3416 Semmes Ave - Before and After

Today we have a contribution from a reader named Richard with a great picture of his wife's grandfather's Service Station:

"3416 Semmes Avenue at the triangle where Forest Hill Ave (ne Bainbridge St) and Semmes Ave meet. Currently the location of Coqui Cyclery.

This is my wife's grandfather, James H. Brown, at the first of his four service stations, and an unidentified employee.

Visible in the picture is Patrick Henry School (still in use) and the house at 3313 Semmes Avenue. Also visible in the picture are the power lines for the electric street car that ran on Semmes until 1949."

Here's what the building looks like in 2013:

VCU demolition update - Before and After, Part Deux

Here's an update to the third most viewed post on the site, Five buildings VCU will tear down next month. Those five buildings are long gone, as I posted about in an update entitled: VCU demolition update - Before and After.

Here is what the 1000 block of Floyd Av looks like as of March 2013, the soon to be VCU Academic Learning Commons at 1000 Floyd Ave:

Here are the buildings that used to stand on this block: The Baptist Student Union at 1000-1002 Floyd Ave, built in 1905:

Row houses at 102 (built in 1900), 104 (built in 1900) and 106 (built in 1910) North Linden Street:

109 North Harrison Street - Education Annex, built in 1954:

I-95 James River Bridge - 1958 construction

What better way to follow up yesterday's post, then a shot of the same bridge under construction from 6 years earlier?

Photo courtesy of VDOT

I-95 James River Bridge - Before and After

Here's an angle I'm sure most of us are very familiar with: The view from North I-95 as you cross the James River into downtown Richmond. Below is what it looked like nearly 50 years ago, and just 2 days ago. Interesting that from the 1964 skyline, I only see one constant building. West Hospital is another (for now, more on that in future posts), but it's hidden today.

1964:

2013:

1964 photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

400 Block of East Grace St - Before and After

Here's a shot of West Grace Street downtown from close to 40 years ago, and a modern comparison. Although all these stores are currently empty, there's a lot going on around this stretch of Grace Street these days with 525 at the Berry Burke, Pasture, and the Rappahannock Restaurant just a block or two away. The two main signs in the 1975 shot—Alan Furs and Rooke Dickerson Shoes—Are still there today, just painted over.

1975:

2012:

1975 photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

Corner of 14th and Canal St - Before and After

I love this old painted sign for the Phillips Lewis Company at the intersection of 14th Street, Canal Street and Cary Street. You can just barely see the faded remnants of it today behind the trees.

1970:

2012:

Top photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

3008 East Broad St - Before and After

Today we take a look at another success story: 3008 East Broad Street in Church Hill. It looked pretty rough in 1979, thankfully, it was saved.

Here's a quick before and after, scroll down for more detailed pics:

Here's a larger version of the 1979 image:

Here's a larger version of the 2012 image from a slightly different angle (the tree out front blocked too much if I used the '79 angle):

1979 photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

Shockoe Bottom - Before and After

Today we take a look at what was the Hampton-McCurdy House at 18th and Main St in Shockoe Bottom.

First up, early 1900s:

Here's how this same corner looks today:

Top photo courtesy of The Library of Congress

300 block of East Grace St - Before and After

1975:

2012:

1975 photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

Pohlig Box Factory - Before and After

Pohlig Box Factory, August 1973:

Pohlig Box Factory, June 2012:

Top photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

I-95 traffic - Hurricane Camille - August 1969

With Hurricane Sandy approaching, I dug out this great shot of the traffic backup resulting from Hurricane Camille's flooding of the South end of I-95 as it crosses the James River.

Also, check out an older post with an almost the same angle, from 12 years earlier in 1957.

Photo courtesy of The Library of Virginia's Virginia Governor's Negative Collection

Richmond skyline from I-95 - Before and After

Here's two shots of I-95 looking North towards the Richmond skyline. The first is probably from around 1960, the second 2012.

Click the photos below for the high resolution images.

John Marshall High School - Before and After

With the recent 1909-1960 John Marshall High School reunion, I figured I'd pull together a few pictures of the old building that resided at 8th and Marshall Streets in downtown Richmond (the "new" John Marshall High School is on Old Brook Rd in Richmond's north side).

"John Marshall High School opened in September 1909, even before it was completed, with grades 8-11. It was named for John Marshall (1755-1835), the eminent Virginia jurist and Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The school was located on the site that had been his garden; the John Marshall House still stands in the same block.

Ground was broken for this building on March 23, 1908; the cornerstone was laid on September 30, 1908 (its contents were turned over to the Valentine Museum in 1972). The annual report for the year ended July 31, 1909, includes a picture of John Marshall High School. The dedication events (December 9, 1909), spanning a day, attracted well over 1,200 persons and included parades, a chorus, and a 21­gun salute from the Richmond Howitzers as the flag was hoisted. The large three-story stone building had an impressive temple portico with four Doric columns and a 1,500-seat auditorium (but no gymnasium).

When John Marshall was conceived and built, it was considered the grandest, most expensive schoolhouse ever erected in the South. Local newspaper articles referred to it as "The People's University" because its planners intended it to be a higher education building for the great majority of people who were not privileged to attend high school and college at that time. John Marshall was said to have a prestige unequaled by any other public high school in the state.

John Marshall closed in June 1960, and the faculty and students were transferred to the new John Marshall High School on Old Brook Road. A School Board resolution of October 26, 1960, declared the building surplus to the City and stated: 'The building and grounds are a part of the Civic Center, and the abandonment of John Marshall to become a part of the Civic Center was one of the conditions that led in the building of the two new high schools...the John Marshall building is now located in an area that is primarily commercial, and therefore has become an undesirable site for a public high school..." The decision to demolish the old building met with some protest, but it was razed in September-October-November 1961; gavels made from its timbers were presented to School Board members in February 1962. The John Marshall Courts Building is now located on the site of the old John Marshall High School."

