Cutshaw wanted the City Spring to be a combination of public park and Armory for the Richmond Howitzers militia. Because of dire economic conditions created by what was called the Panic of 1873, instead of the ambitious plan Cutshaw proposed, a simple armory building similar to a crenelated horse barn was erected. In the 1890s the site was finally occupied by a more grand Howitzers building and the Cavalry Armory, which stood back to back on the present Reynolds site. Somewhere under all the fill that tamed that once dramatic topography along what was the northern edge of downtown Richmond, the water source that was the “City Spring” must still exist.

Cutshaw’s two armories were demolished in the 1970s, but the bottom of their facades still exist in the form of two oddly weathered retaining walls on the east and west side of the community college building.

Cutshaw also combined public recreation and a practical function when what is now Byrd Park embraced the reservoir he engineered and is still in use. Cutshaw’s combining civic pleasure and civic practicality are only one hallmark of his sophisticated vision that shaped the face of modern Richmond.

The flag is not racist the first flag the kkk used was the union united states flag not the confederate they later wrongfuly picked up the confederate flag and started using it along with the union united states flag.

I say if you going to take one down take down the other one also the union united states flag offends me as it shows support of the murders commited on the confederate by the union.

Get off the kick that the confederate flag is racist if you was to do your research you would learn folks from every race state and country served in the confederate war and none was made serve the war was over southern independence not slavery like that is falsely teached to people.

Not matter the race country or state if they served in the confederate war they well deserve to be honored just as well as the folks we have serving today do.

Perhaps I should have been even more critical of the John Tyler building’s site relationship. In comparison with the iron fronts across the way, it offers little to the pedestrian. Some break in the facade with first floor transparency located mid block on the main street facade would have lightened the building’s presence considerably. The scale of the foot print is too large though I do not think the height is inappropriate.

I do think that there are many buildings in Richmond with worse street relationships though that is not so much a statement about the quality of the Tyler building but about the lack of quality of so many others in the city. City hall, the Library of Virginia, the new Courthouse by Robert A. M. Stern, the Federal Reserve Tower, james center, dominion tower, and others strike me as being as bad or worse than the Tyler building in terms of site relationships.

Some positive things to consider about the building are the following:

- It takes the corner on every corner, leaving no underused token public space

- The materials are of decent quality (polished granit and stainless steel)

- There is street level transparency at the corners and some rhythm to the main street facade

Though we dont see completely eye to eye on this building, I think we are on the same page in terms of the need for the application of sound urban principles to Richmond’s development. I appreciate your passion for such a worthy goal. Thank you.

Don O’Keefe