Comparing Richmond: RVA vs Houston, NOLA, JAX, and Savannah!

The third week of #SGT26 was a trip from Texas to the Atlantic Ocean. Traveller and I had some real bonding time as we spent a lot of time on the road. We even traveled through the night on one occasion. Good times. 

Leaving San Antonio, we ventured to the largest city in Texas, and the last city in Texas on the trip, Houston. It, along with the next three cities on the trip had a lot in common. They all had major league professional sports, with sport complexes, right in the heart of downtown. This is a concept that I think Richmond really needs to grasp. More on that later. 

Houston is a wonderful town. The first place I visited was Live! at Bayou Place. This is another Cordish property which was developed out of an old convention center. Unlike the other Cordish properties I had visited on the trip, this was all indoors. I maintain that the Power & Light District in Kansas City is my favorite. After Bayou Place, I headed over to Midtown, which is where my gig was that evening. Midtown Houston is a sprawling mixed-use development right next to downtown with apartments on top of shops and restaurants. It was kind of like an urban version of Short Pump, but not so far away. Urban Renewal at its best. It's time we tear down the Diamond and create the Boulevard Retail District with apartments, shops, and restaurants. 

There was one cool thing I found in Houston. While I was entertaining a crowd at the Front Porch Pub, about 10 people came in dressed in biking attire. I asked why they were all dressed like that and they answered, "Pedal Party!" What is a Pedal Party? I'll tell you. It is a bike contraption that seats about 10 people and it is considered a "mobile venue". Yes, that means it has its own alcohol license, thus the on-board keg. Though you cannot walk the streets of Houston with a drink in your hand, you are welcome to rent the Pedal Party (it's a thing) and bar hop via bike from one place to the next. Now, I don't know that the alcohol laws in Virginia would allow this, but I think with our active town and the World Cycling Championship coming in 2015, it would be cool to have.

On to the French Quarter! 

Now, I didn't have a lot of time in New Orleans, but one thing is for certain. The alcohol laws in Louisiana pretty much don't exist. The French Quarter is pure lawlessness. Its just nuts. Walking down Bourbon Street on a Tuesday night was like another country. That said, I think we could bring a taste of Bourbon Street to Shockoe, but in a small dose. Maybe we could turn the small alley where Alley Katz used to be into a miniature Bourbon Street, but it would have to be strictly regulated by City Council. Just a thought, but let's not get too crazy. I walked into a convenience store and yep, there is liquor next to the cigarettes. This is made possible through privatization of package stores (Still think Gov. McDonnell dropped the ball on this). So much change needs to happen to allow Virginia to compete. By no means do I propose that Shockoe be turned into the French Quarter and nor would I ever propose that Virginia just completely tear up the alcohol laws we have in place and adopt the Louisiana laws. It would never happen. I'll get more into what I do propose shortly.

Traveller and I left the French Quarter at 1am for a long drive toJacksonville, Florida. It was my one and only overnight drive. I got to the Mississippi border in an hour, then the Alabama border in an hour, then the Florida border in an hour. Maybe it was my timing, but there really wan't a whole lot going on at 5am on the Gulf Coast. After crossing back into the Eastern Time Zone and a few pit-stops, we finally made it to Jacksonville around 2pm.

Jacksonville is gorgeous and it was great to be back on the East Coast. Three key things I'm going to highlight about Jacksonville. They are an active town, they have a great transportation network, and they have a sports complex right next to downtown. 

First, they have a River Walk on both side of the Jacksonville River and two beautiful bridges that were pedestrian friendly. One of the bridges had blue lights on it, which was pretty cool. This made for an amazing night run. It's a street runner's paradise. So when Richmond finally joins the old pedestrian bridge from Brown's Island to Manchester, put some cool lights on it and call it a day. Thank you Kathleen Watkins! 

Second, they have light rail and it is connected with an inner-city Bus Rapid Transit depot. Hello Main Street Station. And the light rail is above ground held up by concrete posts that are probably no bigger that 8 feet in circumference. Why can we not at least have one track follow Broad Street from Church Hill to Short Pump, with Main Street Station being the central terminal for mass transit in the metropolitan area. At each stop, you could have mini bus terminals. And these systems would run all night so me and Tara McDermott don't have to be DD for everyone! 

