Comments for North Richmond News

Comment on The Robins Foundation responds by Frank

Frank — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:48:14 +0000

You guys are at least 30 years late. That part of Chamberlayne corridor was destroyed many years ago. Who is going buy a huge historic house like that only to be surrounded by trash strewn run down tenements?

Comment on Question: Granite marker at Westbrook & Hermitage? by Phil D.

Phil D. — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:57:46 +0000

Also, there is one on Pope, just past the Bellvue granite arch, on the right, says R.L. (Maybe some other lettering, I can not recall), then 1914. Anyone know the bit on this one? We’re really interested in the history of our home and the area, so any links to sites with old photographs of the area would be much appreciated. We’ve recently moved to Northside and love it!!!

:-)

Phil

Comment on The Robins Foundation responds by Patti

Patti — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:01:29 +0000

The original article said: “The properties were originally purchased for about $440,000 with the intent of demolishing them and then constructing a family learning center. ” In other words, they went into this intending to demolish the property all along. And when the GPRA objected to them demolishing and rebuilding something else, they just decided to pull out and demolish anyway.

It sounds an awful lot like spite to me, (as in “If we can’t have what we want, then nobody can.”)

Comment on RRHA releases more details on Dove Court Master Plan by janu wells

janu wells — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:30:38 +0000

I think u all should make them apartments so u can make it betta 4 tha people with low income .I use to live around there and it wasnt a bad spot to live and im young i use to have fun wit my friends round there but im gettin older and now i thinkin bout being able to afford a place to live without strugglng and i know when my mother was paying rent in dove she wasnt struggling but since we moved we been struggling so im just saying think about the people with low income

Comment on The Robins Foundation responds by Bob Ulrich

Bob Ulrich — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:02:34 +0000

Bill Roberts has provided variations on this theme to everyone who has written to the Robins Foundation protesting their planned demolition of these properties. When I first heard about their plans I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I thought they were well intentioned folks who had found themselves in an unfortunate position and didn’t know what to do. As I have learned the whole, sordid history of this property I have come to the belief that the Robins Foundations, as represented by Bill Roberts, is a bunch of West End limousine do-gooders focused primarily on their own self aggrandizement.

They bought these houses despite being told that they did not have the zoning for their proposed use. Their chief attraction was their location on a busy thoroughfare. When their plans met with the failure they had been warned about they tried to sell the property for more than twice what they paid for it. After a year of this ridiculous strategy they proposed to demolish the homes in the misguided belief that vacant land is worth more than land with two perfectly serviceable houses on it. Bill Roberts is misguided, vindictive or both.

The really sad part of this whole fiasco is the fact that the Robins Foundation used to support historic preservation. In fact, there is a Lara Robins award at the Virginia Historical Society. It is given “…to recognize that individual who best emulates Lora Robins’s splendid leadership, generosity, and foresight in collecting the evidence of Virginia’s History for the benefit of future generations.” How could a family that would endow such an award condone the unnecessary demolition of homes that contribute to a Virginia Historic District???

It is clear that Mr. Roberts will not be a candidate for this year’s Lara Robins award. It is my sincere hope that there are members of the Robins Foundation board who are willing to work with the prospective buyer who has come forward and find a way to save these historic structures.

Comment on Northside man wanted in City’s seventh homicide by Ross

Ross — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:40:16 +0000

Oops my b. Should be working now.

Comment on Northside man wanted in City’s seventh homicide by john m

john m — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:21:47 +0000

The google map link isn’t working for me…

Comment on ACORN steps in to save Chamberlayne homes by john m

john m — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:20:02 +0000

Who are the ill-informed winguts?

The folks that are so *enraged* about the left/right talking point du jour that they’ll jump into it at any chance given without really knowing what they’re talking about.

Comment on ACORN selling an Oliver Lawrence property by Kearny

Kearny — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:54:31 +0000

What is that, paper mache siding?

Comment on ACORN steps in to save Chamberlayne homes by Richard

Richard — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:23:53 +0000

There is crazy ACORN and then there is The Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods which is the group that help save these houses. They have no connection to that other ACORN group at all.

