Oak Grove/Bellemeade Small Area Plan
Recent Investment & Planned Projects
The Small Area Plan
Lead Entity
The City of Richmond's Office of Equitable Development (OED)
Timeline
January 2023 - August 2024
Description
The City of Richmond is partnering with the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) to lead a resident-driven planning process for the Oak Grove/Bellemeade small area that generates visions statements and strategies for neighborhood improvements, including the transformation of Hillside Court public housing. The plan will give specific focus to the well-being, education, job training, and generational wealth building of Richmonders in the Oak Grove/Bellemeade small area.
Website
City Context
The Oak Grove/Bellemeade (OGB) study area is located approximately 1 mile south of Downtown Richmond in Richmond's Southside. Manchester and Blackwell are to the north while Clopton and Broad Rock Industrial Park are to the south and southwest respectively. In recent years, Manchester has undergone a rapid transformation, and as the city's population grows, some of that development pressure is mounting further south. That pressure, coupled with the area's attractiveness to newcomers for its accessibility to downtown, nearby public transit, affordable home prices, and proximity to I-95, presents an opportunity for Oak Grove/Bellemeade community members to plan for the future growth of their community.
Study Area
The study area includes the neighborhoods of Oak Grove in the north and Bellemeade in the south, as well as a sliver of Blackwell along Maury Street. It is situated between two major industrial corridors along Richmond Highway (Route 1) in the west and Commerce Road in the east. A majority of the area is comprised of single family detached homes built in the mid-20th century with corner commercial and industrial uses along the fringe. Hillside Court, Richmond's only public housing complex in the Southside, is located in the center of the study area. The northern portions of the area fall within the 6th City Council District, while the southern half primarily falls within the 8th.
Hillside Court
History
Hillside Court dedication ceremony on October 9, 1953
The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) built Hillside Court in 1952 as public housing for white residents only. During the same time, RRHA constructed Creighton Court in the east end of Richmond for African American residents, perpetuating long-standing patterns of racial segregation in the city. Hillside Court was located between a redlined district to the west and industrial uses to the east on land less desirable for private housing development. The Colonial Revival Style development contains 402 housing units in a U-shaped pattern, with three rows of parallel streets meeting a circular street that creates an interior, semi-circular block.
In 1987, Hillside received site improvements that included the construction of recreational courts behind the community center, new concrete components throughout the site, and landscape regrading. After 1987, the façade of the Hillside Community Center was redesigned.
Today
1412 - 1418 Bruce Street
Over the years, Hillside Court has deteriorated due to neglect and wear. Its 2022 HUD Inspection report noted poor conditions and at least one life-threatening issue. Due to physical condition assessments, Hillside Court meets HUD’s criteria of functional obsolescence. This signifies that 1) the public housing’s physical condition, location, or other factors make it unsuitable for housing purposes and 2) no cost-effective means exists for returning the public housing to useful life.
In 2021, Citizen HKS led Hillside Court residents in a community process for the redesign of the Hillside Playground. The first phase was completed with a $600,000 renovation of the playground in Hillside Court that sits behind the management office at 1500 Harwood St. The next phases will include a children’s playground, walking trail, and other community amenities.
Capital Projects
The following projects are those that have been funded by the City of Richmond through the city's annual capital improvement budget.
- Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School Pedestrian Improvements
Pedestrian crosswalk at Royall Avenue and Krouse Street.
A number of traffic calming and pedestrian-focused improvements have been installed by DPW around Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School to align with the city's Vision Zero strategy. These improvements include better pedestrian crosswalks, curb bump-outs, signage, and more.
- Commerce Road Improvements
The City's Commerce Road Improvement Project will include new bridges, medians, left-turn lanes, streetlights, and sidewalks.
Status: Planned
- Richmond Highway Harwood St and N. Hopkins St Realignment
VDOT will make intersection improvements and better realign Harwood Street and N. Hopkins Road.
Status: In progress
- Maury Street Streetscape Improvements
The City will make operational and safety improvements to Maury Street along this 0.25 mile corridor. These improvements will complement the I-95 Roundabout Interchange Project gateway feature to Commerce Road which will ultimately calm traffic and accommodate all users.
