plan and update to the Riverfront Plan. As comments to planning staff are due by April 10, 2017, we would like to reiterate our position as to how both plans might potentially affect Church Hill. As you are aware, protecting the historic viewshed from Libby Hill Park, while supporting height-appropriate development in this area continues to be at the forefront of our concern as the Pulse Corridor Plan advances. As we stated previously, we are encouraged by the recent staff recommendation changing the original Nodal designation to Neighborhood below Libby Hill Park near the East Riverfront BRT station. We are further encouraged that building heights will be determined by a city-initiated zoning process, which will allow for additional study and public comment regarding appropriate building heights as it relates to development in this section of the Pulse Corridor. While these are positive amendments, there is still no specific language incorporated into the planning documents that outlines the importance of protecting the views from Libby Hill Park, and the Grace Street Overlook. The value of these views cannot be overstated and we would again request the following recommendations be incorporated into final drafts of the Pulse Corridor and Riverfront Plans: 1. Specific language be added to both the general description section and Station Area specific implementation recommendations that identify reasons why protecting these viewsheds should be a paramount consideration, including: a. In 1851, Libby Hill Park was recognized as significant for its views and selected as a public location to highlight these views.

12 April 2017

b. Economic activity generated by this location that brings countless tourists, both local and beyond to learn Richmond’s founding history, not to mention serving as a chosen site for weddings and various public festivals and functions specifically for the view. Much of this language about the importance of the view from Libby Hill Park was stated clearly in the Downtown Master Plan and should be reintroduced into the Pulse Corridor Plan and Riverfront Plans in order to emphasize the critical relationship between the viewshed and the height of the buildings below, specifically buildings in the foreground in these areas:  Parcels between Libby Hill and the river and Pear Street and Nicholson Street, including the Fulton Gas Works, the bus company, USP/Echo Harbor, and the land between Main Street and the CSX trestle east of the future roundabout  Parcels along and between Libby Hill Park and 21st Street along Main Street and Franklin Street  Parcels in the foreground of the Grace Street Overlook 2. Add specific language from the Downtown Master Plan identifying the USP / Echo Harbor parcel for potential inclusion in the James River Park system. As stated previously, and preferred by the general public, the CHA supports a continuous park from the Low Line to Rockets Landing to allow the maximum public park space and access along the James River. The maps should show the USP / Echo Harbor parcel with green hatching to indicate the potential park. 3. Maps in the Pulse Corridor Plan should include approximate viewshed lines running from Libby Terrace to Rocketts Landing to the east, and along Main Street to the west. Additionally, viewshed lines from the Grace Street Overlook onto Shockoe Bottom below should also be included. Having the graphic representation of the viewshed lines superimposed on plan maps will support language stating the importance of these critical viewsheds and emphasize the need for language stating actual building heights that consider and protect these viewsheds. There is a unique opportunity in this planning process to guide the correct balance between appropriate development, historic preservation and protection of Richmond’s critical viewsheds. We believe our recommendations for the Pulse Corridor and Riverfront Plans help strike the proper balance and again request they be incorporated into final drafts and this process advances. Sincerely, John Sieg – President Church Hill Association of RVa

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Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Circles RVA, By Mary Lindert Approximately 15% of Americans live in poverty. The Richmond poverty rate is nearly twice the national level at 25.3%. You’ll find much of that poverty in neighborhoods just north of Church Hill. The rate is even worse for Richmond’s children under 18 years: 38.7%. Last year, community leaders, government representatives, faith organizations and nonprofits troubled by the Richmond rate of poverty joined together to research volunteercentered models that help people move out of poverty. The goal: find a relationship-based program, proven in urban settings, which achieves measurable success in breaking the cycle of poverty. Circles USA, with over 70 chapters in North America, met those requirements. In December 2016, this group organized as Circles RVA, LLC to become a Circles USA chapter serving greater Richmond. As background, Circles USA offers a unique strategy that works at individual and community levels to: (1) empower motivated low-income participants to permanently move from poverty into economic stability, AND (2) persuade community leaders and major sectors of the community to take collective action to resolve systemic barriers to economic stability. The Circles model centers on a “Circle Leader,” someone living at 150% or less of the federal poverty guideline, who wants to move out of poverty and is not in crisis. Circle Leaders define their goals and build financial, emotional and social resources to achieve economic stability. A requisite 12-week training curriculum equips them for their journey by instilling the discipline, motivation and relationship building tools they will need. A Circle ‘class’ starts with no more than 25 Circle Leaders and the process lasts 18 to 24 months. The Circle’s model does not permit direct financial assistance to Circle Leaders. The “Circle” consists of volunteer Circle Allies and Resource Teams who mentor and support the Circle Leader 14 April 2017

