We’ll know soon enough how long Justin French will spend in prison — what’s less clear is how long it will take Richmond to clean up his mess. For now, the state Department of Historic Resources is taking steps to prevent future abuse of its tax credit program.
Brian White
Area apartment vacancy rising
Real estate researcher Reis Inc. reported last week that the national apartment vacancy rate reached 7.5 percent in the second quarter; the rate for Richmond was higher at 8.1 percent. But Patrick McCloud, president of the Central Virginia Apartment Association, said despite the record high vacancy levels Richmond is holding up well and that the rental market is showing signs of improvement.
New lease on life for Cold Storage plant
The first of five turn-of-the-century industrial buildings to be turned into apartments is six weeks away from completion. The development is a $50 million project of Historic Housing, the same group that developed 17th Street Lofts and The Lofts at Canal Walk. The apartments start at around $900 a month.