Preserving Bellevue’s Commercial Districts

by Charles McGuigan 04.2025

Imagine this: the 4000 block of MacArthur Avenue, home to many of the neighborhood’s favorite businesses, flanked by six-story buildings like the LEGO sun-blockers you now see along West Grace Street near VCU. It could happen if developers have their way under Richmond 300, the city’s comprehensive plan for growth, also called “the Zoning Code Refresh.”

Fortunately, there are ways of stopping this.  

On May 6 at 6 p.m. the Planning Commission and City Council will consider a portion of Richmond 300 called the Cultural Heritage Stewardship Plan (CHSP).   

“Richmond’s Northside neighborhoods, which have several very special historic districts and pockets of commercial development like MacArthur, should speak up early and often if they want the tools to help save these special places,” says Cyane Crump, executive director of Historic Richmond. “The CHSP articulates a number of practical policy recommendations for additional tools to help historic communities. And if community members don’t speak up in support of the CHSP, we are unlikely to see such tools included in the Zoning Code Refresh or otherwise implemented by the city.”

Kenya Gibson, Third District Councilwoman, considers the impact a six-story building would have on neighborhoods she represents. “I think that each of our neighborhoods in the Northside have an intimacy and a connection created by the scale of the buildings and greenspaces and the details that make our neighborhoods unique.,” she says. “I think that it’s important for our neighborhoods in the Third District and throughout the city to take the perspective that this zoning work we’re doing as a city should be as much about preserving the things we love about Richmond, as it is about providing more flexibility for large scale development. Bellevue and Washington Park, for instance, are neighborhoods that are largely made up of cottages, so do I think that a six-story development in the middle of these neighborhoods that are marked by these small cottages makes sense? No.”

Kenya understands that where some zoning codes might be outdated, they still may serve a purpose. “I recognize that we have old codes that the city has highlighted that are dated and it’s time to revisit them,” she says. “But by the same token the zoning rules and codes that exist now also ensure that when things don’t align with them that there is opportunity for public engagement. And while I recognize that the developers might not appreciate that public engagement because it slows down the development process, as a person that’s representing some of the residents of the city I am cautious about limiting our voice in those decisions.”

Like Cyane, Kenya urges folks to get involved. “It’s important to emphasize that the process will be stronger and more reflective of the community the more people that get involved,” she says. “I understand that the codes and laws are complex and that complexity is a barrier for folks to get involved, but if there are communities of folks that want to look at it together in their civic association meetings we are looking to be part of those conversations and hear from folks throughout this process. My objective is really to lift those ideas that we’re hearing in communities and ensure that that’s reflected in the decisions that we make as a city.”

Catherine Willis, president of the Bellevue Civic Association, sent me this statement regarding proposed zoning changes:

 “While we, the elected leadership of BCA, recognize the urgent need for more affordable housing in Richmond—as in many cities across the country—we believe the proposed zoning changes to neighborhood commercial areas on MacArthur Avenue and Bellevue Avenue are excessive for our neighborhood.

 “Bellevue is a predominantly residential area, characterized by one to two story single-family detached homes and two small commercial districts immediately adjacent to single family homes. The proposed allowance for buildings up to six stories in height is incompatible with the existing architectural character, and capacity of public infrastructure (streets, utilities, etc.) of our century-old community, where most structures are only one or two stories. Such dramatic increases in building height raise legitimate concerns about traffic congestion, inadequate parking, and the loss of natural light for current residents.

 “We support thoughtful, sustainable approaches to housing affordability and increased density—but those solutions must be tailored to fit the specific context of each neighborhood. In particular, we would encourage mixed use structures not to exceed three stories (e.g. ground floor commercial and up to two upper floors of “over the storefront” housing) in Bellevue’s two small neighborhood commercial nodes.

 “Higher-density developments are better suited to areas along Richmond’s main transportation corridors, where infrastructure can support them without negatively impacting the surrounding communities and residents.

 “We urge city planners and decision-makers to consider the suggested alternatives that address housing needs while preserving the character and livability of the Bellevue neighborhood.”

 There’s are other options, too, that would protect the entire neighborhood in perpetuity. “There are two different historic registers: one is the National Register of Historic Places, the other is the Virginia Landmarks Register,” says Julie Langan, director of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. “When a district or property is listed on one, it’s generally listed on both because the process is almost identical and we use the same documentation.”

  Despite what some people fear in terms of restrictions put on homeowners, Julie is quick to dispel this notion. “These are actually honorary designations that don’t restrict anything,” she says. “I think it would be appealing to property owners especially in a residential district because they wouldn’t have any requirements placed on them, but it would make them eligible for the historic tax credits. And Virginia is unusual in that our state historic tax credit can be used by homeowners. In most states that’s not the case.”

 The other possibility is just choosing a section of Bellevue for designation—something like the Bellevue Historic Commercial District. “It might be possible to just focus on the commercial area of the district,” says Julie.