Parklets on MacArthur Avenue

by Charles McGuigan 04.2021

Parklets are coming to Bellevue! 

And elsewhere in the Northside, and throughout RVA.

Parklets create a more pedestrian- and bike-friendly environment. They’re sort of like communal front porches that invite neighbors to congregate in a public space. What’s more, parklets allow local restaurants to increase outdoor dining opportunities. They’ve been a great success in progressive cities from Savannah to San Francisco, and they add a European flair to the streetscape. 

One of the very first ones in Richmond will soon appear on MacArthur Avenue in front of Stir Crazy Café. 

Although Richmond’s parklet program began in 2016, it was until the pandemic struck that business owners began applying for permits.

“It’s sponsored by the City of Richmond, and any city organization can apply for it,” says Vickie Hall, co-owner of Stir Crazy. “It basically takes up an existing parking space.” Business owners can either have a parklet custom-made, which requires them to follow very stringent design and construction guidelines; or they can apply for a pre-fabricated model through Venture Richmond. 

“I’m working with Venture Richmond on our parklet,” Vickie says. “It takes up fourteen feet and a typical parking space is twenty feet. And they are not permanent structures. If they need to be taken up for road maintenance or a special event, it’s easy to pull those up. The city has already said they want the communities to enjoy them, but if we find the parklets are just not working out, they’ll come back and take them out.”

Vickie is one of the lucky four businesses citywide who will receive a pre-made parklet.

“We have four pre-fabricated parklets, and only one is available for MacArthur Avenue,” according to Max Hepp-Buchanan, Venture Richmond’s director of riverfront and downtown placemaking. “But we’ve had dozens of requests for them.”

An informal poll of restaurateurs on the east side of MacArthur suggests that the idea has great appeal. Amy Foxworthy of The Mill on MacArthur is already looking into having a parklet installed in front of her business. There’s a possibility that a continuous line of parklets might run from Stir Crazy all the way up to The Mill.

“MacArthur Avenue might want to push for what we call a streatery,” says Max. A streatery is simply a number of parklets adjoining one another in front of a row of restaurants.

“It’s a great neighborhood for this kind of thing,” says Vickie. “It’s for public use, so it’s nothing specific to just one business. Anyone can use it. You could bring a sandwich from home and sit out there with your family and eat if you wanted to, or just sit and chat and talk.”   

“The only hesitation I’ve heard is that it’s going to be taking away some parking spaces, and I know that’s a premium around here,” Vickie says. “But I think the positives outweigh the negatives.”

It has been suggested that a lease arrangement with the owners of the apartment buildings on the west side of MacArthur Avenue could afford the parking spaces that the parklets would eliminate.

“I’m cool with parklets,” says Third District Councilwoman Ann-Frances Lambert. “But then again in places where the parking is limited I just don’t know how that will look. It just depends on the area. I think MacArthur Avenue is wide enough to do it.”

It’s good to keep in mind that parklets are not permanent. 

“Let’s just try it,” Max Hepp-Buchanan says. “If people don’t like it, we can remove it.”