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CAR to consider new houses and commercial space, demolition of cinderblock quadraplex
08/14/2015 8:18 AM by John M
The agenda for Tuesday, August 25, 2015 meeting of the Commission of Architectural Review includes a number of local projects:
- 7 N. 29th Street – Install new window at rear 2nd story
- 613 N. 22nd Street – Replace asphalt siding with wood, replace concrete front porch steps with wood, and add Richmond rail handrails to front steps
- 211 N. 36th Street – Enclose rear 2nd story porch
- 313 N. 24th / 2401 E. Marshall Street – Construct a new mixed-use building and an addition to an existing structure
- 511-511 1/2 N. 26th Street – Construct a new 4-unit multi-family dwelling
- 3607 E. Broad Street – Construct a new single-family house
- 601-601 1/2 N. 23rd Street – Revise previously-approved plans for the construction of two attached single-family houses
- 2305 Venable Street – Install concrete pad at rear of house
- 613 N. 28th Street – Demolish non-historic cinder block quadraplex and conceptual review of new construction
- 2302 E. Grace Street – Temporary removal of portico for rehabilitation work and replacement of front step treads and risers, as well as portico decking with synthetic Ipe
- 2815 E. Clay Street – Install shed in rear yard
- 2108 1/2 E. Broad Street – Construct new single-family house
- 2805 E. Clay Street – Replace siding, windows, and front door
- 2325 Venable Street – Construct a new mixed-use building
- 823 Mosby Street – Resize windows and install doors
- 314 N. 21st Street – Reconstruct front porch
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2325 Venable Street
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613 N. 28th Street (proposed)
613 N. 28th Street (current)
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601-601 1/2 N. 23rd Street
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3607 E. Broad Street
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511-511 1/2 N. 26th Street
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Concerns about the fourplex demolition: Although the exterior of this building is not terribly attractive (I’ve seen a cinderblock fourplex with a surprisingly pleasant interior, so won’t comment there) , fourplexes are a form od vernacular Richmond architecture and they often serve as relatively affordable housing.
If they want to demolish it and start over, so be it, but perhaps they could replace it with a more attractive four-plex? At the end of the day, it’s the owner’s decision. But the conversion of several brick, Historic fourplexes around 32nd St. into one and two family homes was aesthetically and socioeconomically insensitive, to put it mildly, and there is a fourplex on M street (I think) that was similar to this one that was fixed up nicely enough.
Again, no judgment of the current owner (especially without knowing what the interior is like!), just food for thought.
But haven’t the cinder block apartments become a part of the fabric of the neighborhood?
Wow that would be soooo much nicer than the sad old cinderblock.
This is the most over act of gentrification that I’ve seen in Richmond
My husband and I are the owners of the quadplex. We also have lived a block away on 500 block of n 27th since 2006 so we are deeply committed to the neighborhood. My husband Aaron is a class A general contractor and does about 70% of his work here in the Church Hill and surrounding neighborhood. That being said he is responsible for the 2818 east marshall street home that just sold last month in 4 days. The quadplex is not a home that would be suitable to renovate as there is mold throughout and ivy all along the morter compromising the integrity of the structure. We also are in a time in our lives where we personally need more square footage and don’t want to leave the neighborhood and all the people in our neighborhood we love. We will be moving when it is completed to one of the two homes. We saw this as an opportunity to brighten up our neighborhood and continue to live, work, and love the neighborhood we have been a part of for almost a decade. We would love to answer any and all questions about this project that anyone might have. Please feel free to contact aaronogburn@gmail.com if you have any and we will try and get back to you as soon as possible.
Meghanne I think what you are doing is wonderful and thank you for caring about, staying in, and reinvesting in the neighborhood.
Meghanne I think this new construction will be a great addition to your block! Out of all of these new construction projects I am most excited about 2325 Venable because it will hopefully bring about more investment to this area of church hill/union hill. Does anyone know if they already have a restaurant or vendor in mind for the store front of that project?
Meghanne – hope you didn’t take my earlier comment as an attack. As I said, at the end of the day, it’s your decision what to do with your property. And if you plan to live there, that’s all the more personal a decision, to my way of thinking. I checked out your husband’s work on Marshall – if my memory serves me the work he’s done is quite an improvement. I’m sure whatever you build on 28th will be great!
Meghanne–Thank you to you and to Aaron for making such an important investment in our community.
Brandon-I am also really excited about this project on Venable St! I think it will help bridge the gap between Union Hill and the Fairmount neighborhoods.
Very happy to see the proposal for 613 N. 28th Street. It’s a big improvement for the 600 block of 28th Street and removes a neglected apartment building with two well-designed residences. Thank you Aaron and Meghanne for the continues investment in the neighoborhood.
CAR, August 25, 2015
Meeting summary
Business
CAR review of National Register Nominations is advisory only and both were ‘approved’
Urban Design, single issue meeting to discuss GRTC project which is in flux
Consent Agenda
7 N. 29th – approved
613 N. 22nd – approved
211 N. 36th – approved
601-601 1/2 N. 23rd – moved from regular agenda, approved
Regular Agenda
313 N. 24th/2401 E. Marshall – approved
511-511 1/2 N. 26 – approved
3607 E. Broad – approved
2305 Venable – approved
613 N. 28 – approval followed by informal review of future plans for the site
106 E. Clay – approved
2302 E. Grace – approved
2815 E. Clay – approved
2108 1/2 E. Broad – deferred
2805 E. Clay – deferred except for front door replacement
823 Mosby – approved. (This was an odd one. No certificate of appropriateness was considered. A CAR staffer described this as ‘hitting the reset button’ approving putting this building back to the way it was before unauthorized work was begun with the purpose of removing a long-standing Stop Work Order. Applicant/property owner promises future renovation that will make this building worthy of being at the gateway of Union Hill.)
314 N. 21st – left near 8pm before this agenda item was presented