REID’S ROW is one of the earliest examples of Italianate architecture in Richmond, Virginia. The three bow front townhouses are located at 219-223 Governor Street near Richmond’s Capitol Square. The property, constructed in 1853 and designed by James Morson as a rental property, is now largely vacant. Reid’s Row is the only remaining evidence of the residential neighborhood that once surrounded Capitol Square and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The buildings have received various upgrades and general refurbishment; however, they have deteriorated significantly since vacancy.
The Department of General Services hired G&HA for the renovation and adaptive reuse of Reid’s Row. G&HA began the process with a historic assessment, which will help guide the careful repairs and upgrades to the historic property. The three buildings have a total floor area of approximately 24,000 square feet, which is split over four stories. One challenge has been determining how to provide accessible circulation between each building. The design team is working to strategically insert a new circulation spine and tower that will provide an accessible route to each floor. The renovated facility will provide offices and various spaces for use by the state government.
GLAVÉ & HOLMES ARCHITECTURE (G&HA) was selected by the City of Williamsburg to design a new 362-car structured parking garage one block north of Duke of Gloucester Street in Colonial Williamsburg’s Merchants Square. Declaring the G&HA preliminary designs to be “beautiful and appropriate” for this controversial project, the City Council unanimously approved the G&HA proposal.
The parking garage is designed as a series of distinct pavilions that provide passersby with the illusion of a much smaller building. Additionally, existing buildings frame attractive views to these pavilions in a manner similar to that of Colonial Williamsburg’s historic streetscape. The Prince George Parking Garage was constructed in cooperation with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
THE VIRGINIA WAR MEMORIAL FOUNDATION sought to expand the existing memorial facility to accommodate the Foundation’s educational initiatives as well as their current activities. An Education Center was added to the Memorial’s Visitor Center, Hall of Honor Auditorium, and Shrine of Memory. The new Center houses research, artifacts, and exhibits to honor the Commonwealth’s fallen heroes.
The architecture of the Paul & Phyllis Galanti Education Center carries the language of the existing Shrine and building. In order to preserve the prominence of the Shrine, a subterranean level was designed with a green roof and plaza at the Shrine level thusly retaining the open pastoral feeling and view of the James River. There is a quiet and inviting collection of building pavilion façades that frame the existing Shrine. Each façade is influenced by the existing materials. The fieldstone found in the original walls around the Shrine and in its patios informed the material for the lower level façade. The striated texture of the Tennessee Marble, which graces the Shrine, is complimented by a soft mottled granite in a color that accents the pink hue of the extant buildings. A new outdoor amphitheater takes advantage of the panoramic view from the Memorial’s location. Previously under-utilized, the site now offers significant and integrated indoor and outdoor programming.
The new wing provides space for large and small groups to tour the Memorial simultaneously. Educational programs may be viewed in three class-sized theaters and exhibits of battlefield artifacts may be examined. The Memorial also offers the opportunity to learn about the differences in uniforms, weapons, flags, and individual military equipment. In addition, the new wing houses the necessary archival storage to preserve the collections and administrative spaces to operate the Memorial and its educational programs.
THE CITY OF FREDERICKSBURG embarked upon a major planning effort for a new court facility to be situated in the city’s historic district. City officials elected to solicit proposals under the auspices of the Public Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPEA) for the new courthouse. The proposal submitted by FirstChoice Public-Private Partners, an entity that included English Construction, Moseley Architects, and Glavé & Holmes Architecture (G&HA), was awarded the contract. The resulting project was implemented in phases to comprehensively address the conceptual design, master planning, and the functional needs of the new 78,500-square-foot courthouse.
Glavé & Holmes, as a consultant to Moseley Architects, was responsible for designing the exterior for the main courthouse building, which occupies a prominent downtown site. The design, including the building’s signature cupola, draws from local and historic architecture to be contextually appropriate in Fredericksburg’s Historic District. The building is four levels and houses the city’s Circuit Court and General District Court, with associated support functions. A secure, enclosed parking area is located in the basement level.