Downtown news

Shockoe Bottom Revitalization

The city of Richmond’s Department of Economic and Community Development has released the Economic Revitalization Strategy for Shockoe Bottom. This study was completed by Bay Area Economics with the purpose of developing a guide to Shockoe’s future growth.

The Strategy builds upon previous planning efforts, including the recently adopted Downtown Plan, by further refining the vision of the future for this portion of Downtown Richmond. Evaluation of land use/zoning, architecture, urban design, economic development, history, the natural environment, storm water management, public infrastructure, multi-modal transportation, tourism/culture and parking will be considered and compiled into an implementable strategy.

The Strategy includes up-to-date demographic and economic profiles, a retail gap analysis, existing and future market competition as well as market demand for specific uses and recommendations. The Strategy provides stakeholders in the area, from both the public and private sectors, with specific guidance toward effectively implementing the vision.

For a rundown of the study and the city’s immediate strategy for implementation in the next year, click here .

For the full detailed study, click here .

Richmond’s Department of Economic and Community Development

RVA Creativity Catalog

The RVA Creativity Catalog features a plethora of ideation and ingenuity in Downtown Richmond. There are many more businesses, organizations, artists, activists and other innovators fueling downtown’s identity as a nucleus of imaginative vitality that spreads well beyond the city’s borders. If you have a story of creativity and innovation that you’d like to share, email rvacreates@gmail.com.

View the creativity catalog .

RVA Downtown: Creativity in Action

Recognizing the powerful role that creativity plays in Richmond, partners from around the city have developed an initiative to recognize the groundswell of Richmond’s inventive solution to challenges, unique products, insightful design, cutting-edge art, authentic entertainment, tricked-out technology and the people whose passion and drive spark innovation.
 
That initiative is RVA.

Riverfront Planning

The City of Richmond’s Department of Planning and Development Review has made available the latest presentation of recommendations regarding Riverfront Planning from consultants Hargreaves Associates. The firm has proposed some big ideas for the riverfront and had presented them to the public most recently on Dec. 13, 2011, at the Virginia War Memorial.

In addition to increasing and beautifying access to the wilder parts of the James River, Hargreaves Associates also recommends alterations to areas like Brown’s Island and the Canal Walk. Their full presentation can be found here.

We invite you to take a look at the plan being proposed, keeping in mind these represent possibilities. Let us know what you think about Hargreaves Associates’ proposed changes on Facebook or Twitter.