Vincent Stephenson lives in a neighborhood where some people would be afraid to buy a house, let alone sink a lot of money into remodeling one. But Stephenson has spent much of the past year adding to his Sixth Street home in the heart of Richmond's Iron Triangle, refurbishing the kitchen and transforming what had been a flimsy sun room into an extended living room. Much of the family's furniture has been moved into storage so new floors can be laid. Here, the project draws stares and questions. In a part of town where gunshots can be heard at night and prostitutes stroll the street, expensive remodeling jobs are not the norm.
Neighbors wander by and wonder.
Friends from other communities ask why he stays. But most of the time, the neighborhood's problems are at the periphery of the family's life. If the alarm goes off, it's because they did something wrong, Stephenson says. In fact, the couple's whole life shows how misleading the reputation of the Triangle can be. Stephenson owns a growing janitorial and maintenance business.