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Plan to Sell Armory Rejected
City Council nixes proposed sale of the Jackson Ward site for use as apartments
BY WILL JONES
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Saturday, September 16, 2006
The historic, vacant Leigh Street Armory in Jackson Ward will stay that way for a while longer.
Richmond City Council voted 7-2 this week to nix a proposed sale of the building at 122 W. Leigh Street.
Mayor L. Douglas Wilder had recommended transferring the property for $200,000 to Leigh Street Associates, which planned to invest nearly $1.6 million and turn it into 10 apartments.
"Converting it to just another apartment-building renovation just wasn't doing the history of the building, and what it stands for, justice," said City Councilman William J. Pantele, who opposed the sale.
The armory was built for the 1st Battalion, Virginia Volunteers Infantry in 1895 and was later used by African-American troops during the Spanish-American War and as a school for blacks.
Pantele said many residents of Jackson Ward believe the building's future use should reflect its historical significance.
Larry Shifflett, a principal with Leigh Street Associates, said that goal is laudable but he questioned whether it's realistic. He said he and his partners tried to accommodate the community's desires by incorporating historical exhibits and a plaque in their plans.
"The biggest issue is there is no money to do a museum," he said.
City Councilmen E. Martin Jewell and Chris A. Hilbert voted against the motion to reject the sale. Jewell said he worries about the armory continuing to deteriorate. He sees little chance that churches or organizations in the black community will come up with money to save it.
"I spent five years of my life trying to develop that building," Jewell said. "Right now, our institutions are at the weakest point in my lifetime, and I'm 61 years old."
The armory had been damaged by a fire and neglected for years until the city took steps to stabilize the structure in 2001. The city eventually spent $1.5 million on roofing, masonry work and other repairs.
It's unclear when or if the city will request another round of proposals. City spokesman Linwood Norman released a statement from Wilder yesterday. "The city administration had tried to sell it. The City Council rejected it, and it now stands where it stands."
Members of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church in Jackson Ward lobbied City Council against the sale. The Rev. Tyrone Nelson said the issue resonated with church members because this year marks the 50th anniversary of the fight to avoid the church's demolition as Interstate 95 was being routed through Richmond.
"It just comes down to principle for us," he said. "This building has been used in the community since [1895]."
Pantele said he believes the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia in Jackson Ward might have an interest in the armory. But Stacy Burrs, president of the board of trustees, said the museum is focused on maintaining the buildings it has and finding an executive director.
"We've talked about it in board meetings," Burrs said of the armory. "No one has expressed any interest in pursuing it right now."
This week's vote marks the second time in the past six years that City Council has rejected a deal to sell the armory for residential use.
Pantele said another proposal that included community meeting space, offices and a theater was supported by the previous city administration and the Jackson Ward community. But "nothing ever came to council. It sat and languished."
Wilder's administration requested a new round of proposals last year, which resulted in the offer by Leigh Street Associates.
After Monday's vote, Pantele and City Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson introduced a proposed ordinance that would require input from council members and civic groups when city administrators are considering proposals for the sale of surplus properties with "special interest," such as the armory.
"You don't just take a check" for those buildings, Pantele said. "Because once a building like this is gone, it's gone."
Contact staff writer Will Jones at wjones@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6911.
This story can be found at: Times Dispatch Online