What if downtown Richmond had no one-way streets?
What if downtown Richmond had more trees and green spaces?
What if downtown Richmond had a trolley...again?
Those, among many others, were pointed questions brought up last Thursday night as numerous city planners, architects and designers wrapped up a week of exploring downtown Richmond's future.
As part of the City of Richmond's state mandated master plan update (which is required every five years by law), the City this year partnered with Venture Richmond to bring in a crack team of city planners and urban renewal experts.
Over the past week, planners from Dover Kohl & Partners scoured downtown looking for ways to viably boost the area over the next several decades. More importantly, the team set up shop at Plant Zero in Manchester and kept their doors and minds extremely open to the public throughout the entire week.
After numerous brainstorming sessions and public workshops, a "work in progress" presentation was made on Thursday night at Plant Zero. The hundreds in attendance were shown renderings of a pedestrian friendly downtown Richmond that included lots of mixed-use buildings, green space and a unified James River Park system. The audience was also told that Richmond is in dire need of an improved mass transit system.
"Your transit system is immature," said planner Victor Dover. "In the wonderful world of Richmond in the year of 2030 or 2050, you are going to have a transit system but you need to lay the ground work for success in that and you need to start soon."
Other renderings showed a resurgence of commercial and residential activity in now vacant Shockoe Bottom lots on Broad Street. Emphasis was also placed on turning Mayo Island into another vibrant public space.
But as the out-of-town planners repeated at the end of their presentation Thursday night, the plan is still a work in progress. Over the next few months, the planners will return to Richmond for additional public meetings, brainstorm sessions and chances for more Richmonders to "come touch the plan."
So with all of this creative thinking in the air regarding our fair city, RBlog wants to also pose the big question to you -- "What do you want downtown Richmond to be?"
Do you think a trolley system is really a reasonable idea? Do you want more commercial opportunities in the Bottom or more residential options? Should there be less one-way streets?
Feel free to let us know. After all, it's your city. What do you want Richmond to be when it grows up?
-- Kent Jennings Brockwell, Richmond.com
React: What do you think? READER COMMENTS
Ryan & Kelly Roark / July 31 at 10:54 a.m.
My wife and I are new to Richmond this year, and we are absolutely loving it. We've somewhat immersed ourselves into its history, culture, and nature. We love the fact that the city planners are seeking the input of Richmond's residents.
We love the idea of resurrecting the trolley system. How great would it be to have that which used to be such a distinguishing mark of the city back up and running?! There's just something about seeing trolley cars running up and down bustling city streets! Not to mention the convenience factor!
We'd also like to see more residential space in Shockoe. However, only if this is done the right way (i.e. architectual and historic considerations).
Richmond already has so much going for it. We hope it will continue the upward trend so that we may proudly show our out-of-town visitors what a great city Richmond already is, and continues to become!