Developer optimistic that downtown Petersburg green entertainment venue is still doable
PETERSBURG – A city developer who wants to establish an entertainment green-space in the downtown area said Wednesday he was not disheartened by City Council balking at his proposal to vacate a section of a little-traveled street.
“It’s a conversation we’re engaged in and will continue to be engaged in,” Dave McCormack, owner of Waukeshaw Development, said after his latest effort to close off the River Street portion failed to garner much council support Wednesday afternoon. McCormack attributed that to an overall lack of clear understanding about what he envisions for the spot he likens to Richmond’s Brown Island, a green entertainment venue on the James River.
For the second time in less than three weeks, council has rejected McCormack’s proposal to vacate River Street between Third and Fifth streets along the Appomattox River. That would allow him to develop the property he owns into what he termed “Petersburg’s Brown Island.”
At its Feb. 21 meeting, council voted to defeat the request. Wednesday afternoon, the issue died when Ward 5 Councilor Howard Myers’ motion to approve it was not properly seconded.
Vice Mayor Darrin Hill leads the opposition to the request. Hill said he was not against having the venue down there, but he does not want to see a public right-of-way vacated for it. For him, the main issue is ensuring unfettered public-safety access for Petersburg’s emergency personnel.
“We’ll be willing to close it off for your events. But we don’t want to close it right now,” Hill told McCormack.
McCormack said that portion of River Street is very lightly traveled and closing it to vehicular traffic would not create any bottlenecks on adjacent roads such as Bollingbrook Street. Events his group has sponsored there, including the Independence Day fireworks show last July, were viewed as a litmus test for possibly rerouting traffic, and McCormack said it passed the test.
McCormack said temporary closures were not a deal-breaker for future events, but vacating the right-of-way completely ensures better control over access on and off the property. When events are not happening, McCormack said, people often drive onto the property and use it to dump old mattresses and other garbage.
“This happens in so many other localities,” McCormack said about green entertainment spaces. “We should have the ability to include Petersburg.”
Hill suggested the city increase police patrols and Public Works Department visits to keep the area safe and clean.
His refusal to budge on the idea seemed to perplex Myers, who made the unsuccessful motion to vacate the street. Myers said establishing the venue does not automatically cut off public-safety access should it be needed.
“What’s the difference?” he asked Hill. “Safety vehicles can still get over there.”
“Personally, I want to see us police it more,” Hill replied.
After the meeting, Hill maintained in a conversation with The Progress-Index that the access issue remains his top concern for not supporting the request. He did indicate, though, that he was open to the possibility of re-visiting the possible closure.
“Maybe if they wanted to do something seasonal,” he said.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on Twitter at @BAtkinson_PI.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg council rejects request to vacate street for green venue
