Carver neighborhood divided over proposed development
The final vote by city council to approve the development of a 163-unit housing facility in the historic Carver neighborhood, on the 1200 block of W. Marshall Street, has been set for Oct. 24.

Carver resident, Khalifah Ali, has lived in the neighborhood for 10 years and cited parking issues as being his main concern with Gilbane's proposal. Photo by Kyle Laferriere,
Mechelle Hankerson
News Editor

The final vote by city council to approve the development of a 163-unit housing facility in the historic Carver neighborhood, on the 1200 block of W. Marshall Street, has been set for Oct. 24.
Gilbane Building Company (who developed the new 540-bed 8 1/2 Canal St. apartments on Canal Street) initially proposed the project to have 477 units and 895 bedrooms but changed their proposal to the current 163-unit and 498-bedroom plan in light of Carver neighborhood residents’ reactions.
Andy Condlin, Gilbane’s local representative, said the company is currently still revising the proposal in an effort to respond to residents’ and city officials’ concerns.
The city’s Planning Commission voted 4-3 on July 18 against Gilbane’s proposal and had previously rejected negotiations on the size of the project. City councilman Charles R. Samuels, who represents the Carver neighborhood, opposed the project along with the Carver Area Civic Improvement League (CACIL) and Mayor Dwight C. Jones’ administration.
Critics of the project don’t want to set a precedent of development in the mostly single-family home area. Supporters say that the project could generate tax revenue that a VCU residence hall would not create.
Condlin said that Gilbane liked the location of the lot because of its proximity to both VCU and Virginia Union University and because the proposed building could provide a good transition between the more business-driven Broad Street and the residential atmosphere of the Carver neighborhood.
“It’s not 100 percent wonderful,” said CACIL president Margaret Rush. “At least as it currently stands, (the project) is very large.”
Rush said that most Carver residents are concerned about parking availability, which has been a problem in the neighborhood for almost 20 years.
Khalifah Ali, who has lived in the Carver neighborhood for 10 years, said he likes some parts of the project, but his main concern is the potential for the building to create more no-parking zones.
According to Rush, some residents are also worried about losing natural sunlight to the building’s size.
“I know some of the … (residents) that have lived here their entire lives would really prefer to see single-family housing on the lot,” Rush said.
However, the lot that Gilbane is looking to develop is not zoned for single-family homes. According to Rush, residents would have to first convince the city to change the zoning and then convince a developer to build single-family homes.
“I don’t think they would find developers who will build, and I don’t think developers will find buyers who want to buy single-family homes that face the back side of the Siegel Center,” Rush said.
The complex would have more bedrooms per acre than any other multifamily development in Carver, which is zoned to include two VCU dorms, Broad and Belvidere and Ackell dorms.
Gilbane was hoping to have approval in time to finish construction and be open by fall 2012.
Rush said she doesn’t completely oppose the project but thought the proposal could stand to be improved to better fit the community.
“(The lot) is currently mostly gravel and broken glass surrounded by a chain-link fence. It’s not attractive,” she said. “It’s not helping the neighborhood. I think if the right building and the right tenants came into the building, it would be good for the whole neighborhood.”