Swansboro Neighborhood Revitalization Plan - College of ...

CONTENTS OF THE PLAN
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………….10
1.1. Studio I……………………………………………………………………..10
1.2. Vision for Swansboro……………………………………………………..10
2. DESCRIPTION OF PLANNING AREA................................................................11
2.1.Background & History…………………………………………………….12
2.2. Existing Conditions……………………………………………………….16
2.3. Transportation, Circulation & Utilities……………………………….....33
2.4. Community Services……………………………………………………...47
2.5. Economic Development…………………………………………………..52
2.6. History and Land Use…………………………………………………….66
2.7. Urban Design…………………………………….......................................76
3. SWOT ANALYSIS.....................................................................................................93
3.1. Definition & Purpose of SWOT Analysis……………………………….94
3.2. Strengths……………………………………………………………………95
3.3. Weaknesses………………………………………………………………...98
3.4. Opportunities…………………………………………………………….101
3.5. Threats…………………………………………………………………….104
4. GOALS & OBJECTIVES........................................................................................107
4.1. Background, History, Existing Conditions……………………………108
4.2. Transportation, Circulation & Utilities………………………………...109
4.3. Community Services…………………………………………………….110
4.4. Economic Development…………………………………………………113
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4.5. Housing and Land Use………………………………………………….115
4.6. Urban Design…………………………………………………………….118
5. IMPLEMENTATION..............................................................................................119
5.1. Background, History, Existing Conditions Strategy…………………120
5.2 Transportation, Circulation & Utilities Strategy………………………121
5.3. Community Services Strategy………………………………………….122
5.4. Economic Development Strategy………………………………………124
5.5. Housing and Land Use Strategy……………………………………….127
5.6. Urban Design Strategy………………………………………………….130
6. CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………….…133
APPENDIX………………………………………………………….………………...135
REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………...156
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1
General Demographic Data
Table 2
City of Richmond Roadway System
Characteristics
Table 3
Traffic Accident Data
Table 4
Means of Transportation to Work
Ages 16+
Table 5
Acreage Comparisons
Table 6 Crime Statistics 1/1/08 to 12/31/08
Table 7
Hull Street Corridor Inventory
Table 8
Distance to Goods or Services from Carter
Jones in Swansboro
Table 9
Swansboro Property Values
Table 10
Richmond Property Values
Table 11
Supplementary Income
Table 12
Existing Conditions of Structures
LIST OF MAPS
Map 1
Map 2
Map 3
Map 4
Map 5
Map 6
Map 7
Map 8
Map 9
Map 10
Map 11
Map 12
Map 13
Map 14
Map 15
Map 16
Neighborhood Boundary
Homeownership Rates
Median Home Values
Median Family Income
Old Manchester
Downtown Richmond
Swansboro Street Hierarchy
Swansboro Traffic Patterns
Swansboro Traffic Volumes/2007 Annual
Average Daily Traffic
Swansboro Traffic Accidents-2008
Swansboro Residents Walking to Work
Swansboro Personal Vehicle to Work
Swansboro Public Transportation to Work
Swansboro Blockgroups STFIDs
Swansboro GRTC Bus Stops
Swansboro Commercial Corridors
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Map 17
Map 18
Map 19
Map 20
Map 21
Map 22
Map 23
Map 24
Map 25
Religious Institutions within Swansboro
Swansboro’s Surrounding Neighborhoods
Swansboro Neighborhood Vacant Lots &
Boarded-Up Structures
Swansboro Existing Land Use in Swansboro
Swansboro Neighborhood Primary Uses as
Observed
Swansboro Design Overlay District
Recommendations
Swansboro Gateways
Swansboro Green Spaces
Block Style Layout of the Early City
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10
Figure 11
Figure 12
Figure 13
Figure 14
Figure 15
Figure 16
Figure 17
Figure 18
Unemployment Rate
Educational Attainment
Wide Neighborhood Street
Electrical Substation on Wise Street
Fonticello Playground
2602 Hull Street
2608 Hull Street
Unwelcoming Gateway
Unwelcoming Gateway
Inhibited Circulation
Carter Jones Park
Hull Street and East Broad Rock Boulevard
Hull Street & Midlothian
Hull Street and Cloption
Open Space on East Broad Rock Boulevard
Triangle Lot
Along Cowardin Avenue
Along Hull Street
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Figure 19
Figure 20
Figure 21
Figure 22
Figure 23
Figure 24
Figure 25
Figure 26
Figure 27
Midlothian Avenue
Early Streetcar
Electric Streetcar
Hull Street Housing
Example of Housing Types
Example of Housing Floor Plan
Example of Housing Floor Plan
Event Flyer
Event Poster
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Swansboro Neighborhood Revitalization Plan was completed by graduate
students within the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program at Virginia
Commonwealth University. Students of the class have been tasked to work in
cooperation with community stakeholders to analyze current neighborhood
conditions and generate goals, objectives, and strategies for improving the
neighborhood. Under the guidance of two outstanding assistant professors, Dr.
Gough and Dr. Suen, students organized, researched, and developed a new
Swansboro neighborhood plan as part of their Studio I course throughout the
2009 spring semester. Further assistance, information, and guidance was also
provided by current Swansboro residents, business owners, and civic leaders,
representatives from Richmond’s Neighborhoods in Bloom program, as well as
individuals representing the city of Richmond’s Department of Community
Development.
The purpose of this plan was to prepare a plan that would support the
revitalization of the Swansboro Neighborhood. This plan also supports the
Neighborhoods in Bloom (NiB) program which assists potential businesses and
business owners and is designed to promote economic community development
in five of the City of Richmond’s targeted areas. The student’s goal was then to
study each sector to discover exactly how these strategies could be implemented
into the community.
The students were broken into different groups to study a specific sector:
transportation and circulation, demographics and history, economic
development, housing and land use, community services, and urban design.
Each group conducted a survey of existing conditions to serve as the foundation
throughout the plan. Data used in determining these current existing conditions
were collected and developed by the graduate students through personal
interviews with neighborhood residents and leaders, direct observations,
surrounding neighborhood influences, United States census data, and
communication with City of Richmond staff. The information collected served as
the backbone for further analysis of the current Swansboro neighborhood.
Through further communication from community input, as well as detailed
analysis of Swansboro’s existing conditions, students created and developed
appropriate goals and objectives that address the needs and current state of the
neighborhood. Furthermore, implementation strategies were developed
throughout this process to help direct actions taken by city officials and
Swansboro residents. These implementation strategies also contain information
regarding responsible parties and relative costs for implementation.
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Studio I
The Revitalization Plan for the Swansboro Neighborhood was completed by the 2009
Studio I (URSP 761) course at Virginia Commonwealth University. Studio I is
designed to provide students in the Masters of Urban and Regional Planning
(MURP) Program opportunities to exercise and practice what they have learned
in the core courses to complete a specific project. The Studio I course is very
different from the traditional instructor-led and lecture-based courses. In fact,
through this learning-centered approach, students are in charge and responsible
for the class for a significant part of the time. This course relies heavily on team
work that is typical in planning practice, as it is important for each student to
learn and master their ability to work effectively as a team member.
Students in the 2009 Studio I course worked with the City of Richmond and
members of the Swansboro community to create a plan to achieve a new vision
for the neighborhood. To complete this task, students followed the planning
process and carried out planning activities essential to the preparation of a
project plan for a specific geographic area. As part of this planning process for
Swansboro, student defined the planning problem, gathered and analyzed
relevant data, developed alternative plans and policies and prepared a final plan.
We invite you to read the product of our work and hope this creates a point of
discussion for the bright future we see for the Swansboro neighborhood.
1.2. Vision for Swansboro:
Swansboro is a thriving Richmond neighborhood known for its vibrant business
district and excellent community atmosphere that provides its residents a unique
and balanced community with a diverse range of housing, employment,
shopping and recreational opportunities. Swansboro is a destination to live,
work and play, with convenient access to nearby downtown Richmond. Known
for its distinct character represented by an eclectic mix of architectural styles,
green spaces, and public art; Swansboro is an attractive community to residents
of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds.
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2. DESCRIPTION OF PLANNING AREA
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2. DESCRIPTION OF PLANNING AREA
Swansboro is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the City of Richmond, and is
primarily a residential community. The neighborhood is located on the south
side of Richmond. Swansboro contains a sizable housing stock, as well as a
commercial corridor. Virginia Commonwealth University’s Master of Urban and
Regional Planning Studio I Spring 2009 class developed this revitalization plan
for Swansboro. Students of the class were tasked to work in cooperation with
community stakeholders to analyze current neighborhood conditions and
generate goals, objectives, and strategies for improving the neighborhood.
This portion of the document will give a description of the current conditions
within the neighborhood and will consider surrounding influences on the
neighborhood, including both existing plans, which relate to Swansboro, as well
as surrounding communities.
2.1. BACKGROUND & HISTORY
This section will outline the history of the Swansboro neighborhood and its role
in the City of Richmond’s history. Due to the residential nature of the
neighborhood, there is very little data available regarding the history of the
Swansboro neighborhood. This section presents the available data, along with
first-hand accounts of the neighborhood gathered from various interviews with
neighborhood stakeholders.
2.1.1. History of the City of Richmond
Because Swansboro is located within the City of Richmond, a brief history of the
city is necessary to understand the surrounding historical influences on the
planning area. Richmond, Virginia was founded in 1737 at the fall line on the
James River. The original 32 block grid, which still exists today, was laid out by
Major William Mayo. In April 1780, the Virginia state capital was relocated from
Williamsburg to the more central location of Richmond. This new status
prompted the general assembly to approve Richmond’s incorporation as a city. 1
In the latter part of the 18th Century, Richmond gained importance as a major
east coast port due to its favorable location along the James River. Just prior to
the Civil War, Richmond’s manufacturing sector was among the most prominent