for the duration of their involvement in the program. The volunteers’ primary aim is to bridge social networks into each Circle Leader’s plan – gaining access to resources, navigating bureaucracies, leveraging social networks – whatever steps are needed to meet their personal goals. This concept of bridging social capital is a foundational element in Circles’ theory of change. For Circle USA chapters, the primary program outcome is defined as a Circle Leader achieving an income 200% of the poverty level. Circle Allies and Resource Team volunteers are formally trained and continually coached on how to build healthy relationships with Circle Leaders and their families. Training emphasizes that all relationships are based on mutual respect, where everyone has the opportunity to give back to others in some meaningful way. Circles RVA is currently in its outreach phase – talking to groups in Richmond about breaking the cycle of poverty through Circles, recruiting and training the necessary volunteers to support Circle Leaders, launching the inaugural Circle Leaders class, and raising financial commitments from individual and institutional donors to fully fund the program for a three-year period, at roughly $150,000 per year. To launch Circles RVA, we must raise $25,000 and recruit 100 volunteers. We are currently more than halfway to those goals. There is a place for anyone interested in Circles RVA: from helping cook and serve a meal one time to committing several hours every week to become an Ally to providing financial support. You’ll find more information about Circles RVA, including information about volunteering and contributing, at www. circlesrva.org. Feel free to contact us at CirclesRVA@ gmail.org.



GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!!! IT’S TIME FOR THE ANNUAL

GARGANTUAN AND ALL OVERSHADOWING

HYSTERIC ALL CHURCH HILL

YARD SALE 2800 BLOCK OF EAST FRANKLIN STREET   LIBBY HILL PARK 

Saturday, May 20th 

FROM 9 A.M. UNTIL ?



 OPEN TO EVERYONE  ALL ARE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE No space assignments – Set up as early as you like, the shade tree spots in the park go fast. Come early, stay late – wholesome fun for the entire family! Contact Chuck Wrenn 512-5286 or Marilyn Stroh 648-2109 for more details. ChurchHill.org | 15

Newsletter Content & Advertising The Editor would like to offer a reminder that your neighborhood newsletter is in need of monthly content, including: • Informative, educational, historical articles with a focus on Church Hill; • Photographs to go with articles and/or pictures that represent the neighborhood (will be printed in black & white, 300dpi, JPEG or TIF file, must be credited, and remain the property of the person submitting); • Environmental or safety information that pertains to the neighborhood; • Letters to the Editor (as space allows, 250 words); • And more!!

Ad submissions must be received before the 15th of each month for the upcoming issue.

Send Materials Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Send ad files to: newsletter@churchhill.org

Ad Size, Pricing & Specifications Half-page: $60 at 7.5” x 4.75” Quarter-page: $45 at 3.5” x 4.75” Full-page: $115 at 7.5” x 10” Back cover: $125 at 7.5” x 10” Black and white art only File formats: 300 dpi, PDF, TIF or JPEG

Editorial Policy

Files must be sized correctly

Submissions for inclusion to the Church Hill Association’s newsletter are welcomed. Editorial Policy does not allow for personal attacks or inappropriate tone, profanity, or anonymous submissions. Submissions may be edited for space and editorials should not exceed 250 words. CHA will not print editorial letters that are abusive or non-truthful. It is only as a courtesy that we may occasionally print letters from non-members when they add value to the conversation. Final approval of all submissions rests with the Board of Directors. The Church Hill Newsletter is distributed by volunteers throughout the Church Hill neighborhood (North and South of Broad Street). We also distribute to several area merchants. A total of 1200 issues are distributed monthly.

Borders must fall within the size of ad space

Due Dates Copy must be submitted by the 14th of each month to newsletter@churchhill.org.

What’s Next?

