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DefaultSubsAreTerrib t1_j9yrxwo wrote

old city hall. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_City_Hall_(Richmond,_Virginia)

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WhalerBum t1_j9ytrb1 wrote

No no, no one knows “what it’s for” 😅

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BritOnTheRocks t1_j9z5q6b wrote

If you look closely you’ll see a bent spoke in the iron fence below the clock tower. That bent spoke hides a dark mystery from the 19th century.

https://www.wtvr.com/2013/02/15/the-haunting-tale-of-the-bent-fence

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IsItJake t1_j9zgsyk wrote

Thank you for this read. Took me down a rabbit hole lol

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Bunnawhat13 t1_ja04ud1 wrote

They didn’t think a photo would go with the story. Thank you for sharing.

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informativebitching t1_ja191da wrote

Story is a tad confusing because the last paragraph is quote from someone saying ‘it should not have been fixed’. Could be shitty journalism. Fwiw there is a 10 year old Reddit post showing the bent spike if you Google it. Was in rva sub

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BritOnTheRocks t1_ja1q00n wrote

You can literally see it in this photo if you zoom in.

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Bunnawhat13 t1_ja37y4m wrote

I did eventually find it. An article talking about the spike should have a picture.

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oddistrange t1_ja1cbjg wrote

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipO5XQgtsnsqxKzXsVxPH21_rUom98uT5wiJud6r=s680-w680-h510

From Google maps.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gammaman/8748858387

And Flickr.

https://flic.kr/p/ekcX8Y

Also from Flickr, the view looking up towards the balcony from the fence.

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a_real_tomato t1_ja1hayi wrote

Is the red paint meant to look like blood?!

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oddistrange t1_ja1ieq7 wrote

That's not paint, it's just the way the metal oxidized over time. Not a metal doctor but it could be that it was plated and the physical deformation (it being bent) ruined the integrity of the plating, could be that during the attempt to free the body tools were used on it and that damaged it in some fashion that altered how it oxidized.

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-B001- t1_j9zraa1 wrote

Nice! Now Imma have to go downtown and take a look - I walked by there all the time when I was working downtown!

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xDocFearx t1_ja0yyq6 wrote

Ahhh fuck I’m going down an existential crisis now after reading that article

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hershey_bars t1_j9z84ui wrote

Ministry of magic

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jdbug100 t1_j9zkfck wrote

I read about this building in Hogwarts, a History

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sleevieb t1_j9zq79v wrote

Ganon got Zelda in that joink

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Gullible_Ad3436 t1_j9ywju6 wrote

Old city hall! Check out the inside - it’s even more impressive

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[deleted] t1_j9yugwh wrote

[deleted]

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heraus t1_j9yx1tt wrote

It was going to be the base for the Capitol Police and some other agencies post-renovation, but now there’s some fighting over which agencies will actually get to live there since the Youngkin admin inherited the project lol.

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[deleted] t1_j9z0ada wrote

[deleted]

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dreww4546 t1_j9zaoq3 wrote

I used to know someone who's mother worked in the tower. I kept angling for a tour, but....

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DeepTry9555 t1_ja1les1 wrote

Their are no accessible rooms in the tower. In fact the entire top floor is a facade and houses all the hvac machinery. The steeple is mostly hollow. The clock faces are cool from the outside but the guts have replaced by a wholly unimpressive modern drive. Cool fact, in the spire some signatures from the original construction in the late 1800s and early 1900s are still legible on the walls. Got a bunch of pictures if you’d like to see them! Been working on this project for 3 years now!

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againer t1_j9z3pah wrote

I really hope they kept as much of the original interior. That place is filled with beautiful wood work.

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WhalerBum t1_j9z7bpt wrote

Tektonics was tasked with replicating a lot of the wood moulding to replace any original pieces that needed it. Pretty amazing. https://www.tektonics.com/oldcityhall

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againer t1_j9zbup0 wrote

Thanks for this! Cool. I can't wait to see their work. That building was like stepping into a time machine to the early 1 20th century.

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VictorVonDoopressed t1_j9zjvp9 wrote

I worked for the company that did the renovations (IT & Ops) and I would always volunteer myself to bring food to our employees inside so I could check the place out. Hands down one of the coolest buildings in the whole city.

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Fratghanistan t1_j9zke9i wrote

Yes, put a police station in there. Hopefully some secret passages and puzzles to solve as well.

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Cunbundle t1_j9zdahg wrote

It keeps Broad St from sliding down into the Shockoe Valley. Quite a useful building.

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KiwiStack t1_j9ytwo8 wrote

It’s going to be office space for state agencies

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passabro t1_j9zfjm5 wrote

do you know what state agencies are going in there?

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Danger-Moose t1_j9zhfwr wrote

Governor's staff because he likes the building and doesn't care about already established plans.