1 City of Richmond, Virginia. “Downtown Master Plan,”
http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/forms/docs/online/masterplan. (1 February 2009).
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in the United States, and included the nation’s largest flour mills, fifty tobacco
factories, and the largest iron works in the southern United States. Although
Richmond was directly impacted by the Civil War, the city flourished in the late
19th Century with manufacturing at the center of the city’s economy.
At the turn of the 20th Century, Richmond was the most densely populated city
in the south. The construction of the first light rail system in the United States
and the Richmond Union Passenger Railway both facilitated the development of
Streetcar Suburbs. These include the neighborhoods of Barton Heights,
Woodland Heights, Ginter Park, and Highland Park. i Most of these
neighborhoods are adjacent to Swansboro and continue to influence Swansboro
to this day. The City of Manchester, which lies on the south side of the James
River, was annexed in 1910 by the City of Richmond. This annexation included
the Swansboro neighborhood which was considered a suburb of Manchester
during its early years, and large portions of the County of Henrico, which were
added to Richmond in 1914. 2
In addition to Richmond’s status as an industrial center, the city was an active
cultural center during the 20th Century. Several performing arts venues and
theaters were built during the “roaring” twenties and new commercial
development soon followed. The Grace Street corridor became the site of more
than seventy new retail shops and office buildings between 1920 and 1930, many
built in the Art Deco-influenced style. Dubbed “Richmond’s Fifth Avenue,” the
area became a popular shopping destination for people from across the south.
Richmond weathered the depression better than most cities, and continued to
have a stable population and economic growth following the Second World War.
A major annexation in 1942 greatly increased the city’s size and population. The
first Master Plan for Richmond was adopted in 1946. The 1946 plan suggested a
moratorium on additional growth outside of the city’s boundaries, greater
emphasis on increasing the vitality of the central city, and maintaining the city as
a cohesive physical unit. 3 School desegregation in the 1960s led to the migration
of many affluent white families out of the city into suburban counties. This
phenomenon, known as “White Flight,” is largely responsible for the decline in
the city’s population and tax base. The city entered a period of economic decline
beginning in the 1960s. In response to the decline in population, a highly
contested annexation of twenty-three square miles of Chesterfield in 1970,
following a heated court battle. This final annexation added mostly white middle
2 United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service. “Grace Street Commercial Historic
District.” http://www.nps.gov/history/NR/travel/Richmond/GraceHD.html. (1 February 2009).
3 Weisiger, Benjamin B. III. “Old Manchester & its environs, 1769-1910.” Richmond, VA. William Byrd
Press, 1993.
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class residents to the city. Shortly thereafter, the state legislature passed a
moratorium on involuntary annexations, which is still in effect.
After years of decline and blight due to outward migration of the upper and
middle classes, the City of Richmond is currently experiencing a facelift, with
many new redevelopment and revitalization projects occurring throughout the
city. The city’s new Canal Walk and convention center are only two examples of
these developments that seek to revive the downtown area. The adaptive reuse
of existing structures is prevalent throughout the city, especially in Shockoe
Bottom’s Tobacco Row, where numerous tobacco warehouses have been
converted into mixed-use developments. A new master plan for the downtown
area and numerous development proposals aim to continue the revitalization of
the city. Although revitalization efforts have tended to focus on areas of the city
north of the James River, many projects are now underway on the south side as
well. In particular, several former industrial buildings located south of the river
have been converted into upscale, loft style developments.
2.1.2. History of Swansboro
Development in the Swansboro neighborhood began around 1805. According to
local historian Benjamin Weisiger, “On February 6, 1805, The Virginia Argus
carried a front page notice that on March 30 th forty acres lying on both sides of
the Manchester Turnpike, about 1200 yards from Manchester, would be
auctioned off as lots.” 4 In 1812, approximately thirty lots were split in half by
Midlothian Turnpike. Formally Spring Hill (from 1830-1840), Swansboro was
renamed just before the Civil War. It was annexed by the City of Richmond in
1910 as part of the City of Manchester annexation. In 1886, another newspaper,
The Whig, stated “Swansboro is booming” after being converted from farmland
just a few years prior. In the beginning, most of the residents of Swansboro were
tobacco and industrial workers who commuted to Manchester. During this
period the Hull Street commercial corridor was used to haul coal from the village
of Midlothian to the James River.
Throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, Swansboro was considered a quiet
neighborhood inhabited by affluent African American families. According to
Johnette Powell, Program Director of the Housing Division with the Virginia
Department of Community Development and Housing, there was a time when
the neighborhood was filled with doctors, lawyers, teachers, business owners
and other professionals. The neighborhood was home to a Safeway grocery store
that was located near the intersection of Hull Street and Broad Rock and
4 Johnette Powell. Interviewed by Crystal Morris-Lowery and Tarvaris McCoy, 19 January 2009.
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numerous family-owned businesses located throughout the neighborhood.
These businesses included pharmacies, service stations, and laundry services. 5
5 Aubrey Fountain. Interviewed by Crystal Morris-Lowery and Tarvaris McCoy, 16 January 2009.
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2.2. EXISTING CONDITIONS
2.2.1. Neighborhood Location and Boundaries
Swansboro is located within the City of Richmond, south of the James River. The
neighborhood is just west of Old Manchester. It is contained by Cowardin
Avenue/Jefferson Davis Highway on the east, Broad Rock Boulevard on the
west, Perry Street on the north and Hull Street on the south.
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Map 1: Neighborhood Boundary
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
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2.2.2. Neighborhood Description
The Swansboro neighborhood is predominantly residential in character. It
includes many different types of homes with many architectural styles. These
dwellings include apartment buildings, townhomes, detached houses, trailers,
and group housing. A small commercial corridor, located along Hull Street Road
is made up of predominantly automobile repair shops, auto dealerships, gas
stations, and convenience stores. On the eastern edge of the neighborhood, there
is an area designated for industrial use. This area makes up a small section of the
overall neighborhood, but presents some major issues due to the close proximity
of industrial uses to the areas for commercial and residential use.
The Swansboro neighborhood presents a variety of challenges, which must be
addressed in order to make overall improvements to the community. The
overabundance of vacant lots, along with the trash that collects on them, is a
major issue for the neighborhood. Many structures, both residential and
commercial, are in need of repairs. The community suffers from a lack of basic
services, not provided by the commercial corridor. Some of these basic needs
include grocery stores, pharmacies and banks. However, despite these problems,
the Swansboro neighborhood has much potential.
2.2.3. Demographics
A comparative analysis of general demographic data was conducted in order to
gain a deeper understanding of the Swansboro neighborhood and its residents.
Data from Swansboro was compared to data from the adjacent neighborhoods of
Blackwell and Woodland Heights, as well as the city of Richmond. All data was
obtained from the 2000 U.S. Census.
Table 1 shows a summary of some of the demographic information collected in
Swansboro and the surrounding areas. Overall, household income for the
Swansboro community averaged $24,000, about $7,000 less than the city’s
average. However, Woodland Heights averaged an income of $35,500 and
Blackwell averaged $18,000. Based on the data below, it is also clear that
Swansboro is an aging neighborhood, with a higher percentage of residents over
age 65 than the surrounding neighborhoods and the City of Richmond.
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Table 1: General Demographic Data
Swansboro Woodland Blackwell Richmond
Heights
Population 2,118 1,713 1,073 197,790
Income Level $23,861 $35,520 $18,154 $31,121
Home Ownership 40% 60% 34% 46%
% Under Age 18 23% 14% 34% 22%
% Over Age 65 17% 11% 12% 13%
Unemployment Rate 12% 6% 20% 7%
% Less than High
School
42% 24% 50% 25%
Source: U.S. Census 2000
As seen in Figure 1, Swansboro has an unemployment rate of 12%, placing it at
almost double the rate of the City of Richmond and Woodland Heights.
Blackwell’s unemployment rate is 8% higher than Swansboro’s.
Unemployment Rate
Swansboro Woodland Heights Blackwell Richmond
20%
20%
18%
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
12%
7%
7%
Figure 1: Unemployment Rate
Source: U.S. Census 2000
Figure 2 shows the educational attainment of residents in Swansboro, along with
surrounding areas. In general, the residents in Swansboro have less educational
attainment than those in Woodland Heights and the City of Richmond as a
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whole. However, educational attainment is generally lower in Blackwell, where
a full 50% of the population has not completed a high school education.
Educational Attainment of Residents
Swansboro Woodland Heights Blackwell Richmond
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Less than
High School
High School
or GED
Some
College
Associate's
Degree
Bachelor's
Degree
Post
Bachelor's
Degree
Figure 2: Educational Attainment
Source: U.S. Census 2000
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2.2.4. Home Ownership, Home Values, and Income Levels
The maps below show some important statistics related to real estate and income
levels in the City of Richmond (Map 2, Map 3, & Map 4). Each category compares
US Census data from the years 1990 and 2000 in order to track changes within
the Swansboro neighborhood.
With regard to home ownership, the Swansboro area has some of the lowest
levels of homeownership rates in the city (between 10% and 30%). Many
programs are active within the Swansboro neighborhood with the goal of
increasing home ownership. Some areas have seen increases in home ownership
from 1990 and 2000, while other portions of Swansboro actually exhibit
decreasing homeownership rates.
Map 2: Home Ownership Rates
Source: U.S Census 1990 and 2000
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Home values increased in Swansboro’s southwest section, while remaining
stagnant in the eastern section of the neighborhood. It is important to note that
the eastern end of the neighborhood contains a majority of the industrial
property, so it is appropriate to conclude that an overall rise in home values