Click the photos below for the high resolution images. First up, a brand new John Marshall High School in 1910:

Next, four sad pictures of the demolition of the school in 1961:

Top photo courtesy of The Library of Congress, all other photos courtesy of VCU Libraries

2120 East Broad St - Before and After

Today we have a Before and After of 2120 East Broad Street in Church Hill. The building houses condos today, but it has a long history. From the National Register of Historic Places registration form for the St. John's Church Historic District, filed in 1990:

"Bellevue School, constructed in 1874, is an unusual surviving example of an early public school building. Located at the northwest corner of East Broad and North Twenty-Second streets, the one-story brick building with projecting front ell and recessed entrance arcade was originally a two-story structure before a hurricane removed the second story in 1950. The school has a brick water table, recessed brick panels featuring tall segmental-arched sash windows with brick label molds, and a simple brick cornice and parapet--the result of the removal of the second story. A one-story brick service building to the rear dates from 1905. The building served as Bellevue School until a new school was built at the corner of East Grace and Twenty-Sixth streets in 1914. The old school was converted into condominiums in 1978."

First up we have a shot of this building from 1977, looking abandoned. Click the photos below for the high resolution images.

Next up, 1978. The only real difference is that the For Sale sign is gone. I'm guessing this was right before renovations began? Anyone know more about the history of this building since 1978?

Here's the building in 2012, looking better than ever:

Top two photos courtesy of VCU Libraries

Engine Company No. 13 of the Richmond Fire Department - Before and After

I love when I can show three different eras for a Before and After. Today we can see the amazing engine house for Engine Company No. 13 of the Richmond Fire Department, on Bainbridge Street at 10th Street in Manchester during the early 20th century, 1960s and today. First up, what looks to be the 1920s. Click the photos below for the high resolution images.

Next up is a shot from December of 1963. The building still appears to be in use, with only some minor changes. The old stoplight is even still hanging in the intersection.

Unfortunately, here's how this intersection looked up until recently...the engine house is long gone, although part of the side wall remained.

As of July 2012, a block long apartment building is nearing completion where this engine house once stood. Much better than the empty lot, hopefully these apartments will fit in nicely with the neighborhood. With all the revitalization in Manchester, I can't help but wonder what the old engine house would have looked like as apartments or a house.

1920s photo courtesy of The Library of Virginia

1963 photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

Richmond Skyline from Church Hill - Before and After

Here's a Before and After of a pretty famous view: The skyline of Richmond from the end of East Grace St in Church Hill. First up, 1974. Click the photo below for the high resolution image.

Here's what this view looked like in February of 2011. Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or has the Bank of America building sunk a bit since 1974 (compared to City Hall)? Click the photo below for the high resolution image.

1974 photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

Richmond Canal Walk - Before and After

Back when the canal walk was being built there was a lot of talk about what a waste of money it was, how no one would ever come, etc etc. Well, I think this Before and After from 1998 and 2012 speaks volumes on the positive transformation of this part of downtown.

Top photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

2200 East Broad Street, Church Hill - Before and after

This has to be one of my favorite pictures that I've come across while doing this blog. This is the side of what I guess was a market at 2200 East Broad St in Church hill, circa 1966. Was this a market back then? Because it's a residence now. The full before and after shot is below. First up is a cropped version, centering on the signs and the two men sitting on the brick wall. LOVE this shot.

Next up is the full before and after version. While I like that this building has survived and looks fantastic today, I have to admit I miss the cool signs on the side of the building.

1966 photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

Before and After: 2100 East Broad Street

Today we have another great before and after from Sydney Jordan-Cooley, Lead Carpenter at Restoration Builders of Virginia. I'll let her tell the story:

"We just finished rebuilding a porch on Broad and 21st. The porch was long since gone, so for the reconstruction, we found a picture from 1916 at the Virginia Historical Society that proved there was a Victorian-ornate porch. The house is 2100 E Broad, so the picture, taken from the top of the Hill, couldn't tell us much more than the fact that there was a porch, it had corbels and a curved roof. Based on that, we built the porch (using materials salvaged from a porch ripped off and thrown in a dumpster, of course).

The second picture is obviously more recent- it's got motorized vehicles and electrical lines. No date on the back, though.

I've attached a photo taken from roughly the same angle (though not that far up the block) of what the block looked like while we were building that porch a month back. The streetscape is changing dramatically on this block. Two brand new buildings at 2102-2104 E Broad. It was an empty lot for decades.

The church spire has been gone since a long-ago hurricane (in the 30s, or so I've heard)."

First up we have Broad Street at 21st from 1916. This is looking down Broad St from Church Hill, towards downtown Richmond. It's amazing to see this stretch with so many houses and trees:

Next up is roughly the same angle, probably from sometime in the 1920s:

And lastly, the house at 2100 East Broad Street being worked on by Restoration Builders of VA a few months ago:

Thanks once again to Syd for the great pictures and story!

Before And After - 2 North 5th Street

Today's Before And After is The Hancock House, built in 1809, and the former home of (among others) a US Attorney General and two Richmond Mayors. It sits on the corner of 5th Street and Main Street.

Below are two different angles of the house, each with a before picture from 1936, and a current picture from 2012. Pretty impressive that this house has survived in downtown Richmond for 203 years!

Here's another angle...note that the tree is the same in both pictures. 75 years later it's still there!

Before photos courtesy of The Library of Congress