Carytown

[wrldcoupe4]

The critical mass and pedestrian traffic Carytown possesses should be a model for downtown. It is a highly successful retail corridor with a unique quirkiness not found in an Anywhere USA place like Short Pump. I say let the market decide what types of stores end up downtown.... and let's not forget that downtown is its own neighborhood and is just as entitled to neighborhood retail as the Fan and Museum District. I'm not opposed to certain chains being downtown. We come together downtown for Christmas (parade, grand illumination, etc).

The new roof being installed at the Byrd was a welcome site! First a generous gift from Dolby for a state of the art sound system and now a new roof donated generously.... and Burt, our ball rises!

[burt]

Carytown is known all over the country for its unique shopping options. Visiting show folk love it, not to mention the obvious appeal to locals. East Grace between Adams and 6th Streets would do well to emulate it while at the same time establishing its own identity. A few chains such as Circuit City and Staples would fit in well along East Broad intermingled with other types of retail.

[Cadeho]

Carytown's New Year's thing should not be the event for the city as a whole. But it's where some folks feel "safe."

[wrldcoupe4]

It has nothing to do with "safe" warm and fuzzy feelings. The people at the New York Deli and others in Carytown actually took the initiative to host an event for New Year's since the city lacked one.

[Cadeho]

And now it's the definitive celebration. If everyone is fine with it, then I guess I'll have to fall in line too. Nothing else is needed.

[journiyin]

And now it's the definitive celebration. If everyone is fine with it, then I guess I'll have to fall in line too. Nothing else is needed.

But what if someone decided to use the roof of the new MeadWestVaco building and put a ball on it and they utilized the new foundry park for a new years celebration... would that detract from CaryTowns? Probably not...

[burt]

But what if someone decided to use the roof of the new MeadWestVaco building and put a ball on it and they utilized the new foundry park for a new years celebration... would that detract from CaryTowns? Probably not...

I remember going to a Millennium 2000 New Year's Gala at the Jefferson and at the same time there was a city sponsored party with fireworks on Browns Island. Seems to me a downtown celebration was held for several years but, for some reason, it was discontinued. I'm sure they did not attract as many party-goers as turned out last year in Carytown, but that's no reason to give up on downtown forever.

If Cary Street can be closed for the evening, why can't Broad Street? A ball could fall (or rise) atop a well-lit CNB tower.

[Downtowner]

Yeah a Ball on the CNB would be really cool. Since I think the front of it is kinda sticking out in front of broad street while the rest of that building is like a set of steps going lower and lower with the front being the highest point. So yeah CNB would be cool. But Carytown is pretty cool to. The byrd theater ball drop will be interesting and Y101 is already sponsoring the ball drop 2007. Expect some people to get really drunk at it too cause Y101 was talking about beer there too. But hell everyone gets drunk on new years eve. Some people dont like myself based on what I have seen in my family choosing me to never drink under age or over age. Ive seen to many people my age get wasted under age and I dont like under age drinking at all. It actually kills me to see it. Plus the Today show on NBC talked about Virginia and its drinking issues as well as the Kid's parents from godwin that served beer at his 18th birthday party to minors. Yes it got national attention. I knew a girl that knew the guy. So yeah West End Kids are pretty screwed up with the drinking the potheads and the hippies at my school Freeman and as well as Godwin and Deep Run and other schools. ok end of my second rant. Just thought I would share a few things.

[Cadeho]

I remember going to a Millennium 2000 New Year's Gala at the Jefferson and at the same time there was a city sponsored party with fireworks on Browns Island. Seems to me a downtown celebration was held for several years but, for some reason, it was discontinued. I'm sure they did not attract as many party-goers as turned out last year in Carytown, but that's no reason to give up on downtown forever.

If Cary Street can be closed for the evening, why can't Broad Street? A ball could fall (or rise) atop a well-lit CNB tower.

Burt the CNB idea is the best proposal ever in the history of Richmond! We just need to make it happen!

[wrldcoupe4]

Maybe we can start this if the tower ever gets occupied?

[burt]

The jewel of Carytown will be offering tours. If you haven't seen the mechanical workings of The Byrd Theatre, here's your chance while at the same time contributing to its rehabilitation:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/entertainmen...06-06-0210.html

[Shakman]

According to inrich.com, mayoral candidate Paul Goldman has announced that if elected Mayor, he would work towards turning Carytown into a pedestrian mall.

inrich link:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-co...06-20-0244.html

I would like to see this happen. This has worked quite well with Charlottesville's Downtown Mall, Santa Monica, CA and Lincoln Drive in Miami Beach, FL.

[ric75]

According to inrich.com, mayoral candidate Paul Goldman has announced that if elected Mayor, he would work towards turning Carytown into a pedestrian mall.

inrich link:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-co...06-20-0244.html

I would like to see this happen. This has worked quite well with Charlottesville's Downtown Mall, Santa Monica, CA and Lincoln Drive in Miami Beach, FL.