Status: Planned
- Richmond Highway - Maury St to Hull St Improvements
The City will make multi-modal safety and operations improvements along the 0.4-mile stretch of Richmond Highway between Maury Street and Hull Street.
Status: Planned
- Speedtables
The City is in the process of installing speed tables on Maury Street, Halifax Avenue, Ingram Avenue, Joplin Avenue, Fairfax Avenue, Keswick Avenue, and Royall Avenues. These tables will complement recent traffic calming measures installed around Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School.
Status: In progress
Transportation Projects
Fall Line Trail
An image from the nearby Virginia Capital Trail.
Description
The Fall Line Trail is a multi-use bicycling and walking trail that links seven independent localities on its 43-mile journey through Central Virginia: the Town of Ashland, Hanover County, Henrico County, the City of Richmond, Chesterfield County, the City of Colonial Heights, and the City of Petersburg. Several sections of the trail already existed or were planned in localities’ comprehensive and special area plans, including the existing Ashland Trolley Line Trail and Chester Linear Park , and planned Trolley Line Connector in Henrico, Brook Road protected bike lanes in Richmond, and the Northern Jefferson Davis Special Area Plan in Chesterfield. One segment of the trail will run down Commerce Rd and Bellemeade Rd before connecting to Richmond Highway. This trail presents an opportunity to better connect a multitude of places of interest and use for cyclists and pedestrians alike.
Status: Planned
Website
North-South BRT
The Pulse BRT Line in Downtown Richmond.
Description
In an effort to better connect the region and expand coverage to key destinations, the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) has discussed the potential for a North-South bus rapid transit (BRT) line. This line would complement the Richmond region's existing East-West BRT line, "The Pulse," launched in 2018. One proposed North-South BRT alignment would run down Richmond Highway and provide efficient bus service with dedicated lanes and signal prioritization. A preliminary analysis for the North-South BRT line is linked below.
Status: Proposed
Website
James River Branch Trail
Description
The City of Richmond developed the concept for the James River Branch Trail more than a decade ago. The initial plan called for construction of a shared-use path and greenway along the abandoned James River Branch Railroad corridor, located in City Council District 5 and 8 in Southside Richmond. The project was also identified in the Richmond 300 Master Plan as part of a “greenway network” in the city. The trail will be a paved, shared-use path for bicyclists and pedestrians, extending from 49th Street to Hopkins Road, and will connect pedestrians, cyclists, and other non-motorized users to multiple neighborhoods along the corridor and provide needed greenspace. The trail would also link to the nearby Fall Line Trail, which is already underway. City Council authorized the purchase of the 16.87 acres from CSX Transportation, Inc. in November 2022 in order to begin implementation of the trail.
Funding Amount: $9 Million
Status: Planned; Construction to begin in 2023
Concept Plan
GRTC Bus Stop Accessibility Improvements
Description
GRTC is constructing new concrete landing pads at select bus stops in Southside Richmond to improve access for passengers according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. These landing pads provide a stable and smooth surface for passengers to board and alight, including using the bus ramp that can deploy levelly onto the pad. GRTC will also coordinate with jurisdictions to further improve ADA compliance at various stops starting in summer 2023 to further the agency’s push to be more inclusive.
Status: In Progress
Website
Private Development
Recently Completed
The following list includes the bigger (over $1.5 million) development projects that have been completed in and around the Oak Grove/Bellemeade area since 2016.
- Model Tobacco Lofts
- Port City Apartments
- The Mirage
- Clopton Siteworks
- New Manchester Flats
Model Tobacco Lofts
After sitting dormant for decades, 203 luxury apartments and 300,000 sq. ft of residential space are now located inside of the historic six-story former tobacco factory along 1100 Richmond Highway. This adaptive reuse project is emblematic of the ongoing revitalization of the Richmond Highway corridor.
