At the September 28 meeting of Richmond City Council, the Stoney administration introduced an ordinance to amend the proposed Capital Improvements Projects for FY2020-2021, expanding the scope of the Heritage Center/Lumpkin’s Jail (Devil’s Half Acre) project. The ordinance proposes the city acquire 1305 North 5 th   Street, which historically served as part of the Burial Ground for Free People of Colour and Slaves.     The ordinance amends the Devil’s Half Acre program in alignment with the recommendations of the Shockoe Alliance and tireless work of community advocates. If the ordinance is adopted, the project would include: A pavilion and museum at the Devil’s Half Acre Site; Planning requirements for the proposed Heritage Center; Design of and improvements to the Richmond Slave Trail and Trail Head; and The acquisition of 1305 North 5 th   Street and extension of the Slave Trail to that property.   1305 North 5 th   Street was historically used as...

Update: Biennial real estate plan proposes to allot parcels for affordable development, homeownership The Biennial Real Estate plan, which was in draft form until submitted to Richmond City Council as required by ordinance, has been supplemented to include additional parcels dedicated to increasing affordable housing opportunities and providing a CIP fund stimulus. Now, the plan recommends four additional parcels go to the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust and three additional parcels be conveyed to non-profit affordable housing organizations for affordable development. The plan also identifies four more high-value parcels to convey to developers at a competitive rate. The plan also specifies that if the Richmond School Board officially declares any former public school buildings surplus, then future use opportunities for those parcels could be brought before Richmond City Council. The Biennial Real Estate Plan is a set of non-binding proposals reflective of the city’s real estate pri...

The City of Richmond’s Office of Minority Business Development (OMBD) has launched a new Supplier and Diversity Portal through B2GNow.  The new portal will be used for minority business enterprise (MBE) and emerging small businesses (ESB) to register with OMBD’s office and can be accessed by visiting this link: https://richmondombd.diversitycompliance.com/?TN=richmondombd . The new system will be utilized for MBE/ESB registration along with compliance management for accurate tracking of MBE/ESB spending, goal setting, certification, and much more. All minority small businesses are encouraged to register their business via the new portal.  OMBD plans to deactivate the current MBD Businesses Directory on December 31, 2020 and encourages all registered businesses to re-register their firm. OMBD staff is available for assistance with the portal and to answer any questions. The new B2GNow system is a nationwide database and would provide exposure and full access to opportunities ac...