- Riding the last Virginia Ferry and getting into an argument over it.

Next on our place, our time also we'll have a story about two young architects who are designing museums and who will meet an innovative glass maker.

Thank you for joining us for our place our time.

I'm Vian Webb.

The ferry across the James River, which links Jamestown with Ferry County.

On the southern shore is the last state run ferry in Virginia.

For years, there's been talk of building a bridge to replace that ferry, and the issue has divided the residents on the north.

With those on the southern shore, Mike Sinclair boarded the ferry and found himself in the middle of an old, old debate.

- The Jamestown Scotland Ferry is the only state run ferry in Virginia.

It's been bringing people in their cars across the James River since 1925.

To the local residents, it's a way of life.

To some, it's a source of agitation, halting the pace of progress, and to others it is a nostalgic reminder of the way things used to be when times were a little slower.

The Jamestown Scotland Ferry operates from 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM each day and runs every half hour.

The boats themselves are 200 feet long and carry 55 cars.

The trip costs $2 and it takes about 15 minutes to cross the James River.

The ferry is used by tourists, commuters, and anyone trying to get from one side of the river to the other.

- I love it for two reasons.

I like the ferry itself and crossing the James River, and I like to eat the Virginia ham and crab cakes and, and apple fritters at the Surrey restaurant here.

- This is my first trip, well, the second actually on a ferry, but this is exciting.

We are from Alabama, came over to Colonial Williamsburg, Washington DC Group I, us here and we found out about the ferry and wanted to make a trip over and it's exciting.

- This ferry is more than just a way to get across the river.

It gives the communities serves a sense of identity and is a point of pride.

Raymond Schaeffer is the captain of the Jamestown Scotland Ferry Port - Operate up there.

- This ferry is more than just a way to get from one side of the river to the other.

What does it mean to the community?

- To the community?

It's a way of getting back and forth across the river where the out happen to go a long distance to cross a bridge, but to the tourist, it's a nostalgic trip for most of them.

They remember crossing the ferry as children, maybe not necessarily this ferry.

The state at one time had a lot of ferries, but this is the only viable remaining ferry in the state of Virginia.

They have a couple of two car ferries running back and forth across small rivers, but they're cable ferries.

This is the only free running ferry left in the state, and they would like their children and their grandchildren to have the pleasure of riding the ferry and remembering it - To some, the 15 minute journey across the James is a needless delay, but to others it's a chance to relax, talk with friends, and unwind after a day's work.

Wally Eger is a Surrey resident who works in Williamsburg.

- I read the paper in the morning when I come back in the afternoon, depending on the weather, I just stand here and enjoy myself or do crossword puzzle and listen to music.

- The ferry pilots spend their days traveling back and forth across the river, never really getting anywhere for ferry pilot.

Jim O'Sullivan.

This is one of the advantages of his job.

- Well, I've been getting somewhere for the last 25 years, military and Navy Air Force and Army, all on boats and ships.

I've been around the world literally and this is a kind of have your cake and eat it too.

I still have a touch of the water and still be at home some part of every night instead of being at sea all the time.

- Some of the riders who use the ferry every day try to second guess the crew to get a spot at the front of the ferry in the summer when the heat rises.

So do the tempers and occasionally there's a breakdown in communication, - Working with the public.

We have occasion where they have to settle some grievances and public, it gets hot out here in the summer, riding a boat, the engine's not running, no air conditioning, get a little irritable.

So we have dealings with them, - Work aboard.

The ferry is not always hot.

Tempers and irritable riders sometimes it has its rewards.

- Yeah, and we've had a couple of special events, had a motorcycle game come aboard and request a wedding ceremony.

So we held a wedding on board as we're going across with all the reception party board and the crew made out that I think more than Brian grew, and we ended up with all the orders and the benefits from the five minute reception.

So - The state loses nearly $3 million a year on the ferry.

A 1988 study for the State Department of Transportation proposed that a bridge over the James River would handle traffic more efficiently than the ferry.

The citizens of James City and Surrey counties fearing the growth that would be brought on by the bridge opposed the proposition.

Last spring, the Commonwealth Transportation Board voted against the construction of a bridge at Jamestown.