occurred throughout the Swansboro neighborhood between 1990 and 2000.
Map 3: Median Home Values
Source: U.S. Census 1990 and 2000
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The median family income increased in most areas city wide from 1990 to 2000.
The Swansboro area, indicated in orange in the below maps, experienced a slight
increase (15-20%) in median family incomes.
Map 4: Median Family Income
Source: U.S. Census 1990 and 2000
2.2.5. Summary of Community Input
Numerous members of the community have been interviewed, ranging from the
former Director of the City’s Department of Community Development to the
President of the Swansboro Preservation Civic Association. All of the interviews
conducted were documented:
• Dianna Herndon, Executive Director of Southside Community
Development Corporation
• S. Mark Strickler, former Director of City of Richmond Department of
Community Development
• Aubrey Fountain, local developer and former employee of Southside
Community Development Corporation
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• Robert Howlette, President of the Swansboro Preservation Civic
Association
• Johnette Powell, Virginia Department of Housing and Community
Development
• Mary Blow, Project Management Analyst, City of Richmond, Department
of Community Development
• Juanita Buster, Planner III, City of Richmond, Department of Community
Development
In summary, everyone interviewed generally agreed that vacant property and
lack of essential services were the most pressing issues in Swansboro. According
to Robert Howlette, President of the Swansboro Preservation Civic Association,
it’s difficult to attract and retain younger individuals in the community. This fact
is evidenced by Swansboro’s aging population and the neighborhood’s
concentration of retirement homes. Mr. Howlette, a senior citizen in his own
respect, alluded to the suburbs of Chesterfield County as a more attractive option
for younger people. Without extensive commercial activity in Swansboro and
the areas immediately adjacent to it, attracting new residents to the
neighborhood will be a challenge. 6
Fortunately, for Swansboro, there are numerous development programs
attempting to improve the vitality of the neighborhood. Mark Strickler, former
Director of the City of Richmond’s Department of Community Development,
views the Neighborhoods in Bloom (NiB) program in a positive light. According
to Mr. Strickler, a major weakness of the NiB program is the time it takes for
changes to take place in the neighborhood. He emphasized community patience
with regard to any revitalization program. Due to the general lack of code
enforcement resources, the program does present a handful of challenges. This is
evident throughout Swansboro, as there appears to be an enormous amount of
code violations. 7
Any revitalization effort should focus on vacant and dilapidated property in
Swansboro. The presence of these properties may dissuade potential residents or
business owners from relocating to the area. The NiB and Neighborhoods in
Bloom Revolving Loan Fund (NiBRLF), along with other revitalization
programs, are viable programs that can be successful in time.
6 City of Richmond, Virginia, “Richmond’s Neighborhoods in Bloom (NiB),”
7 Carolina Reid, “Neighborhoods in Bloom: Measuring the Impact of Targeted Community Investments,”
Community Investments, Winter 2006.
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2.2.6. Surrounding Neighborhoods
The Swansboro neighborhood is located in the heart of the south side of
Richmond, which is comprised of many historical neighborhoods. Due to their
close proximity, the conditions in these neighborhoods directly affect the
planning area. It is especially important to note that, in some cases, clear
neighborhood boundaries do not exist. Therefore, a brief description of the
neighborhoods that are adjacent to Swansboro is important in understanding the
community.
Blackwell
Blackwell’s neighborhood character is “reminiscent of the turn of the century
era.” 8 The rectilinear street grid pattern with mid-block alleys characterizes the
early subdivisions in the area. The more historic Victorian style houses situated
in Blackwell are much more prevalent north of Maury Street. Blackwell was
included in the original city of Manchester before it was annexed with
Manchester, by the City of Richmond, in 1910. Blackwell is known for its
historically black owned businesses and strong sense of community, which has
been prevalent throughout its history. The neighborhood actually got its name
from a former principal, turned teacher, who was very influential in the area
prior to its annexation to the City of Richmond. During the 1960s, urban renewal
programs were enacted in the area. The city of Richmond demolished
dilapidated buildings and replaced them with public housing units. This was a
scattered site approach and although intentions were good, the community’s
stability was undermined. The area is predominantly African American and
historically has been an area with both a high crime rate and high poverty rate.
Currently, the neighborhood is included in the city’s Neighborhoods in Bloom
project.
Broad Rock
The Broad Rock neighborhood is located near the intersection of Walmsley
Boulevard and Broad Rock Boulevard, along the Falling Creek Reservoir. Most of
the houses in the area were built in the middle of the 20th Century and the
majority of them are brick ranch-style homes. The largest institutional use in the
area is McGuire’s Veteran Hospital, a provider of medical services. The area
8 City of Richmond, Virginia. “Blackwell Neighborhood Revitalization Plan,”
http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/departments/communitydev/docs/Blackwell_Neighborhood_Revitalization_
Plan.pdf (9 February 2009).
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currently possesses a considerable amount of vacant lots and is regarded as an
area primed for economic development in the City of Richmond’s Master Plan.
Woodland Heights
Woodland Heights was developed as a Streetcar Suburb in the early 1900s. It is
one of the original neighborhoods located along the Rhodes trolley car line. The
neighborhood is in close proximity to the James River and Forest Hill Park.
Today, the Woodland Heights neighborhood offers a positive influence on
Swansboro and is even in the process of being evaluated as a potential addition
to the National Register of Historic Places.
Existing Plans & Policies Related to Swansboro
The existing plans mentioned below all impact the neighborhood of Swansboro,
and their content is considered relevant to the neighborhood’s revitalization
process. Due to the close proximity of some of the neighborhoods, the
implementation of their plans could directly affect the Swansboro neighborhood.
In addition, the demographics of Swansboro are very similar to many of the
surrounding areas. This means that much of the information in preexisting plans
could be useful when analyzing the Swansboro neighborhood.
Many of these plans also address common community problems within the City
of Richmond, such as blight, crime, transportation, or vacant land infill. The
Swansboro community faces these issues as well, so previous work done on
these subjects is particularly relevant to the planning area.
Neighborhoods in Bloom
Typical activities of the Neighborhoods in Bloom program include renovating
and constructing houses for homeownership, assisting current homeowners in
rehabilitating their properties, providing financial incentives to buy or renovate a
homes, providing classes and counseling to educate potential homebuyers,
proactive code enforcement, and improving the public infrastructure.
The Neighborhoods in Bloom Revolving Loan Fund (NiBRLF) is another
program, directly affiliated with Neighborhoods in Bloom. This program assists
potential businesses and business owners and is designed to promote economic
community development in five of the City of Richmond’s targeted areas. The
loan fosters economic opportunity, stabilization and growth through the
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provision of low interest loans to eligible existing small businesses, small
business start-ups and business expansion in the target areas. The NiBRLF
intends to stimulate job creation, assist in the retention of jobs for low- and
moderate-income residents and assist in the removal of blight attributable to
abandoned and under utilized properties in target areas. The program targets
small businesses that traditionally have not been able to access conventional
financing ii and are maximized at $50,000. These loans can be used for working
capital, acquisition of commercial property, as well as the purchase of machinery
and equipment. The business must be located in one of the NiB target areas and a
business plan or project description must be submitted with the application.
Old Manchester Plan
Swansboro is uniquely related to Manchester because of its original designation
as a suburb of Manchester. The Old Manchester Plan does not specifically
mention Swansboro, but the close proximity and relationship of the communities
make the Old Manchester Plan an important document for the Swansboro
neighborhood.
This plan is an addition to the City of Richmond’s 1996 Master Plan. This plan
defines Old Manchester as being bounded by Commerce Road to the east,
Bainbridge Street to the south, Cowardin Road to west and the James River to the
north. Most of the area is zoned R-53, which includes several residential uses and
other parts are zoned B-3 which includes industrial and wholesale uses. At the
time of this study, the area was predominantly African American and had an
equal distribution of males and females. The largest age group in the area is 35 to
44 years old. Female-headed households with children under eighteen dominate
the area and 70% of the residents in the area are living in poverty.
The Old Manchester plan had a vision to transform the area into a desirable place
for first time homeowners. Some of the other goals for the area included:
• Developing the area as a community conducive to single family
residential land uses,
• Maintaining a strong institutional presence in the community,
• Developing appropriate uses at the neighborhood’s edges,
• Developing new infill housing,
• Locating senior facilities in the area,
• Improving public safety,
• Creating strong pedestrian linkages
• Providing educational and recreational uses for the neighborhood’s
children.
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A study of the neighborhood’s current conditions shows that many of the plan’s
recommendations have not been implemented. The plan wanted to increase
many of the aesthetic characteristics around the neighborhood, by increasing the
number of street trees and creating new green spaces. However, currently, the
area’s landscaping is unkempt and there are two parks that are the
neighborhood’s green spaces. Both of these parks were present before the 1996
plan was drafted. The plan also mentions installing traffic calming devices to
slow speeding drivers. A drive around the neighborhood shows that this has not
been accomplished—the neighborhood contains no roundabouts, speed bumps,
or textured pedestrian crosswalks as mentioned in the plan. Another goal listed
in the 1996 plan was the creation of gateways. However, there is no signage or
distinctive gateways at the planned intersections of Perry Street and Cowardin
Street, or Cowardin Street and Hull Street. 9
Map 5. Old Manchester
Source: Old Manchester Plan, City of Richmond 2000
9 City of Richmond, Virginia. “Downtown Master Plan,”
http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/forms/docs/online/masterplan. (9 February 2009).
28

