EDA and GRCCA invite experienced development teams to respond to the RFI 

The Economic Development Authority of the City of Richmond (“EDA”) and the Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority (“GRCCA”) are officially inviting development teams to submit information to be considered for Phase 1 of the City Center Innovation District Project (“City Center”).

Located in the heart of Downtown Richmond and within three blocks of the Greater Richmond Convention Center, the VA Bio+Tech Park, VCU Health, the State Capital, the Pulse Bus Rapid Transit line, and I-64/I-95, City Center is a prime redevelopment area. City Center is easily accessible throughout the Greater Richmond Region and the entire East Coat by road, rail, and air.

“Now is the time for Richmond to reinvigorate this part of our Downtown to be a more vibrant destination for innovation, residential life, and tourism,” said City Council Vice President Ellen F. Robertson.  “The collaboration between the Richmond EDA and GRCCA is the right approach to getting this redevelopment project done.”

“We are thrilled to start the redevelopment of our City Center and to align it with the vision of the City Center Innovation District Small Area Plan,” said Leonard Sledge, Executive Director of the Richmond EDA.  “All of the pieces are in place to position the redevelopment of the Coliseum site into a mixed-use, hotel-anchored development. We look forward to seeing this initial phase of the City Center redevelopment become a lively innovation district that attracts both established and startup companies, adds mixed-income housing, creates greenspace, expands tourism, and so much more, while also creating opportunities for as many Richmonders as possible.”

“The Greater Richmond Convention Center is an enduring testament to the power of regional cooperation,” said Brandon Hinton, Finance Committee Chair for GRCCA.  “Jointly owned by the City of Richmond and the Counties of Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover, the Convention Center adds tremendous value to the entire region, both in its role as an economic engine and as a cornerstone for our reputation as a thriving visitor destination.  Even so, a headquarters hotel has always been the missing link to fully maximizing this incredible facility’s potential.”

For the Request for Interest (RFI) document, please visit www.rva.gov/citycenter. Submissions are due on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, at 2:00 P.M. ET.

About the City Center Innovation District Small Area Plan

The City Center Innovation District Small Area Plan is a direct outcome of the Richmond 300:  A Plan for Growth, which has been awarded the 2021 Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan from the American Planning Association.  The City Center vision is to, “…be the place to live, learn, collaborate, create, and develop new life science businesses in a high density, walkable, urban full-service environment that includes multi-modal transportation options to city and regional neighborhoods and job centers.”