As would I. Neighboring streets would likely have to be widened and directions altered however and parking would have to be addressed.

[Shakman]

As would I. Neighboring streets would likely have to be widened and directions altered however and parking would have to be addressed.

The garages that are currently there tend to remain empty, even on nice days (from I have noticed). Though I am sure they fill when there are festivals in Carytown. There is room for another garage or two behind some of the Carytown establishments. Parking should be an issue that needs to be researched before any commitments are made. Especially the fact that Goldman is looking to attract people from the entire region.

[wrldcoupe4]

On weekends the deck behind the Byrd tends to fill up.

While this concept has worked quite well in some cities, it has failed in many others. I'll wait to hear all that Goldman has to say, but in general I think this could negatively impact the district.

Unfortunately, the article is small on details, and Goldman's press releases seem to only be privy to a select few. The guy seriously needs a website. It would be nice if we could all read his thoughts on these issues.

The biggest complaint regarding vacant storefronts seems to be landlords charging excessive rents for storefront space... not that there is traffic on Cary Street.

[D_C]

Unfortunately, the article is small on details, and Goldman's press releases seem to only be privy to a select few. The guy seriously needs a website. It would be nice if we could all read his thoughts on these issues.

I thought that Paul Goldman had a blog on the WWBT12 Campaign2008 column under bloggers at one point. He raised some good points when he was a regular poster. I don't know what happened to his blog on the website.

http://www.decisionvirginia.com/component/...ogs/Itemid,130/

As for the parking decks, if you have a Suburban or other monster vehicle, forget it. It's not the place for you to park. It's not impossible, but it will require a several point maneuver to get in and out. I have never had a problem finding a spot on either of those decks. Even with the signs, people still tend to miss the parking decks.

[wrldcoupe4]

As for the parking decks, if you have a Suburban or other monster vehicle, forget it. It's not the place for you to park. It's not impossible, but it will require a several point maneuver to get in and out. I have never had a problem finding a spot on either of those decks. Even with the signs, people still tend to miss the parking decks.

I think it's probably those people that clog up the Cary Court parking lot.

[Brent]

Most stupid idea ever. Moves Richmond back, from city to town. I really hate designated shopping areas. Why can't shops just exists along city streets? Is it really necessary or desirable to turn Cary Street into a mall? Grosse!

BTW, it would flop just as Gramby Street did. It would be more suburban, less cool, be less of a scene and would only serve to reinforce the shopping habits of suburbanites who are slow to warm up to the idea of an organic retail experience (by organic I mean not developed by one firm but by individual shopkeepers). They would require Grace Street to be closed downtown too before they ever shopped there (if/when it comes back). Don

[NYCJSW]

I'm not sure where I stand on this idea proposes by Goldman. I know there is a lot of room for parking decks just south of Cary St. If you drive back there you will see that most of the homes are in really bad shape and look to be < 1,000 sq/ft. I think most shop owners in Cary Court would not want to lose their parking lot and I don't think most shops in Carytown would want to lose the parking out front. If anything there should be a big effort to clean up the area and make it more green with more trees. Each sidwalk should have a bump out at the corner to make it more pedestrian friendly. I thought the trend in retail now was to have some convenient parking close to the shops. Closing Cary St would seem to go against this trend. If you were going to put a park somewhere it should be right where the 7-11 and the bank are - that is a really ugly part of Carytown.

[wrldcoupe4]

Before we got into doing something in the total extreme like closing Cary Street to traffic, I'd like to see the impact of a few minor improvements... like sprucing/cleaning up the shopping district. There should be a tree in every single tree planter along Cary Street... these should be well maintained and not filled with weeds. I love going to Carytown, but I'm always amazed at the amount of litter on the ground in front of storefronts. Keeping the sidewalks clean would be a big improvement. Graffiti should be taken care of aggressively. The Carytown merchants should do more to ensure that everything doesn't shut down at 5pm every day... some people work and just can't make it there between 12 and 5.

West of the Boulevard News has a few articles that touch on Carytown, including a recent plea to the city by the owner of Glass and Powder to relax parking limits in the district. In another, suggestions like these should be considered.

Improved street lighting and level sidewalks would also be helpful.

IMO, we should try to do some of these less invasive things before we potentially destroy one of the city's few remaining vibrant shopping districts.

[jbjust]

Maybe I'm unusual, but I HATE the Charlottesville pedestrian mall. Something about getting rid of the cars means that it takes a lot more pedestrians to make the area feel not deserted. I was there last year and while there were dozens of folks in the pedestrian mall area, it was early evening and the place did not feel safe.

[Shakman]

There are some advantages of having vehicular traffic through Carytown - more exposure.

