At one time VCU and some of Oregon Hill’s most outspoken residents were quite at odds over what to build where — VCU wanted to expand to the south. Then, in 1990, came a new VCU president — Dr. Eugene P. Trani.
In short order Trani put the kibosh on what had been the controversial VCU plan, which had the university growing into Oregon Hill, a mostly residential neighborhood, which is situated between the eastern end of the Fan District and the James River.
Since then VCU has grown in just about every direction but toward Oregon Hill.
Now, after many years of relative calm, once again residents of Oregon Hill are voicing objections to new plan to expand. Writing for the Richmond Times-Dispatch Gary Robertson covers the story in “VCU’s rec center push heats up.”
Charges, rebuttals, accusations, hard talk.
Those have been the ingredients for the fitful stew that has been served up over the past few months for Virginia Commonwealth University’s proposed $43.3 million recreation center on Cary Street, between Linden and Cherry streets.
And a summer of discontent seems imminent.
Leaders of civic groups in neighboring Oregon Hill have erupted into a chorus of complaints, saying the project will tear the historic fabric of the storied working-class neighborhood and that the multistory building will be overwhelming.
Click here to read more of Robertson’s piece.
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