Default asphalt vs. cobblestone character in Union Hill

What do you smell on the spring breeze, Lookouts? Perhaps the sweet fragrance of tulips and daffodils, or the perfume of borderline-NSFW Bradford pear trees? Or maybe the aroma of raw sewage wafting from that mysterious black steam pipe in Chimborazo Park? In Union Hill, another scent is in the air: fresh asphalt. It’s paving season in the East End, people.

A review of the paving plan published by Richmond’s Department of Public Works (DPW) indicates that the East End is slated for four road refinishing projects in 2025, highlighted in blue on the chart below. According to The Lookout’s trusty office abacus, the projected cost of this roadwork tallies to $2,060,320. That’s if the forecast holds, which, y’know, TBD.

Crews laid down new asphalt on N. 25th St. a couple weeks ago, though when I checked Thursday morning, they’d yet to line the crosswalks and such. Other streets throughout Union Hill have been prepped for resealing in a process called “heat scarification”—sort of an in-place recycling/refurbishment process of the existing pavement. So if you’ve been wondering what the deal is with the not-quite-milled, not-quite-sealed surface on, say, N. 23rd St., well, that’s the deal.

I’ve yet to meet somebody who thinks the East End’s roads don’t need to be improved. As a cyclist myself, I’m stoked to cruise some of this primo new pavement. But some street-savvy residents are concerned that DPW’s paving plan doesn’t make unequivocal accommodations to preserve the area’s many historic road features.

“For a number of streets designated in the DPW paving map, adding an asphalt overtop would violate city policy stating that ‘historic features, such as existing cobblestone crosswalks, streets, and alleys should be preserved and restored,’” Ed Fendley, a neighborhood advocate and member of The Coalition for A Safer Jefferson Avenue, told The Lookout earlier this year.

Ryan Kolb, president of the Union Hill Civic Association (UHCA) echoed that concern, noting that those features add to the neighborhood’s historic character. He told The Lookout he had struggled to get a firm commitment from DPW that it wouldn’t seal Union Hill’s remaining historic streetscaping beneath layers of nondescript asphalt. “Burton St., for example, it’s cobblestone,” yet it’s marked for paving on DPW’s map, he said in a phone interview earlier this year, before the project began. Jefferson Ave. isn’t marked, even though it was repaved. Though the department had provided him some pat assurance that it didn’t intend to pave the street’s cobblestones, Kolb was concerned about the map’s meaning. “If you can leave [Jefferson Ave.] off [the map], why wouldn't you leave off Burton Street?”

The Lookout contacted DPW about its plans for preserving Union Hill’s historic street features. The department declined to make an official available for a phone interview, but in a series of email exchanges, spokesperson Paige Hairston offered a bit more information on its preservation protocols. “DPW makes every attempt to retain the historic and cultural integrity of the infrastructure and neighborhood that is being improved,” she said. “A paving inspector is always on-site, and both the inspector and contractor have been clearly informed/trained to respect the historic nature of the streets.”

The city also commissions a third-party vendor every four years to produce a database with “detailed street condition information” that it uses to flag key features with its paving contractors, but The Lookout was unable to gain access to it before publication to compare it with the UHCA’s own block-by-block list of more than 60 instances of granite cobblestones and asphalt paver blocks (like the ones on N. 24th St., for example). Hairston told me I’d have to file a public-records request for it because “retrieving the specific data you’re asking for will require additional research.”

While I fire up ye olde Lookout FOIA machine, the paving in Union Hill and throughout the East End continues apace. Here’s hoping everything goes to plan and no historic cobblestones get covered with asphalt overlays. Forget the Bradford pears—that would really stink.

📜 Possum Poetry

Possum Poetry is original verse written exclusively for The Lookout by Penelope Poubelle, the Lookout’s litter critter-at-large. If you spot roadside trash you’d like her to immortalize in doggerel, email a photo to [email protected]. All submissions anonymous!

🗳️ Pick the East End’s People’s Budget projects

They say “all politics is local,” but even they probably didn’t imagine a world in which you could cast your ballot for neighborhood infrastructure improvements and new social amenities with the click of a mouse. And yet, here we are. Online voting for the projects to be funded by the inaugural Richmond People’s Budget (RPB)—a citywide campaign that asks rank-and-file Richmonders to decide how to invest $3 million into their communities—went live Tuesday, and runs through April 15th. (Thanks to Lookout Meighan W. for reminding me!)

Each citizen gets three votes, and the 7th District has nine potential projects for you to choose between. In no particular order, they are:

What grabs you? I’m personally partial to the bus-stop upgrades and the urban canopy planting, but I’d be thrilled with basically any of these options. The 7th District’s RPB ballot is here, with instructions on how to cast yours at that link or in the video above.

While all these projects have potential, don’t get your hopes up just yet. When Mayor Danny Avula revealed his first official city budget in late March, it included no earmarked funds for the RPB. Hizzoner’s statement on that, as reported by The Richmonder:

That sounds like “adjust your expectations” to me. But hey, maybe I’m being too pessimistic. Regardless, voting on the 7th District’s RPB options is free, so may as well do it and see where the dust settles after polling closes later this month.

🥪 Chimbo Sandwich Shoppe soon come

There are signs of spring and sandwiches on the 2700 block of E. Marshal St., where the forthcoming Chimbo Sandwich Shoppe is putting the finishing touches on its makeover of the old 8 ½ Church Hill location. Your humble Lookout editor stopped by earlier today to snap this photo and say hello to co-owner Austin Curtis, who says the shop is more or less ready to open as soon as city officials give it the green light.

The remodel looks great—expect black tin ceilings, woodgrain dining counters in both windows, and a bit more elbow room overall than the dearly departed pizza joint. Follow Chimbo Sandwich Shoppe on Instagram and keep your fingers crossed for its (hopefully) imminent opening in time for the kickoff of picnic-in-the-park season.

📢 Happenings on The Hill

• Creative kids: The folks at Coflow on Jefferson Ave. are hosting a Spring Break Gallery Show tonight, showcasing artwork from children in the neighborhood. Stroll by and support the tomorrow’s greats! Details here. 

• Late-night karaoke: Friend Bar’s monthly Graveyard Shift kicks off tonight at 9pm; the undiscovered and under-the-influence begin belting it out at 10pm. See you there?

• Dig in: The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is looking for volunteers to plant ~20 trees at Bill Robinson Park tomorrow (4/5) from 9am-12pm. Sign up, shovelers!

• Spoke support: Join Spokes for The Fall Line on a group ride in support of the city’s current plan for the inter-city trail. They’re leaving from Libby Hill Park House Wednesday (4/9) at 4:20pm, and headed to a key public meeting at RPD Academy from 5-7pm. Backstory here, registration here.

Happenings on The Hill is a digital bulletin board for events, causes, and other items of interest to East Enders that don’t necessarily merit full editorial treatment. Got something for a future edition? Email the relevant details, links, etc. to [email protected] for consideration!

📸 A Very CHill Photo

Want to share your Very CHill Photo from the neighborhood? Email it to [email protected] with your name as you’d like it to appear for publication, and the camera you shot it on.