Cultural Facilties
The Virginia War Museum and the Joseph Thomas Newsome Museum are located in Planning District I. The Virginia War Museum in Huntington Park depicts the City's involvement in the country's wars. The Joseph Thomas Newsome Museum on Oak Avenue and 28th Street was the home of the City's first black lawyer to practice before the Virginia Supreme Court. Each museum preserves the City's heritage and details its cultural diversity.
The City owns the two homes (Brown House and Winfield House) adjacent to the Newsome House. Plans are underway to create a master plan for these and other adjacent City-owned properties. It is recommended that the City complete and implement the master plan for the Newsome Square project.
Planning District I has two branch libraries: the West Avenue and Pearl Bailey Branch Libraries. The Newmarket neighborhood does not have a branch library. A branch to serve the community could be located in the Newmarket Regional Center.
Two specialized public libraries are located in Downtown: the Municipal Library in City Hall and the Law Library in the Courthouse.
The C. Waldo Scott Center for youth is a one stop shop for youth programs, including recreational and service programs such as substance abuse information, housing assistance, counseling and other social services.
After months of study, a citizen task force recommended to City Council that the Walter Reed Elementary School, built in 1819, be renovated into the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center. The newly renovated 51,000 square foot center will house a 275 seat theater; local history museum; permanent gallery devoted to local folk artist, Anderson Johnson; and an artistic development center devoted to the instruction of dance, music, art, drama, and writing. The grand opening of the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center is anticipated for 2008.
A culture/arts district should be located in Downtown to assist in spurring revitalization. This can be done in conjunction with the Maritime Center Plan.
A tourist attraction is recommended to be provided in the Maritime Center along Victory Landing Park. Also, a college campus is recommended to serve navy personnel, shipyard workers, office workers, and other workers in the Downtown area.
Historic Sites
Planning District I has the historic Downtown, North End/Huntington Heights, the Newsome House, James A. Fields House, Jefferson Avenue/ 25th Street historic commercial block, Chestnut Avenue neighborhood center and several historic buildings and churches. It may not be possible or feasible to preserve each bastion of history remaining; however, groups of historic buildings and sites should be delineated and preserved. New construction in historical areas should be sensitive to existing design.
The West Avenue area, the West Avenue Library, the train station, the medical arts building, the Post Office, the Warwick Hotel, and the Victory Arch was recommended for historic district designation as the "Casino Park Historic District," in a study completed in 1990 by Architectural Historian, Roberta Reid, entitled "Reconnaissance Survey of Historic Architecture." The study recommended this area as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places because it retains a great deal of architectural integrity. This area has been continuously occupied and has been treated with greater sensitivity than other parts of Downtown.
The historic churches in the Maritime Center are losing membership because they are far from their parishioners. Zoe Community Church formerly First Baptist Church is now listed on the National and State Register of Historic Places.