VCU Developments

[wrldcoupe4]

Burt -

It's just some kind of insulation. You can see the masonry rising beneath which will cover it.

[Shakman]

I just finished looking at Ryan Ramsey's photo gallery for June at RCW. Excellent, as always.

There is one shot of the new VCU Medical Science Building II. Really quite nice other than a hideous blue siding on the west wall. Please say that is not permanent!!! Didn't they spend millions a few years ago to rid the research building a few blocks west on Broad of that terrible blue hue?

That is an air /vapor barrier system that will be covered by the exterior facade. We used something similar at the new federal courthouse.

[burt]

VCU's eastern Monroe Park campus may expand. A new 4-story art gallery is planned for the corner of East Cary and Jefferson Streets.

From today's inRich:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-co...07-02-0184.html.

inRich was scooped on this news. Here's a more detailed story about the proposed museum from Style Weekly:

http://styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=17265

Edited July 2, 2008 by burt

[burt]

I'm really excited by VCU's plan for a large art space to complement Anderson Gallery as reported above in this thread.

I wish the selected location at Jefferson and Cary would be reserved for academic expansion and a new imaginatively designed art gallery would go up in a park-like setting on the block bounded by Belvidere, Broad, Henry and Grace streets. It would anchor the Gallery District along Broad and be within blocks of the Fine Arts Building as well as serving as a major gateway for the University.

I wonder if that thought has been considered? There are probably all sorts of arguments against it, not the least of which would be land acquisition.

[wrldcoupe4]

At least one of the parcels involved has recently been put on the market.... 201 N Belvidere at the corner of Belvidere and Grace.

[burt]

At least one of the parcels involved has recently been put on the market.... 201 N Belvidere at the corner of Belvidere and Grace.

Thanks, Coupe.

If anyone can tell me how to e-mail Richard Toscan, dean of the Arts School and/or Jayne Shaw, VCU's associate dean for Arts Development, I'll forward my suggestion to them and see if there is a response.

[wrldcoupe4]

The facade is beginning to rise at the new VCU Medical Sciences II building... looks pretty good IMO!

[CommRE]

Thanks, Coupe.

If anyone can tell me how to e-mail Richard Toscan, dean of the Arts School and/or Jayne Shaw, VCU's associate dean for Arts Development, I'll forward my suggestion to them and see if there is a response.

[email protected] and [email protected]

Google makes life so easy...

[burt]

[email protected] and [email protected]

Google makes life so easy...

Thanks for the addy, CommRE. I'm going to forward my 2-cents to Toscan. A recent letter-to-the-editor suggested the new VCU art gallery go up at about 2nd and Broad.

Howsomever, if the Jefferson and Cary site is definitely selected, The City ought to sue the Jefferson Hotel if they do not beautify their disgusting parking lot between Main and Cary adjacent to the proposed new gallery.

[burt]

I think we discussed this recently when William and Mary was involved. Wonder what happened to that plan? Anyway, VCU and UR are colluding on this project at the former Frnklin Federal Savings & Loan building on n/w corner of 7th and Broad:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/monday....07-14-0130.html

More activity downtown!!!

[Cadeho]

Wouldn't it be great if UR opened another campus downtown or near downtown? Why did they give up their Richmond College location? I know Ryland Hall burned...

[burt]

[email protected] and [email protected]

Google makes life so easy...

CommRE, I sent the following to Richard Toscan and Ms Shaw:

"...an audaciously designed 45,000 s/f gallery would beautifully serve the University as a gateway park-like attraction on the entire block east of Belvidere bordered by Broad, Henry and Grace Streets. The site's proximity to the new Fine Arts Building and the burgeoning gallery scene along West Broad would draw focus and make a powerful statement for VCU. It is my understanding that a portion of that property is on the market..."

Then, I added: "If the site diagonally across from the Brand Center is selected, please pressure Jefferson Hotel owners to improve their unsightly parking lot."

He promptly replied: "...Glad to hear from you and thanks for your thoughts on this..."

Edited July 16, 2008 by burt

[wrldcoupe4]

Howsomever, if the Jefferson and Cary site is definitely selected, The City ought to sue the Jefferson Hotel if they do not beautify their disgusting parking lot between Main and Cary adjacent to the proposed new gallery.

Fencing was up today around this particular parking lot (the entire block) with signs saying the lot was closed for renovation.

Edited July 22, 2008 by wrldcoupe4

[burt]

Fencing was up today around this particular parking lot (the entire block) with signs saying the lot was closed for renovation.

Are you referring to the hotel parking lot or the VCU land on which they hope to build a new gallery?

If it's the Jefferson Hotel lot, then Three Cheers!!! What will they do about parking while renovation is underway?

[wrldcoupe4]

I'm referring to the Jefferson's parking lot... The sign mentioned where temporary parking was available, but I was driving by and didn't take it all in.

[Cadeho]

That block would be great for a deck in the center and stores and whatever that can echo the architecture of the Jefferson and other older buildings nearby.

