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Why Richmond, Why?!?

We've got some good "Why Richmond, Why?!?" questions this week.

A clock tower that sounds like "kittens being tortured," another Trader Joe's question and I answer a question that makes me a hero to the entire downtown workforce (though not, I imagine, once they read the answer). Plus, we all learn a little Richmond history in the process.

It appears that the GRTC bus shelter where Forest Hill turns into Semmes collapsed sometime in the last few days, but I can't find any info about it on the web. What happened?

-- Jeff

According to Charlie Mitchell in operations department at GRTC, the bus shelter did indeed collapse, a little over two weeks ago on a Saturday night. Why? It was hit … by a GRTC bus. No one was injured in the accident and plans are currently underway to replace the structure.

As for the GRTC bus … well, if you live in Richmond long enough you eventually learn that they yield the right of way for nothing -- man, woman, car or bus shelter included. I guess the bus shelter learned that the hard way.

Downtown at the James Center on corner of 10th and Cary is a clock bell-tower that plays "music" at every half hour. Now, I put music in quotes because the sounds coming out of that thing are closer to kittens being tortured than they are to being music. To say it's a little out of tune would be the understatement of the year.

My question is what can be done about this acoustical nightmare? I've walked by on my lunch break every day for 10 years now, and every day and I see the faces of passersby cringe in horror at the sudden cacophony.

Certainly there must be a way to simply turn it off, but I wouldn't know where to begin to find out who owns the thing to complain to. If you can find out who has the power to slay this beast you would be a hero to the entire downtown workforce.

-- Going Deaf Downtown

Kimberly Carter , marketing director and operations coordinator at James Center, answers:

Wow. An "acoustical nightmare?" No one in our office can recall ever receiving a complaint about the Clock Tower. And some in our group have been at James Center for over 20 years. James Center's Clock Tower is frequently a scavenger hunt item for downtown firms involved in "teambuilding." It's amazing the phone calls we receive for a clock tower that was constructed some 21 years ago.

The Clock Tower, officially named the " Boatman's Tower ," became an instant landmark in 1987 as it met both the casual visitor and the downtown office population. This public amenity audibly celebrates the hours and the seasons of our lives. The design of Boatman's Tower depicts life on the canal from 1785 - 1879. The 45-foot limestone tower houses a 25 brass bell carillon which chimes melodies on the hour and half-hour. As the bells chime, cast figures of canal bargemen rotate. The carillon was fabricated by a Dutch concern whose glockenspiels have been animating European squares for over 130 years. And all at the same level of volume. Clock Towers don't have a volume control: they chime. 

An interesting fact about the clock tower is that when the limestone structure arrived from the Netherlands, the rotating cast figures were brightly painted. The artisans believed they were beautifully capturing the spirit of the boatmen. However, some Richmonders were aghast at the black faces of the boatmen. James Center called in a specialist to paint the entire piece in an antiqued black color that would withstand time and weather.

Just as the piece was crafted in the Netherlands, it is maintained by members of that same Foundry: Koninklijke Eijsbouts. A representative from the Foundry came over from the Netherlands on April 3, 2008 to tune the bells and make sure all 25 bells in our tower's registry were functioning properly.

I would suggest that "Going Deaf" find another route.  

I know Henrico recently passed laws about soliciting in medians and such. I vaguely recall reading the city of Richmond has similar laws. This weekend I saw folks selling RTD newspapers on public sidewalks near Forest Hill/Westover Hills intersection. Is this allowed?

-- Jeff

The short answer is no. Steve Skinner , public information manager for Richmond City Council, sent me copies of the laws that are currently on the books. Once you parse through the thereins, herebys and a lengthy section that defines complex terms like "center median," "person" and "selling" you get to this:

" Prohibited use of center median strip : It shall be unlawful for any person to stand or stay on any center median for the purpose of soliciting contributions of any kind. It shall also be unlawful for any person to stand or stay on any center median for the purpose of selling, offering for sale or advertising any product, property or service or for the purpose of distributing any document, product, or other item."

It goes on to say that one can stand on a center median in the case of an emergency, to pause during street crossing or with a permit from the city. Hope that helps.

WHEN IS TRADER JOES OPENING????????????

-- Trader Joe's Marketer

For real? Check out the answer here and here .

So what do you want to know, Richmond? Send questions to: karri.peifer@corp.richmond.com with "Why Richmond, Why?!?" in the subject line or leave your question in the comments sections below. And if you want to read all the old "Why Richmond, Why?!?" columns, you can always check out last week's or read the "Why Richmond, Why?!?" archives .