Approaching Church Hill, as most do, coming from downtown or the interstate, there's some drama in the geography that gives you the impression you are on to something special. Climbing up from Shockoe Bottom, Church Hill strikes you as a town unto itself. The architecture changes, and you feel the sense of history that is so unbelievably rich. You drive up Broad Street … [Read more...]
Hidden Richmond
As a native Richmonder, some of the city's streets and neighborhoods just hold a special place. Many of my favorite spots were discovered years ago as a kid on bicycle. A bike could often take you places you couldn't get to if you didn't have a reason to be there. The short stretch of Rugby Road and Sunset Avenue overlooking the Carillon is pretty impressive. The homes … [Read more...]
What Does It Mean to be Renovated?
"Renovated in 2010" or "Recently Renovated" are terms you see in many remarks in MLS. It is my experience that they can mean vastly different things depending on your point of view. My background in Interior Design influences how I help clients evaluate just how valuable (or invaluable) a renovation can be. Renovations, in the eye of the purist, usually are defined by the … [Read more...]
Why I LOVE Cary Street Road
I adore Cary Street Road and the neighborhoods that surround it. It always makes me proud to drive out-of-towners along this fabulous corridor connecting River Road to Carytown. Watching their expressions and hearing them pause in whatever conversation they were engaged in as we drive beneath the canopy of century old oaks never fails to make me appreciate the power of that … [Read more...]
Moving Back to the East
Richmond has, at least since the 1960's, developed west at a much greater pace than east. The neighborhoods that comprise what we think of as 'Downtown' suffered greatly as the population moved towards the suburban developments in western Henrico and Chesterfield during the latter half of the 20th Century. The recent (2000 to present day) adaptive re-use projects in the … [Read more...]