[burt]

VCU does the right thing, after a discussion with Delores McQuinn. Later, VCU and the Slave Trail Commission issued a joint statement. Read the article here:

VCU Delays Repaving of Parking Lot at Burial Site

According to this story by Will Jones from today's inRich, most of the slave burial ground is beneath I-95:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-co...07-26-0151.html

Edited July 26, 2008 by burt

[Cadeho]

That's what I had known from looking at my own old maps. They'll probably have a little corner dedicated as a memoral... outher than that, let's build some towers down there!

[burt]

CommRE, I sent the following to Richard Toscan and Ms Shaw:

"...an audaciously designed 45,000 s/f gallery would beautifully serve the University as a gateway park-like attraction on the entire block east of Belvidere bordered by Broad, Henry and Grace Streets. The site's proximity to the new Fine Arts Building and the burgeoning gallery scene along West Broad would draw focus and make a powerful statement for VCU. It is my understanding that a portion of that property is on the market..."

Then, I added: "If the site diagonally across from the Brand Center is selected, please pressure Jefferson Hotel owners to improve their unsightly parking lot."

He promptly replied: "...Glad to hear from you and thanks for your thoughts on this..."

An addendum to the above:

I also got a very nice reply from Jayne Shaw and I'm sure she won't object to my quoting portions of her e-mail:

"...You are right to be proud of and interested in your home town...it is an amazing city. I am not a native and I think it is one of the most remarkable cities around...I just love it. The site of our new gallery is at the moment dictated by two factors: one is that the site has been approved by the Board of Visitors in the master plan of some years standing, and the second is much more pragmatic: VCU already owns the site property. We'd have to dig around and raise quite a bit more money were we to build on Broad Street - and we have more than enough to raise as it is!"

Thanks, Jayne;

A proposed gallery to complement Anderson, tucked in the middle of the old RPI campus, is great news wherever it rises, IMO.

[wrldcoupe4]

Well, it appears that AD Williams Clinic will be demolished around 2010 to make way for a new 12-story "signature building" to house the Medical School to be completed in 2013. And, as for the fate of West Hospital, VCU officials say it will be at least a decade before it would be torn down.

[creativeclass]

Well, it appears that AD Williams Clinic will be demolished around 2010 to make way for a new 12-story "signature building" to house the Medical School to be completed in 2013. And, as for the fate of West Hospital, VCU officials say it will be at least a decade before it would be torn down.

While AD Williams will certainly be demolished, with West it could be a different story. As always, VCU holds all the cards, but in 10 years Trani will have retired and additional proposals for adaptive reuse of West will have been floated. Will VCU choose demolition-by-neglect, as the Commonwealth did with the Murphy - needlessly turning a landmark into an eyesore, before finally sending in the wrecking ball?

VCU promises that its new School of Medicine building will be "a signature building that people can be proud of", according to the SVP of Finance & Administration (quoted in the T-D). When it opens in 2013, we'll all be able to compare the two buildings side-by-side. Will the new building be designed to harmonize with West, or will it attempt to dominate the area? Will adequate funds be budgeted for the maintenance of West over the next decade? These will be important clues to the ultimate disposition of West.

[creativeclass]

That's what I had known from looking at my own old maps. They'll probably have a little corner dedicated as a memoral... outher than that, let's build some towers down there!

My research came to the same conclusion....the majority of the site appears to be under I-95. However, a portion very likely lies under the parking lot, and should be recognized as an important part of the Slave Trail. As with the Lumpkin's Jail site on the other side of Broad Street, the Old Burying Ground lies under a great deal of fill. I'll leave it to others to decide exactly how to recognize and honor this site, but more research would help. VCU could gain some positive publicity from this; so far, 2008 has been a bumpy year for the institution.

[Cadeho]

So how is a landmark building going to be a landmark hiding behind the West Hospital? What is it going to have... an extra tall box on top? I guess VCU figured people made an uproar about the West Hospital that they ignore the AD Williams Clinic. VCU figures it can go through with demolishing the Danny DeVito twin thinking we'd not notice. I guess they're thinking they can sacrifice one and give time for something to come along for the West Hospital since people have shown how much they admire it.

[D_C]

So how is a landmark building going to be a landmark hiding behind the West Hospital? What is it going to have... an extra tall box on top? I guess VCU figured people made an uproar about the West Hospital that they ignore the AD Williams Clinic. VCU figures it can go through with demolishing the Danny DeVito twin thinking we'd not notice. I guess they're thinking they can sacrifice one and give time for something to come along for the West Hospital since people have shown how much they admire it.

Nah, I am pretty sure that they will kill both. The A.D. Williams clinic building is just like saying, "Just the tip". It won't be long and the whole half-block will be new.

[burt]

Eugene Trani, who is recovering from quintuple coronary bypass surgery, has announced that he will step down on July 1st of 2009, a year earlier than previously announced.

Breaking News from today's inRich:

http://www.timesdispatch.com/cva/ric/times_dispatch.html

Edited August 14, 2008 by burt