I like the idea of having Carytown converted into an urban pedestrian mall, however if that does not happen, the area could most definitely have wider and better maintained siderwalks.

With the advantages of a pedestrian mall, more opportunities will open for outdoor cafe's and places to sit and people watch.

For those who have not visited Lincoln Drive in Miami Beach, FL, please visit on your next trip to the Miami area. That is how I would invision Carytown.

[burt]

Maybe I'm unusual, but I HATE the Charlottesville pedestrian mall. Something about getting rid of the cars means that it takes a lot more pedestrians to make the area feel not deserted. I was there last year and while there were dozens of folks in the pedestrian mall area, it was early evening and the place did not feel safe.

Charlottesville's mall is one of the few in the Nation that has succeeded. Shutting off West Cary Street to vehicular traffic would be a mistake. The city has few enough east/west connectors. One less would be a major inconvenience and would not well-serve merchants in Carytown nor residents west of the Beltline.

New York has a law requiring merchants to maintain cleanliness on sidewalks outside their shops and are cited often for failure to do so. Something less stringent should be imposed in Richmond, but at the same time the city should be cited for failure to do its part in landscaping, grass-mowing, tree-planting, graffiti removal, lighting improvement, etc.

[journiyin]

Charlottesville's mall is one of the few in the Nation that has succeeded. Shutting off West Cary Street to vehicular traffic would be a mistake. The city has few enough east/west connectors. One less would be a major inconvenience and would not well-serve merchants in Carytown nor residents west of the Beltline.

New York has a law requiring merchants to maintain cleanliness on sidewalks outside their shops and are cited often for failure to do so. Something less stringent should be imposed in Richmond, but at the same time the city should be cited for failure to do its part in landscaping, grass-mowing, tree-planting, graffiti removal, lighting improvement, etc.

Ok... I have avoided chiming in because I wanted to let this discussion ruminate for a little bit... here's my opinion and associated knowledge - first off, the politician who proposed this has no concept whatsoever of what community planning is. He lost any chance of getting my vote when he simply said something this stupid. Closing a several mile stretch of a 'Historic Major' thoroughfare is an aggregious mistake.

Now if he had said this I might have listened (some of this has been said):

Replanting of all the missing trees along Cary St. Removal of all chipped, cracked or broken - or even all - concrete to be replaced with heavy duty brick pavers. Encourage all owners to address the street - not just their interiors (tax breaks for architecturally significant features or additions that ACTUALLY ENHANCE the corridor). Reintroduction of a trolley or streetcar line down the length of the strip (this may reduce car travel to one lane, but is instantly subsitituted for by mass transit). Removal of one or two car parking spots per block on either side to increase 'pedestrian overflow' areas along sidewalks, and allow for easier cross-street transitions. Addition of underground parking deck along a block in need of re-hab - to address any additional parking concerns. Introduction of a regular maintenance crew specifically for all landscape, trash, and maintenance needs - paid for by the tax district. Encouragement of buildings adding floors of office or residential thru in-fill development, tax-breaks for affordable housing.

But he didn't say any of that. He came of with a hair-brained scheme to get himself attention. I can guarantee that if he gets elected he will have a war on his hands. There are plenty of places in Richmond already in place that set up nicely for a 'mall'. The canal corridor comes instantly to mind.

Ah if only a planner or landscape architect could get elected...

[nhughes]

Ok... I have avoided chiming in because I wanted to let this discussion ruminate for a little bit... here's my opinion and associated knowledge - first off, the politician who proposed this has no concept whatsoever of what community planning is. He lost any chance of getting my vote when he simply said something this stupid. Closing a several mile stretch of a 'Historic Major' thoroughfare is an aggregious mistake.

Now if he had said this I might have listened (some of this has been said):

Replanting of all the missing trees along Cary St. Removal of all chipped, cracked or broken - or even all - concrete to be replaced with heavy duty brick pavers. Encourage all owners to address the street - not just their interiors (tax breaks for architecturally significant features or additions that ACTUALLY ENHANCE the corridor). Reintroduction of a trolley or streetcar line down the length of the strip (this may reduce car travel to one lane, but is instantly subsitituted for by mass transit). Removal of one or two car parking spots per block on either side to increase 'pedestrian overflow' areas along sidewalks, and allow for easier cross-street transitions. Addition of underground parking deck along a block in need of re-hab - to address any additional parking concerns. Introduction of a regular maintenance crew specifically for all landscape, trash, and maintenance needs - paid for by the tax district. Encouragement of buildings adding floors of office or residential thru in-fill development, tax-breaks for affordable housing.

But he didn't say any of that. He came of with a hair-brained scheme to get himself attention. I can guarantee that if he gets elected he will have a war on his hands. There are plenty of places in Richmond already in place that set up nicely for a 'mall'. The canal corridor comes instantly to mind.

Ah if only a planner or landscape architect could get elected...

journiyin for Mayor!