Why not Richmond ? (Roanoke, Jefferson, Glen Allen: apartments, crime, hotels)

[mrstewart]

If you want better schools in Richmond proper you will want to investigate the private schools in the area.

[NowInCT]

i was thinking more like Chesterfield Cnty for schools... from what i can tell they're rated pretty high. and i really like all those specialty programs they have at the high school level. we don't have anything like that where i live in CT.

my larest concern is the Special Education Dept because our 10yr old son has Autism.

[richmondpics]

This might be a good resource: The Faison School Home

[jesrush]

Two reasons why Richmond is frequently overlooked:

1) No professional sports team for national recognition.

2) The city presents poorly to passerby on interstate 95 (abandoned buildings, commercial sprawl, adult billboards, etc.)

However their loss is your gain... I personally think of Richmond as somewhat of a hidden gem. It offers many big city amenities (good restaurants, historical interest, arts & culture) and yet remains small enough to be manageable and comfortable. I evaluated Richmond against Raleigh (and Savannah) and choose Richmond!

[roanoker 4]

Richmond would be more attractive to outsiders if they demolished a lot of the old buildings in the downtown district. I think a makeover would create a more people friendly & safe environment. Like other VA cities, not having the support of their adjacent counties prevents VA cities from doing a lot of things that NC cities have been able to accomplish in infrastructure. The funny part is that the adjacent counties EXPECT the cities to continue to provide the services that the county people enjoy such as culture, restaurants, museums without the county providing a dime. Somehow it doesn't make any sense to let the VA cities become a haven for the poor while the suburbs flourish with their "upscale" chain stores and strip centers. Richmond probably has more retail stores outside of the City than anyplace I have ever seen!

[richmondpics]

Originally Posted by roanoker 4

Richmond would be more attractive to outsiders if they demolished a lot of the old buildings in the downtown district.

Why would that make it more attractive? I'm drawn to the city because it isn't ALL shiny and new. If you tear things down, you need to have structures that replace them. Vacant lots and parking lots aren't so attractive.

[540_804]

Yeah, I think tearing down old buildings would be the LAST thing I would ever want to see happen in Richmond.

Richmond has made huge strides in terms of preservation and adaptive reuse of historic properties..no need to reverse it now. As richmondpics alluded too, Richmond already has enough ugly surface lots.

[haynescj]

Richmond took alot of getting use to... I'm from Charlotte, NC and have been in Richmond for 3years now. The first year here I couldnt stand the city and was trying to get back home. I chose Richmond because I recieved my B.A. degree and wanted to try something new, so i packed up my car the day of graduation and decided Richmond would be it. Richmond has really grown on me. I love shockoe bottom, canal walk, how the james river goes through downtown, I love the short pump area, the new theater downtown (on Grace Street) etc. . I love everything from old to new here in Richmond. I am a 24 years old black male and purchased a house in Richmond last year when I was 23. I now have a masters degree and just recieved another promotion at work which puts my salary in the mid 40's (at 24) . Richmond has so much to offer and if you try and you can really excel here in Richmond and find that it has so much character and charm here.

[roanoker 4]

I don't like surface lots either but a mixture of contemporary architecture with the historic buildings, such as row houses would add a little excitement.
Norfolks' downtown has gotten a boost from very generous corporate donors such as Norfolk Southern, including the new light rail system. If Richmond identified itself as ONE entitiy such as a Charlotte then I feel the folks with the money who live in the suburbs would feel a connection to the City and they would want to invest in their community. After all, the Richmond that visitors see is the suburbs. How sad for such a "diamond in the rough".

[richmondpics]

Richmond (and every city in Virginia for that matter) has structural differences with Charlotte/Mecklenburg which make the city/county lines much more rigid. Richmond's suburbs need to do a better job of embracing the city. We'd benefit as a region.

I think you can have contemporary infill while maintaining and restoring the existing historic building stock. And while there are many older buildings in the city, the restorations can produce very contemporary interiors. And maybe I'm crazy, but I like a little grit with my city.