Year completed: 2022
Developer
CA Harrison Companies
Website
Port City Apartments
The Port City Apartment complex is located at 800 Richmond Highway and features 147 affordable housing units in four large, interconnected brick buildings and two rows of one-story historic tobacco warehouses.
Year completed: 2021
Developer
Maramjen Investments
Website
The Mirage
The Mirage is located at 1125 Commerce Road and has 139 loft-style multifamily housing units in a former industrial warehouse building.
Year completed: 2021
Developer
Spy Rock Real Estate
Website
Clopton Siteworks
The 26 commercial warehouses in Clopton Siteworks were once owned and operated by tobacco giant Philip Morris but now provide flexible office and warehouse space to a diverse community of young businesses.
Year completed: 2018
Developer
Lynx Ventures
Website
New Manchester Flats
The New Manchester Flats project is a mixed-use development with 46 artist studios and 232 total multifamily housing units. Recently, a 4-story low-income tax credit apartment building was added to the complex, financed through the Virginia Housing Development Authority.
Year completed: 2020
Developer
Fountainhead Properties; Hourigan Group
Website
Under Construction
The following projects are under construction as of April 2023:
- The Heights at Brady Square
- Deepwater Industrial Park
The Heights at Brady Square
Rendering, 2023
The Heights at Brady Square is a multi-phase project that will bring 264 affordable housing units to the OGB area by 2024. Funding from the Virginia Housing Trust Fund will help finance the construction and provide mortgage loan financing and federal Housing Tax Credits.
Developers
Lawson Companies, Dakota Partners Development
Website
Deepwater Industrial Park
Rendering Building D, 2022
The Deepwater Industrial Park development is situated 2.2 miles from the Richmond Port Terminal and will be highly accessible to freight traffic from Interstate 95. The park is slated to house 1.5 million square feet of industrial space. Lowe’s has selected the Deepwater Industrial Park for its new distribution facility and the development is also being marketed as an ideal location for other companies seeking a prime East Coast distribution hub.
Developers
Hourigan, DSC Partners
Website
Pipeline (Planned)
Pipeline projects are those that have submitted plans to the City for Special Use Permits (SUPs), Plans of Development (PODs), or Rezonings.
- Former Oak Grove Elementary School
- Afton Apartments
Former Oak Grove Elementary School
The former 5.1-acre site of the Oak Grove Elementary School on Joplin Avenue will soon be redeveloped. Richmond City Council voted unanimously on September 26th, 2022 to approve Ord. No. 2022-258 which authorizes the sale of the property for $500,000, conditioned on the developers completing the project within the next five years and offering rent-level restrictions over a 30-year term. The proposed multifamily housing development would feature 220+ rental units and 15+ for-sale town homes or condos.
Developers
Lynx Ventures, Maggie Walker Community Land Trust
Website
Afton Apartments
Rendering, 2021
The 5-story Afton Apartment development will be located between Afton Avenue and Bellemeade Road and will feature 150 affordable housing units. The first set of units will be available in spring 2023.
Developer
Genesis Properties
Website
Other projects
Hull Street Façade Improvement Program
Lead Entity: City of Richmond
Total Program Budget: $250,000
Description
The City is offering a matching grant to encourage façade improvements within the Hull Street Façade Improvement zone. Suitable projects include uncovering and restoring historical façades, removing existing façade materials and replacing them with more appropriate and attractive designs and materials, architectural lighting of the façade, and other detailing which leads to a substantially enhanced appearance of the building. Projects meeting these objectives are eligible for a reimbursement grant for up to one-half of the costs of the eligible façade improvements.
Status: In progress
Website
Community Assets
Hillside Court MicroFarm and Outdoor Lab
In 2021, the Hillside Court MicroFarm was started by Hillside resident, Asia Goode, to improve food access for Hillside residents. Youth-serving nonprofit, Groundwork RVA, employs their Green Team to lead residents and volunteers to enhance this green space and promote urban agriculture in their community. In 2021, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation granted the project $25,000.