16 April 2017

MSWord, .DOC or .DOCX files will not be accepted

Payment 10% discounts for orders of 3 months or more. Payments for ad space should be received no later than the 15th of each month for the upcoming issue. No ads will run if payment has not been received. Payment by check only to: CHA Newsletter P.O. Box 8031 Richmond, VA 23223

Contact If you are interested in advertising in the Church Hill Newsletter, please check the website for ad specifications at ChurchHill.org, or email questions to newsletter@churchhill.org.

What corner of Church Hill’s history would you like to explore? Send suggestions for the next historic article to: newsletter@churchhill.org

your neighbor, your contractor

john magor photography

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Correspondence Regarding the Closing of 25th Street Post Office Dear Congressman McEachin, Tara Adams and Abbi Easter, The residents of Church Hill are very grateful for your help to reopen the Church Hill – Richmond Va – post office. We will print your notes, and my introduction to your notes, in our community newsletter. We think it is important for community residents to see that you are actively working to save OUR post office. Your efforts are much appreciated; your success with those efforts is what we need here in Church Hill. Please pass along our thanks and appreciation to Congressman McEachin. Best regards, John Sieg – President CHA of RVA

Dear Church Hill Residents, The recent closing of Church Hill's post office came as a surprise and shock to us all. Your association had been in contact with our Congressional representative and, printed below, are their responses to us. We are grateful and encouraged to hear that our Congressman, A. Donald McEachin, and his staff are in contact with the Postmaster General to champion our concern. We can't be certain about the outcome of this issue so we will do all we can, on your behalf, to keep this it on the front burner until our Post Office reopens. Best regards, John Sieg - President CHA of RVA 4/12/2017 See letter from Congressman McEachin’s office to the Postmaster General on the facing page.

18 April 2017

EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE Subject: post office update from Cong. McEachin’s office Date: 2017-04-10 14:54 From: “Easter, Abbi” <Abbi.Easter1@mail.house. gov> To: “president@churchhill.org” Hi Officers of the Church Hill Association, We wanted to let you know that we are working on the closure of your post office and trying to get it open again as soon as possible. We have already contacted the Postmaster General and have placed calls with the appropriate person at the United States Postal Service who oversees Virginia. We have also reached out to other elected officials to ask them to weigh in with the postal service. Tara Adams, in our Richmond office, is overseeing this effort. Please feel free to contact her with your concerns and with additional specific reasons why this post office is valuable to the community. Let us know if you are having issues with getting access to mail in your P.O. Box or anything else. Tara can be reached at: tara.adams@mail.house.gov<mailto:tara. adams@mail.house.gov>. We will continue to keep you informed with any updates we receive. We have also sent this update to the Church Hill People’s News and will be posting it on social media. Let us know anything else you need or that we can do to be helpful. Sincerely, Abbi Easter Chief of Staff Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) 804.486.1840 office http://www.mceachin.house. gov<http://www.mceachin.house.gov/>

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20 April 2017

Photo by: John Murden ChurchHill.org | 21

Church Hill Girl For Life You Can Go Home Again, Thomas Wolfe No matter where I am in the world—I am a Church Hill girl for life. I’m reflecting on this as I stand at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and 25TH Street near the roundabout and Walter J. Manning’s Funeral Home. First business I ever had? Solo newspaper carrier for the Richmond News Leader. Crushes on boys on 23rd Street. Sneaking into the pool hall to buy the good, cheap snacks. Going to school at Mosby Middle School. Attending concerts at Chimborazo Park and buying day old cookies at Nolde’s Bakery. Where you grow up is so much more than where you grow up. Yet this is something you generally never truly appreciate until much later, when you’re fully an adult and have come to see life isn’t so much like the block you used to play kickball on, where everyone got a turn and we shared our chips, even if you didn’t have a quarter to kick in this time around. Recently I went back to Church Hill and walked around. St. John’s Church. East End Community Center. The Hill Café. Jefferson Park. Old places. New places. What was extra special was seeing the community refreshed, with new faces I could share a smile with that smiled back at me. I also encountered people I knew from way back when: a high school music teacher, a cashier from the grocery store where my Grandma used to cash her Social Security check, a middle school classmate. The best part of walking through my old/new community was, despite the visible changes, it was still the Church Hill I loved. I saw a woman trying to get her baby’s stroller on the sidewalk and a couple walking by just pitching in to help her. I saw a business owner sweeping the front of his walkway stopping to chat with a boy kneeling to fix a jammed gear on his bike. I heard someone calling out from a car to a passerby, who responded with a hand up and a smile. Yep. That’s Church Hill. Home is where you learn to be a part of the bigger community—the community we call the world. From our living rooms to the classrooms to all of the places which compose our little piece of paradise, we learn that no matter where we go, there is always a place in our hearts for home. And each generation gets a chance to make the neighborhood their own. My Church Hill of 1980 and yours of 2017 really are the same . . . different paint jobs, stores and residents . . . same spirit. Thomas Wolfe said you can’t go home again, but he never lived in Church Hill. Because if he did, well, let’s just say a different classic would have been written.

