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St. Paul’s Stake in the Master Plan for the City of Richmond

"St. Paul's has been here over 150 years, and we'll be here another 150, so count us in."  So spoke Jim Hall, our Senior Warden before a packed house in the City Council chambers Monday night, December 2.  The event: the first public hearing with the City's Planning Commission following the publication of its new draft Downtown Master Plan.  He was there representing our congregation along with Peter Hogg, our Interim Rector, Fletcher Lowe, our Priest Associate and Harry Burt, a parishioner and retired urban planner.  The Plan draft document is available at public libraries, City Hall, and on the internet.

The planning area is the core of the city, from Harrison Street on the west to the eastern margin of Shockoe Bottom; to the north I 95, southward along Oregon Hill to the James; thence across the river to include central Manchester, and downstream on both banks of the river to Rocketts.  The area is subdivided into 6 districts for planning purposes, St. Paul's being close to ground zero in the Center  City district, surrounded by Capital Square, the financial district, MCV and the courts.

Our presence during the Commission's hearings reflects our congregation's strategic location and our call to minister to the downtown community as a base camp for nurture and support. Harry, who took part in a number of the earlier preliminary charettes and design studios, later spoke about the need for a strong financial commitment in implementing the plan. Also speaking were parishioners Bill Thomas, representing the Manchester Community and Calder Loth, our resident architectural historian who added his expertise to the discussion ("the James River is the soul of our city." "Private property balanced by civic interests...."). Joining the Commission's chair in presiding over the meeting was Bev Lacy, its vice chair, and fellow St. Pauler.

The planners' vision is based on several foundation principles.  Some recognize that the natural social and economic forces that have been shaping the City of Richmond for two centuries are still present and beneficial trends can be promoted in the future.  These include the variety and choice visible in the present city as well as its mix of income and commerce.  They also celebrate the unique features of Richmond expressed in its urban fabric: its rich history, its traditional urban architecture, and especially the James River (our wet Central  Park!).  Finally, there are foundation principles that embody improvements, realizable through modern technology, and remedies for poorly functioning or unaesthetic places in the city.  Included here would be the advantages, especially in transport modes, the traditional city grid, and the environmental benefits of "greening the city" with sustainable design principles.

Among the plan's specific creative proposals is a return to a mainly two-way street grid, reintroduction of streetcars, planting hundreds of new street trees, and creating many green spaces including Mayo  Island. The James River is overwhelmingly the candidate to be the real and symbolic emblem of this plan.  Convenient and safe physical and visual access all along the James is very important to all segments of the public.  Perhaps most important for St. Paul's is the envisioned major resurgence of residents near us, many within walking distance.

For decades, the downtown churches had to face land-use compromises and accommodations simply to remain in the downtown locations.  For example, the parish and community activities in our parish house with its two floors of class and meeting rooms, choir space, auditorium, kitchen and offices would be limited without the two deck underground parking facility.  Under our policy of use by the church on weekends and evenings, but availability to the general public at other times, we have been long anticipating the shared parking concept of the plan.  St Paul's parish house exemplifies the mixed uses and shared amenities planned to increase in the future Center  City.  Other churches in the planning area, now or in the future, will have similar facilities.  The faith communities that have stuck by their central locations represent stable focal points for a humane and livable downtown.  They in the long run can be very positively affected by the plan's implementation, as well as challenged by the new environment it can bring.

And we at St. Paul's are a crucial and central player- so stay tuned!!

Reprinted from The Epistle, January 2008, written by Harry Burt and Fletcher Lowe