Hillside Playground Renovation and Mural
In 2021, Citizen HKS led Hillside Court residents in a community process for the redesign of the Hillside Playground to memorialize the life of 3-year-old resident Shamar Hill Jr. The first phase was completed with a $600,000 renovation of the playground in Hillside Court that sits behind the management office at 1500 Harwood St. Over the past two years, the playground has been renovated and expanded to include athletic fields, volleyball courts, walking trails, and a mural painted by Hillside residents and volunteers. In December 2022, it was announced that another art installation is planned for the space.
T.B. Smith Community Center Renovation
T.B. Smith Community Center Conceptual Plan, 2022
The City will spend $20 million, funded largely by the federal American Rescue Plan Act, to renovate and revamp the T.B. Smith Community Center, playground, and adjacent athletic courts at 2015 Ruffin Road. Community engagement meetings were held in spring 2022 to develop conceptual designs for the new community center.
Blackwell Park Development Plan
Blackwell Park Conceptual Plan, 2023
The City's Parks and Recreation Department is in the process of renovating the Charlie Sydnor Playground and greater Blackwell Park area into a thriving green space with walking trails, pollinator meadows, a community garden, rain barrels, and more. New basketball courts have recently been completed for community use.
Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School and Bellemeade Community Center
Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School Entrance
The original Oak Grove Elementary School was built in 1913 along Ingram Avenue and was later acquired by the City of Richmond through annexation in 1914. In 2013, the new Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School, a LEED Gold-certified facility with outdoor learning classrooms, opened its doors. The school accommodates 675 students ranging from Pre-K to 5th grade. The new building itself was designed by VMDO Architects as a teaching tool, utilizing transparent details and technology to reveal the inner workings of the school and illustrate concepts of environmental awareness and energy use.
Bellemeade Community Center Pool
Bellemeade Community Center is adjacent to Bellemeade Park and Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School. The center provides meals, programs, and fitness, dance, cooking, and computer classes to residents and students. Bellemeade Community Center's indoor amenities include a gym, computer lab, kitchen, meeting room, fitness room, swimming pool, and game area. Outdoor amenities include baseball, basketball, and football fields.
Oak Grove Playground Improvements
City capital funds have been allocated for improvements to the Oak Grove Playground at 2200 Gordon Avenue including new fencing, drinking fountains, basketball courts, and benches.
Fire Station 21 Improvements
Renovations will begin on this station in summer 2023.
RVAgreen 2050
Lead Entity
City of Richmond Office of Sustainability
Timeline
- Draft Climate Equity Action Plan 2030 released 4/19/2022
- Community engagement through 6/19/2022
- Plan Adopted by City Council 2/13/2023
Description
RVAgreen 2050 is the City of Richmond Office of Sustainability's equity-centered climate action and resilience planning initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030, achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and help the community adapt to Richmond’s climate impacts of extreme heat, precipitation, and flooding.
Through a multi-year engagement process, the Office developed the Climate Equity Action Plan 2030 , a 190-page planning document that identifies goals, strategies, and specific steps for citywide climate action in five broad topic areas, each managed by a team of topical experts, or working groups: buildings and energy, community, environment, transportation and mobility, and waste reduction and recovery. While implementation of these strategies is underway, you can check out the Office's Climate Equity Vulnerability and Risk Assessment StoryMap to learn more.
Website
Richmond Connects
Lead Entity
City of Richmond Office of Equitable Transit & Mobility
Timeline
April 2022 to Spring 2023
Description
The development of the Richmond Connects plan compendium, including a Richmond Connects Equitable Mobility and Accessibility Action Plan (RC E MAAP) and a Richmond Connects Scenario Plan, began in spring 2022.
The Richmond Connects Equitable Mobility and Accessibility Action Plan will include a robust multimodal needs assessment, with weight being given to the needs that impact equity per the Equity Factors developed in the Path to Equity: Policy Guide for Richmond Connects. This process will result in a list of top multimodal transportation needs, and a list of top recommendations to meet those needs. The most pressing needs and the proposed solutions will move into the action plan for immediate implementation.
