let’s go look :-)

What would a streetcar system do now? Would it lead to greater flight, or would it help convince suburbanites to rebuild their nests in the city? Would it allow local business owners the chance to build local success stories? Would it encourage tourism (without making parking an issue)?

If money weren’t the priority (because unfortunately in this town, it always seems to be), what would a return of the trolleys do for Church Hill?

The trolley map is dated 1930. If you really want to bring something from the past into thinking about Church Hill’s future; imagine what Church Hill would be like in 2030 (essentially one generation from now). What do you see?

I see a prosperous community that would be larger than most, but vibrant, diverse, and full of potential. Maybe if it got denser, not only in population, but also in business and culture, the Church Hill district could sustain being separated into different districts.

Right now, the 7th district needs to work together to make it all it should be – A diverse, regional nexus point for the city, on the order of Carytown (just imagine changing that proposed line on 23rd St to 25th St). 25th and Q could become a local business hotspot, and if fiber optics were added when the tracks were dug, we’d also have the beginning of high speed internet for the greater Church Hill community, which would do wonders.

Just a thought. What’s everyone else’s?

John Murden, I think you’ve done a wonderful job of pulling this together and adding pictures that really make it come alive. Reading a national register nomination can be kind of dull, even when it’s interesting, but it’s really lively here on the blog, thanks!