Richmond Downtown Plan, 2008
The 2008 Richmond Downtown Plan is based on seven foundations to the
downtown area. These foundations include:
1. Variety & choice – diversifying land uses, building types and sizes and
providing various transportation options
2. Traditional city – developing an area that is pedestrian friendly and caters
to transit commuters
3. Green – development of great parks and implementing a sustainable
design that creates a livable city
4. River – recognizes the James River as Richmond’s “Central Park”
5. Urban architecture – focus on learning from and reusing the historic urban
architecture
6. History – Richmond’s important history is its most valuable asset
7. Mixed-income – focus on economic diversity of the downtown residents
The plan is concerned with the number of vacant lots in Swansboro and the
decreased population in the neighborhood. Private investment has been coming
back to area, including projects such as Plant Zero and Dominion Box Factory.
Some of the plan recommendations for the area include an increase in street
trees, infill buildings, Main Street and facade improvements, trail creation along
Riverview Parkway and creating new uses for abandoned industrial buildings. 10
The creation of gateways and revitalizing Hull Street are also mentioned as
goals.
Since the Downtown Plan is less than one year old, it is difficult to determine the
success in implementing the plan’s goals for Swansboro. Implementation of the
goals to reuse vacant industrial buildings has already been implemented.
However, implementation of the other goals in the plan, such as green space
creation and revitalizing the Hull Street corridor, have not occurred as of April
2009. 11
Since Swansboro is located within the City of Richmond’s boundary, the recently
created Richmond Downtown Plan is a particularly influential document. One
topic discussed in the plan is the preservation and maintenance of the city’s rich
history. As an historic neighborhood in the City of Richmond, Swansboro must
be included in this goal’s implementation. Another topic that is particularly
10 City of Richmond, Virginia, “Richmond’s Neighborhoods in Bloom (NiB),”
http://www.neighborhoodsinbloom.com (1 February 2009).
11 Robert Howlette. Interviewed by Justin Doyle, 6 February 2009.
29

