It was a jazz thing B2
Richmond Free Press © 2024 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
VOL. 33 NO. 33
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
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Meet this week’s Personality B1
AUGUST 15-17, 2024
Regina H. Boone Richmond Free Press
Courtesy VUU
Virginia Union University President Hakim J. Lucas responds to and the audience at a meeting about the school’s plans to build a housing development on the grounds of the former Richmond Community Hospital building. Left, a rendering of part of VUU’s multimillion-dollar plan to construct apartments on its campus. A part of the former Richmond Community Hospital is seen to the far left in this design.
Historic hospital’s fate hangs in balance as debate continues By George Copeland Jr.
Plans for the partial demolition of Richmond Community Hospital, the city’s first Black hospital, were met with mixed reactions last Thursday as Virginia Union University and developers unveiled details of a multimillion-dollar housing project during a community meeting. VUU officials and developers presented housing information and renderings during a community discussion at the Claude G. Perkins Living and Learning Center to a crowd of about 100
people, leading to condemnation and celebration from some attendees. “If the community sees that building destroyed, it would be devastating,” said Viola Baskerville of the Save Community Hospital group. “The community is not against development, it is against demolition.” The renderings included plans for incorporating the hospital building, first opened in the 1930s to provide medical care to African Americans. The building’s front, cornerstone and sign would be part of one of two six-story buildings at the site. A
total of 200 housing units would be built in its place at the site, with bricks from the former hospital also incorporated into the construction. An additional 100 housing units will be part of a mixed-use development project, called Gateway North, at the corner of Brook Road and Lombardy Street. The Brook/Overbrook project will be handled by the Steinbridge Group, while the Hanson Company will handle the Brook/Lombardy project. Please turn to A4
Mayor Stoney pushes back against ‘dysfunction’ claims, lauds city employees By George Copeland Jr.
Amid escalating controversy and widespread criticism, both inside and outside city government, Mayor Levar M. Stoney took the stage at City Hall on Wednesday morning and made an effort to clear the air during a press conference. “There have been some who said that we have not been transparent enough or visible enough,” Stoney said. “I wanted to call this press conference to answer your questions and to correct the record.” The press conference followed months of reports of misconduct among City employees and questions about the meals tax, and the state of local government and its operations. Stoney, while conceding room for improvement in City government, defended his administration’s commitment to accountability and excellence and expressed frustration with criticism
of their work. “Frankly, I’m tired of people shit-talking my city,” Stoney said. When it came to the misuse of procurement cards by City employees, Stoney stressed that these incidents accounted for 1% of the 336 employees that have one, the rest of whom are “in good standing.” He also said that work to address meals tax issues is underway. Stoney also celebrated the work of City employees, from the Procurement Department’s Achievement of Excellence in Procurement award from the National Procurement Institute to the work of the Department of Public Utilities to modernize operations and serve the public. “Despite what some might say, our Procurement Department is top-notch,” Stoney said, “and I will not let the poor judgment of some define the work of all of these employees. Period.”
While the press conference was meant to quell concerns over the state of City government, issues still remain. Stoney confirmed during a Q&A session that followed that multiple employees in the Department of Finance were recently fired but didn’t provide further specifics. Stoney also challenged the characterization of City Hall as dysfunctional and in need of the major changes presented by candidates for City Council earlier in the week, seeing their comments as part of their campaigns for office. “Richmond is better than it was a decade ago,” Stoney said. “Not just the people in general or just the city in general, City Hall is better than it was 10 years ago. That’s a fact.” Mayor Levar M. Stoney called a press conference Wednesday at City Hall to defend his record. Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Incarcerated fathers and daughters reunite at a dance in Netflix doc By Lindsey Bahr The Associated Press
Netflix
These images show Aubrey Smith in a scene from “Daughters.” Below from left, are Donte Brooks, Allan James, Leonard Smith and Jeffrey Saunders.
Angela Patton has devoted her career to listening to the needs of young girls. Over a decade ago, the CEO of the nonprofit Girls For a Change and founder of Camp Diva Leadership Academy helped start a program in Richmond, that created a daddy-daughter dance for girls whose fathers are in prison. The “Date With Dad” idea wasn’t hers, however. It came from a 12-year-old Black girl. The popularity of a 2012 TEDWomen talk about the initiative, which has been viewed over 1 million times, had many filmmakers clamoring to tell the story. But she didn’t feel anyone was right until Natalie Rae came along. “Natalie actually made the effort and put the energy in to come to visit with me, to meet the families that I have worked Please turn to A4
Businesses and volunteers rally to support students’ back-to-school needs Free Press staff report
Last week, the Seventh Annual Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive brought together community leaders, volunteers and business partners to ensure students are prepared for the upcoming academic year.
Since its inception,the drive, held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, has distributed over 112,000 backpacks to Richmond school students. This year’s event was supported by Estes Express Lines, Packaging Corporation Please turn to A4
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
CoStar Group colleagues Keenan Winston, left, and Neri Stephenson team up with hundreds of volunteers to pack over 39,000 backpacks for Richmond Public Schools students during the seventh annual Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive on Aug. 8 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.