The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-03
'D|DNOT BUY WHEN
LAND WAS CHEAP
Finance Committee Now Urges
City to Condemn Strip That
Splits William Byrd Park.
IMPROVEMENTS UNDER WAY
Administrative Board Also Asked
to Stop Work Until Matter
Is Concluded.


y Condemnation by the city of the en-
tire tract now dividing william Byrd
2 Park into two sections. was recon-
mended by tho Council Committee on
Finance yesterday afternoon. By reso-
luton the committee requested the Adj
administrative Board TO defer the fur
ther grading OF streets In this prop
erty until the matter OF condemnation
has been disposed OF. for. IL the city
acquire ii. IL will be used for park
purposes. and fhe streets now being
graded would be n detriment rather
than All Improvement
Members OF the Finance Committee
admit that they are themselves much
TO blamc in this matter. The city could
have acquired the property at a rea-
sonablc price any time within the past
WENT years. and has from time to
time deferred action until tAe price
mas no doubt materially advanced. Now
mat improvements are being made and
streets cut through, the committee feels
that the time has to act. and
that the city must acquire the prop
erty, even though it has 10 borrow
money TO accomplish 1t. The tract is
Just back of the reservoir. and nbso-
lutely divides the nursery section OF
the big park from the newer part
known as the Shield Lake. which VIII
become. when improved much the most
peautiful and attractive section OF the
park.
Think Board Was Precipitnte.
Although IL is admitted that the Adj
mihistrative Board is within it's legal
rights in awarding the contract for
grading Chestnut and other streets in
inns tract some members OF the com
Hittee seemed to think that it had been
precipitate In ordering the grading OF
THESE streets in section where there
are no houses, to aid certain citizens
IN real estate speculation. when mud
i'm
provements and when the Admins
trative Board itself admits that il has
not sufficient street funds TO pave
Broad Street or to make other much
needed improvements.
The section in question Is nm oblopu
tract four city blocks long and just
onc block wide, pushing it's way
through the park, but having no out
lie, TO city streets or car lines save by
The park driveways. The four acres
nearest the reservoir belong to stan
hope Boiling. The remaining thirteen
acres are what is known as the Pol
lard tract. and belonged for many years
10 the Misses Pollard. Ever since he
has been III Office City Engineer Boil
ing has persistently urged that the
city acquire the property for the pro
lection OF the park He went so far az
10 secure options and lay them before
the Finance Committee several years
ago. but no action was ever taken. IL
:
could have acquired the Stanhope Boil
inR block for $4,000. The Pollard tract
WAS offered the city for $4,000. and
II was intlmated could he bought for
$4,000. or $1,000 per acre
New Syndicate Buys Property.
About a year ana a half ago H. NJ
smith, Jr. Gilbert *. Pollock, Field
Wilbon and others formed a syndicate
under the name of the William Byrd
: Realty Corporation. and purchased the
Pollard tract of thirteen acres The
city having failed to take up the OPP
tions make any move toward Sc
curing the property for park purposes,
they announced their intention of i'm
proving IL and dividing il into city
lots for building purposes. all houses
10 face Oh the park.
Grades were adopted by the Council
for the streets. Stanhope Boiling join
ing with his new neiehbors in plans
Tor the development OF the tract. Chest
nut Road was then narrow roadway
running along the western line of the
property. The company dedicated land
20 widen IL TO forty feet dedicated
twenty feet on the east. and the city
dedicated twenty feet OF park land TO
open similar roadway along the
eastern side of the tract, and the com
pany dedicated To the city land to open
three cross streets. all OF which was
accepted by the City Council in June
1912. In March 1912. the Council. by
Joint resolution, directed the Commit
tee on Streets to construct sewer
for the property. To cost $500 con-
recting with the Virginia Avenue sewer
below Shields Lake Water mains have
also been laid
offered to Advance the Money.
Last summer Messrs Smith and Pol
lock, representing the William Byrd
Realty Corporation. appeared before
the Finance Committee. Offering to adj
vance $4,000 to grade and improve the
streets in the tract, in order that the