The planned exit of the Richmond Braves may have caught the city off guard, but it really is no surprise. Indecision is not the muse of success.
 
After years of pitching a few whiffle balls about building a stadium in a new location, after a seeming conclusion to stay on North Boulevard but with no real movement toward stadium improvements, Richmond must recognize that most teams would be attracted by a decisive offer of a new home.
 
I had been opposed to building a stadium elsewhere in the city, as I’d rather see the area developed into a destination worthy of its central location between Byrd Park and Bryan Park. But clearly, something needed to be done about The Diamond.
 
Now, I’m afraid it’s too late. Not only is it the stadium that drops chunks of itself onto visitors (I know no one was actually hit—that’s not the point), but now it’s also the stadium that used to be the home of a Class AAA team.
 
I guarantee you, the cost of repairing a good reputation is not within Richmond’s budget.
 
So now what? I still believe the area is full of promise, and here’s why:
 
The planned development of a movie palace and shops at the corner of Boulevard and Leigh Street is exciting. I hope the city and business interests take note that retail is a natural partner of movie theaters—it’s practically expected, now that all the theaters are in or next to malls—and begin to view the North Boulevard corridor as a prime entertainment and shopping destination.
 
We’ve already got the Science Museum of Virginia and the Children’s Museum of Richmond right there. Talk about a natural overlapping audience for movies, restaurants, sports and shopping. One of these days, SMV will develop its land along Leigh Street—a sort of physics theme park has been proposed, but no matter what happens, it will be an additional entertainment draw. And within close enough range for capitalization, there’s the Virginia Historical Society, VMFA and Carytown.
 
What would it take to bring success to North Boulevard?
 
I envision the entire stretch from Byrd Park’s Fountain Lake to Robin Hood Road as a beautiful walking and biking route. I don’t know—shut down a lane or two of traffic and run frequent, attractive shuttles between Byrd and Bryan Parks. Possibly those fake trolleys would work, or something even cuter that would attract tourists. Make it a low-entry vehicle without steps.
 
More wishes: [BULLETED LIST HERE]
 
-Parking at either end of the route is free, easy to find and easy to leave by foot, wheelchair or stroller.
 
-The walking path is wheelchair and stroller accessible, has engaging art and interpretative signs, and somewhere along its route has a pocket park with benches and a playground.
 
-GRTC would run its Broad Street buses up to the corner of Leigh and Boulevard so no transfer is needed for people traveling from the east or west.
 
 
Furthermore, I see a cluster of big-name retailers between Broad Street and the interstate—but they’ve adopted a “small-box” model that fits an urban landscape and doesn’t require huge footprints and gaping parking lots.
 
It’s just a matter of reality that people are attracted to stores they recognize. More than I care to admit, I shop at the store that my children call “dizzy eye” for its red-ringed logo. As long as a retailer’s 18-wheeler delivery trucks can access the store—which could be arranged in this location—there’s no reason that reality can’t include modestly sized stores.
 
Also, the presence of a variety of major retailers carrying the basics—rather than a Carytown-style cluster of specialty shops—would allow the area’s new condo residents to shop near home and would keep many city residents from heading out to Henrico County to shop.
 
As for The Diamond: there’s no avoiding the cost it will take to improve it… or to tear it down. Whichever option Richmond chooses, however, the location should be treated as the jewel it is.

 

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