elevant to the planning area is the section that discusses public parks. Richmond
has set a goal to maintain, preserve and restore the parks throughout the city.
The Richmond Downtown Plan statement “green means great parks” is relevant
to all parks including Carter Jones Park. The Richmond Downtown plan is also
very concerned with the abundance of vacant lots present in urban communities.
This is a particularly important issue to the Swansboro neighborhood.
30

Map 6: Downtown Richmond
Source: Richmond Downtown Plan, 2008
31

Blackwell Neighborhood Plan
The Blackwell Neighborhood Plan is of particular importance to Swansboro, due
to the many similarities between the two communities. Both neighborhoods
have a predominantly African American population with comparable levels of
education and income. The neighborhoods also share some common issues such
as a high crime rate and the need for redevelopment of dilapidated historical
structures. The Blackwell plan also specifically mentions vacant properties as a
problem within the community and their response to these vacant properties
may be important for the Swansboro neighborhood.
The plan is also an addition to the 1996 City of Richmond Master Plan. This plan
defines Blackwell as being bounded by Commerce Road to the east, Hull Street
to the north, Jefferson Davis Highway to the west and Dinwiddie Road to the
south. Most of the area is residential single-family homes with some commercial
uses along the edges of Jefferson Davis Highway. The area has had a continued
population decrease over the last twenty years. The area is also predominantly
African American (97%) and has a female population of 57%. Blackwell has a
significant population of single female-headed households with children under
the age of eighteen. Also, 56% of the area is living in poverty. This area also has
a large number of vacant properties (12%).
The main vision for the study area is to rid the neighborhood of crime and
violence, drug pushers, and vacant or dirty lots. 12 Some of the goals include:
• Decreasing multi-family housing units
• Creating green space
• Eliminating the distinction between public and private housing
• Providing more recreational opportunities for teenagers in the area
• Creating gateways
• Discouraging the development of businesses that may contribute to illegal
activity
Creating job training and employment opportunities for residents 13
12 Johnette Powell. Interviewed by Crystal Morris-Lowery and Tarvaris McCoy, 19 January 2009.
13 City of Richmond, Virginia. “Blackwell Neighborhood Revitalization Plan,”
http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/departments/communitydev/docs/Blackwell_Neighborhood_Revitalization_
Plan.pdf (9 February 2009).
32

2.3. TRANSPORTATION, CIRCULATION & UTILITIES
INTRODUCTION
To meet the needs of the community and the City of Richmond, transportation
and utility data were collected for Swansboro. We have analyzed Swansboro’s
existing transportation and utility infrastructure conditions to identify areas for
improvement. Specifically, this section examines the area’s road and utility
conditions, traffic patterns, parking issues, pedestrian and bicycle routes, as well
as public transportation.
2.3.1. EXISTING CONDITIONS
Roads
The two principle arterial roadways within Swansboro, are Cowardin
Avenue/Jefferson Davis Highway to the east, and Hull Street to the south.
Midlothian Turnpike is a minor arterial road feeding into Hull Street creating a
major intersection in Swansboro. Bainbridge Road is a significant collector road
and serves as Swansboro’s major east-west access road. Map 7 on page 34 shows
the street hierarchy of the Swansboro neighborhood and Table 2 (Appendix)
describes the City of Richmond’s street hierarchy.
33