Glynis Boyd is a local writer who has been overheard describing the magic of her childhood Church Hill community while on sabbatical in Greece. Pen in hand since knee high growing up at her Grandma Cat’s house on Mosby Street, Glynis writes creative essays and short stories. She has received fellowships from The National Book Foundation and Voices of Our 22 April 2017

Nation (VONA). Glynis has also served as a Poet-in-Residence for Richmond Public Schools. She is a member of James River Writers and Tribalsouls. This year she is looking forward to getting a dog, putting in a shower door and turning 50--all in that order. She currently resides in the Southside of Richmond with her husband, filmmaker Gary Hughes.

English Ivy is a Threat to Trees and the Local Ecosytem English ivy, Hedera helix, is a threat to trees, but it is a greater threat to the local ecosystem. This plant, in addition to other alien, invasive species, is becoming a significant problem in our parks and natural areas in all parts of Richmond.

In natural areas English ivy covers the ground and becomes a monoculture replacing smaller native plants. Other plants cannot reproduce in these ivy deserts; new trees or shrubs are unlikely to survive and natural succession is disrupted in wooded areas. Native plants that provide food and cover for wildlife will diminish over time.

When ivy encounters a vertical surface, small “rootlets” sprout from the leaf node and attach to the tree, wall , post, etc. The vine does not strangle the tree and the roots do not penetrate the bark, but the ivy does compete with the tree for water and nutrients, and heavy infestations weaken a tree. Large amounts of ivy on trees add weight making large branches or the entire tree more likely to fall during wind events. Snow or ice are even more hazardous because accumulation on the evergreen leaves adds more weight to the tree, making failure more likely. English ivy has two distinct phases – juvenile and adult. The juvenile form grows on the ground; as long growth continues horizontally the plant stays in this form. The adult form which will produce flower, fruit, and seed occurs only after the plant has grown up some vertical surface, which is often a tree. At this point the vine “uses” the tree to complete its life ycle, and birds will eat the fruit and then spread the seed to other locations. Excerpted by Trish Bernal, Certified Tree Steward from the Richmond Tree Stewards website: richmondtreesteward. org/education/threats-to-trees/ english-ivy/

The Ivy Cycle

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AARealtor Neighborhood Realtor in in Your your Neighborhood When Amy Tesauro isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t helping Richmonders buy and sell their homes, you might find her sitting on her porch on the Hill, or at Chimborazo park with her kids, or at Dutch & Co enjoying the Perfect Egg. We know Church Hill because we live Church Hill. Let us put our unique experience to work for you.

Amy Tesauro Associate Broker 804.467.1881

Catherine Gilmer REALTORÂŽ 804.338.5397

Erin King

Director of Operations

804.292.0852

linchpinrealestate.com linchpin@linchpinrealestate.com 804.292.0852 ChurchHill.org | 25

2401 E. Broad St. Richmond, Va. 23223 www.saintjohnsrichmond.org

Come, Li� Your Spirit! Introducing the Rev. Amelie Wilmer Priest in Charge June 4, 2017

Summer Sundays at St. John’s Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend

We are a caring, spiritual community joyfully embracing and nurturing all, serving God, each other, and the community.

10:00 a.m. Holy Communion Children’s Chapel, Keeper’s Cottage 11:00 a.m. Coffee Hour Nursery available 10:45 to 11:15 a.m.

Wednesday Prayer Group 10:00 a.m. in the Keeper’s Cottage

St. John’s Church Foundation Tours: Mon. – Sat. 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Sunday 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Last tour at 3:30 p.m. daily Summer Sunday Liberty or Death reenactments Each Sunday between May 28 and September 3, 2017 All shows: 1:15 p.m.—doors open 1:30 p.m.— music begins 1:45 p.m.—show begins Plus two special shows July 4 11:00 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.

