Richmond is planning to seek proposals to develop two parking lots it owns in Shockoe Bottom and Manchester into buildings that include at least some affordable housing. 

The plans, which Housing and Community Development Director Merrick Malone laid out for a City Council committee Tuesday, are part of a broader push by the city to repurpose properties Richmond owns but isn’t using for housing amid an affordability crisis. 

While the city identifies surplus properties that it’s willing to sell every year, the two sites under discussion Tuesday, at 212 North 18th St. in Shockoe Bottom and 911 and 913 Hull St. in Manchester, are unusually desirable locations in densely occupied neighborhoods. 

“There isn’t a lot of affordability in those areas, because the property values in those areas have gone up significantly,” noted Councilor Nicole Jones (9th District). 

Both properties are already zoned for intense development, with up to five-story heights and a mix of commercial, residential and other uses allowed by right, and are not expected to face more significant restrictions under the zoning overhaul that is currently underway. 

Right now, Richmond pays about $17,000 annually to maintain the Shockoe Bottom parking lot, said Malone. Redevelopment by a third party would not only get rid of that expense, but would “add this lot back to the tax rolls,” he said. “It’s in a very prime location.” 

Under the timeline presented Tuesday, city officials expect to put out a public request for proposals to redevelop the sites on Nov. 5, with submissions due Feb. 24 next year. A five-member evaluation committee would then review the plans, with City Council getting the final say on the body’s selections in summer 2026.

While the city intends to require that at least 20% of residential units in a project be affordable and will look at other factors like financing and community benefits, Malone said officials are trying not to be too “prescriptive” in their demands in order to get a wider range of ideas to consider.

“We want to get really competitive proposals,” he said. 

The North 18th Street site is currently assessed at $2.13 million, and the Hull Street lots are collectively valued at $485,000. But for the right proposal that achieves other goals like creating deeply affordable housing — a term generally used for housing that’s available to households making 30% or less of the area median income — the city could choose to sell the lots for far less or enter into a ground lease, Malone told the Council committee. 

“Theoretically,” Richmond could even sell the lots for $0, said Councilor Andrew Breton (1st District). 

“We might get very ambitious plans, and at that point we’ll have to decide what we want to do,” he said. 

Contact Reporter Sarah Vogelsong at svogelsong@richmonder.org