Yesterday the Oregon Hill-based opposition to VCU’s proposed 100,000-square-foot addition to the 117-year-old City Auditorium building was dealt another blow. The project moved another step toward happening, as the State Secretary of Administration, Viola O. Baskerville, signed off on the plan.
Scott Burger at the Oregon Hill community blog comments on the controversy.
State official OKs proposed expansion of Cary St. facility into Richmond’s Oregon Hill. VCU has approval from the state to move/demolish the 2 stables and to build a 125,000-square-foot student rec center in their place…
Click here to see the entire post. If you look around on the site there is plenty of background material on this situation.
In spite of how inevitable this new construction project seem, or how much the students might need the facility, the citizens of Oregon Hill who oppose it have some valid points. In many ways that old blue collar neighborhood, which is between the Fan District and the James River, has been treated like Richmond’s redheaded stepchild for a long time.
So, I wonder if there isn’t something VCU could do to recognize that the residents of Oregon Hill will be intruded upon to some extent by this rather large development. Would it help if those who live in the neighborhood were issued some sort of pass from VCU that would allow them to use the athletic/recreational facilities the burgeoning university wants to establish on their Northern border?
Maybe that suggestion would do little to make those who oppose the project feel better. So, maybe there’s a better idea. Still, wouldn’t it be constructive for VCU to clearly demonstrate it recognizes that when it takes something away from them, it owes its neighbors something to smooth their ruffled feathers?