All shows free with suggested donation Or, you may purchase advanced seating tickets $5 at www.brownpapertickets.com Search St. John’s Church for events Visitor Center: 804-648-5015 www.historicstjohnschurch.org 26 April 2017

“I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” —Patrick Henry

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Church Hill Contacts Police and Safety Emergencies: 911 Non-Emergency Police: (804)646-5100 1st Precinct Station front desk, staffed most hours: (804)646-3602 Fire Station #1: (804)646-4229 Church Hill Crime Watch: (804)343-3628 Commonwealth’s Attorney/Sector Prosecutor: Colette McEachin: (804)646-4845 Lt.Minton: (804)646-0574, cell (804)240-9158 Daniel.Minton@richmondgov.com Lt Jeremy Sayles: cell (804)283-0856 Sector Lieutenant: Lt McRoy: (804)646-0574, cell (804)283-0856

Neighborhood Maintenance Citizen’s Assistance: (804)646-7000 Citizen’s Request Service Online: http://eservices.ci.richmond.va.us/applications/ citizensrequest/frmNewEntryType.asp# City of Richmond Public Utilities: (804)646-3000 Code Violations related to historic preservation: Marianne Pitts: (804)646-7550 marianne.pitts@richmondgov.com Commission of Architectural Review: (804)646-7550 Zoning Administration: (804)646-6340 Housing Code Enforcement: (804)646-6419 Environmental Control: (804)646-7448 Graffiti Hotline: (804)646-1406 Truancy Hotline: (804)646-ABCD Northeast District Parks Maintenance: (804)646-3216

State and Local Government Governor Terry McCauliffe Virginia State Capitol, 3rd Floor (804)786-221 Senator Rosalyn R. Dance Virginia Senate DIstrict 16 Capitol Office (804)698-7516 district16@senate.virginia.gov Delegate Delores L. McQuinn Virginia House of Delegates 70th District General Assembly Building (804)698-1070 Senator Jennifer L. McClellan Virginia Senate (804)698-7509 deljmcclellan@house.state.va.us Delegate Jeffrey Bourne Virginia House of Delegates (804)698-1071

28 April 2017

Mayor Levar Stoney City of Richmond 900 E.Broad St.,2nd Floor (804)646-7970 7th District Richmond City Council Member Cynthia Newbille (804)646-3012 cynthia.newbille@richmondgov.com 7th District Richmond City School Board Member Nadine Marsh Carter (804)929-6894 ncarter@rvaschool.net Richmond City School Board (804)780-7716

East District Agencies East District Families First: (804)646-4508 EDI-W.I.C: (804)646-0775 Health Center: (804)780-0840 Social Services: (804)646-7212 VA. Cooperative Extension: (804)786-4150

Richmond Resources Animal Control: (804)646-5573 after hours: (804)646-0546 Better Housing Coalition: (804)644-0546 Black History Museum: (804)780-9093 Richmond CenterStage: (804)225-9000 Children’s Museum of Richmond: (804)474-7000 Edgar Allan Poe Museum: (804)648-5523 Historic Richmond Foundation: (804)643-7407 James River Association: (804)788-8811 Library of Virginia: (804)692-3500 Museum of the Confederacy: (804)649-1866 Richmond Ballet: (804)344-0906 Richmond Coliseum: (804)262-8100 Richmond National Battlefield Park: (804)771-2148 Richmond Symphony: (804)788-1212 Science Museum of Virginia: (804)367-6552 St. John’s Church Visitor Center: (804)648-5015 Valentine Richmond History Center: (804)649-0711 Venture Richmond: (804)788-6466 Virginia Historical Society: (804)358-4901 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts: (804)340-1400 Virginia Opera: (804)643-600 Virginia War Memorial (804)786-2060

Local Referrals are Now Online

The listing of recommended local contractors and artisans has moved to the Church Hill Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website http://www.churchhill.org/living/ historic-home-resources/. The listing consists of recommendations by Church Hill Association members and other residents of Church Hill and surrounding neighborhoods. These recommendations are not endorsed by the Church Hill Association of RVA and it is in no way responsible for the quality of the work performed. If you have additional recommendations please feel free to contact Amy Beem at membership@churchhill.org.

