Title
To designate the 900 block of St. James Street in honor of James Russell Stallings, Sr.
Body
WHEREAS, the late James Russell Stallings, Sr., was born on November 23, 1927 in North Carolina and was brought as an infant to live at 733 West Leigh Street in Richmond; and
WHEREAS, James Russell Stallings, Sr., was educated in Richmond Public Schools and served in the United States Air Force before embarking on a long career as a leading real estate developer in Richmond's historic Jackson Ward neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, James Russell Stallings, Sr., purchased his first property in Jackson Ward in the 1940s and continued throughout the decades to purchase many old and historic Jackson Ward properties, including the Hippodrome Theater, Maggie Walker’s St. Luke building, and Perry’s Restaurant, in an attempt to save and revitalize Jackson Ward; and
WHEREAS, James Russell Stallings, Sr., developed certain properties in Jackson Ward to provide affordable, low-income housing with perhaps his greatest legacy being the Clay House Shelter, an old brewery re-adapted to feed and house those citizens in most need; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to memorialize James Russell Stalling’s contributions to the Jackson Ward community by designating the 900 block of St. James Street in his honor; and
WHEREAS, because this designation is honorary only, the provisions of sections 8-7 through 8-10 of the Code of the City of Richmond (2015), as amended, do not apply to the designation made hereby or to any signs erected pursuant to this ordinance;
NOW, THEREFORE,
THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. Designation of Street Block for Honorary Name. The 900 block of St. James Street shall be designated in honor of James Russell Stallings, Sr., pursuant to this ordinance.
§ 2. Effect of Designation. The designation of the street block made pursuant to this ordinance shall be honorary only, shall not replace the existing name of the street, and shall have no effect on the address of any property with an address on the designated street block. The sole effect of designation pursuant to this ordinance shall be to authorize the placement of commemorative signs in accordance with this ordinance memorializing the designation in honor of the named person.
§ 3. Administration of Ordinance. The Department of Public Works shall implement this ordinance by installing, as soon as practicable after the adoption of this ordinance, and maintaining commemorative signs in accordance with this section. The commemorative signs shall be clearly distinct from the street signs used to identify the street block in question such that a reasonable person could not conclude that the commemorative signs reflect the actual name of the street. The commemorative signs shall be affixed to the street sign for the street designated in section 1 of this ordinance located at each end of the street block designated in section 1 of this ordinance and shall bear the name of the person set forth in section 1 of this ordinance.
§ 4. Effective Date. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.