Downtown Needs Some Love!
In light of recent events, we thought you'd appreciate seeing this presentation that we created earlier this year, highlighting and contextualizing the crisis that we believe is currently threatening Richmond's historic downtown. The properties in orange on this map of downtown Richmond are all either vacant/distressed or have announced plans for replacement/demolition. That’s a lot to lose!
Not all of these buildings have historical/architectural value, but collectively they represent a potentially catastrophic loss to our once vibrant downtown—beautiful, usable structures replaced by costly new construction, or worse, NOT replaced—leaving a gravel pit or surface parking in its wake.
Last updated in September 2024, this presentation has been shared with every Mayoral candidate, the Avula transition team, and numerous other organizations. We hope that they will join us in advocating for a Demolition Review Ordinance as part of the Cultural Heritage Stewardship Plan— a “Stop, Look, and Listen” process, to make sure the community has a chance to weigh in before something irreplaceable is lost. A Demo Review might also mandate that nothing be demolished without a replacement project already designed, funded, and approved, preventing the loss of life, people, jobs, and prosperity in the heart of our City.