Photo by: Isabelle Cabral ChurchHill.org | 29

30 April 2017

A Brief History About Reed Square The Anthony Turner House at 2520 East Franklin Street is dated 1803 to 1810. Thomas Jefferson was president of the United States when it was built. The original property extended from E. Grace Street to E. Franklin Street along N. 26th Street. In time the property along N. 26th St. was sold and subdivided until the Turner House occupied only the land on which it stood. In 1963, when Mary Ross Scott Reed purchased and renovated the Turner House, the property was not in the St. John’s Church Old and Historic District. Mrs. Reed acquired the four adjacent addresses on N. 26th Street. To regain some of the historic look of the property she demolished two buildings, consolidated the addresses and created the park that became known as Reed Square. She envisioned it as a clean and safe green space for young mothers and their children. She planted a number of her favorite trees and landscaped the perimeter. The Historic Richmond Foundation (HRF) acquired the property in 1964 and maintained it until 2002. In 2002, a housing boom gave HRF the idea that building a house on the property and selling it would be of significant financial benefit. This idea surprised neighbors who had lived here long enough to remember Mrs. Reed and what she had done for the neighborhood and knew she had been a founding member of HRF. After I talked to the then resident of the Turner House, Betty Joyce Moore, about the HRF plan, it became clear to me that this was a worse idea than I had thought. Influencing my thinking about the subject was the memory that the Church Hill Association had recently been embroiled in a similar situation where neighbors attempted to block the building of another new house in the Historic District. The experience created many hard feelings and made the idea of taking a purely obstructionist position distasteful to Eileen and me, so we did nothing. Then one day we bumped into Bill Hutchins while taking a walk and got to talking about it. Bill suggested the idea of forming a non-profit limited liability corporation and buying the property. He made the idea seem doable and we decided to look into it. Being relative newcomers to the neighborhood we reached out to long time residents Mac and Doris Marshall and broached the subject with them. They were enthusiastic and Mac reached out to other neighbors. A week or so later Mac and Doris, Eileen and I, Robbie Dillehay, Martha Faulkner, Beauchamp Payne and Bill Hutchins met at Mac and Doris’ house and decided to form the Reed Square Foundation (RSF) to explore purchasing the property. Mac set up a meeting with then executive director of HRF, Don Charles. Don was receptive to the idea; he said that HRF was trying to reduce costs by selling properties it owned. HRF agreed to sell the property and over a period of years RSF raised enough money buy it. Several years later in coordination with Betty Moore RSF donated a conservation easement to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources tying the two properties together and preventing any development of Reed Square or unapproved alterations to the Turner House. When thinking about the best use of the property, RSF board members recognized that the neighborhood lacked a memorial to its principal benefactors who championed the cause of historic preservation on Church Hill. Without them this historic neighborhood would not exist. RSF board members sensed that as old residents moved away and new residents moved in, a sense of the sacrifices made by individuals to establish this Historic District was fading from public memory. By establishing Reed Square as a garden memorial, RSF hoped to keep alive interest in historic preservation and appreciation for the hard work and resources many people brought to bear to make the St. John’s Church Old and Historic District the cohesive, safe, desirable place to live it has become. When considering who to honor, many people came to the minds of RSF board members, but these benefactors, who played representative key roles in the success of the St. John’s Church Old and Historic District, were selected to be named on an historical plaque in Reed Square: Mary Ross Scott Reed Elisabeth Scott Bocock S. Douglas Fleet Louise F. Catterall For detailed information on their contributions to the Historic District and information on other honorees, please visit the RSF website: ReedSquareFoundation.org. Reed Square has hosted the Holiday House Tour on several occasions, and been the setting for several weddings, Church Hill Association picnics, Easter egg hunts and other gatherings. The use of Reed Square is free and open to the public by request. The Reed Square Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All donations to the Reed Square Foundation are tax deductible. RSF does not have an endowment and has no paid staff. RSF board members maintain the landscaping. The CHA of RVA often donates to the Reed Square Foundation. Submitted by Tom Sanders President, Reed Square Foundation

