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Feb. 18 Newsletter: Land deals

Weather: Cloudy and humid, high of 63.

On this date in 1992, the Justice Department approves new congressional boundaries that include the state’s first majority-Black seat. The seat is ultimately won by Bobby Scott.

Today's newsletter sponsored by Virginia Commonwealth University: As a top 50 public research institution, Virginia Commonwealth University has an unparalleled drive to discover, innovate and create. VCU impacts the human experience and tackles the problems of tomorrow. It's a university unlike any you’ve ever seen.

City needs RPS-used land to advance Southside development plan, but some board members are wary

The City of Richmond wants to work with local developers to transform a former industrial area in South Richmond. But the plan hinges on whether the Richmond School Board agrees to give up school property at a site on Commerce Road.

  • The land was received as part of the contentious negotiations over the Arthur Ashe Athletic Center when it was needed for the Diamond District.

Mayor Danny Avula is expected to visit the School Board in March at its regularly scheduled meeting to attempt to convince the Board to vote yes on surplusing the property. Read more here.

Richmond studying fixes for dangerous Broad Rock rail crossing

Richmond transportation officials are looking at possible ways to separate vehicle and train traffic at a dangerous rail crossing on Broad Rock Boulevard that has seen multiple collisions over the past decade.

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According to data from the Federal Railroad Administration, four people have died there since 2015. 

Now, $3.2 million in federal and state funding will let the city carry out environmental and engineering reviews to see whether a bridge can be built that “will allow road traffic to cross over the rail lines without conflict,” transportation officials told The Richmonder. Read more here.

23-year-old killed in hit-and-run on Cary Street; driver has been charged

Richmond has another pedestrian fatality, as 23-year-old Hope Cartwright, an associate editor at Virginia Living magazine, was hit and killed Monday at about 5:34 p.m. at Cary and 2nd Streets.

The driver fled, but was later arrested and charged.

“My heart is heavy as I mourn another life lost on our streets, killed by a driver," Mayor Danny Avula said in a statement. "Every tragedy is a stark reminder that safety must come first. I’m fully committed to preventing these senseless deaths and making Richmond’s streets safe for all.” Read more from CBS 6.

Novel set amid 2020 protests is author's 'love letter' to Richmond

Novelist Virginia Pye left the city a decade ago, but chose to center her newest book around Monument Avenue as the statues came down.

“It makes for a very good place to write about because of the contradictions that exist in Richmond," she said. "And during that period in the summer of 2020, those contradictions bubbled to the surface.”

She'll have book events today and tomorrow in town. Read more here.

Today's sponsor:

Michael Rao tells VCU community: ‘Let’s be bold together’

In his annual State of the University Address, President Michael Rao said that VCU has both the opportunity and obligation to meet the rapidly changing needs of the world.

“We are called upon to envision a society where people get better and better with every passing generation. Our role in that is essential,” said Rao. “This is an important moment for all of us. But moments don’t change the world. Movements do. And to make this moment a movement, we’ve got to think bigger and act more boldly.” Read more.

In other news

Editor Michael Phillips is out of office.

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