The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-08
CITY MAY SECURE
COLLEGE LIBRARY
Boiling Suggests Plan in Con
ncction With Opening Of
Grace Street.
WILL SOON BE ABANDONED
Council Subcommittee Favors
Accepting Street-Collcgc
Anxious to Sell Lots.

The library building OF the Rich
mond College group may be secured by
the city as starting point for n pub
lie library when the college moves tc
its new home Mt Northampton. The
idea was suggested to n subcommittee
of the Council Committee on Streets
by City Engineer Charles T.. Boiling
yesterday, and will be laid before the
trustees of the college shortly.
The committee was called TO con
slider proposition from the college
with regard to opening Grace street
Expecting TO abandon its present loca-
ton within two years, when its new
plant is ready. the college proposes to
divide it into city lots. and put #
on the general market. 1t has offered
TO dedicate TO the city the land to open
Grace Street from Ryland 10 LON
hardy Streets. together with land fo,
two parallel alleys. If the city will
undertake TO grade the street. lay
curbfng, pave with asphalt block. ana
provide sewerage water and ga,
pipes. The total cost to the city OF
the improvements contemplated is es-
timated by City Engineer Boiling at
s22,431.9T.
Now Pays No Taxes.
The entire tract is exempt from taxa
ton so long as il is used for college
purposes, but becomes taxable i'm
mediatcly on It's subdivision or sale;
and when built up, will yield the city
handsome revenue In taxes. In Or
der to raise money to carry on its
building operations. the college pro-
poses that the first 500 feet OF Greco
Street westward from Ryland Street he
opened at once, so that lots may be sold
the street to be cut through to LON
hardy when the college moves and the
buildings are vacated
In explaining plan for the opening
or Grace Street, prepared in his office,
MI. Boiling called attention to the pos
sibility OF securing the present col
leEe library for city purposes.
The older or northern wing OF the
main college building was burned two
years ago, and has not been restored.
The southern wing is the newer part
OF the structure, and is represented as
being substantial three-story build
ing, now used as the college library
and museum. The central tower. which
formerly connected the two wings of
the building, is In the direct limo OF
Grace street. and will have to be re-
moved when the street is opened
through.
Would Be Torn Down.
The college had expected To wreck
all OF its buildings save the Broad
Street dormitory, which for the pres
mond Academy. Mr.. Boiling suggest
ed that the college might, in view OF
the contemplated improvements. turn
over the library building to the city
at the market price OF the land used
fronting on Grace Street: that new
entrance could be built and the build
Ing remodelled as IL library at small
cost, and be ample for the city's needs
for some years to come.
Robert y. Pollard, who represented
the college, said he would lay the mat :
ter before the trustees. He was not
authorized 10 speak in regard to the
use OF the building. He understood
that it had been planned to tear il
down and sell the lot, the college hop
ing to realize 5000 per foot for It's
Grace Street frontage, and he though,
If the city would buy sufficient
stretch at that figure, the college
would turn over the building on va
eating it, without further damage.
For the rest, after the clause re-
curing the city to pay for sidewalks
on both sides of Grace Street had been
eliminated, the committee REACHED a
practical agreement to report TO the
Street Committee next Monday after
noon accepting the offer