Third, they have a sports complex right next to downtown. They have a minor league baseball stadium right next to an arena. Not only should the Diamond be torn down, but the Coliseum needs to go as well. Put a multi-purpose stadium south of Broad to Franklin Street between 18th and the Train Trestle; then put an arena north of Broad to Marshall Street between 18th and the Train Trestle. Parking decks north of the arena along Oliver Hill Way. Now for the arena, you might have to tear down a couple apartment buildings, but I'm sure there are a few empty warehouses that the current property owners and residents would find suitable for relocation reciprocity. Not to mention the money Richmond would make by selling the Coliseum property to a Bio-Tech company and the Diamond to a mixed-use property developer. Hello, Tax Revenue for Schools and Roads. And for you NASCAR Fans, lets throw up a NASCAR museum at the corner of 18th and Grace. There is an empty lot there. You're welcome Gonzalo Aida!

Whipping cross the border, Florida into Georgia. 

Next stop, Savannah. 

Savannah, believe it or not, is smaller than Richmond. It is very similar to us. Take Richmond, make it flat, cut out downtown, and then push Church Hill, the Fan, and Carytown together, and then you would have Savannah. It is a town that stayed true to it's history and decided not to develop into a larger city. The same Victorian style homes that litter Church Hill and the Fan, litter the Historic District of Savannah. One thing that Savannah has down a lot better than Richmond: A thriving Tourism industry. Historic Carriage Tours, Walking Tours, Trolley Tours, Ghost Tours, Bike Tours, Segway Tours, Riverboat Cruises, and more. The City of Savannah in fact has a test that every tour guide has to take in order to give a historic tour of Savannah. Sure Richmond has a few of these things, but not to the scale of Savannah. We have more history than Savannah and have a larger population! What's up with that!? 

Oh and then there is the Alcohol Ordinance. In 1998, the City of Savannah decided to write its own Alcohol Ordinance. In fact, the State of Georgia allows municipalities to regulate alcohol on a local level rather than making it just a state regulation. If you want to be a restaurant and sell alcohol in Savannah, you have to first get a license from the city, then you apply for a state license. Funny how that works right? Oh and the food to alcohol ratio thing? If you sell more than 50% alcohol, you are a bar and can only be open to those 21 and up, and you cannot be open on Sundays. If you sell more than 50% food, you are considered a restaurant and can be open to anybody and can be open on Sundays. Then they have a hybrid license and package store licenses. I could go on and on about this. 

Then there is this little idea that we have seen on my trip in a couple places. The idea that you can walk from bar to bar with a drink in hand. 

So I can take a carriage ride with a Bloody Mary? Yes. 

Can I walk from City Market (which is what the Farmer's Market could be) to River Street and hop on a Savannah Riverboat Cruise (Rockett's Landing could use these) with my beer? Yes. 

Can I act a fool and do something stupid because I'm intoxicated? No, that is still illegal. 

From Jones Street to River Street in the Historic District, you can walk from bar to bar with a drink in your hand as long as you do so in a responsible manner and your drink is in a plastic cup. The Savannah famous to-go cup law. Needless to say, I had a few meetings with city officials. 

So why does Savannah have a more thriving tourism industry when they have half our population and not quite as much history? My research boils down to more liberal alcohol laws with strict local regulation on establishments (restaurants and bars), better transportation systems, cleaner streets, prettier walk-ways, and a higher emphasis on tourism-related activities like Carriage Rides, the Old Towne Trolley Tours, and entertainment. Savannah is just more fun. Richmond can top that!

Here is what I propose: Shockoe be revamped into a Historic Entertainment District. The area would include Brown's Island, Shockoe Slip, Shockoe Bottom, Tobacco Row, and Rockett's Landing. Turn the Farmer's Market into an area similar to the City Market in Savannah. Turn Chapel Island into a large park. A River Walk from Rockett's Landing to Brown's Island. Finish the development of the Canal Walk. A Stadium and an Arena right in the heart of Shockoe. Create an RVA Live! concept that would encompass the four blocks intersecting at 18th and Main. And yes, an ordinance that would allow for to-go cups in this district alone. I think even my friend Shannon Crockett would like this new place in Richmond. The Historic Shockoe Valley District. The end. Thank you again, Katy Phillips. 

That just about does it for this segment. Oh and again, all of these cities have well-lit running trails along the riverfront. As a runner, I will keep stressing this. 

Look for my article next week as I bring the journey home and perhaps another article to summarize the whole trip. Follow my tour with #SGT26 and follow my research with #RVAred. I'm on all social media platforms as DJ mFace, so follow me to learn more and see more.

Don't forget! This Thursday (August 1st) is the Finale Show at the Capital Ale House Music Hall to support Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity. Tickets are on sale at sgt26.eventbrite.com for $10 until July 31st, then they are $15 at the door. Bring friends!