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Land Use and Historic Preservation Committee April 2017 Newsletter Report From Robert Rae Gordon Chairman, CHA Land Use and Historic Preservation Committee With my last note in February, I discussed the then pending zoning application for the “Peach and Pear Street” parcels. This was a controversial project when it was first conceived as a 10-12 story tower impeding the historic Libby Hill view. I am pleased to report that the “system” worked in this case. After years of working with the neighborhood and negotiations, the developer agreed reduced the Pear Street Apartment to a 5 story building and is in discussions to place a conservation easement on the Peach Street parcel to ensure that no building is ever put there. This note will address another nearby project, a 80+ unit apartment complex on Glenwood Avenue, where the “system” such as it is, failed. This project, which is located in the East End, burst on to the collective consciousness of the City with a January 22, 2017 article in the Church Hill People’s News. The problem with the Trolley Barn project is that it was legally filed with the City as a “By-Right” development, requiring no Planning Commission, Commission on Architectural Review oversight and no approval by City Council. The only review it received was a technical site plan review by the Planning Department. This is not a land use review, where the community has an opportunity to comment. Rather, it is a technical engineering review of the proposed construction plan for the site. Commentary on the Trolley Barn proposal has not been kind: It looks like a prison and the complete antithesis of the newer trend for public housing to be dispersed within mixed-income developments/neighborhoods. Looking forward to hearing the soothing sounds of gun shots of the Courts, but only closer!

Public Comments to the January 22, 2017 CHPN Article From a community standpoint there are three questions: (i) why did it happen (ii) is it likely to happen again, and (iii) what can be done about it in the future? I’ll answer these questions in order. Why did it happen? The City’s existing zoning is antiquated in some areas and there are a number of parcels which are currently zoned for uses that are incompatible with (i) existing development patterns, and (ii) future planned uses. The Glenwood Site is a perfect example of this problem. Historically zoned for “industrial” use from a day gone by in the early 1900s when the property housed the “Trolley Car Barn” storage building for Richmond’s historic electric train system. The building has been unoccupied and for sale for a number of years. As time passed residential development proceeded in the area and the building has been substantially altered from its initial configuration and as fallen into disrepair. Interestingly, Richmond was in the vanguard of communities installing electric trolley car systems at the turn of the 20th century. Without knowing the exact history of the trolley, I do know that it was powered by hydroelectric power generated from the James River’s fall line location. Over the years the City’s electric trolley system fell victim to progress, died of disuse and has been substantially obliterated from our landscape. If you want to see an example of a thriving electric trolley system, go to New Orleans. Not only is their system an integral part of the “Big Easy” it’s an integral part of the city’s charm. Richmond is just now coming to terms with its 21st century mass-transit needs in the form of the Broad Street transit plan and the Pulse Corridor Overlay Plan. Imagine how much easier it would have been to continue using and expanding a well maintained historic electric trolley car system rather than struggle with creating a mass-transit system from the ground up. That’s a result of short sited planning and lack of funding by the City over the last 100 + years – a problem that continues to this day. Without getting too deep into the “land-use” weeds, understand that the Trolley Barn site is currently zoned to an “industrial” zoning category allowing for certain “by-right” uses, included among which is “multi-family”. Thus the developer had no need to process any rezoning or special use permits, either of which require a public hearings and public participation. All this developer needed to do was to file an engineering site plan and start pulling permits for demolition of the Trolley Barn and construction of the apartment building. When the project was first reported in the Church Hill People’s News, it came about as a result of the approval of VHDA financing and it generated a lot of buzz. Our council representative, Dr. Cynthia Newbille, was most concerned and helped the developer to fulfill certain HUD mandated public hearing requirements. However, with HUD approval and City “By-Right” use, the die was cast, so to speak, and the project is underway as of this writing. Is it likely to happen again? Most definitely yes; and it’s happening right now over in Northside and is likely to happen again in the land parcels adjacent to the Trolley Barn apartment complex. 32 April 2017

