A rendering of VPM’s planned five-story headquarters that would feature TV and audio studios in addition to event space in downtown Richmond. (Images courtesy of VPM)
After nearly 60 years on Sesame Street, VPM will soon be on its way to downtown Richmond.
The public media organization announced plans Wednesday to relocate from its current home at 23 Sesame St. in Chesterfield County to a new five-story, 53,000-square-foot headquarters building at 13-17 E. Broad St., next to jewelry store Waller & Co.
VPM President Jayme Swain said the nonprofit’s current, similar-sized headquarters was built in 1964 and has reached its technological limits, which motivated the organization to find a new home better equipped to handle the needs it has in modern times.
“The impetus for thinking about a facility upgrade was the technology,” Swain said. “Certainly the technology that was implemented in 1964 no longer allows us to meet our mission.”
In addition to being home to the nonprofit’s news operations, the new complex would also be a venue for civic programming and events. For those uses, VPM was in search of a more central location, Swain said.
“We see this building not just being production and content distribution, but a space to convene the community, whether that’s film festivals, forums, debate (or) music performances,” she said. “We are public media and we see ourselves as a convener. That’s harder and harder in Chesterfield where we currently are. It used to be a wide-open field and now there’s a lot of growth and it’s harder to find us.”
VPM is under contract to purchase a 0.7-acre parcel that’s now a parking lot and owned by an LLC tied to Fred Shaia. It expects to close on the sale at the end of the year, Swain said.
Jayme Swain
Swain declined to share how much VPM is planning to pay to acquire the site and said a cost estimate for construction of the new headquarters was still being worked out.
The property most recently was assessed at $1.7 million, according to online city land records.
The Virginia Foundation for Public Media, which is affiliated with VPM, will provide funding for the project alongside a fundraising campaign.
VPM hopes to break ground next spring. The organization aims to move into the building in the spring of 2026. SMBW is the project architect. A general contractor hasn’t been selected yet.
The property fronts both Broad and Grace streets. The five-story VPM headquarters building will be built fronting Broad Street, while a 1,500-square-foot, one-story building is planned for the Grace Street side. A parking structure is also part of the plans.
The headquarters building will feature studios for TV, audio and digital operations in addition to a ground-floor studio for the community and event space to hold live broadcast events.
Swain said the uses of the one-story building on Grace were still being considered.
“The Grace Street building is a requirement from the city, because what they don’t want is for Grace Street to just have a lot of parking structures. We’re still early in thinking about whether that’s going to be VPM programming or if that’s an opportunity to lease or find a partner to work with us,” she said.
Swain said the city’s economic development office helped VPM identify potential sites for the new headquarters and talks were underway between city and VPM leaders about an incentive package tied to the relocation to Richmond.
A rendering of VPM’s planned 1,500-square-foot, one-story building that would front Grace Street as part of a larger project to build a new headquarters facility in downtown Richmond.
VPM owns its current Chesterfield property, and the organization’s leadership is still talking about the future of that facility. Ideas being kicked around include selling or leasing portions of the property to other users.
Swain said VPM will continue to need the site’s two, 1,000-foot broadcast towers, which the organization doesn’t own, and will maintain a minimal presence in Chesterfield after the Richmond headquarters is operational.
Swain said public transit and the ability to be closer to city and state decision-makers also attracted VPM to the site in Richmond.
“From a news organization point of view, we’re proximate to City Hall and the Capitol. We’re an arts and culture organization and now we’re in the heart of the Arts District,” she said of the future headquarters.
VPM has 99 employees assigned to the headquarters facility. The organization, which also has offices in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg, has a total of 110 employees.
VPM operates TV and radio stations that broadcast across Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. The public media organization’s TV stations are VPM Plus, VPM PBS KIDS, VPM Create (a lifestyle channel) and VPM World (international programming). The organization also operates radio stations VPM News (the Richmond NPR station) and VPM Music, and owns news publication Style Weekly, which it revived in 2021.
A rendering of VPM’s planned five-story headquarters that would feature TV and audio studios in addition to event space in downtown Richmond. (Images courtesy of VPM)
After nearly 60 years on Sesame Street, VPM will soon be on its way to downtown Richmond.
The public media organization announced plans Wednesday to relocate from its current home at 23 Sesame St. in Chesterfield County to a new five-story, 53,000-square-foot headquarters building at 13-17 E. Broad St., next to jewelry store Waller & Co.
VPM President Jayme Swain said the nonprofit’s current, similar-sized headquarters was built in 1964 and has reached its technological limits, which motivated the organization to find a new home better equipped to handle the needs it has in modern times.
“The impetus for thinking about a facility upgrade was the technology,” Swain said. “Certainly the technology that was implemented in 1964 no longer allows us to meet our mission.”
In addition to being home to the nonprofit’s news operations, the new complex would also be a venue for civic programming and events. For those uses, VPM was in search of a more central location, Swain said.
“We see this building not just being production and content distribution, but a space to convene the community, whether that’s film festivals, forums, debate (or) music performances,” she said. “We are public media and we see ourselves as a convener. That’s harder and harder in Chesterfield where we currently are. It used to be a wide-open field and now there’s a lot of growth and it’s harder to find us.”
VPM is under contract to purchase a 0.7-acre parcel that’s now a parking lot and owned by an LLC tied to Fred Shaia. It expects to close on the sale at the end of the year, Swain said.