Comment on NBC12 profiles Richmond Slumlord Watch by Richard

Richard — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:21:22 +0000

Below is a story on NBC12. I have been saying code enforenment has not been
doing their job for years. Audit report supports it.

http://www.nbc12.com/global/category.asp?c=151146&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=15149&topVideoCatNoB=135440&topVideoCatNoC=136187&topVideoCatNoD=136183&topVideoCatNoE=154626&clipId=4590227&topVideoCatNo=15149&autoStart=true

Comment on ACORN steps in to save Chamberlayne homes by Lauren S.

Lauren S. — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:50:53 +0000

Wingnuts: http://www.amazon.com/Wingnuts-Lunatic-Fringe-Hijacking-America/dp/0984295119#noop

ACORN: As we can see from one poster here, some still cannot read “Association for the Conservation of Old Richmond Neighborhoods” and realize that there is no association to the national ACORN.

Comment on ACORN steps in to save Chamberlayne homes by Lane

Lane — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:15:55 +0000

I don’t know who they are, but for a while last fall they came out of the woodwork and called to scold us regularly. Explaining it to them became a hassle, and in the end didn’t seem to help. Now it’s just the occasional confused phone call. There’s also a notary supply company that goes by ACORN that we get stray calls for periodically.

Comment on ACORN steps in to save Chamberlayne homes by Nandalal Rasiah

Nandalal Rasiah — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:47:32 +0000

For ACORN ideologues, “ill-informed wingnuts” means anyone who disagrees with their methods, partners, source of funds etc.

For anti-ACORN ideologues, the phrase is a martyr-enabling pejorative worn with pride.

But that doesn’t change the fact that the organization should be viewed in a local context–i.e., in Brooklyn, it’s evil and partners with big developers to drive small homeowners and business owners out of their property, in RVA, they try and find buyers for distressed property of historical significance.

Comment on ACORN steps in to save Chamberlayne homes by Richard

Richard — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:35:59 +0000

Who are the ill-informed winguts?

Comment on ACORN steps in to save Chamberlayne homes by john m

john m — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:20:30 +0000

(I’m guilty of the same.)

Comment on ACORN steps in to save Chamberlayne homes by Ross

Ross — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:12:41 +0000

Yeah, but, it makes my headlines so dreadfully long.

Comment on ACORN steps in to save Chamberlayne homes by john m

john m — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:46:33 +0000

ACORN has stopped using ACORN and now prefers to be called the Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods, due to ongoing harassment by the ill-informed wingnuts.

Comment on Question: Granite marker at Westbrook & Hermitage? by Alfonso

Alfonso — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:35:46 +0000

There used to be another sign there that said something like Be Happy Live True,…something like that. In rainbow letters, and it said something about Hiawatha Society. Anyone know what the hell that was and what happened to it?

Comment on Enoteca Sogno moving to the Northside by MJ

MJ — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:22:42 +0000

why do you always make a comment about the replublic opening around the same time as the lease was terminated……..stop trying to stir up shi*

Comment on Question: Granite marker at Westbrook & Hermitage? by Scudder

Scudder — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:17:23 +0000

The sign says “HRHD” if you are looking at it going north on Hermitage. It says “Hermitage Road Historic District” if you look at it going southbound. There is a similar sign near Hermitage and Laburnum. These are similar to the signs along Chamberlayne for the Ginter Park area.

Comment on Question: Granite marker at Westbrook & Hermitage? by dbt

dbt — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:06:41 +0000

I believ it reads HRHD….Hermitage Road Historic District

Comment on Question: Granite marker at Westbrook & Hermitage? by lmoine

lmoine — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:04:02 +0000

Hermitage Road Historic Distric

Comment on The CDC hosts teen parties, residents express concern by Richard

Richard — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:01:22 +0000

NBC12 picked up on the story. This is joke. Why do we pay taxes to provide these “teen parties” free security.
http://www.nbc12.com/global/category.asp?c=151146&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=15149&topVideoCatNoB=135440&topVideoCatNoC=136187&topVideoCatNoD=136183&topVideoCatNoE=154626&clipId=4580458&topVideoCatNo=15149&autoStart=true

Comment on More details on Enoteca Sogno by nan

nan — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:02:04 +0000

Thank God! They have the best mushroom pasta I’ve ever had. And don’t get me started on the polenta cake. YUM. I became apoplectic when they closed on Broad Street. Soooo glad they’re coming to the Bellevue neighborhood. Quite the Restaurant Row!