Salvation Army is planning a $15 million renovation to turn the Chamberlayne Avenue building into a facility called Center of Hope. (Image courtesy Salvation Army)
Chamberlayne shelter grant agreement, Shyndigz development on city planning agenda
Correction: The Planning Commission meeting is scheduled Tuesday, not Monday.
The Richmond Planning Commission meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. Full agenda here.
On the consent agenda is a rezoning request from Commonwealth Catholic Charities for a mixed-use development involving lower-income housing at the site of its youth and adult outreach center at 809 Oliver Hill Way.
A special-use request from Shyndigz owners Nicole and Bryon Jessee would allow their mixed-use development at 1912 W. Cary St. to meet building height and off-street parking requirements. The development is to include a new home for the dessert shop and is adjacent to the Jessees’ planned 19-room hotel.
Also on the agenda is a special-use request for a five-story, 60-unit apartment building planned at 1401-1407 Hull St., and authorization of a grant agreement and purchase option between the city and Salvation Army to fund construction of its Center of Hope long-term shelter at 1900 Chamberlayne Ave.
Mayor Stoney touts accomplishments in last State of the City address
Mayor Levar Stoney delivered his last State of the City speech last week at the Science Museum of Virginia. (Screenshot)
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney delivered his last State of the City address last week at the Science Museum of Virginia.
Touting city accomplishments over the past seven years, Stoney said that, since 2017, Richmond had reduced poverty by 22 percent, reduced overall violent crime by 22 percent, increased funding for Richmond Public Schools by almost 50 percent, increased annual funding for lower-income housing by over 1,300 percent, and announced over 6,500 jobs and $3.88 billion in new capital investment.
He said the city had paved 1,200 lane miles of roads, added the GRTC Pulse rapid-transit bus line and made fares free, built three new schools and funded plans for future school facilities, expanded out-of-school time for every elementary and middle school student, added 54 acres of park land, and submitted the city’s annual financial report on time each year, among other accomplishments listed.
Stoney also announced that the city parks and recreation department is repurposing the former Washington Commanders Training Facility at 2701 W. Leigh St. for public use and programming.
The full speech can be viewed here and read here.
Chesterfield unveils new $17.5M library in Midlothian
The exterior of Chesterfield County’s new, 25,000-square-foot library in Midlothian. (Courtesy Chesterfield County)
Chesterfield officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week to officially open the county’s latest library.
The new Midlothian library offers a community meeting room and several other rooms for studying and meetings, as well as an outdoor classroom and additional outdoor spaces. There’s also a digital media center at the facility.
At 25,000 square feet, the $17.5 million library is nearly two-thirds larger than the old Midlothian library that existed on the same site until it was demolished to make way for the new facility, according to a county news release. The old library was shuttered in 2021.
In addition to book loans, the library also features children’s toys that can be checked out. The library’s lobby features a mural by Matt Lively that pays homage to the area’s roots as a center of coal mining.
Virginia Beach-based HBA Architecture & Interior Design, which also has an office in Libbie Mill development, designed the library. The project’s general contractor was Loughridge.
The project broke ground in September 2022. Funding for the library came by way of the county’s 2004 bond referendum, but the project was delayed due to the 2008 Great Recession, according to a Chesterfield On Point blog post.
Henrico lands $1.4M grant to create EV charging station network
Henrico County will install electric vehicle charging stations at seven locations after being awarded a $1.4 million federal grant to promote clean energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
According to a release, the funding aims to help communities expand public access to EV charging stations, particularly in areas that are accessible but underserved by privately operated stations. Henrico’s planned locations are Tuckahoe Area Library, Fairfield Area Library, Henrico County Government Center, Eastern Government Center, Eastern Henrico Recreation Center, Henrico Sports & Events Center and Short Pump Park.
More on the grant award is available here.
Salvation Army is planning a $15 million renovation to turn the Chamberlayne Avenue building into a facility called Center of Hope. (Image courtesy Salvation Army)
Chamberlayne shelter grant agreement, Shyndigz development on city planning agenda
Correction: The Planning Commission meeting is scheduled Tuesday, not Monday.
The Richmond Planning Commission meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. Full agenda here.
On the consent agenda is a rezoning request from Commonwealth Catholic Charities for a mixed-use development involving lower-income housing at the site of its youth and adult outreach center at 809 Oliver Hill Way.
A special-use request from Shyndigz owners Nicole and Bryon Jessee would allow their mixed-use development at 1912 W. Cary St. to meet building height and off-street parking requirements. The development is to include a new home for the dessert shop and is adjacent to the Jessees’ planned 19-room hotel.
Also on the agenda is a special-use request for a five-story, 60-unit apartment building planned at 1401-1407 Hull St., and authorization of a grant agreement and purchase option between the city and Salvation Army to fund construction of its Center of Hope long-term shelter at 1900 Chamberlayne Ave.
Mayor Stoney touts accomplishments in last State of the City address
Mayor Levar Stoney delivered his last State of the City speech last week at the Science Museum of Virginia. (Screenshot)
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney delivered his last State of the City address last week at the Science Museum of Virginia.
Touting city accomplishments over the past seven years, Stoney said that, since 2017, Richmond had reduced poverty by 22 percent, reduced overall violent crime by 22 percent, increased funding for Richmond Public Schools by almost 50 percent, increased annual funding for lower-income housing by over 1,300 percent, and announced over 6,500 jobs and $3.88 billion in new capital investment.
He said the city had paved 1,200 lane miles of roads, added the GRTC Pulse rapid-transit bus line and made fares free, built three new schools and funded plans for future school facilities, expanded out-of-school time for every elementary and middle school student, added 54 acres of park land, and submitted the city’s annual financial report on time each year, among other accomplishments listed.
Stoney also announced that the city parks and recreation department is repurposing the former Washington Commanders Training Facility at 2701 W. Leigh St. for public use and programming.
The full speech can be viewed here and read here.
Chesterfield unveils new $17.5M library in Midlothian
The exterior of Chesterfield County’s new, 25,000-square-foot library in Midlothian. (Courtesy Chesterfield County)
Chesterfield officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week to officially open the county’s latest library.
The new Midlothian library offers a community meeting room and several other rooms for studying and meetings, as well as an outdoor classroom and additional outdoor spaces. There’s also a digital media center at the facility.
At 25,000 square feet, the $17.5 million library is nearly two-thirds larger than the old Midlothian library that existed on the same site until it was demolished to make way for the new facility, according to a county news release. The old library was shuttered in 2021.
In addition to book loans, the library also features children’s toys that can be checked out. The library’s lobby features a mural by Matt Lively that pays homage to the area’s roots as a center of coal mining.
Virginia Beach-based HBA Architecture & Interior Design, which also has an office in Libbie Mill development, designed the library. The project’s general contractor was Loughridge.
The project broke ground in September 2022. Funding for the library came by way of the county’s 2004 bond referendum, but the project was delayed due to the 2008 Great Recession, according to a Chesterfield On Point blog post.
Henrico lands $1.4M grant to create EV charging station network
Henrico County will install electric vehicle charging stations at seven locations after being awarded a $1.4 million federal grant to promote clean energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
According to a release, the funding aims to help communities expand public access to EV charging stations, particularly in areas that are accessible but underserved by privately operated stations. Henrico’s planned locations are Tuckahoe Area Library, Fairfield Area Library, Henrico County Government Center, Eastern Government Center, Eastern Henrico Recreation Center, Henrico Sports & Events Center and Short Pump Park.
More on the grant award is available here.