Tricycle Gardens moving to Jefferson Avenue space
Got word last week from Will Snyder from Tricycle Gardens that they’re moving their headquarters to Church Hill.
We signed a lease on 2107 Jefferson beginning October 1. We’ll be converting the left side of the building into our offices, the garage part to a workshop and the parking slab into a learning garden and community space. Additionally we’ll be expanding our course offerings to include a whole range of topics from bread baking to beekeeping. Plus we want neighbors to use our workshop for their own classes–bike repair, lawn mower repair, crafts and so on.
Hooray!
Woohoo! I’ve always wanted to see this building and site put back into use. When completed, I bet it will make an excellent gateway feature when entering the neighborhood from N. 21st St/Jefferson Ave.
Greening the city, parcel by parcel…you gotta love Tricycle Gardens:)
Nice…glad this building is being put to use also. I always hoped that something nice would move in there…
I don’t think there will be any “greening” here, except perhaps decorative – so far as I know it’ll just be office space.
Yes!!!
Perhaps they will sell veggies and starter plants in the empty lot.
Yay!
AMAZING!!! what a great use for the space, and a beautiful welcome to church hill!
From the header: “We’ll be converting the left side of the building into our offices, the garage part to a workshop and the parking slab into a learning garden and community space.”
Does anyone know if they plan to actually remove the concrete to make the learning garden? Or just build wooden boxes to plant in? I’m curious.
#5 PaulF, that sentence that they put out sounds like at least a bit of greening will happen on the concrete slab area, doesn’t it?
We have been asked to NOT dig up the asphalt, so we will be building up. It is safer that way, as it is an old gas station.
We will be installing solar panels, as well as a rain catchment system. So we will be “greening” the site in as many ways is we can.
Thanks for the support everyone, and we look forward to having a strong presence. Please stop by and say hello, and if you have the time and inclination, lend a hand. There is a lot of work to do over the month of October!
Lisa Taranto
Will you be selling Xmas trees? Then have the information for proper recycling of such?
Lisa, those details sound excellent.
It’s absurd to think that TG would move to that building without making an effort to green the parking lot and surrounding area. Of course that’s going to happen.
In many ways this is almost a homecoming for TG, because the new headquarters will be just down the street from its original garden site at 24th and Jefferson. They will be a wonderful addition to the neighborhood and, hopefully, will be another reason for locally minded restaurateurs and artisans to locate in the vicinity.
excellent!
Lisa, has TG considered applying for any brownfield revitalization grants??
http://www.richmondgov.com/EconomicCommunityDevelopment/documents/Brownfields_brochure.pdf
This brochure has limited information but it gives you an idea of the funding available if TG is interested in brownfield revitalization.
I hope they’ll be bringing down that ugly chain link fence!
New Guy #16 and 17: they are leasing the space. Landlord probably doesn’t want to get involved in what it would take to remove the cement slab, if it was an old gas station.
I knew someone once who had an old gas station elsewhere in the city, and the cost to remove the paving and buried tanks, plus the inspector claimed the soil needed to be removed, properly disposed of, and replaced…it was astronomical, and that was at least ten years ago. I can only imagine what it would cost now.
It’s not that I don’t appreciate brownfields developement, as I definitely do, I just think it might be a bit much for TG to get into, particularly if the landlord has already told them not to, that’s all. I’m interested in seeing what, if anything, happens to the old Fulton Gasworks site, which is a brownfields site too.
There are extremely high costs associated with concrete demolition, capping off, and/or moving gas/utility lines that are beyond many organizations means or methods. Even if the concrete could be completely demo’d, and utility lines only capped, not moved – there would be great stipulations on what could be planted due to overall root growth and initial planting depths.
Plants are plants, and we’re all particularly lucky to have people like TG putting down ROOTS *pun intended* in URBAN areas. The oxidation and nourishment is perfectly acceptable to me in a wood (FSC?) box on top of that long-vacant land.
There seems to be a lot of Debbie Downers and Nay-sayers for those attempting to actually make a difference in Churchill. Many of the changes taking place might not be what we WOULD do, but it is what those doing COULD do.
I realize TG is leasing the land but I figured I’d put the idea out there because it is an ambitious organization. A lot of the costs mentioned in #19/20 would of course be covered by a variety of local, state, and federal grants.
I worked on a site plan for the Fulton Gas Works site back in the spring of 2009. The biggest challenge there is determining exactly where on the site coal tar (by-product of gasification) exists. Revitalizing a former gas station site would be much easier.
Aside from brownfields revitalization, I’m stoked TG is moving to CH!!
This is wonderful!
congratulations gardeners!your hard work is appreciated every time a flower blooms or a green bean is picked. thank you for growing something besides the weeds of hate that have for so long choked our discourses around here. passing along the legacy of cultivation enriches our tables and hearts,much love coming your way. buddycorbett
Hey “New Guy on the Hill”- would you give us a call? 231-7767 Maybe you can help us out as we work thru some of these issues. But for now, we are building up, as we don’t have the funds nor nod to do otherwise.
Thanks for all the kinds word everyone! We really appreciate the support and looking forward to being in the neighborhood.
Lisa — woot! Very happy!!
Awesome, Lisa! Congratulations to Tricycle Gardens, and welcome to the new space!