Jayme Swain
Swain declined to share how much VPM is planning to pay to acquire the site and said a cost estimate for construction of the new headquarters was still being worked out.
The property most recently was assessed at $1.7 million, according to online city land records.
The Virginia Foundation for Public Media, which is affiliated with VPM, will provide funding for the project alongside a fundraising campaign.
VPM hopes to break ground next spring. The organization aims to move into the building in the spring of 2026. SMBW is the project architect. A general contractor hasn’t been selected yet.
The property fronts both Broad and Grace streets. The five-story VPM headquarters building will be built fronting Broad Street, while a 1,500-square-foot, one-story building is planned for the Grace Street side. A parking structure is also part of the plans.
The headquarters building will feature studios for TV, audio and digital operations in addition to a ground-floor studio for the community and event space to hold live broadcast events.
Swain said the uses of the one-story building on Grace were still being considered.
“The Grace Street building is a requirement from the city, because what they don’t want is for Grace Street to just have a lot of parking structures. We’re still early in thinking about whether that’s going to be VPM programming or if that’s an opportunity to lease or find a partner to work with us,” she said.
Swain said the city’s economic development office helped VPM identify potential sites for the new headquarters and talks were underway between city and VPM leaders about an incentive package tied to the relocation to Richmond.
A rendering of VPM’s planned 1,500-square-foot, one-story building that would front Grace Street as part of a larger project to build a new headquarters facility in downtown Richmond.
VPM owns its current Chesterfield property, and the organization’s leadership is still talking about the future of that facility. Ideas being kicked around include selling or leasing portions of the property to other users.
Swain said VPM will continue to need the site’s two, 1,000-foot broadcast towers, which the organization doesn’t own, and will maintain a minimal presence in Chesterfield after the Richmond headquarters is operational.
Swain said public transit and the ability to be closer to city and state decision-makers also attracted VPM to the site in Richmond.
“From a news organization point of view, we’re proximate to City Hall and the Capitol. We’re an arts and culture organization and now we’re in the heart of the Arts District,” she said of the future headquarters.
VPM has 99 employees assigned to the headquarters facility. The organization, which also has offices in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg, has a total of 110 employees.
VPM operates TV and radio stations that broadcast across Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. The public media organization’s TV stations are VPM Plus, VPM PBS KIDS, VPM Create (a lifestyle channel) and VPM World (international programming). The organization also operates radio stations VPM News (the Richmond NPR station) and VPM Music, and owns news publication Style Weekly, which it revived in 2021.
Great news for that area of the City. Plenty more surface lots that can be put to better use in the surrounding area.
I love the rendering and I’m glad to see this lot be developed. I’d prefer it be taller, but for this area 5 stories is adequate.
That is a VERY large building for 99 employees….
Not really when you consider it says they will be coming from a similarly sized space and they will be using it for more than just offices. Studios, performance space, meeting spaces, community spaces, etc will be included.
Maybe you missed the part where the building will house more than just office space, but studios, performance spaces, community and event spaces, etc. Are you suggesting that just because Richmond Raceway employs 55 people that they should occupy less than their 1000 acres? No, don’t imagine you are, because their property contains performance venues, parking, stadium seating, and a freaking race track. Companies determine the size of their operations based on more than just the size of their employee roster.
The rumors of downtown Richmond’s demise are greatly exaggerated.
A non-profit entity that will most like get an exemption from real estate taxes and a some taxpayer cash to move their HQ/studios into the City as tax paying retailers and their HQs close up and move out (Ledbury) is not a healthy sign. Especially when they haven’t decided what to do with their multi-million dollar valued suburban property. I love VPM and its programs but why is that city development for everything but residential (and especially cultural and entrainment) almost always comes with a direct taxpayer cost.
I love how we Richmonders complain about anything that happens in the city. At least the comments above said most likely get tax exemptions, but until you know the details I would avoid any comment. That said even if they get tax exemptions, they will still bring 99 stable employees to an area that needs stability. These people will spend money in the area, which in turn may prompt more businesses to move in and liven up the area. If the city does something good, it is bad, if it does something bad it is awful. Maybe Henrico and Chesterfield… Read more »
This is an opinion blog, so anyone can comment without details. 99 stable employees spending money for lunch will not impact the local downtown RVA economy. I am guessing most of them will continue to live where they live now (possibly Chesterfield?) & commute to the City. As a City taxpayer I certainly hope this non-profit pays their “fair share”. I would love for Chesterfield to take of the City – maybe they would bring some fiscal acumen and responsibility to the City.
Just because someone “can” comment without details does not mean that they “should”. Besides you are essentially saying he should not post about people’s opinions by posting about his opinion….
How can this story be spun so negatively? We get a great new building on what was otherwise a vacant lot. Ledbury’s situation is quite different and has little to do with VPM moving into the Arts District.
From my perspective, developing on a vacant lot is a two thumbs up for the City – & I agree with you there. What burns my a$$ is how does a non-profit come up with this kind of money? Through federal and state grants, taxpayers will be paying for this project. “Swain declined to share” how much they are paying, and the article states another foundation is funding most of this project? The proliferation of non-profits is a total grift and pass through of federal taxpayer money.
Great fit for the Arts District