RICHMOND IST ANGETRETE!

oh, nuts, there I go again shrieking panic in German. Hey, I do that once in a while, you should be used to it, by now.

You are probably also used to my belief that the City on the James is the loveliest and happiest city in the world. It is, and if you don't agree with me, you can just f*** off. Part of what makes Richmond wonderful is its lovely architecture. Naturally, the capital of the oldest and most genteel state in the Confederacy...er, Union...would be impressive, but Richmond is not an especially large city. It is, however, a gracious city of pretty houses and quiet charm. Its downtown area was never the most impressive in the country, but it was possessed of a slew of very well-done buildings that complimented the serene Capitol Square and continued the theme of grace and beauty.

There is a Main Street, which encompasses the financial district, but it is by no means the main street of the city. That honor has gone to Broad Street for the last century and a half. Despite Grace street and its--well, gracious--stores, churches and homes, the grandeur of Franklin street and the big banking houses of Main street, it is Broad street that has my heart. I love Broad street's bustle and neon lights. I loved the big movie houses, when they were still around. I loved the traffic, and I loved the fact that even though the streetcars were gone, their right-of-way had been replaced by a median lined with crepe myrtles, which are surely the most beautiful tree in the world.

And yet, the Commonwealth wants to do away with one of the last bits of old Broad. Worse, it wants to kill part of Capitol Square itself in the deal. The lovely Hotel Richmond, which faces Jefferson's Capitol building, and the Hotel Murphy, at 8th and Broad, are endangered. These are beautiful hotel buildings typical of the ebullient turn-of-the-last-century. There is nothing left in Baltimore that can compare; only one or two in Philadelphia, and one or two poor imitations in Washington. Norfolk had one competitor, but it was destroyed years ago. We must save the two old hotels, or Richmond runs the risk of becoming just another mid-sized city. Our city's character has already been compromised, but the loss of these buildings is another nail in a coffin that's perilously near burial.

Here is a copy of the letter that I just emailed to the Mayor, the former Governor Wilder:

Dear Mayor Wilder:
As a native Baltimorean, but a onetime resident of Richmond, I applaud your support of the preservation of the Hotel Murphy and the Hotel Richmond.
I hope to move back to Richmond at some point. My days there were wonderful and I find the city among the most beautiful and pleasant I have ever seen. The city's spectacular historic buildings represent a large part of my love for Richmond.
The destruction of many of Broad Street's commercial buildings--e.g., Thalhimers (my onetime employer), the Colonial Theatre, Murphy's, and Woolworth's (which also had historic significance as part of the civil rights movement) has greatly diminished the character of downtown Richmond. Yet, there is still a wealth of beautiful and significant structures. The Murphy and the Richmond are high on that list. The Murphy is one of the last buildings that represents the character of Broad Street as it was years ago; the Richmond is an integral aspect of Capitol Square. A well-planned and sensitive restoration and redevelopment of these buildings would add a much-needed impetus to the rebirth of downtown Richmond. Their loss, on the other hand, would remove not only two beautiful buildings, but part of the city's character and charm. If they are destroyed, the city takes one more step to becoming just another generic place.
As a case in point, Baltimore destroyed the lovely old Southern Hotel a few years ago. At the same time, planners clamored for a new hotel downtown. That beautiful hotel could have been reclaimed and could have been the centerpiece of new and productive development. Yet, it was destroyed, and a parking lot occupies its footprint. Richmond could benefit from adaptive reuse of the Murphy and Richmond as hotels, as office space, or as educational facilities.
I implore you, as a former--and hopefully a future--resident of Richmond, to continue working to preserve the old hotel buildings. They are part of the fabric of the city and could only serve to benefit the City and its people.
Yours sincerely,
Daniel Gibbs