Map 7: Swansboro Street Hierarchy
Source: City of Richmond Master Plan; VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
34

Swansboro does not have appropriate traffic calming measures. Many of the
neighborhood streets are unmarked, lacking appropriate identifying signage.
Allowances for street parking along residential corridors necessitated wide travel
lanes. A number of residents park their vehicles behind their homes and any cars
parked on the streets are absent during working hours, this situation creates
wide open lanes. These wide open lanes allow drivers to travel at higher speeds
(Figure 3). There are very few stoplights on the side streets and most
intersections utilize stop signs for traffic control. Many driveways in the
Swansboro area are accessed by alleyways behind the houses. This creates a
hazard as traffic pulls out of the unmarked alleys onto the neighborhood side
roads. Poor sightlines around curves and parked cars add to the area’s hazard
level.
Figure 3: Wide Neighborhood Street
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
Hull Street and Bainbridge Street are the two most heavily used roads and have
numerous stoplights. Even on these main throughways, however, there is a
significant lack of signage. Only one speed limit sign was obvious in all of
Swansboro. This particular sign was on Hull Street near the western end of the
study area. Poor signage, poor lane markings and awkwardly placed traffic
lights create confusing traffic patterns, in particular at the five point intersection
of Hull Street, Midlothian Turnpike, and Clopton Street.
Several one-way streets in Swansboro influence the traffic pattern, and traffic
filtration onto the arterial and collector streets. Map 8 (see Appendix) shows the
locations of these streets, with northward streets in red and southward streets in
blue. The street pattern in the neighborhood should be further analyzed to
35

determine whether the one-way streets continue to benefit the community, or
whether they should be converted to two-way streets.
Traffic was observed to be heaviest on Semmes Avenue, Cowardin Avenue, and
Hull Street. High speeds, large traffic counts, and the lack of crosswalks or
marked bicycle lanes increase the hazards to pedestrians and bicyclists on these
roads. New pedestrian infrastructure should be a priority for these roads along
with traffic calming measures.
Intersections
Intersections of high volume roadways often have a high risk of traffic collisions.
Using annual average daily traffic volumes on the main arterial streets in
Swansboro from 2007, five intersections within Swansboro were selected for an
accident rate study (Map 9). 2008 accident data was acquired from the City of
Richmond for these key intersections. Table 3 and Map 10 (see Appendix)
identify each of the studied intersections and display the corresponding number
of traffic collisions. The highest number of reported accidents occurred at the
intersections of Bainbridge Street and Cowardin Avenue, and Midlothian
Turnpike and Broad Rock Boulevard. There were nine reported accidents at each
intersection. The high-volume intersection of Hull Street and Cowardin Avenue
had four reported accidents. After analyzing the data, those three intersections
were in need of comprehensive accident prevention strategies, such as traffic
calming. The intersection of Midlothian Turnpike and Hull Street, with its
previously stated deficiencies, had only one reported accident in 2008. The fifth
intersection, 26 th Street and Perry Street, had no reported accidents in 2008.
Table 3: Traffic Accident Data
Intersection
Accident Traffic Infraction
#’s
26th and Perry 0
Hull and Midlothian 1 Left turn no right of way
Cowardin and Hull 4 Going straight ahead
Cowardin and Bainbridge 9 Various
Broad Rock and
Midlothian
9 Disregarding Traffic Signal
Source: Virginia Motor Vehicle Accident File, 1/1/2008 – 12/31/2008, City of Richmond
36

Map 9: Traffic Volumes for Swansboro
Source: 2007 VDOT Daily Traffic Volume Estimates,, City of Richmond; VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
37

Pedestrian Walkability
Swansboro was built with a comprehensive network of sidewalks suited for easy
pedestrian access to the nearby commercial nodes and corridors, parks, schools,
or other community facilities. Over time, this network has fallen into disrepair.
Many sidewalks are cracked and damaged or simply overgrown and strewn
with trash. This analysis suggests that this is primarily due to a lack of regular
maintenance and the absence of trashcans. Other sidewalk areas are unfinished
with abandoned sections and abrupt endings; depositing pedestrians either at
worn dirt paths or into vehicular travel lanes. This deprives Swansboro of a
sense of connectivity.
Crosswalks are rare in Swansboro, and where they exist they are often only
delineated by two faded white lines. Without proper maintenance and painting,
these crosswalks become difficult for drivers to see.
Map 11 illustrates the concentrations of workers who walk to work. A pedestrian
analysis of both Cowardin Avenue and Hull Street should be undertaken to
determine where clear pedestrian crossings are needed.
In addition to completing the existing sidewalk network, handicap access ramps
need to be installed on each corner to allow full handicap accessibility to the
entire neighborhood. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, handicap access
ramps connecting the sidewalks must be present throughout the system. This
connectivity is not only necessary for people in wheelchairs, it is also important
to people pushing strollers, walkers, or carts. The areas of new development
have a higher occurrence of access ramps than the older areas. Perry Street,
adjacent to Carter Jones Park has no sidewalk ramps at all. The lack of sidewalk
access ramps could force people to navigate the street despite the presence of a
sidewalk. In addition to completing the existing sidewalk network, handicap
access ramps need to be installed on each corner to allow full handicap
accessibility to the entire neighborhood.
38

Map 11: Swansboro Residents Walking to Work
Source: U.S. Census 2000; VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
39

Parking
Swansboro is predominantly residential with wide streets. In the residential
areas, many roads are serviced by alleyways offering off street parking. These
alleys, coupled with unmarked or unregulated parking on the street, supply a
large quantity of parking opportunities. Parking for commercial uses is generally
located behind or beside the business, and no parking capacity issues were
observed.
Public Transportation
Map 12 illustrates a lower than expected percentage of Swansboro workers
traveling to work in a personal vehicle. Further commuter analysis shows that
Swansboro has a higher than expected percentage of workers traveling via public
transportation (Map 13). This illustrates how important it is for the transit system
to continue providing service along Hull Street, Cowardin Avenue/Jefferson
Davis Highway, Midlothian Turnpike, and Semmes Avenue. Pedestrian
infrastructure should be enhanced in these areas to facilitate easier access to
transit stops. Further data was analyzed at the block group level to examine
means of transportation (Table 4 and Map 14 in Appendix).
40

Map 12: Swansboro Personal Vehicle to Work
Source: U.S. Census 2000, VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
41

Map 13: Swansboro Public Transportation to Work
Source: U.S. Census 2000; VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
42

