Splash Pads, Articulated Buses, and a New Building on Belvidere
Featuring 3 few projects from the spreadsheet that fall into 3 different timeline categories: "Soon," "Upcoming," and "In the Future."
If this is your first time reading, make sure to check out this post where I outline the the origins and purpose of this newsletter!
Soon!
This summer (2024) there will be brand new splash pads at the Calhoun Recreational Center in Gilpen court. This project was identified as an “Early Action Activity” in the Jackson Ward Community Plan, and is part of a greater plan for Jackson Ward that integrates prolific projects such as the Fall Line Trail and Reconnect Jackson Ward into economic and cultural development plans for the area. As explained in the Jackson Ward Community Plan, the purpose of this Early Action Activity is to help engage the community and promote future involvement and support for the next steps in the planning process.
The splash pad park is the first phase in a plan to bring a new playground, sports field, basketball courts, and a community farm to the recreational center.
Upcoming!
This Winter (December 2024/ January 2025) there will be articulated busses in service on the pulse route. Though they will only have about 8 more seats than the current pulse busses, these 60 ft accordion busses will be able to fit up to 120 people in combined standing and sitting room.
More space on the pulse bus couldn’t come too soon. The pulse is often “standing room only” at non-peak times, and it’s not uncommon to see the banner “Drop Off Only” on an approaching Pulse bus during peak times.
The articulated busses will hold 44 more passengers than the current Pulse busses. At 10 minute frequencies during the week days, that equates to an additional 264 passengers per hour. Put another way: 264 less commuters driving down Broad Street during rush hour.
The two factors that will determine the exact start date for the new busses is the delivery date, and the completion of station renovations. Since the original Pulse stops were not designed with the articulated busses in mind, they all need to undergo a minor renovation for the platform to fit all 3 of the articulated bus doors.
Both the delivery of the already purchased busses as well as the station renovations are scheduled to be completed in the “Winter ‘24/’25” time block.
In The Future!
In 2027 there will be a new building at the intersection of Broad St. and Belvidere St: The Costar Center for Arts and Innovation.
Though I love the positive presence and PR that VCU Arts brings to Richmond, I’m mostly excited about this project because of how it will positively transform the appearance of this intersection.
It’s worth remembering that about a decade ago, the entrance into VCU on Belvidere was characterized by a gas station on one side and a parking lot on the other.
The Institute for Contemporary Art, in my opinion, is a superior use of space compared to the parking lot that used to be in that location. The new Center for Arts and Innovation will help create a symmetrical effect on the other side of the intersection, which I think will give a greater sense of place and grandeur.
The building should also help indirectly with traffic calming because it will make the area look less like a 6 lane expressway and more like a downtown city street. This will work well in conjunction with the Belvidere St Gateway Phase IV project, which is bringing roadway, signal, and pedestrian safety improvements to the section of Belvidere south of VCU campus but north of the river.
We will see construction on VCU’s new building beginning this year.
Don’t forget…
If you want to hear more about projects and development coming to Richmond, Virginia, don’t forget to:
And remember, you can always explore the ever growing spreadsheet at your own pace as well!
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