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KiwiStack t1_ja02tid wrote

Nah. Governor’s staff already has some pretty swanky offices. I don’t see them moving. Not with there being a priority to empty the James Monroe Building

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Danger-Moose t1_ja04tmg wrote

Sorry, they're moving.

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KiwiStack t1_ja05rhx wrote

🤷‍♂️ at this point it’s all gossip.

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Danger-Moose t1_ja064t3 wrote

It's not gossip. https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/interactive-map-youngkin-making-new-plans-for-old-city-hall-downtown-state-offices/article_754f543c-98dc-11ed-b8ca-3bf6f0705f56.html

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KiwiStack t1_ja06nw3 wrote

Read this article when it came out, there is nothing definitive in it, just says they aren’t sticking to the original plan.

I’m not saying they WON’T go there, I’m just saying nothing is official and it’s the latest water cooler gossip for the state employees working downtown

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Danger-Moose t1_ja0708j wrote

Sure. There's nothing but the preponderance of evidence.

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KiwiStack t1_ja02nwz wrote

The building is going to be split between legislative and executive branch agencies. The only “for sure” I’ve hear is capital police but that could change with the new study they are doing to consolidate offices.

Latest I heard is that smaller (less than 100 staff) agencies that have a priority for being downtown (ie, interacts frequently with governor’s offices or other agencies like VDOT, Health, DMAS) will go there. I’ve heard potential for OSIG and APA going there. Probably some of the year round legislative staff.

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Gothmom85 t1_j9z0zug wrote

All I know is I LOVED looking at it while at the CHOR across the street, waiting for appointments. Such a great view.

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Mr_Boneman t1_j9zdh84 wrote

one of the few lovely buildings that wasn’t torn down for some monstrosity. They sure tried though. RIP Pratts Castle.

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colfer2 t1_j9zxgwu wrote

I was partial to the little art deco Trailways bus station on Broad and 9th. Library of Virginia now, which I can't complain is not a good use.

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artraymond3 t1_j9zavuo wrote

Designed by the same person (Cutshaw) who designed the Byrd Park Pump House.

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WhalerBum t1_j9zf3ux wrote

And built by the same contractor as the Lee monument and many other stone structures in Richmond (Netherwood)

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princessofbeasts t1_j9zfuek wrote

Super nice dude name Quasimodo lives there I believe

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Mr_Kittlesworth t1_j9zgsg1 wrote

It’s wild how colorful it is inside. Also the entire staircases are wrought iron - you just flat you couldn’t build something like that today.

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dances-with-poodles t1_ja45k16 wrote

“Was” - it’s all cream and wood now. They restored it back to the original finishes. Fun fact, the bright colors were from left over public school paints in the 80s

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rvaskier t1_j9zhpag wrote

That’s a question that no one can answer anymore. The building was built in 1643, and the records were lost in the fire at the church across the street. It’s been in court for the last 327 years while they try to determine ownership.

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Jhonny30 t1_ja0u5cv wrote

Richmond Hogwarts

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President_Camacho t1_j9znkr4 wrote

I know someone working on the job. Youngkin's wife demanded a private elevator be installed in the building for his office. It took a lot of negotiating to stop her from dying on that hill.

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DeepTry9555 t1_ja1kyk8 wrote

I’ve been working on this project for over 3 years now, I can confirm there is no secret elevator. Just a single shaft with 2 cars. Source: I build the elevator shaft 🙃

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CyranoDeBurlapSack t1_ja0oaej wrote

It’s for keeping a certain amount of square footage out of the weather.

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airquotesNotAtWork t1_j9z6u1q wrote

Iirc some interior scenes from the Spielberg movie Lincoln were filmed there

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EdgeOfTheMtn t1_j9zt1zs wrote

Used to be leased offices for a while.

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polysoupkitchen t1_j9zvjds wrote

It's now a state building. The first floor is welcome to visitors, the rest will be office space.

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oddistrange t1_ja1bg74 wrote

It's where we take all the barbaric Maryland drivers within our borders and rehabilitate them.

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FlexRVA21984 t1_ja1odjy wrote

That’s the best place to jerk off in the entire city! Really makes you feel like you’re part of history!!

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BearcatChemist t1_ja0yppc wrote

Old city hall. The inside is super pretty as well. By far my favorite building in virginia.

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KiloLee t1_j9z6j61 wrote

I went in there years and years ago, back when my mom was being cast as an extra for a movie filmed here. If I recall correctly, we entered through the rear of the building, and went into what should be the first level of a basement

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m0grady t1_ja1ja0f wrote

Its where the stonecutters meet to rig every oscar night.

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_dmss t1_ja35qij wrote

We respawn here in the third level of the game. Tied after Lombardy Kroger and Byrd park lake.

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owdipus t1_j9z7zh0 wrote

Indoor shootings and protests

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