Current News
A.C.O.R.N. PRESERVATION CONSULTANT SERVICES:
A "One-Stop-Shop" for Historic Home Renovators
If you are the owner of a historic home in a City Old & Historic District or considering purchasing property in one of Richmond's historic neighborhoods, then A.C.O.R.N. preservation consultants may have something to offer you. From nuts and bolts rehabilitation advice, to tax credit consulting, to helping you attain city approval for your renovation project, A.C.O.R.N. consultants will facilitate your historic home renovation. Our Preservation Consultants are now offering the following services at reasonable rates:
- Commission of Architectural Review Presentation Assistance
- Historic Tax Credit Consulting
- House History Research & Report
- Design of Building Elements
- Renovation Recommendations
- Architectural Design Consulting & Schematic Drawing Development
Please CLICK HERE for details about A.C.O.R.N. Preservation Consultant Services
A.C.O.R.N. HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE SEMINAR A SUCCESS
Richmond Lost & Found: The Past, Present and Future of Preservation in Richmond 
took place Friday May 1, 2009, at the Virginia Historical Society. Over the course of the preservation seminar architectural historians and preservationists celebrated the successes and bemoaned the failures of the city of Richmond to conserve buildings of the 18th, 19th, and 20th Centuries. Senior Architectural Historian Calder Loth of the Department of Historic Resources delivered a stirring slide show that revealed Richmond's rich architectural history, and described the destructive effects of redevelopment efforts on the city's built environment. Dr. Carl Lounsbury of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation lectured on the hidden vernacular architecture of Virginia,describing an indigenous style of log cabin construction typical of the rural areas of the Commonwealth. Architect Bryan Green and computer graphics guru Trey Tyler wrapped up the morning with a fascinating talk on the potential of computer imaging to visualize -- and thus further the goals of --historic preservation and rehabilitation projects. Seminar attendees and speakers then joined Jonathan Poston for a lunch presentation on the preservation successes and failures in Charleston, South Carolina, and the challenges the city faces in the future in protecting its own architectural heritage.
A.C.O.R.N. would like to say "Thank you!" to all the volunteers who made this event a success. With your support we will continue to offer educational programs to our members and to the greater Richmond community!
CLICK HERE to see photos from A.C.O.R.N.'s Preservation Seminar
A.C.O.R.N. ISSUES POSITION ON THE PROPOSED
BALLPARK IN SHOCKOE BOTTOM
Developer Highwoods Properties has proposed a plan for the development of Shockoe Bottom and the area surrounding North Boulevard to the city of Richmond, to many neighborhood groups, and to the A.C.O.R.N. Board of Directors. Their proposal has generated a great deal of discussion among residents of the city and surrounding counties. A.C.O.R.N.'s interest in neighborhood revitalization and deep investment in the historical integrity of Richmond's downtown and surrounding communities necessitates a response from the Board of Directors of our organization.
CLICK HERE for Highwoods Properties' presentation outlining development of sites at the Boulevard, Main Street Station, and Shockoe Bottom.
Although Highwoods Properties' proposal is a vast improvement over similar plans presented several years ago,
A.C.O.R.N. believes that Shockoe Center, as presented, is not
an appropriate project for the City of Richmond's most historic
and hallowed ground.
We look forward to continued civic discourse on this and other projects, and to working with the city in shaping appropriate development in Richmond's old neighborhoods.
Please read on for A.C.O.R.N.'s complete position, as well as additional related links -- AVAILABLE HERE.
A.C.O.R.N. OPTION PROPERTY AVAILABLE
HISTORIC CHURCH HILL MARKET
In the St. John's Historic District
2824 East Broad Street
Since it was built in 1897, this corner building has been part of the Church Hill neighborhood-- serving as a corner market for most of its existence, until it closed several years ago. The current owner has stabilized the structure, making it ready for the right buyer to com-plete the renovation of this community landmark.
The following zoning conditions, applications, and drawings have been completed:
* Special Use Permit approved by Richmond City Council to allow operation as a gourmet food market. (The current zoning is R-6 Single Family Attached Residential District. New owner would have to reactivate the special use permit.)
* Full set of architectural drawings have been developed for the property.
* Complete web commerce site developed for the purpose of providing an online shopping service-- including an inventory tracking system.
The building is approximately 3,719 sq. ft. on two floors and has a full basement, which can increase the overall usable space. The Church Hill neighborhood has been placed on the State and National Registers of Historic Place, allowing State and Federal Historic Tax Credits to be applicable. In addition, Richmond's Tax Abatement Program is available.