Delicate.

George Grayson represents James City County and is a spokesman for a coalition against the bridge.

You're a part of a coalition against the bridge.

Tell me who's involved with that coalition and why.

- When we learned that the Virginia Highway Department was seriously considering the construction of a bridge and was even laying out alternatives, a group of individuals and organizations banded together, including the National Park Service, the Lower James River Association, colonial Williamsburg, the Williamsburg Group, James City County, the city of Williamsburg, Sury County, and others to indicate that there was broad-based community opposition.

- Opponents of the bridge have raised objections ranging from economic to environmental concerns.

- The panorama at Jamestown is arguably the most historic vista in the United States.

It certainly is the most historic panorama in Virginia.

And to construct a bridge here would have etched an indelible scar across this vista.

And I believe the whole quality of the history of our area would've suffered.

Furthermore, the ferry is a magnet for tourist.

We have thousands of tourists each year who say that they have been in traffic jams often on interstate highways.

And to be able to spend 15 or 20 minutes on a ferry ride across a beautiful river really does allow them a change of pace.

- Surrey is still primarily a rural county and a bridge would bring growth and change at a rate that many residents feel would be detrimental to the area.

However, the bridge would also bring Surrey residents easier access to the cultural, economic and medical opportunities of James City County.

John Marilla is a Surrey County real estate developer and an active supporter of the proposed bridge.

- Well, in, in the summertime, particularly the the local citizenry can, doesn't even attempt to get to Williamsburg.

The only the people that work there that have to go use it due to the tourist.

So we are talking about easy access to medical, which would cut the, the time down to something like 20 minutes to a, an emergency room, whereas now it's 40 to 50 minutes to any emergency room.

- Marilla is the development manager for a plot of riverfront property in Surrey County called Mount Ivy.

He's circulating a petition among Surrey residents to try and overturn the Commonwealth Transportation Board's decision.

- In the discussions with the, the local supervisors, they did not believe that a majority of the people in the county was in favor of it.

And so this was an attempt to prove to the transportation board, the Highway Commission and our local supervisors that there was a preponderance of the people, the majority of the people that wanted a crossing.

- The debate surrounding the construction of a bridge is not over.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board directed the state to look into ways of making the ferry more efficient.

They also acknowledged that a bridge would likely be needed in the next century, but for now, if you want to cross the James River at Jamestown, you'll have to slow down and take the ferry.

- Since Mike Sinclair produced this piece for us, the Surrey County Board of Supervisors has reversed its position, has voted to support the building of the bridge.

Now the State Board of Transportation has to look at its decision opposing the bridge, but James City County remains in opposition.

Of course, what's complicating the issue is now there is a lack of state funding for transportation and highway building.

And so the debate continues.

Art gives us beauty to look at, and architecture gives us beautiful places in which to live as art enriches the eyes.

So architecture surrounds and enriches our lives with functional things of beauty.

In our next story, Tim Morton tells us about a young architectural firm called AP two.

The two architects, Gary Arnold and Ed Pease are specializing in museum design, but they're finding out that in this economy they're having to deal with social issues as well.

- At the office of AP two architects, Gary Arnold and Ed Pease are indeed the only two employees.

They started the firm a year and a half ago after both had worked for several years with the highly regarded firm of Carlton, Abbott and partners in Williamsburg.

So far, despite a recession and a building industry, tailspin a P two has been holding its own.

- Our main area of interest is a museum design.

We've, at our previous office, we've worked on a lot of museums and right now we're pursuing those pretty heavily beyond.

Obviously you can't do that within, within a local region.

There are only so many museums in a, in a local area that you can work on.

So we're, we're really pretty much all over the East coast as far as our, our pursuit of museums.

And we proposals out to about six museums right now - Working with, with museum staff and in designing museums.

There's just, there's a range of opportunities that are often available that to an architect that are not available in other projects.

Although we do not, we are not exhibit designers.

We have often been involved in exhibit coordination down to a very small level of detail, which is, that's just something I really enjoy.

I, I we, we design furniture, we design casework both for sort of on our own as well as for project - With the Abbott firm.

Arnold and Pease were the project architects in designing the Peninsula Fine Arts Center and the new wing of the Mariners Museum, including working with the museum staff in designing exhibits inside.

