The Fairfield Court Community will house the city’s newest addition to the RVA Bikeshare network – a station designed to serve residents of the historically undeserved neighborhood. The new station is a part of the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility’s (OETM) pilot program to expand Richmond’s existing bikeshare system in an impactful way.

In addition to increasing access with the new station, the pilot addresses cost. The program will be completely free to Fairfield community residents. They will be able to apply for an access pass that will allow them to use the Fairfield Court station and the entire RVA Bikeshare network.

OETM and RRHA are excited to see the positive effects this program will have in the Fairfield Court community. If this program is proven successful, the city plans to continue to partner with RRHA to introduce the bikeshare to other housing communities. 

History of the Effort:

After analysis of the existing RVA Bikeshare network, OETM found that the system conspicuously avoided some of the lowest income areas of in Richmond. Even more striking is that these areas have among the lowest rates of car ownership in the city. It was quickly determined that these areas may have the most to gain from the city’s continued investment in bicycle infrastructure.

The City felt that partnering with the Richmond Redevelopment Housing Authority (RRHA) offered a unique opportunity to better serve these areas. OETM worked hand in hand with RRHA to design the program and to pick Fairfield Court as the pilot site.

Neighborhood Feedback:

In order to ensure there was community buy-in, OETM conducted surveys that demonstrated significant enthusiasm. The survey found that 68% of respondents primarily travel by either public transportation (36%), biking (12%), walking (14%) or ridesharing (6%). Only 28% primarily use personal vehicles. The survey also showed that 75% of trips were between zero and 30 minutes, and 53% of commutes from home to work were between zero and 10 miles. In short, public feedback demonstrated that the community has both the appetite and the need for multi-modal transportation.

“Building Communities. Changing Lives.” is the vision of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority.  RRHA is Virginia’s largest public housing authority serving over 10,000 residents and managing nearly 4,000 units through the public housing program. RRHA provides subsidized housing assistance to more than 3,000 families and is a catalyst for quality affordable housing and community revitalization. For more information about RRHA programs and objectives, visit rrha.com, Facebook, ,  Twitter, Linkedin, or Instagram.

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RICHMOND, Va. – New parking decals for residents of the Carver Restricted Parking District are now on sale. Residents can get more information, verify residency in their Parking District and download an application for mailing on the City’s website: https://www.rva.gov/public-works/parking-enterprise. Both mail-in and in-person renewal options are available for qualifying residents. The current parking permit expires December 31, 2021.

Residents must display the permit on their cars to park for more than the designed time restriction. A resident is either the residing owner of record or renter of property located within the Restricted Parking District. A City of Richmond Residential Parking Permit Application must be completed and approved prior to decal issuance. The Department of Public Works verifies residency for both homeowners residing at the property and lease agreements for renters.

A resident of the district is defined as an owner of record or renter of property in the district and members of their immediate family who reside with the owner or renter at the address in the District:

(1) Who are licensed drivers, and

(2) Whose domicile is the address for which they are seeking to obtain the parking permit

Decals and applications are also available at City Hall, Room 102, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia. The office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please call 804-646-5700 if you have any questions.

For more information on Public Works, please visit us online at https://www.rva.gov/public-works or email us at AskPublicWorks@rva.gov

We’re Social! For updates on DPW-related projects, activities and events visit us on Twitter @DPW_RichmondVA

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The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 178 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting;  graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget comes from the general fund of the City of Richmond.  For more information about DPW services, click here or call 3-1-1.

City of Richmond government offices, including City Hall, will be closed Wednesday, November 24, 2021, through Friday, November 26, 2021, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. City offices will reopen at regular business hours on Monday, November 29.

This closure includes all Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’ administrative offices and city community centers. All city libraries will be closed Wednesday 24 through Friday 26, resuming normal hours on Saturday 27.

Richmond Animal Care and Control is currently only available by appointment Sunday through Friday and open to the public Saturday from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

All DPW offices will be closed Wednesday, November 24 through Friday, November 26. Trash will be collected as scheduled on Wednesday, November 24. There will be no trash collection on Thursday, November 25. Trash scheduled for pick up on Thursday will be picked up on Friday, November 26.

The East Richmond Road Convenience Center (ERRCC), located at 3800 East Richmond Road, will be open on Wednesday, November 24. The ERRCC will be closed Thursday, November 25 through Saturday, November 27 and will reopen on Monday, November 29.

Additionally, the Hopkins Road Transfer Station, located at 3520 North Hopkins Road, will be closed on Thursday, November 25 but will reopen on Friday, November 26.

For more information on city services and schedules, please visit RVA.gov

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City of Richmond offices will be closed on Wednesday, November 24 and Monday, December 27.

The original city calendar designated holidays on November 25 and 26 for Thanksgiving and December 23 and 24 for winter holidays. The two additional holidays will afford employees a much-needed opportunity to recharge after a challenging year.

