Jackson Ward
Richmond council will consider Jackson Ward project
City [councilor Douglas G. Conner Jr.], who also serves on the Planning Commission, abstained from the vote, saying he wanted to discuss the issues with [councilor Ellen F. Robertson], whose 6th District includes the site.
via timesdispatch.com
City Council death threats prompt big security changes
…Taylor allegedly threatened to kill Jewell and the eight other council members….[councilor E. Martin Jewell] said Taylor wasn’t himself last week, and criticized the city’s administration for not handling the situation….Jackson admitted that the panic buttons installed last October in several places around City Hall weren’t working….more cameras….limited access to Council offices…..
via wtvr.com
Alleged Threats Raise Security Concerns At City Hall
…46-year old, Leroy Taylor was accused of threatening to kill all nine council members….he was after first of all Councilman Marty Jewell…….city hall offices have panic buttons, but when pressed Wednesday during the incident, nothing happened….Contracted security officers were finally reached by phone….Taylor made threats against council members in the past.
via wric.com
viawdbj7.com
Footnoters Spread Wiki-Cheer at Mayor Jones’ Expense
…unknown wiki-editor or group of editors has outlined some of Jones’ political and corporate relationships….Altria Group Inc and Dominion Resources…City Central LLC….In November, Richmond magazine requested a list of 700 businesses that Hawley said had, along with the Tea Party, been automatically flagged for audit….Wallace said a much smaller list of 300 or so businesses actually were audited.
Armory revitalization projects gets $600,000 grant
Leigh Street Armory in Jackson Ward will now be revitalized into a Black History Museum and Cultural Center….$600,000 [Virginia] Industrial Revitalization Fund….three to five million dollars worth of renovations and additions….
[122 West Leigh Street; Black History Museum And Cultural Center Of Va Inc; Dr. Maureen Elgersman-Lee, Executive Director]]
via nbc12.com
via wtvr.com
via richmond.com
RRHA and Windsor/Aughtry had agreed to basic terms but were unable to reach a final agreement that was consistent with terms and agreements previously accepted by the housing authority, RRHA spokeswoman Osita Iroegbu said in a statement. Her statement did not address specifics, and Iroegbu did not immediately respond to a request for elaboration.
In an email, Aughtry also cited difficulties with the local process of reviewing an unsolicited proposal under the Virginia Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act, “at least as compared to our experiences in other municipalities.”
via Developer cancels plans for 2 Jackson Ward hotels | Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Put aside the lack of leadership by City Council and Jackson Ward’s Councilman Charles Samuels in particular.
via Correspondent of the Day | Richmond Times-Dispatch.
The company, which had offered $3.8 million for the 5.6-acre site, is planning to develop two hotels and parking areas that would be phased over five years, the housing authority said in a news release.
via Housing authority negotiating two-hotel development for Jackson Place | Richmond Times-Dispatch. By Will Jones
The city first offered $35,500, its appraised value. In November, the city and owners settled for $76,800, just under the assessed value, which angered Mary Jane Hogue, executive director of Historic Richmond Foundation.
Hogue criticized the city for its assessments of the property, which rose even though the home fell deeper into disrepair. She said paying property owners assessed values for a blighted home sets up a “reward system” for neglectful property owners, which will not help save the architectural history of the city’s vacant buildings.
via timesdispatch.com Kristen Green.
City of Richmond, Virginia
The city is about to hire a consultant to determine the most efficient way to reverse the web of one-way streets that have made downtown Richmond a puzzle for anyone trying to reach a destination that’s in plain sight. timesdispatch.com