The Richmond Connects Scenario Plan will be the long-range plan component. It will look out to 2050 and ask if we make large scale investments in x, y, or z types of transportation, what does that do for the overall network and what does that do for equitable transportation? It will test sets of investments for impacts to the Richmond 300: A Guide for Growth objectives and the Path to Equity Equity Factors.
Website
Community Projects
Southside ReLeaf is a volunteer-run organization committed to building a healthy, equitable and sustainable environment for all residents in South Richmond. Their mission is to improve health outcomes and the quality of life for Southside Richmond by building green spaces and advocating for people-centered policy. Beyond their environmental advocacy work, Southside ReLeaf has hosted a number of community-led tree plantings, tree giveaways, maintenance projects, and community workdays.
Bob Argabright began transforming an overgrown and invasive plant-infested Southside green space in 2004. While Mr. Argabright still maintains much of the 8-acre park, he is joined by local children, community members, and volunteers looking to connect to the natural world through creative play, exploration and bonding. This once-underutilized city park now features woodland trails, a butterfly garden, a rain garden, a pollinator habitat, a bike shop, vermiculture bins, beekeeping hives, groves with native trees, a chicken coop, and a vegetable garden that was built by volunteers with the help of a $23,500 grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation’s Get Outdoors Fund.
Mr. Argabright and Friends of Bellemeade Park host a year-round Saturday Outdoor Club for local youth and Conserve & Create days where volunteers work collectively to maintain the park and garden spaces.
Virginia Community Voice is a non-profit organization led by Lea Whitehurst-Gibson and has two main programs: RVA Thrives seeks to increase neighborhood leadership over decisions affecting Richmond's Southside, putting neighbors at the center while their Community Voice Blueprint program prepares institutions to equitably engage and make decisions regarding historically marginalized communities. They host regular working groups with Southside residents, conduct interviews, host surveys, and engage in one-on-one conversations with community members to equip them with sustainable tools and resources so they can build and maintain positive community change without the long-term support of the organization.
Groundwork RVA programs work with youth to occupy a hands-on role in creating positive changes to enhance green spaces in Richmond communities. They operate the Bellemeade Bike Shop, located in Bellemeade Park, and work in close collaboration with Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School and the Bellemeade Community Center to provide neighborhood children access to bikes , bike safety, and to bike paths .
They also have a citywide Green Team program that partners with Richmond Public Schools and other local organizations to plan and implement revitalization projects and expand access to Richmond's natural and cultural resources. Their Green Workforce program builds recent high school graduates' capacity and develops their work experience through revitalizing green spaces in neighborhoods and landscape improvement.
Southside Community Development & Housing Corporation's (SCDHC) mission is to build viable, thriving and sustainable communities through affordable housing development and services that help families build their wealth. They have partnered with local builders across the area to create new, affordable housing for residents of Richmond, particularly in Southside. They also provide homeownership education and counseling, financial counseling and coaching (in English and Spanish), employment services, and supportive programs to low-income families throughout the Central Virginia region. SCDHC is one of the largest single-family non-profit housing developers in Richmond and has developed over 450 affordable single-family homes.
SCDHC has previously partnered with Virginia Community Voice for community engagement to better understand the needs of residents of the Richmond Highway Corridor.
James River Association
The James River Association (JRA) is a non-profit organization focused on promoting conservation and responsible stewardship of the James River's natural resources. They help communities benefit from the river by increasing river access, supporting river-related events, and implementing volunteer projects.
In 2012, JRA helped create the Bellemeade Walkable Watershed Report to bring together community members, non-profit organizations, and business leaders to develop a Watershed Concept Plan for restoring the water quality and community health in the Bellemeade neighborhood. As part of the implementation process for this plan, the JRA have conducted several community projects in the area including the Bellemeade Green Street Project. This project involved the installation of a bioretention filter, eight planter beds, and two Filterra boxes to capture stormwater runoff along a 0.4-mile segment of Minefee Street, located between Hillside Court and Bellemeade Park. The goal of the project was to create a safer walking and biking route for residents, and improve local water quality in the nearby Albro Creek.
