Richmond Partners with Chesterfield County for Hull Street Revitalization Plan

~ Planning grant filed to revitalize 4.7 miles of Hull Street Road~

Richmond, VA - The city of Richmond is partnering with Chesterfield County and Virginia Local Initiatives Support Corp (LISC) on a grant application through the jointly announced U.S. Department of Transportation TIGER II Planning Grant and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Community Challenge Planning Grant. The application is to develop an inter-jurisdictional comprehensive plan to revitalize 4.7 miles of Hull Street Road from just west of Belt Boulevard in Richmond to Walmsley Boulevard in Chesterfield, a commercial and residential corridor.

"This inter-jurisdictional approach toward corridor revitalization benefits everyone involved and maximizes the anticipated return on investment for each jurisdiction," said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. "We will be looking for a range of housing opportunities, unique communities offering a good quality of life including walk ability, nearby job opportunities and viable retail options as well as multiple transportation choices."

The livability plan will include mixed-use, affordable housing, and multimodal transportation elements for a community redevelopment approach characterized by a grassroots resident participation process. The application is for $400,000 in federal funds with a $50,000 match from Richmond, a $50,000 match from Chesterfield, and in-kind staff contributions from LISC.

"Revitalization of the Hull Street Road corridor is key to the future health of adjacent neighborhoods,” said Chairman Dan Gecker of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors. “By all of us working together, we can secure a healthy and vital future for area residents and businesses."

Resident participation will be vital in order to secure buy-in from stakeholder organizations and individuals. The project partners and consultant will work closely with the community and the grassroots organizations as the plan is being developed. The project will develop a plan to address vacant property, infrastructure, land acquisition, landscaping and streetscape amenities, bicycle and pedestrian needs, repaving, incentives for commercial and residential property owners and potential investors, traffic patterns and connectivity changes, land use and zoning analysis, recreational amenities, and improving the existing housing stock. Sustainable and equitable development principles will be applied to site development, open space policies, and construction. Non-profits and faith-based organizations will be encouraged to take an active role.

Grant recipients will be announced this fall. For more information, contact Michael Wallace, City of Richmond public information manager, at (804) 646-2772, and Tom Jacobson, Chesterfield County Revitalization director, at 748-1040.

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