Baseball stadium location shifts to avoid archaeological study, property purchase changes to lease
We’ve now got more information but certainly not all the information on the plan.
Bits and pieces of the Shockoe Economic Plan are being slowly released by the city. Last night there were a few major chunks of news.
The city is claiming that due to tax issues a large portion of the property will be leased instead of purchased. By leasing the property the Mayor’s office would also need one less vote to move forward. According to most accounts he does have the votes to carry a lease but not a purchase.
Also reveled is that one of the properties required is owned by the The Rebkee Co. which was the firm behind the recently proposed and then just as quickly cast aside alternative for a new stadium on Boulevard.
Yesterday word also came down that the Virginia Democratic headquarters would need to be purchased. Mayor Jone was recently appointed the head of the Democratic party. Party officials were quick to come saying that a firewall has been established and the Mayor would have nothing to do with the possible sale of the property.
Finally there was the matter of the stadium moving but only a matter of feet not miles.From RTD.
The shift seems to have been motivated in part by a desire to avoid triggering a federal review of historic resources. A half block off Ambler Street that had been mapped for apartments will now be used as a parking lot that could serve both the Richmond Flying Squirrels stadium and the proposed slave heritage site at Lumpkin’s Jail.
That lot was purchased using grant money provided by the Federal Transit Administration, according to city officials, and developing it for purposes other than parking would have triggered a Section 106 review as outlined in the National Historic Preservation Act.
“This became a problem because if they use this land, it triggers the 106,” Chief Administrative Officer Byron C. Marshall said in an interview after presenting the updated plan to the council’s Finance and Economic Development Committee.
Image: City of Richmond via RTD
-
Recommend this
on Facebook -
Report an error
-
Subscribe to our
Weekly Digest
Richard Hayes
When Richard isn’t rounding up neighborhood news, he’s likely watching soccer or chasing down the latest and greatest craft beer.
Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.
Watching the Shockoe Economic Plan unfold is like watching a big dumb animal slowly sinking into a tar pit. Wasn’t it called a Shockoe Revitalization Plan last month? Wonder how the administration’s apologists are going to justify this obvious and continued incompetence.
It’s rather sad and disgusting that they seem to be doing everything they can to avoid actually respecting the site. They are now moving the stadium to avoid triggering a mandatory archeological investigation? What a farce. They’ll still be risking the destruction of countless sites and artifacts in favor of change for change’s sake. Jones’ tenure can’t end soon enough. His legacy will be one of crumbling schools and wasteful spending on athletic complexes. Ignoring the needy and deserving to build flashy buildings that benefit the few. I am ashamed of our mayor.
Reasonable people can reasonably disagree on issues. I am proud to have a mayor with vision.
The state’s rights argument is reborn and a painful part of VA history could become a taxpayer funded Disney land. With a sports theme. Nutsy could be the next Mickey Mouse!
I’m happy to see this project go forward. We’ve got plenty of other unused gravel lots to argue over.
^^This is a gravel lot with a $5MM/year debt payment over a 30 year term if the project moves forward. It’s worth continuing to be critical.