The Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods lauded several local renovations Thursday night during their Golden Hammer Awards Ceremony at Plaza Bowl. While this year’s nominees came from 21 neighborhoods across the city, both the Winner and First Runner Up in Best Residential Renovation went to area houses, the Better Housing Coalition’s stunning work at 2008 Fairmount Avenue in Fairmount and Bill Conkle’s amazing renovation at 801 North 24th Street in Union Hill.

ABOVE: 2008 Fairmount Avenue // BELOW: 801 North 24th Street

Second Runner Up in Best Residential Renovation went to 308 West Leigh Street in Jackson Ward (ElderHomes Corporation).

Awards for Best Commercial Renovation went to :

The Boathouse Restaurant (Riverfront) ~ CVI/Rocketts Landing

First Runner Up ~ Miller & Rhoads Mixed-Use Project (Downtown) ~ Miller & Rhoads Building LLC

Second Runner Up ~ The Allen & Jeannett Early Center for Christian Education & Worship (Ginter Park) ~ Union Theological Seminary

Awards for Best Urban Infill Project went to :

The Mews at Cary Mill (Fan District) ~ Cary Place Mill, LLC

First Runner Up ~ Montrose House, 1800 Accomac Street (Montrose) ~ Christopher Hildebrand & Sara Moriarty

Second Runner Up ~ 1409 Porter Street (Manchester) ~ ElderHomes Corporation

Third Runner Up ~ Carver Corner, 1216-1218 West Clay Street (Carver) ~ Bilder & Terranova Development LLC

Bill Conkle has recently purchased the long-vacant and much admired 1855 house at 801 North 24th Street. He opened up the house to neighbors on Thursday so that we could get a good look at the “before” version of the house.

Photographed for both Mary Wingfield Scott’s Old Richmond Neighborhoods (above) and the Richmond Esthetic Survey (below), the house had since become a vacant icon in Union Hill.

Conkle, a long-time resident of Union Hill, has restored a number of houses in the area. Many have admired this house and will be watching the transformation.

There is a group of photos on Flickr tagged for this house; two of the photos from that set are below:

From Bill Conkle, President of Friends of Jefferson Park:

Friends and Neighbors:

The good news is that the City will be planting seven new trees in Jefferson Park this Fall/Winter. They will replace trees that have been lost over the years on the park overlook.

The bad news is that we need an additional 13 trees along the perimeter of the park to replace other trees that have been lost. We need to act NOW to take advantage of the “adopt a tree” program the City offers. For the cost of $50, the City will plant an additional tree in the park. The deadline is Monday, October 1st, so please act quickly.

By way of this note I pledge the first $50 to adopt a tree for Jefferson Park. I challenge others, if you are able, to do the same. If you want to pledge $50 for a tree in Jefferson Park, please call me at 804-615-3764 or write junkifunki@aol.com . I will do all the paperwork and write the check to the City’s Adopt a Tree Program. You can get the $50 to me at your convenience. Trees can be given in honor or memory of someone, and more than one person/family can team up to adopt a tree. This is a wonderful opportunity to make a long term gift to the park and the neighborhood. Only twelve more trees to go!

Bill Conkle, President
Friends of Jefferson Park

I have modified my 100 Trees for Union Hill Flyer. I still believe we can plant 100 trees in the next year or so. There are many vacant tree wells and many streets in need of greening.

I will leave the flyers and updated AAT Applications and Information at Jumpin J’s for interested individuals to pick-up. People still have the option of planting their own tree, provided the urban forestry division approves te species and location.

Please call Billie Raines, the Adopt A Tree Coordinator for additional information (646-6785). Billie is a wonderful person and is working with us to get as many trees in the ground as possible.

The Friends of Jefferson Park is also working with Urban Forestry to take out a few dead trees in the park and to replant trees where they have died or been taken out by storms or disease over the years.

Bill Conkle
Tree Hugger