The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-26
MOVES TO CONDEMN
P0ST0ff|ct ADDITION
Papers In Proceedings Are Filed BY
Assistant q. S. Attorney Smith
In District Court
MAY GET HEARING IN OCTOBER
Regarded as Unlikely That Effort Will
Be Made to Have Special Term.
Auditing Property Owners May
Claim Damages BY Narrow Street

Papers have been filed by Assistant
NJ. Smith In the ONCE of the cle-k II
the United States District Court ne-
ginning the proceedings for condo n
ration Of the property on Eleventh
Street from Main to Bank as the site
Tor additional postoffice facilities FOR
Richmond. The proceedings Will he
In the United States District Cour,
before Judge Waddill. who will prob
al ly take up the matter at the next
ERIN Of the court here, In October.
1t Is possible that a special session
of the court may be held for the de-
termination of the value of the prop
erty and for the assessment of such
damages as may be claimed by abut-
ting property owners. n number o!
whom are understood to feel that the
narrowing Of Eleventh Street by the
oeding Of fifteen feet Of the street by
the city to the Federal government
will decrease tie value OF their prop
erty. Though special term may be
held 1t is believed that the matter
will not be taken up until the next
regular term, as II is said to be one
In which there Is at this time no real
need for hurry
s45o,000 Is Appropriation.
The filing of the papers by Mr.
Smith Is the first definite step towN RI
realizing additional postofice facilities
at the main postoffice at P;chm ond
The action OF the district attorneys
offlce follows the action Of Congress
In appropriating for Richmond
postal needs $3.50. 900 for additional
building spaoe for the city's rapidly
posto1 h,,s
When the question OF additional
postofffce facilities was brought up
more than a year and a half ago the
property on Eleventh Street between
Main and Bank Streets, adjoining the
Federal building was offered to the
government for s612. 500, This prop
erty popularity known as the A.
Beirne Blair property, was held for q
time at that figure. 1t being stated that
an Office building of twenty-five
stories WAS planned.
Representative Monta que III Sena-
tors Martin and Swanson succeed ID in
getting an appropriation of $3.50, 00G
through Congress to be used in the
purchase of q site for an addition &C
the Federal building or for a new
postoffice building. There came then
q series of bitches in Richmond
Some were due TO differences Of opin.
ion as to location Of the postoff1ce and
these were threshed out in meetin gs
OF various civic and business organ
izations. There were numerous in
spections OF sites, public hearings and
conferences. In the end the appro-
pr!ation Of $4,000 stood. and that
was all. and II was specifically for
use in the purchase OF Eleventh and
Main. II has been stated recently
that the Blair property may be bought
for postoffice purposes at figure
within the appropriation.
Just what the property It worth, in
the opinion of appraisers to be named
BY Judge waddili for the Federal gov
ernment and for the property owners
will be determined bv condemnation
proceedings as will also Just how
much aoutting property is damaged
by the narrowing Of Eleventh Street
The city governm emit agreed to cede &c
the United States fifteen feet Of the
street in the event the Eleventh and
Main site was decided upon.