Hey Bill, 17,000-square-feet!!!

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MikeK
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Hey Bill, 17,000-square-feet!!!

Post by MikeK »

Master Cho’s Tae Kwon Do and Martial Arts, a 17,000-square-foot, two-story facility is going up in the shadow of the old AMFAM facility where Uechi was taught. Given that many area martial arts schools are struggling with the current economy, it'll be interesting to see if they can fill this monster to make it work. It'll also be interesting to see what they produce and also how Dong will react to this palace.
I was dreaming of the past...
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Stevie B
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How Dong will react to the palace???

Post by Stevie B »

Alright then.. nuff said.. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Bill Glasheen
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Post by Bill Glasheen »

Hey, Mike!

Do you know what my greatest concern is? If I'm not mistaken, they're building that structure in the shadow of a white oak tree that has to be about 300 years old. I'm a lot more concerned about that magnificent white oak than I am the facility.

I've seen these people. They were the ones with a young woman shaped like a beach ball dressed in a gi advertising their school to kids at the most recent Karate Kid movie starring Jaden Smith. They aren't Okinawan karate, they aren't Chinese martial arts, and the forms they were doing were God-awful.

Sigh...

As you stated, they will be in competition with Seul Dong and his fairly significant martial presence in the Richmond area. At least Dong (was) a remarkable martial artist in his day. But the two of them frankly deserve each other. I'm all for people doing well professionally in martial arts, but the both of them take this business model to a sleazy extreme. May they keep each other awake at night, worrying about how they'll be able to make it out-sleazing each other.

It's all happening in the shadow of what the owner of American Family Fitness did, Mike. It's more of the same difficult-to-leave contract model. I have a comparably-sized gym I work out at here in Louisville's St. Matthew's area. While it isn't as clean and not as well run, I can leave whenever I want.

- Bill
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Bill Glasheen
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Post by Bill Glasheen »

It's difficult to get the scale of the magnitude of this tree near where they're constructing the building which may kill it. It's so perfectly proportioned that you can't comprehend the size until you walk right up to it. Take a look at the size of the cars parked near it.

Giant white oak - satellite view

White Oak view from Pouncey Tract Road

- Bill
MikeK
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Post by MikeK »

Supposedly the tree is safe. We'll see how long it lives.
http://www.henricocitizen.com/index.php ... _tree_3124

Now I remember you talking about them at the movie. I'll have to pay a visit and listen to their sales pitch when they open. Of course I'll go with an open mind and look like a lamb heading to the slaughter. That should be fun. :lol:
I was dreaming of the past...
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f.Channell
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Post by f.Channell »

Loved Dong in Sixteen Candles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90oX0XLv ... re=related

I'm a fan.
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Bill Glasheen
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Post by Bill Glasheen »

Mike

Have fun with the McDojo. We're looking forward to the report.

The author of that article needs to take a biology course.
Henrico Citizen wrote:
Some citizens in the area have become attached to the tree,which is more 40 years old and has a trunk 48 inches in diameter, and are hoping the new development in the Downtown Short Pump shopping center won’t damage it.
Oy!!

I've had to cut down a few oak trees in my yard due to the damage of construction. The "average" oak I've cut down had about 100 rings on it. And those trees were a fraction of the size of this magnificent monster.

I say she's 300 years old, +/- a few decades. I have never in my life seen a specimen like it. Oh and you don't "plant" white oak trees (quercus alba). They get a six foot tap root within a year of the acorn sprouting. They are strictly volunteers of nature. This one happened to have been born in a clearing where it was protected and allowed to develop to the perfectly-proportioned tree it is today. Most probably it was in the middle of a cow field where she got all the "fertilizer" she needed through her life - generation after generation.

My guess is they'll kill it. The roots don't like being trampled on. I lost 5 trees on my property after my house was built. Fortunately I have many, many trees of many varieties still left. And I protect them as they do my house.

- Bill
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