Comments on: what’s missing?

By: Celeste

Celeste — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 00:29:18 +0000

Someone said they wanted a wine store – Church Hill Herbs (corner 25th and Marshall) apparently now has a wine off premises license. It involves being able to put a bottle of wine in a gift basket, BUT the neighbors can also pop in and buy a bottle of gourmet wine. I have not personally looked at the wine list yet, but have talked to the owner and she said she’s got what she thinks is a good selection – we should try to frequent local businesses like Church Hill Herbs, she’s got lots of stuff other than herbs, and being able to run in for a bottle of wine sounds good to me.

By: Magneto

Magneto — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:14:26 +0000

Hmmmm, how about:

- another Westhampton/indie movie theater? I can think of two excellent buildings for that one.
- another Plan 9?
- a doctor’s office?
- a bookstore?
- a bike shop?
- a charter school?
- a plumber/construction business/electrician or any other nearby business that would be convenient for revitalization efforts in the neighborhood?
- or just about anything that will generate street activity during most hours of the day and maintain “eyes on the street.”

There are plenty of places along the 25th St. corridor just begging for attention. I hope the City’s Enterprise Zone program and mixed use designation spur at least some revitalization in that area.

My boyfriend and I also really want a Chanello’s pizza in the neighborhood (seriously). There’s a great building on Jefferson Ave. that would be perfect for it.

Of course, the parking requirements will pretty much destroy the chances for some of those, but one can still hope.

By: Lora

Lora — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:17:03 +0000

There’s a corner store nearby that will carry items if you ask for them…maybe one way to get the goods we want in our neighborhoods is to make it worth existing merchants’ while to stock them. Some of us have talked about it before, but we haven’t made a concerted effort to request a lot of items.

By: jc

jc — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:07:12 +0000

JC’s Wish List for the neighborhood

Pinball Arcade / Bar

East End Theatre Rehab (2nd run art house cinema and local film maker workshop that serves pizza and beer)

Bookstore run by Ward Teft

Montessori School (New to the list )

More Community Gardens

Artisan Bakery

Gift shop (similar to Mongrel on Cary St)

Vintage store

Tool Share program (how many variable speed routers does a neighborhood really need?)

Gas lights expanded north of Broad

Repave Marshall and Clay streets

Sidewalks on all blocks

Community pool for year round swimming

Bicycle parking at all local business , schools, and government buildings

More covered bus shelters

Maps of the bus routes actually posted on the backs of the bus stop signs

A well maintained sports playing field

Better use of Chimborazo Park especially the area at the bottom of the hill.

Some of the vacant cinderblock bunkers converted to studio / workshop space

More aggressive program to deal with vacant and blighted buildings

By: CP

CP — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:46:36 +0000

William said a few posts back that ten years ago the area was blighted. Ten years ago the neighborhood was basically the same as it is now. I was born in church hill- and by that I mean when I was born my parents lived there. 30 Years ago it was totally wild and out of control 30 years ago, we had anarchy, nip joints, rooms by the hour, constant robbery cars broken into nightly, my butt kicked on the regular and nearly drowned in the Chimborazo pool a few times. The idea that you would need a “valet” for your party is pretty funny to me as the neghborhood seems like Windsor Farms compared to what I grew up in.
I lived in the East Village in NY and I preferred it when it was percieved to be scary. I think Church Hill residents should prefer that perception as well because the kind of people who are scared of Urban areas are boring homogenous sheep who would totally wipe out the character of an interesting urban neighborhood and drive out the people who give those areas flavor. The poor and lower to middle class are innovators due to finacial constraints. The upper middle class and the rich just buy what is the most shiny. Once Giuliani cleaned up the East Village it became totally safe and totally overpriced and now it devoid of anything but a pale semblance of the character it once had. Do we want that to happen to Church Hill? I think it has a nice balance due to it’s perception and as long as it’s viewed as slightly undesirebale that will persist. Georgetown sucks. It’s for suckers. Much of urban Richmond is fascinating precisely because it is underdeveloped, underdiscovered and used by people who appreciate having to dig a little for fun. Enjoy what you have and the slight inconveniences that accompanies it because if the pendulum swings too far the other way we would have Georgetown and that would be a crying shame.

By: lynne marie

lynne marie — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:50:24 +0000

My husband and I moved to Church Hill from Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood, about a year ago. I lived in Edgewater for about 8 years, and, when I moved there, it shared many of the same image problems as CH. People told me that I couldn’t walk by myself, blah blah. Now, that neighborhood is struggling to be upscale while keep its traditional immigrant identity (you could walk down one block and here, at least, five languages).

What started changing Edgewater and other Chicago “hoods” is community involvement and the introduction of retail and services that promote walking and mass transit rather than driving…or hid the driving underneath the stores in a tighter footprint. Target, Whole Foods, and other big chain stores are showing up in Chicago as small vertical stores that blend with the local neighborhoods rather than scream “strip mall.” I love that Richmond proper is all about the locals, and I don’t go to the chains if I can help it.

