Image default

Meeting this Tuesday on proposed Jefferson Avenue project

There will be meeting regarding the proposed development at 2411 M Street on Tuesday, August 2, at 6:00 PM at the Tricycle Garden’s building at 2314 Jefferson Avenue:

Dear Union Hill and Church Hill Neighbors,

As you know, there is a tremendous amount of investment occurring in our community. From Venable Street to Jefferson Avenue, from Mosby to 25th Streets, our Union Hill neighborhood is transforming.

One of our most prominent vacant parcels is the triangular lot at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue, 25th & M Streets.

A plan for development is nearing final review by the Commission of Architectural Review and your input can influence the character of what will be the most dominant structure on Jefferson Avenue and significantly impact the busy round-a-bout intersection at 25th Street.

Please attend an input session with the developers on Tuesday Aug 2 at 6pm, at Tricycle Garden’s Hqtrs, 2314 Jefferson Avenue.

Some of the concerns people have about the proposed building are:

  1. Building mass, scale and design in relationship to the neighborhood,
  2. Green space and vegetation,
  3. Storm water impact,
  4. Demolition of a historic structure (the law office),
  5. Density and vehicular circulation.
  6. Commercial uses on 1st and 4th floors.

And you may have other concerns after you review the plans. Or, you may find that you like the building as currently drawn. Either way, please come to this discussion.

View the plans here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-ESFuzftCXdTGdXVENjQ1NJX28

This may very well be our last chance to collaborate with the builders, as the plan has been in the works for several months and the developers are anxious to keep moving forward through city approvals.

Officially, the large parcel is known as 2411 M Street, as it was a former single family home with that address.

If you have any questions, or can’t make the meeting and want your concerns to be heard, please contact either Elaine Odell at elaineodell@gmail.com or Mary Field at fieldmn@gmail.com.

See you on Tuesday!

Elaine Odell
804-937-9375

12 comments

Elaine Odell 07/29/2016 at 10:06 AM

Howdy neighbors, fyi, we’ve been doing some historic research on the neighborhood. We’ve learned that the large parcel once held a lot more than just one single family home. There were many different structures on this lot over the years, some were homes, others were stores/service businesses for the community. We will have those maps with us at the Tues Aug 2 meeting, 6pm at Tric Gdn Hqtrs.

Reply
Concerned Homeowner 07/29/2016 at 11:14 AM

Makes a ton of sense that this eyesore would just cruise through approval but I can’t put shutters on my backyard shed…

Reply
Wow 07/29/2016 at 11:18 AM

“Let’s demolish the building that’s structurally sound and build around the one that’s sinking into the ground, OK?!?”

Reply
dontmincewords 07/29/2016 at 1:50 PM

I still haven’t wrapped my head around when the public comment ends for development projects in Richmond O&H. This was presented at Capt Buzzy’s in February and that feedback along w/feedback from TWO UHCA meetings (which Elaine was invited to) resulted in some pretty good modifications. So now people are researching the site and chiming in? Where were you six months ago? I feel for developers and homeowners that have to go through this because the process seems hard. But from a pure project management standpoint, to get new insight/feedback from a stakeholder group at this point in the process …. it would be called scope creep in my world. And I don’t know the answer. Maybe developers have to pull all the historic research prior to drawing up plans so they can ‘build their case’ and win stakeholders at first meeting? I don’t have the answers except if you want input, start early.

Reply
bill 07/29/2016 at 4:32 PM

plans exclusive to google/gmail?

Reply
UnionHillNeighbor 07/29/2016 at 5:39 PM

Yes! Let’s all go complain against more restaurants and street level retail on Jefferson. I for one would like to see a parking lot there. Pave it!

Reply
Lee 07/30/2016 at 8:59 AM

@ Wow – the developers either own or are buying the building they are demolishing, which is a bit of an eyesore (well, an eyesore to most folks. I actually like formstone, but I’m told that makes me a weirdo). The other building is owned by a trust/deceased’s estate and no one seems to be able to do anything with it. In any event, it’s a separately owned building and the developer has no ownership or control over what happens there

Reply
Elaine Odell 07/30/2016 at 9:39 AM

@ #6 Another link to the plans are on the City of Richmond website, at this URL:

https://richmondva.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2780622&GUID=9A958245-9BBB-4C17-B4F2-9DE30F3DE931&Options=&Search=

Click on “Application and Plans”.

Reply
Elaine Odell 07/30/2016 at 9:46 AM

@7 that’s not what I am hearing at all from other Union Hill/Church Hill neighbors. No one is complaining about more street level retail or restaurants on Jefferson and 25th. Folks are embracing those activities at this location.

Reply
mary 07/31/2016 at 9:44 AM

#5…CAR-considered public comment ends on an application presented to CAR the day the application is presented to CAR – as part of the application presentation process itself. This is the order of business whether the appication is for replacing a porch element or construction of a multi-story mixed-use project. If the application is deferred or denied and is later presented to CAR again, the same rules of order apply and public comment is once again invited at the subsequent application presentation. However, if CAR approves the application for a certificate of appropriateness no more public comment that will affect the project is considered (though people certainly do comment publicly afterward for years to come).

Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.