Both also worked on designs for the Muscarella Museum in Williamsburg and galleries for the Jamestown settlement.

- I think museum people are a lot of fun to work with.

Museums, I think offer a lot of design opportunity.

They're, they tend to be creative, willing to take a few risks - As AP two, Arnold and Peas design the renovation of the old central wing of the Mariners work is still going on in what used to be the Chesapeake Bay Gallery now being transformed into a meeting and multipurpose room in the huge central gallery.

Pease and Arnold were confronted with the aesthetic problem of how to hide large return air ducts without reducing their capacity and permitting also needed wall display space.

As Pease explained, after much consideration, they made the unusual decision to stack them vertically and tucked into corners.

A simple solution but one requiring an imaginative leap.

- Yeah, the ent Society of the American Institute of Architects.

Okay.

They're the organization that, that supports the magazine that I edit.

- Vernon Mays is the editor of Inform Magazine.

He spoke to us about the work of Gary Arnold at the state level.

- He was most instrumental, I'd say perhaps the single driving force behind the establishment of Informed Magazine, which is our general interest design and, and arts magazine.

Beyond that, he has just been heavily involved in programs such as the Young Architects Program that the national a i a supports and cultivates trying to build leaders for the national organization.

He's one of two in the state of Virginia who are active in that group and was handpicked for that, for that honor.

- Much of the work Arnold and Pease are doing involves renovations or expansions of existing buildings, but then all architects are doing them these days.

There are enough empty buildings around people don't need new ones.

In the division of duties at AP two Pase, the son of an architect concentrates on marketing, drawing and making models.

- For me, I've just, I've found that making models is, it's, it's an immediate result.

It's not too difficult to put yourself inside those things and imagining what's going on.

And I think it's especially helpful for clients too.

I think the work we do could probably be categorized, like most things.

We could probably say we do modern architecture, but that's not what we aim to do in the beginning of any project.

I think every project has its own life and, and certain, certain demands and solutions come from, from that out of the, the particularities of any project.

But I don't know if it's our tendency to, to look for simple solutions that somehow that ends up being translated into a modern thing.

Modern stylistically speaking, - An expansion project A two is currently working on is of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Hampton.

- The initial idea was to put something, put a church back on the far corner of their property from the existing building.

And we thought about that and felt that really the, the building they have is a good building.

There's no reason to abandon it or make it so, so separate from, from their church sanctuary.

So we tried to see if we could fit the number of seats and the size building they really needed onto the triangle of land that they had to work with adjacent to the, to the existing building.

And, and as it turned out, they could and they thought, they felt that that was a good approach.

- The church wanted a building for 650 people.

Arnold and Pease wanted to keep a modest scale because of site considerations.

Their solution was a stepped roof shaping the scale and pieces while keeping a churchly look, - This is just one of the prototypes.

It's a - Socially conscious.

Pease has designed what he hopes will be prototypes of detached houses for people who can't usually afford to buy one.

The state housing agency has expressed interest Pease plans to enter the prototypes in a national competition.

- I think there's been a lot of effort in doing affordable housing, but usually it's, it's cluster homes or town homes or attached housing in, in groups and, and I think two living in Williamsburg, and it's true everywhere.

Williamsburg is not unusual.

There seems to be such a disparity of houses above a certain amount of money, often $150,000.

There's a lot of those and very little, very few, if any, houses down in the range of, you know, $50,000.

And again, we may find out that there's a good reason for that if we don't go far with these.

But it again, it just seemed to be a need - A year and a half on their own.

Arnold and Pease feel good about their prospects.

Their first completed project, the renovation of a deserted church into a shelter for battered women, for which Arnold and Pease donated 250 hours of their time, brought them publicity and public appreciation.

They say they want to remain small, they're here, they're typing their own letters now.

- Yeah, I'm gonna call in Monday.

And - Louis McGee is a singer songwriter who regularly performs at area night spots like Abbey Road, o Sullivan's Wharf and the Jewish mother.

His most recent release is called Distant Voices, and we are glad he could join us on our place, our time.

- Sometimes I feel like I'm walking, sometimes I feel like I'm walking.