OPTION PRICE: $400,000
ALL OFFERS WILL BE REVIEWED AND CONSIDERED BY OWNER
A.C.O.R.N.'s $2,500.00 Option Fee for legal/administrative costs will be added to final accepted offer.
CONTACT: David Herring at (804) 644-5040 or dherring@richmondneighborhoods.org
More information on A.C.O.R.N.'s Option Property Program is available on our web site [CLICK HERE].
"DEVIL'S HALF ACRE" FEATURED IN SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE
Click here to read "Devil's Half Acre" by Abigail Tucker of Smithsonian Magazine.
A few short months ago Dr. Matt Laird led a team of archaeologists with the James River Institute of Archaeology in an exploration of the site of Lumpkin's Jail in Shockoe Bottom in the heart of Richmond. Following careful probing of the soil beneath the parking lot -- located just south of E. Broad Street and west of 17th Street -- to establish the substance of layers of earth to be uncovered, the archaeologists' work yielded an "amazingly intact urban complex", according to Dr. Laird, which dated to the early 19th Century. The City of Richmond, the Richmond Slave Trail Commission, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, James River Institute, and A.C.O.R.N. worked for nearly five years to bring this important historic site to the surface so that all Richmonders would continue to learn about the complex history of the slave trade business in our city. (CLICK HERE to read A.C.O.R.N.'s news story published the day the site was officially unveiled to the public in December 2008). Now, the widely known Smithsonian Magazine has published a feature story highlighting this important moment in the cultural history of Richmond, Virginia, and the South. Smithsonian Magazine's recognition of the unveiling of Lumpkin's Jail in Richmond is further indication of the national importance of this site, and speaks to the wealth of heritage and history which is constantly evolving in our capital city.
- CLICK HERE to see pictures of the Lumpkin's Jail Complex excavation.
- CLICK HERE for extensive coverage of the groundbreaking by news media.
- CLICK HERE for national coverage of the full excavation
CLICK HERE for the Online Slave Trade Database for information on thousands of slave-trading ships that crisscrossed the Atlantic from 1500-1900. This database makes it possible to explore information about the points of departure and arrival of slave-trading ships, as well as the names, genders, ages, and origins of those Africans held captive on board, shedding new light on the obscure history of the trans-atlantic slave trade.
A.C.O.R.N. RECOGNIZES BLACKS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BUILDING OF RICHMOND'S NEIGHBORHOODS
THE SECOND PRINTING IS HERE! A second printing of this well-received publication has been delivered to retail locations around Richmond. Many thanks to everyone for the interest in this subject, which is so crucial to understanding Richmond's history and how its neighborhoods have evolved.
Slaves and free blacks played a vast role in the construction and design of America's cities; yet they are largely unrecognized for the role they played in the construction and design of one of America's most historic cities-- Richmond Virginia. To bring attention to the contributions of African Americans to the city's architectural heritage and to encourage the preservation of what remains of this impressive legacy, the Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods (A.C.O.R.N.) has proudly published Built by Blacks: African American Architecture and Neighborhoods in Richmond, VA.
Fountain Books reported Built by Blacks as its #1 best selling book in 2006 in just 15 days! A.C.O.R.N. held a Book Signing Party, and the author, Selden Richardson, along with Editor/Photographer Maurice Duke were on hand to personally autograph the book.
Read the full Press Release / Retail locations, reviews & comments
A.C.O.R.N. ENCOURAGES NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION THROUGH ITS HISTORIC TAX CREDIT SERVICE ©
Typically utilized as a tool for developers for large, commercial renovation projects such as Tobacco Row or Rocketts Landing, historic tax credits can also greatly benefit the individual home owner renovating a historic structure for a residence. A.C.O.R.N.'s Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Service © helps people navigate the 3-Part application process. Most of the large projects in Richmond have utilized Historic Tax Credits and the small developer or homeowner can use this very same tool. READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY » Not only do historic tax credits provide a tax benefit to the user, the economic impact in the state of Virginia since the inception of the program in 1998, has been enormous. A new brochure has been published by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources quantifying the impact of the historic tax credit. The new booklet, Prosperity Through Preservation quantifies the total economic benefit to the Commonwealth to be $1,519 MILLION! To say the Historic Tax Credit Program has been a success is an understatement.
Clearly the numbers show that preservation of our historic architecture pays. If you have questions about how the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Program works, feel free to call A.C.O.R.N. staff at 804-644-5040 or send us an email: info@richmondneighborhoods.org
