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Council to consider Historic Fulton Memorial Park, new houses for 28th Street

Two items on the agenda for the Monday, January 12, City Council Meeting (PDF) are local:

Ord. No. 2014-262 (Patron: Mayor Jones) – To declare a public necessity for and to authorize the acquisition of the parcel of real property owned by the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority and known as 5001 Williamsburg Avenue for the purpose of establishing a new public park to be named Historic Fulton Memorial Park.

Ord. No. 2014-263 (Patron: Mayor Jones, By Request) – To authorize the special use of the properties known as 1734 North 28th Street, 1736 North 28th Street and a portion of 1738 North 28th Street for the purpose of authorizing up to six single-family detached dwelling units, upon certain terms and conditions.

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16 comments

Alex 01/10/2015 at 1:03 PM

These designs are really turning the neighborhood upside down.

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L 01/10/2015 at 6:00 PM

@ Alex – I kind of agree. Unless they can somehow make that look like a 200 year old farmhouse/colonial, this is not in keeping with neighborhood aesthetics at all. There are a few examples of nice new construction up here, but it all likes a little cartoony. It’s like architects “lost” all notions of the classical orders and proportioning systems somewhere in the seventies and never bothered looking for them! Admittedly Victorian/American vernacular architecture didn’t always follow classical rules anyway, but at least the architects and builders behind the historic homes in the neighborhood new that there were rules, and new enough about those rules that they could break them gracefully!

Also, don’t get me started on the “millwork” on some of these new-fangled anachronisms… I’m no architect, but the houses that attempt to look historic are usually a little too… cutesy?

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L 01/10/2015 at 6:01 PM

*new = knew. d@mn autocorrect.

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Cadeho 01/12/2015 at 4:12 AM

The model house is being constructed at 1808 N. 28th, in Woodville… kind of don’t like overlapping subdivisions, but maybe that will stay Woodville. I’m ok with the designs and impressed with the layout of the properties. I have looked into LeRoy Chile’s company, Quality Life of Virginia, and I see they are responsible for those cookie-cutter suburban houses on my block in Woodville. This Grace Place design is much better but yes, it’s nothing like the houses going up further down the street and on 27th and 26th which look like the surrounding neighborhood.

What is going on these days with infill properties not looking like its neighbors, like that Frankenstein’s monster on Broad?

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Rita Justice Austera 01/12/2015 at 12:09 PM

There is a difference in restoring and refurbishing. I’m sure refurbishing wins out easily. My house is one of the returns on N. 31st..everything is brand new. I would love to live in an original, restored 1900 Italianate row house but am thrilled with my return. I think the city is more concerned with helping people buy homes and revitalizing the area.

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Rita Justice Austera 01/12/2015 at 12:11 PM

*refurb not return..hate auto correct

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Rita Justice Austera 01/12/2015 at 1:25 PM

Walking back from a cat food run this morning, I noticed several houses near the the corner of 30th and Q have City of Richmond forms posted on the front doors. Hopefully more refurb 🙂

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