Walking time is my companion.

We sometimes I feel like I'm talking to the wall.

Sometimes I feel like I'm talking wall don't, because me and Ed Wall, we've always got a, sometimes I feel like I'm saying, sometimes I feel like I, I feel those things that are just to, to explain.

- Bonnie Biggs is a visiting artist at Old Dominion University.

She calls herself an object image maker.

She works in glass, building up layers of glass to form everything from wall hangings to freestanding designs, to functional objects like a door.

Holly O'Neill tells us about this innovative artist who is also an innovative teacher.

- I would call myself a image object maker and that might change, but that's, that's how I would define it now.

And the materials I work with are glass and wood and paint the work.

I don't know, I, you know, I've been asked that question a lot.

You know, is it glass?

Is it sculpture, is it painting?

And I guess in, in reality it's all three or a hybrid or maybe even more than that.

- Combining those elements in her work is Bonnie Bigg's specialty.

Biggs is Old Dominion University's visiting artist for this academic year.

She began the university's only glass program, setting up shop by first building a slumping oven, then instructing students in the elements of glass.

- What do you think?

What did she do?

It?

- A native of Norfolk Biggs came home to spend this year at ODU after teaching at the Tyler School of Arts Glass Program in Philadelphia for seven years.

Most recently, she spent a year traveling through the country with Native American friends.

Her work stands at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.

And as part of many leading glass collections, modulate Bigs came to the attention of ODU Art Department Chairman Ken Daley, while a student at Virginia Commonwealth University.

- When Bonnie deals with sculpture via her glass, it's not just perhaps what we think of as the craft area like stained glass.

There's much more penetration into a wider range of expression.

I'm very impressed with the way she uses drawing skills with her glass.

- And then when you daily regrets that there is no other such glass program in the area, - There hasn't been any glass program in Norfolk for quite some time.

Not since the Chrysler Museum discontinued its school, which is unfortunate because the Chrysler Museum, of course, has one of the foremost glass collections, you know, in this country.

- Bonnie Biggs says she's afforded more freedom in her work now because she laminates the layers of glass images she creates so she can work in larger scale and use organic material more freely.

Here she has drawn her figure on the sheet of glass and is now tooling it with a sand blaster to create the image she desires.

Big says the layers she uses relate to the consistent theme in her work.

- Working with the layers is really a lot like life to me.

You know, I mean, going through the different layers, experiencing things at different levels.

I build up the imagery a little bit on each layer.

And so when you're viewing the, the pieces, it looks like objects inside.

- Another characteristic of her work engages what she terms, life forces the elements of our environment.

And she responds to such qualities best when involving herself in such elements.

- The thing with glasses, the way it holds light, there's not really any other material that holds light in, in the same way water.

Water does a similar thing in a lot of instances, but it's not in a, a solidified form.

Glass is actually, and always in a liquid state, even, even when it's not molten.

And that's one of the things that intrigues me about it too.

This whole series, I guess it's a series.

I don't really know if it was or not.

I'm still doing them this way.

So they're passing through, either coming through or going into spaces.

And I'm sure that relates to, you know, times in our life when we're, we're in transition.

- It, it's very non-traditional kind of work and it really moves outside of your traditional notions about glass, glass crafting.

- I think a lot of artists develop their own to, to get the kind of imagery that you see inside.

To be, to manifest that, to make that, a lot of times there's, you know, there's no machine you can go and buy and no textbook.

You can look up how to do it and you just, you know, you just work until it gets there and you know, so that process has taken many, many years, but it's part of it.

It's not, it doesn't seem like a, you know, like it's a chore.

It's just part of the process of of getting what's inside to the outside - And big's desire to express herself as a part of this changing universe is also changing the traditional way we see glass sculpture.

- We will be back next week with a story about a school that has trained some of the best chefs in this area, and we'll continue with the Virginia Symphony, our search for their new music director.

Thank you for joining us for our place our time.

I'm Vian Webb, partial funding for our place, our Times Made possible by grants from the Arts Commissions of the cities of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.

From the Virginia Commission for the Arts and from the Arts Commissions of the cities of Newport News, Norfolk Hampton and Williamsburg.