The primary route into Swansboro from Downtown Richmond is the Hull
Street/Midlothian Route, bus line 62/63. This route connects Swansboro to the
rest of the city and is the primary access route into downtown. The route
numbers are current as of today, but subject to change. The Ruffin
Road/Ampthill 72 Route enters Swansboro from the north, connecting to
downtown and Chesterfield County. Route 70/71 (Forest Hill) fringes on the
northern boundary of Swansboro as it continues west on Forest Hill Avenue,
connecting Swansboro residents to Chippenham Parkway and Stony Point
Fashion Park. Map 15 shows the location of GRTC bus stops throughout the
Swansboro neighborhood.
43

Map 15: Swansboro GRTC Bus Stops
Source: GRTC planning Department 2008, City of Richmond; VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
44

Shelter conditions for the Swansboro stops are in line with those along other
GRTC routes. There are two “pavilion style” shelters in Swansboro; one located
on Hull Street, near the eastern boundary of Swansboro and the other is on the
southeast corner of Midlothian Turnpike at Hull Street. Demarcation for the
direction of routes (east, west) is not clearly defined. Other stops in Swansboro
have GRTC signage with no structures to provide shelter.
Bicycle Lanes
According to the 2000 Richmond Master Plan, bike routes are proposed for the
Swansboro area. These routes are planned along Hull Street and Broad Rock
Boulevard as well as throughout the neighborhood. Currently, there are no
bicycle lanes in Swansboro. While existing roads are wide enough to support
lanes, existing conditions in the neighborhood do not support safe bicycle traffic.
Street parking, a lack of signage indicating speed limits, and poor sight lines are
among Swansboro’s hazards.
On most roads in the neighborhood of Swansboro, specific bike lanes are not
required. Added safety could come through the use of signage to make motorists
aware of potential bicyclists on neighborhood roads. Also, no bike racks were
observed in the neighborhood and would be needed to allow for safe bicycle
parking in Swansboro.
Utility Infrastructure
The City of Richmond Public Utilities Department (RPU) and Dominion Virginia
Power (DVP) both serve the Swansboro neighborhood. During the neighborhood
survey an electrical substation and a gas line terminal were found between
Pilkington Street and 24th Street (Figure 4). RPU provides the gas, water, sewer
and storm water system services that are available to all area residents and
businesses. These service networks are located underground while DVP’s
electrical distribution lines are above ground. These lines can be seen running
along roadways and occasionally behind homes. Many of the transformers
observed were rusted.
45

Figure 4: Electrical Substation on Wise Street
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
The roads along Swansboro’s perimeter are integral commuter corridors that see
large volumes of traffic each day. These roads also facilitate the public
transportation routes serving the area. The neighborhoods pedestrian and bicycle
circulation are inadequate and in need of improvements. Sidewalks need
improvement throughout the community and pedestrian crosswalks and curb
cuts do not appear at several intersections. The community of Swansboro has the
basic transportation requirements and with further enhancements will meet the
needs of the community and encourage growth in the future.
46

2.4. COMMUNITY SERVICES
INTRODUCTION
Swansboro is an excellent case study for examining and providing planning
recommendations for community resources. To develop such recommendations,
analysis of the existing conditions along with the collection and analysis of
secondary data will enable a more thorough understanding of the community
resource planning issues in Swansboro. The following data considers the
existing conditions of parks and recreation, environmental aesthetics, crime and
public safety, and community services in the Swansboro neighborhood.
2.4.1. Parks and Recreation
The parks and recreation venues available in Swansboro provide residents with
an opportunity to be social and active. Without natural areas available within
this neighborhood, members of the community would not be able to escape the
urban framework of Richmond. It is through recreation centers such as; Carter
Jones Park and The Boys & Girls Club that the quality of life in Swansboro
improves. According to the National Recreation and Parks Association’s statistics
on the ratio between a community’s size and the number of facilities, Swansboro
has an adequate number of recreational resources. In Chapter 12 of the City of
Richmond’s Master Plan, the city’s recreation and parks facilities are listed and
categorized. When comparing the total acreage reported to the acreage located in
the Old South District, as well as, the specific community of Swansboro, 18% of
the city’s parks are located in the Old South District. Although there are facilities
available, the residents only have access to .03% of them. Table 5 (see Appendix)
outlines the aforementioned acreage comparisons.
Additionally, there were a list of Major Parks and Open Spaces produced in
2005-2006 and this list reports the same acreage and neighborhoods as the 2000-
2020 Master Plan. After the creation of this document, in August of 2008, the Pros
Consulting Firm produced a Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities Master
Plan. While this plan does not provide a listing of available resources, it offers a
bleak outlook on the city’s parks system. For instance, only 14% of Richmond
residents participate in recreational programs compared to 30% nationally.
Nonetheless, information on both Carter Jones Park and the Boys & Girls Club is
available in the following two sections.
47

Carter Jones Park
Carter Jones Park was developed in the 1950’s and named for a member of City
Council from Madison Ward: Mr. Carter Jones. Mr. Jones also sponsored a
resolution to obtain Fonticello Spring from the Taylor Estate to create this park.
Originally, Carter Jones Park covered 12 acres whereas currently it is 15.09 acres
total.
Figure 5: Fonticello Playground
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
Within this park, there is a playground, horseshoe courts, basketball courts, two
baseball diamonds, three tennis courts, picnic shelter, and picnic tables. In
addition, there is hopscotch and 4-square court, as well as, a sand pit. Also,
located in this area is a broken sprinkler, which will need to undergo renovation
for proper use. Throughout the park, there are living holly and ivy trees along
with a few stumps that will be placeholders for either water fountains or
benches.
Boys and Girls Club
The Boys & Girls Club is located at 2409 Bainbridge Street and offers various
amenities as well as activities for Swansboro's youth. Located here is a basketball
court, a baseball field, and a multi-purpose field for other sporting events. Inside
the building, there is a computer lab in addition to a cultural arts room with a
stage for performances. Examples of activities at the Boys & Girls Club are:
Power Hour (Homework Sessions), Sports Teams (Intramurals), and Kids Cafe
(Meal Program).
48

2.4.2. Environmental Aesthetics
The Swansboro Neighborhood has a significant amount of trash and overgrown
properties. Abandoned cars are also prevalent, even when seen from backyards.
The commercial areas of Swansboro do not reflect as much of a problem as the
housing areas. It is important for residents to keep their properties presentable
to help improve the image of the neighborhood and for safety reasons.
2.4.3. Crime and Public Safety
Perceptions of crime and criminal activity vary. Some residents, such as the
president of the local civic association, believe that crime is not a problem, but
rather a perception. Many community members, though, believe there is a real
crime problem and are uncomfortable with the types of activities that occur
around the convenience stores and other areas. Both of these groups may have
valid arguments, but raw data as well as percentages in Table 6 illustrate there is
a definite crime problem to overcome in Swansboro.
49

