West of the Boulevard

The latest in and out of Carytown’s revolving door are as follows:

1. NC-based boardparadise takes over Glass & Powder’s vacant location.

2. Robert Grey has been spotted in Carytown, and rumor is that (now confirmed) he is creating a campaign headquarters in EQ3’s vacancy.

3.  The vacant spot previously occupied by Carytown Wine & Beer is undergoing renovations.  One light remodeling (new bathrooms) and one heavy remodeling (new HVAC) with a combined total of $65k.  They seem to be getting ready for new tenants; however, Sauer Properties can’t confirm who or what will be moving in.

New stadiums don’t come cheaply, and apparently they’re even more expensive than expected for the R-Braves’ new home in Gwinnett County, GA. The stadium was to be built for $40 MM, which government officials claimed would pay for itself through ticket sales (the numbers didn’t add up there, either). However, now the County will foot the bill for an additional $19 MM, bringing the total to $59 MM.

This is another reminder why saying good-riddance to the Braves is actually a good thing. Gwinnett County is in dire financial straits at this point, implementing a hiring freeze and has emptied its rainy-day fund to pay for the stadium. More financial setbacks could trigger a tax increase. Can you imagine if Wilder & Pantele were handling the finances of the stadium construction project?

source: Sabernomics

photo by: haaaley

Style Weekly interviewed Amici’s owner (who also owns Bistro 27 and La Grotta) and found out more deets about the renovation…

Demolition started last week on the Carytown building’s interior, and co-owner Carlo Giaone says he’s hoping for a late October reopening. “We’re gonna make it 2008,” he says of the restaurant’s much-needed renovation, “and we’ll have a new menu, new cocktails, the things people love and want.” That includes better bathrooms, climate control, a bigger bar, an enclosed patio, even computers after 17 years without them.

Ross hooked us up, so we now have our very own WOTB blogroll. Check it out on the right-hand side of the page under the Comments and Community Blog sections.

If you are a WOTB resident and would like your blog added, drop us a line @ info (at) wotbn (dot) com.

Lisa from Tricycle Gardens emailed me and said that plans are in the works to start a community garden WOTB. This is exciting news! From Lisa…

Tricycle Gardens is heading up the planning and development of a new community garden, in partnership with Ellwood Thompson’s Local Market and the City of Richmond, located next to the Humphry Caulder Community Center, at the corner of Thompson St. & Patterson Ave. The first planning meeting will be held September 11, 7pm, in the community center and is open to all! Please join us. Call 231-7767 or email lisa (at) tricyclegardens (dot) org

On September 11, 2008 at 11am the Carillon Advisory Committee and the Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will hold a celebration of thanks and commemoration of 9-11 at the Carillon War Memorial in Byrd Park. Larry Robinson will play the Carillon bells and Durron Tyre, a local theatre artist, will perform musical selections.  We welcome all to attend this free program of remembrance and recognition.

For more information contact Barbara Brock:

Barbara (dot) Brock (at) richmondgov (dot) com

(804)646-1031

Scoot Richmond reports that Ellwood Thompson’s is offering 25 cents off your purchase if avoid automobiles to arrive at their store.

Local organic grocery store Ellwood Thompson’s has started a cool new program that should appeal to all Richmond scooterists.  If you walk, ride a bicycle, take the bus, or ride your scooter to Ellwood Thompson’s, you will get a 25 cent credit on your grocery purchase.  Combine that with the 10 cents you can save if you bring your own bag and you’ve got enough free coin to ride about 9 miles.

There isn’t any info about the program on the ET website, but I’m sure it’ll be there soon.

Infuzion is the latest business to shutter in the area. In Vino was the first to report. I’m wondering if the power is still on to cool the ice bar.

Guest Post By Harry Kollatz.

If you were out and about at all during the Watermelon Festival you probably saw more signs of retail evacuation and displacement. Peyton Hall is shuffling off to Stony Point, Occasionally is going away, and Glass & Powder has the “Store Closing” paint up.