“Each and every public servant on this team has spent the year going above and beyond,” said CAO Lincoln Saunders. “These two additional days are a symbol of our heartfelt gratitude to the city workforce.”

“I couldn’t be prouder of the entire City of Richmond team,” said Mayor Stoney. “In the face of many challenges, they have responded with innovative solutions and diligent work. These days are well-deserved and vital to sustain our efforts to serve the community.”

As usual, the holidays will not affect the provision of emergency services.

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The city and Venture Richmond are prepared to cut the ribbon on a new, vibrant public space connecting the Historic Jackson Ward neighborhood and City Center. The intersection of Brook Road and W Marshall Street now hosts a three-part placemaking project consisting of a custom-designed parklet, pedestrian plaza, and intersection mural designed to provide space for community gatherings and art appreciation.

Designed by local firm Walter Parks Architects, this is the first custom-designed public parklet built in the City of Richmond. Located outside of ART 180, it will provide safe space for participants in the nonprofit’s youth programming to gather before and after class, and is open to the general public as well. 

Local artist Chris Visions designed the mural, which references the rich history of Jackson Ward and the neighborhood’s enduring mission to carry on a legacy of Black excellence. The design is based on the Sankofa, an Andikra symbol from Ghana meaning “to go back and retrieve/get,” and the colors echo the red, black and green of the Pan-African flag. ART 180 youth painted the mural as part of  the culmination of their Community Program earlier this fall.

The plaza is a result of reclaiming unused public space in front of Gallery 5 and restoring the historic bricks that existed beneath the asphalt. Artist Chris Visions created an artistic extension of the intersection mural into the plaza space and Venture Richmond provided bike racks for people visiting Gallery 5, ART 180, and neighboring businesses and residents.

The Broad Street Task Force, a group of proponents of Richmond’s Downtown convened by the mayor, shared that residents want more vibrant spaces to gather in the area. This, alongside an Asphalt Art Initiative placemaking grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the advocacy of community partners, acted as a catalyst for this new public space placemaking project at the intersection of Brook and Marshall.

City of Richmond staff from Planning and Development Review, the Department of Public Works, the Department of Public Utilities and the Public Art Commission worked alongside Venture Richmond to make the project possible. Additional project partners include ART 180, Big Secret, CB Chandler Construction, Cite Design, Gallery 5, Richmond Toolbank, Vanderbilt Properties, and Walter Parks Architects.

A ribbon cutting for the placemaking project will take place on site in front of Gallery 5 (200 W Marshall St) on Wednesday, November 17 at 2:00 p.m. All are welcome.

Quotes from partners:

Mayor Levar Stoney: “The pandemic has taught us that safe and welcoming outdoor space is more important than ever. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the many people who dedicated their time and talents to make this possible. It will be an enduring community asset and a model for future endeavors.”

Max Hepp-Buchanan, Director of Riverfront and Downtown Placemaking, Venture Richmond: “It has been so rewarding to see this shared vision take shape over two years of work with the ever-growing team of businesses, nonprofit organizations, residents, and artists in the area immediately surrounding the intersection of Brook and Marshall. By working together and bringing everything we have to offer to the table, we have created a sense of place through lasting infrastructure change that everyone in the neighborhood can enjoy.”

Prabir Mehta, Chair of the Board of Directors, Gallery 5: “Having a place for the Jackson Ward community to gather, enjoy art, and interact with one another is vital for our neighborhood's general health. Gallery5 is excited too as we will now be able to create unique programing that we would have never been able to do in the past. We're very excited to see how this new plaza will become a home for engaging communities through the arts!”

Sean Wheeler, Project Manager and Registered Architect, Walter Parks Architects: “WPA collaborated on the design and provided drawings for the project. When we entered the Park(ing) Day competition [hosted by Venture Richmond] back in 2019, we were excited to try and create an engaging but temporary public space. And although all of the installations only lasted a day, the transformations and interactions within those creative spaces sparked hope for a more permanent placemaking. That is why our office and I think the immediate neighborhood were willing to pursue a more durable site specific design in our shared public way.”

Marlene Paul, Cofounder and Executive Director of ART 180: “I love the ‘intersection’ of public art, placemaking, and community building that this intersection promotes. As a nine-year resident of Marshall Street, ART 180 welcomes this new way to connect our young people and our teaching artists to our neighborhood, honor its history, and positively participate in its future. We hope the parklet and plaza will be active spaces that invite the community beyond our block to gather and connect. The mural is intended to slow cars, just as the parklet and plaza will seek to slow human beings—to gather, connect, intersect.” 

Susan Glasser, Secretary of the Richmond Public Art Commission: “This mural embodies public art in every sense: created by a local artist, painted by local young people and marking space for local gatherings. The Public Art Commission is proud to have supported this effort and looks forward to continuing our work to empower the making of art for all.”
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