Near West End church is under contract to be turned into 72 housing units; developer selected from dozens of bids
The density debate along Grove Avenue continues to stay active, and up next is potentially one of the area’s most transformational projects to date.
Richmond’s Seventh Street Christian Church has reached an agreement to sell the church’s land to developer Charles Macfarlane, who is proposing to build 24 townhomes and a 48-unit, four-story condo building on the site.
Under Richmond’s current zoning laws the project requires a Special Use Permit (SUP), as it proposes to create more density than is currently allowed on the site.
Richmond’s Code Refresh project favors increasing the allowed density along Grove Avenue, which has a GRTC bus route connecting it to downtown.
Hollie Woodruff, Seventh Street’s pastor, said more than 30 developers answered the church’s call for proposals, and while price was a factor in the final decision, Macfarlane’s group wasn’t the highest bidder and didn’t propose the tallest structure.
“They were really, deeply thoughtful,” Woodruff said. “We did not want a six-story high rise; we wanted to pay attention to density and try to leave a nice legacy for the community.”
The church, as well as Macfarlane’s group, began meeting informally with neighborhood leaders a few months ago, presenting renderings and site plans of the proposed project in an attempt to win support. Some neighbors remain skeptical, however, and are expected to ask for modifications during the approval process.
News of the project was first made public Wednesday morning in Richmond BizSense.
Density debates
The neighborhood around the church is a mix of different types of structures. To the west of the lot are many homes valued at $1 million or more, with large yards and traditional design.
East of the lot are the Malvern Manor apartments, which were used to help justify another recent project nearby that will construct 16 homes in what was formerly a large residential lot. That project has received Planning Commission approval but is awaiting City Council approval.
South of the church lot is the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, which is known as the home of Richmond’s annual Greek Festival.
In approving the other Grove Ave. project, Richmond Planning Commissioner Rebecca Rowe said she understands neighborhood concerns as density arrives, but does not believe the Near West End should be exempted from the density push.
“I would encourage all of you to look at some of our agendas over the last couple of years and see the density that is being added to other neighborhoods in this city,” she said. “While we do see density coming to nearby this neighborhood, it’s not nearly to the same degree as other neighborhoods. This area is not being picked on.”
Woodruff, at the church, said she understands the concerns of the neighbors.
“We expect a lot of pushback, and I have compassion — if you just spent $700,000 on your (house), I get it,” she said. “It’s one of the things we were trying to keep in mind.”
Sarah Vogelsong
The church’s future
Seventh Street Christian Church dates back nearly two centuries, though not all of it at the current site.
Woodruff said when she arrived in 2017, she found a building that needed millions in repairs, with a shaky HVAC and 23 mini-split units around the building.
During the pandemic, she recalled a member of the congregation asking: “Is our mission the building or the community?” which put the current sales process in motion.
“We’re trying to imagine, what is next for Christianity in America, and what does faithful service look like in Richmond?” she said. “What is Richmond needing, and what issues could we actually help with addressing?”
The church has plans to rent out meeting space in the interim, acknowledging that the sales process could be lengthy.
As for the church’s famed Schantz organ, it will be disassembled next week and donated to a congregation in North Carolina.
Macfarlane’s group will preserve a portion of the church’s sanctuary during the construction process, but its future purpose has not yet been determined.
Woodruff said whatever the church does, it’s unlikely the next plans will involve a large building.
“Whatever it is, we are super focused on it being mission-driven,” she said. “To me it’s exciting. Some people think we’ve closed, but no, we’re trying to reimagine what faithful service looks like in 2025.”
Contact Michael Phillips at mphillips@richmonder.org.
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