City’s East End Vision Charrette Receives APA Virginia Award

The City’s East End Vision Charrette was recently awarded the 2011 Public Outreach and Engagement Award during the American Planning Association Virginia Chapter’s annual conference in Wintergreen, Virginia. The East End Vision Charrette was formed by a unique public/private partnership of the City of Richmond, Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, and Bon Secours Richmond Community Hospital in the spring of 2010 to engage in a dynamic community planning process.

The Awards Committee noted the effort of the East End Vision Charrette as it engaged a diverse group of community members, along with the success of drawing a large number of participants to the events as admirable and worthy of recognition. Additionally, the effort garnered an impressive amount of media coverage, bringing the planning process to the attention of as many potential participants as possible.

“This award is a positive indication of our collaborated efforts to revitalize our city’s East End,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “It acknowledges the partnership that brought forth the planning effort that has continued in a commitment to ensure transformational change. I again thank the residents and businesses of our city who participated in the charrette and our partners for their unwavering dedication to bettering our city’s East End.”

The East End Vision Charrette consisted of a series of interactive public meetings which were designed to plan for revitalization of the East End and the 25th Street/Nine Mile Road Corridor. More than 1,000 people attended the opening and closing events and the various planning sessions throughout the week. The purpose of the charrette was to identify specific designs, housing and business opportunities; as well as policy and management recommendations for the revitalization effort of the City of Richmond’s East End and Church Hill neighborhood.