And I saw no mention on the site here of last week’s Style back page article piece by Joe Essid, who practically grew up there and experienced  its boarded-up phase of the mid-1970s. The street wasn’t “dead” then, but different, and there were still two hardware stores.

http://www.styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=17504

On the upside, Chop Suey has announced its moving all its operation into Carytown, and the game store opened. Ward says that Tuey is doing twice the business , so, it just made financial and practical sense.

http://www.styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=17479
Glass Boat has launched its skiff just to the other end of a building and Heidi Story is skipping a few blocks. So, as usual, the Carytown beat goes on.

From RTD:

Richmond police investigated a report of an armed robbery this morning about two blocks east of Byrd Park’s Swan Lake.

The robbery was reported shortly after 7:30 a.m. at a GRTC Transit System bus stop at Powhatan Street and Allen Avenue.

There were no reports of injuries.

Four men brandishing two weapons robbed Oaxaca Latin Market yesterday. The same men are wanted in connection with another robbery last month.

Oaxaca is located at 610 N. Sheppard, just across the street from Sev’s.

Source: RTD

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The weather report from weather.gov calls for 75 degree weather when the festival starts at 10 AM. It should get up to 85 by mid-afternoon, but it will feel like a relief from the recent heat wave. Humidity will be non-existant.

Also, no rain in the forecast on Sunday.

Anyone who’s driven by Albert Hill has seen the lengthy construction project take place on the front steps. A resident asked the Mayor if the renovations were for ADA compliance (via Richmond.com’s ask the Mayor)…

I live near Albert Hill Middle School in the near West End and noticed some construction at the front steps. Can I assume this is related to the school system making improvements for students and parents with disabilities?
Wilton Burford
Museum District

I wish I could say that is the case. The Richmond Public Schools has $7 million available for making improvements required by the Americans with Disability Act, yet has filed for only a handful of permits to initiate such work this summer. This is a school matter that City government has no control over, so I suggest you contact your School Board representative to find out the status of ADA improvements.

Is it just me, or did the Mayor dodge the question?

Kim Bridges (1st District Representative) followed up in the comments section…

The construction Mr. Burford noticed is part of the work RPS is doing to repair the crumbling but historic concrete balustrade at the front of the school. Last year the spanish tile roofing project was completed, and the PTA has plans for landscape improvements, so things are really looking up for overall appearance of this jewel of a building. But appearance does no good if the building’s not accessible, so Albert Hill will also receive interior ADA upgrades in the days ahead.

Ala Devil’s Triangle, the Museum District portion of Kensington Avenue now has its own website. KensingtonAve.org features a block-by-block account of the street, including houses for sale and local businesses. The site also features discussion boards for residents to discuss local issues.

From The Museum District Association…

The Museum District Association will be facilitating a meeting about parking issues along Sheppard St. in the vicinity of the museums and Benedictine High School. The meeting is set for Thursday, Aug. 7 at 6:30PM in the St. Gertrude staff conference room. Anyone may attend.

Mezzanine, the most highly-anticipated restaurant to hit Carytown since Karsen’s, is putting on the finishing touches and planning to open this month. Owner Randy O’Dell said that pending inspections, Mezzanine will open its doors in about two weeks.

In a stunning development, the rogue parking lot at the corner Monument and Colonial has been removed, and dirt/gravel stands in it’s wake. To be honest, I was shocked (and thrilled) when I walked by.

Bill Jefferson, aka “The Paver,” black-topped the former grassy lot on his property over a year ago without a permit. The neighborhood was outraged, but it appeared that The Paver was going to get away with it.

Not so. First District Rep Bruce Tyler said the matter would be dealt with. And it was. Kudos to Tyler, the Community Development Department, and anyone else who had a hand in resolving the situation.

The Million Dollar 100,000 people question. The Richmond Watermelon Festival on August 10 will be awesome though.

River City Rapids broke the news that Arianna’s may be expanding into the closed tattoo parlor next door. The restaurant has received glowing reviews since it opened, and adequate seating is something it has lacked, so it seems to be a good move.

Is Devil’s Triangle losing its edginess?

See that big yellow dot on the Dominion Power outage map? That’s Carytown. From RTD…

A flaming power pole in Carytown tonight left about 2,200 customers without electricity… The pole is at Cary Street and Beaumont Avenue, just east of Cary Court Shopping Center. … expected repairs to be made and power restored to the last 700 customers by tomorrow morning.