The Union Presbyterian Seminary (UPS) and its foreign development partner are planning to build a 300+-unit apartment complex in the midst of Ginter Park, an historic, stable, single family residential community that is home to Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire’s historic Westwood Tract home. The battle over this project, known as The Canopy at Westwood, has been well covered by the Times-Dispatch. See the March 21, 2017 RTD article, in which City Council unanimously asked for a study of the planned Ginter Park development article and the April 17, 2017 article reporting on the issuance of building permits and planned construction dates on the Westwood site. Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire, who you history students may know as one of the founding members of the Medical College of Virginia, was a prominent Civil War physician and the chief surgeon in the Stonewall Jackson Brigade. McGuire attended Jackson when he was mortally wounded at Chancellorsville, amputating his left arm and recording Jackson’s historic deathbed statement: “Let us cross over the river and rest beneath the shade of the trees”. The McGuire home is within a 7 iron’s distance of the rear property line of the Canopy at Westwood. And, while the home has never been proffered for historic designation, it is a pure travesty and injustice of highest order that our City’s culture and history being treated in such an off-handed and cavalier fashion. Once these things are put in concrete, so to speak, they can never be recovered. It’s the same problem. In 1953 an entire city block, known as the Westwood Tract, was rezoned to accommodate UPS’s “institutional” plans for dormitories, instructional and sports facilities. But nothing was ever built on the site in the ensuing 60 years. As the City’s zoning ordinance was generally amended, what had been an institutional use became “R-53”, which supposedly provides for “multi-family” construction as a “by-right” use. The community has already filed an appeal with the City’s Board of Zoning Appeals and by the time this newsletter is published, the community will likely have filed a lawsuit against the City, the developer and UPS to stop the project. Given the state of the project and Virginia’s strong commitment to property rights, it’s going to be an uphill battle. Now, back to the East End – the problem is likely to repeat itself, because the Trolley Barn apartment project sits in the middle of several other larger parcels – all of which carry the same “by-right” development prospects as the Trolley Barn site. It doesn’t take an economic genius to see that if the Glenwood Ridge project is a commercial success, then pressure will build for more of the same in the East End corridor in the near future. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The East End corridor, where the Trolley Barn is located is one of the last remaining underdeveloped “gateway” entrance points to River City. It is slated for special attention in the current Pulse Corridor Plan and is viewed as an integral part of the continuing renovation of the East End. Is this kind of development incompatible with the City’s future plans? One need only look at the Pulse Corridor Plan containing RVA’s future East End vision to see that it is not compatible. What can be done about it? I don’t know because I’m not a professional land use or urban planner; but commons sense dictates that the City could undertake a review of the existing zoning categories applicable to unused or under-utilized large parcels of land in the city and determine if the “by-right” uses are incompatible with the City’s own future plan. If so, then it ought not to be such a big task to amend impose an “antiquated zoning” overlay on the entire City, requiring subject parcels to obtain Council approval that the proposed use is compatible with the current development patterns and future planned uses. Whether the City would do this, or something similar to it, is pure speculation. There are a whole host of problems facing our City and what priority this has is anyone’s guess. About all that we can do is to urge our representatives to consider legislative amendments and to be proactive and vigilant in our neighborhoods to track what’s going on with land development and construction. To that end, by the time this note is printed in the CHA newsletter, Eugenia Anderson-Ellis and I will have appeared at the April 17 Planning Commission Hearing on the Pulse Corridor Plan to urge the adoption of an Historic Overlay District and Antiquated Zoning District, allowing the City Council to publicly review and approve development submitted along the lines this note has been addressing. So, if you are concerned about a real estate development in Church Hill or any of its adjacent neighborhoods, feel free to drop me a note at rgordon.cha.landuse@gmail.com I can’t guarantee you an immediate response, but I can guarantee you that I check the email frequently. Thanks. ChurchHill.org | 33

Church Hill, Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never easy to start a revolution.

Presenting Patrick Henry Square 313 North 24th Street Richmond VA 23223

17 Apartments 6500 square feet of Commercial Space 2 Bedroom\2bathroom Live work Now leasing for August 2016 Occupancy Contact Joshua Bilder for more information 804.306.3089 Mobile 804-359-5018 Office (Website under construction) www.patrickhenrysquare.com Another quality Sterling Bilder LLC Development 34 April 2017

Churchhill Association of RVA Announces Improved Digital Presence CHA of RVA is working to optimize our digital footprint, and to make our community resources more accessible. We have launched a barebones Facebook Page (facebook.com/chaofrva) and an Instagram (@chaofrva) and we hope to see you out â&#x20AC;&#x153;in the networks.â&#x20AC;? Over the next several months we will also be working on a website relaunch. We will distribute a brief survey by email to all digital subscribers, and taking feedback at member meetings to find out what community members would most like to see on the site. Please take part! We invite your ideas, talent and creativity! If you have any(especially high resolution photographs of places, people, events or things in the community)current or archival, please send to chaofrva@gmail. com with related information and photo credit and help us to populate the new site with the stories of our neighborhood.

@chaofrva

chaofrva

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36 April 2017