But, let’s be realistic, a great many people cannot afford to shop at Ellwood Thompson’s or Careytown fashion boutiques. I cringe to say this but rehabbing old buildings and lots in downtown and other neighborhoods, with a “local-flavor” Barnes and Noble or Target would do a lot to keep people in the city. (and hinder air pollution and the behemoth concrete jungle that is Short Pump)

We live on the 600th block of North 31st. I’d love a coffee shop and a restaurant/bar within stumbling distance. A movie theatre like The Byrd would be most awesome. A dry cleaner who doesn’t use perc (I have to go to the Far West End). A wine/beer shop would be great, but The Market does have a good selection of Virginia wines and has my favorite Coppola.

By: Michelle Logan

Michelle Logan — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 18:18:02 +0000

I wanted to respond to Pete's comments about new business in the neighborhood. My name is Michelle Logan. I opened Richmond Balance July 1st, a new gym on Main Street. As a Richmond native, I am very excited to be here and to support the development efforts in the area. We do believe that there are enough people in the area that support local businesses for us to find success. I encourage you all to stop by the gym and give us advice on how to meet the neighborhood's needs.

By: Jim Daab

Jim Daab — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 23:10:36 +0000

Ian,
I don’t have your email, but I aould to talk. Call me.
Jim

By: Ian Kelley

Ian Kelley — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 19:08:04 +0000

Jim and Laura and anyone else,
I apologize for coming off as if I were personally attacking anyone with my comments about the CHA. I was under the false impression that I was considered a Church Hill resident. Laura has corrected me that I am a Union Hill resident. I guess I was misled by the Church Hill Association Maps that are dispersed in the area.

For that matter Douglas Wilder was not a resident of Church Hill, he was a resident of Union Hill. And to all the people saying they would like to see the Sunny Market converted, and more places to eat etc… All the places you are mentioning are in Union Hill.

I am a business owner in Shockoe Bottom, and a property owner in Manchester, and multiple properties including my house in Union Hill. Just like you I want to see thea area (Church, Union, Fulton, etc…) to thrive. I think that the people of the community make all the difference on this matter, but it bothers me that the boundaries of Church Hill include other neighborhoods, but then people seem so quick to pass the problems to the next association.

Jim, I am assuming you have my email address. I would love to arrange a time to meet with you, possibly at Captain Buzz’s?, to meet and talk about community involvement both in my neighborhood and yours. I would love to attend the monthly meetings but work Tuesday-Saturday from 9am-11pm. I promise you I am in no way interested in bringing your association down, but I would appreciate the time to discuss the boundaries, future plans, and ask some questions that you might have better answers to.

By: bridgette

bridgette — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 17:16:35 +0000

All of this petty bickering is counterproductive to this discussion and the greater neighborhood in general. If you don’t like something, get involved and work for change! Community associations are made of volunteers who are trying to do just that.

Back to the original topic, here are some things we’d like to see:
- better neighborhood schools
- quality daycare options
- a community pool!
- improvements to Chimborazo Park (b-ball courts and playground area)
- library expansion/renovation

By: tiny

tiny — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 16:30:30 +0000

Don’t all you guys have to work? All this personal sniping really takes away from the discussion.

By: Jim Daab

Jim Daab — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 16:28:27 +0000

As president of he Church Hill Association, feel I must respond to some of the comments here. The CHA is an association of close to 300 members that has been serving the community for many years. It’s not a pefect organization, but few are. The Members of the CHA have voted to fund the planting of trees in the neighorhood. They give money to schools and civic organizations. The folks at the CHA volunteer to accompany garbage trucks on Saturday mornigs to clean up the alleys and streets. According to our local police officers, crime is down; the highest rate of reduction in the city.

I get tired of people taking potshots at the hard work of other. Most people I know who talk badly about the CHA either don’t participate, or are angry because some vote didn’t go their way.
Ther are many times I strongly disagree with the vote taken by our membership. But that’s the way the system works.

The Shockoe Bottom Neighborhod Association, I am sure, has done some very good things. They should be proud of what they have accomplished. It is, however, a very different area. It is a highly commercial entertainment district that was in danger of going down the proverbial tubes because of public reactions to some very high profile crimes. The city moved in to help. As I understand some of that “help” (parking restrictions) has put a terrible burden on some of the local businesses.

The CHA is a good organization, made up of good hard-working people, doing good things. If you disagree with what we do, come to a meeting, join up, and voice your disagreement. I do it ALL the time. Then we take of vote, and proceed as the majority rules. If you’re not willing to do that, your comments here are just the empty ramblings of a malcontent.
Jim Daab

By: bill

bill — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 10:32:26 +0000

ms dabb, it was a question! what are the streetscapes that cha is responsible for? i just don’t see how you equate that with patting your self on the back. it was just a question and as i understand it, you have the superior mind and i trust you would know the answer. most all of the virginia savages that i know here in are eternally grateful to your leadership in saving church hill and making it a historic neighborhood

By: j

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:25:51 +0000

Trying to compare a business area like Shockoe Bottom to a neighborhood like Church Hill (or Union Hill) doesn’t make sense on just about any level.

By: bench warmer

bench warmer — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 20:37:06 +0000

Ian, the bench at 23rd was destroyed by skateboarders a few years ago. Many people on 23rd have asked the City to replace or remove it. Please file a complaint with the city whether online or otherwise. Many people already have complained to the city, the city hasnt listened yet. I dont think the association can afford expensive stuff like benches up there yet.