Table 6: Crime Statistics 1/1/08 to 12/31/08
Neighborhood Homicide Sex
Offense
Robbery Assault Burglary Vice Theft Vehicle
Theft
Other
Total
Swansboro 0 2 10 74 6 34 58 12 284 480
Swansboro
1 1 7 97 13 50 22 10 269 470
West
Blackwell 1 2 8 72 11 46 37 8 221 406
Woodland
0 1 1 14 12 5 29 11 86 159
Heights
Broad Rock 0 2 10 47 10 47 22 9 207 354
Richmond
0 1 3 24 7 15 23 5 103 181
(avg)
Source: Richmond Police Department (http://www.ci.richmond.va.us),
Spring 2009
Table 6 : Crime Statistics (Percentages) 1/1/08 to 12/31/08
Neighborhood Homicide Sex
Offense
Robbery Assault Burglary Vice Theft Vehicle
Theft
Other
Total
Swansboro 0.0% >1% 2.1% 15.4% 1.3% 7.1% 12.1% 2.5% 59.2% 100%
Swansboro
>1.0% >1.0% 1.5% 20.6% 2.8% 10.6% 4.7% 2.1% 57.2% 100%
West
Blackwell >1.0% >1.0% 2.0% 17.7% 2.7% 11.3% 9.1% 2.0% 54.4% 100%
Woodland
0.0% >1.0% >1.0% 8.8% 7.5% 3.1% 18.2% 6.9% 54.1% 100%
Heights
Broad Rock 0.0% >1.0% 2.8% 13.3% 2.8% 13.3% 6.2% 2.5% 58.5% 100%
Richmond (avg) 0.0% >1.0% 1.7% 13.3% 3.9% 8.3% 12.7% 2.8% 57.0% 100%
Source: Richmond Police Department (http://www.ci.richmond.va.us),
Spring 2009
The total number of crimes in the Swansboro area is much higher than that of the
surrounding areas for the year 2008. There were more crimes committed in this
area than the city’s average. In a similar situation in Highland Park’s Brookland
Park Boulevard corridor, an abandoned commercial property originally was
planned to be converted into a neighborhood policing satellite station. This
policing station would deal with lowering the actual crime in the area and assist
in eliminating the perception that crime as a problem. A neighborhood policing
satellite would work well in the Swansboro neighborhood. Currently, the
neighborhood is serviced by the Second Precinct located at 177 E Belt Blvd. The
location of this precinct does not offer a strong policing presence in the
community.
50

2.4.4. Community Services
Swansboro has many community resources. Senior services include the St.
Francis Home and Melvin C. Cox Manor. Swansboro is also home to the Hull
Street Public Library. Swansboro offers several places of worship for citizens.
Some of the more outstanding child oriented services within the community are
The New Haven Academy, Southside Child Development, and The Genesis
Preparatory Academy. Altogether, Swansboro is home to twenty-five separate
community service facilities.
Swansboro Elementary School is one of the strongest community services
available to the Swansboro community. Located in one of the area’s most
beautiful buildings, Swansboro Elementary School provides a first-rate staff
dedicated to the nurturing of Swansboro’s school-aged children. One of the
services that the school offers to the community is an abundance of
extracurricular programs. Programs such as, Gentleman of Swansboro and
Young Ladies of Swansboro, offer the community children direction, as well as a
sense of community pride.
Another asset that is offered to the community is the Swansboro Public Library.
The library is easily accessible by both public and private transit, and within
walking distance for some of the Swansboro community. Like Swansboro
Elementary School, the public library also offers an array of extracurricular
activities, not only for children, but for adults as well. The Swansboro Public
Library is not just for readers, it offers an array of media to include, audio, video,
and internet usage. The library boasts a varied and extensive collection of
literature, and media for all ages. The Swansboro Public Library stands as an
attraction of both new and old generations.
51

2.5. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTION
There are three commercial corridors located in the community of Swansboro.
These are along Hull Street, Midlothian Turnpike, and Cowardin Avenue (Map
16). Midlothian Turnpike has very few businesses located along it in the
Swansboro area. Cowardin Avenue is the second largest commercial corridor in
the community, along which is a pharmacy, fast food restaurants and car
dealerships. Hull Street is the location of most commercial activity within the
neighborhood, particularly between Cowardin and Broad Rock Boulevard.
Almost 50 commercial establishments are located along this corridor including a
mix of retail, service, and light industry. Despite this mix, there is very little
variety and Hull Street offers a disproportionate number of auto shops,
convenience stores, beauty shops and churches. There is a vacancy rate of 30%
along the Hull Street corridor. An inventory of commercial uses located along
Hull Street is located on pages 55, in Table 7.
52

Map 16: Swansboro Commercial Corridors
Source: City of Richmond Geographic Information Systems; VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
53

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Urban and Commercial Revitalization Fall
2004 Class authored a plan for commercial revitalization for the Swansboro
Triangle Commercial area within Midlothian Turnpike, Hull Street and Decatur
Street between 25th and 27th Streets. The class surveyed 84 buildings, 64 of the
buildings are commercial or industrial, eight buildings are churches and only
twelve are residential. The presence of commercial and industrial buildings in
both surveys provides a strong base for economic revitalization in the Swansboro
neighborhood.
54

Table 7: Hull Street Corridor Inventory
Industry Category
Number of
Operations
Industry Category
Number of
Operations
Contract Construction
Specialty Contractors
Retail Trade
Motor vehicle & parts dealers
Flooring 1 Used Car Dealership 1
Building Restoration 1 Auto Parts 2
Roofing 2 Electronics & appliance stores
Appliance Store 1
Manufacturing
Building Materials & Garden
Supplies
Fabricated Metal Products Seed Store 1
Sheet Metal Fabrication 2 Food and Beverage Stores
Furniture and Fixtures Convenience Stores 4
Finance and Insurance
Sign Makers 1 Supermarket 1
Specialty Seafood Market 2
Health & personal care stores
Credit intermediation & related activities Pharmacy 1
Admin, Support, Waste Mgt., Remediation
Services
Payday Loan 1 Herbalist 1
Beauty Supply Store 1
Gas Stations
Administrative & support services Gas Stations 3
Travel Agency 1 Clothing & clothing accessories stores
Accommodation and Food Services
Yard Maintenance 1 Clothing Store 1
Food services & drinking places
Other Services
Repair & maintenance
Fast Food 2 Auto Repair/Body/Painting 5
Family 3 Car Wash 1
Saw Filing 1
Religious, grant-making, civic, prof. & like
Personal & laundry services
organizations
Community Centers 3 Laundromat 1
Churches 11 Dry Cleaner 1
Masonic Lodge 1 Beauty/Barbershop 7
Thrift Store 1 Nails 2
Vacancy Rate 30%
Source: Studio I Class, Virginia Commonwealth University, Spring 2009
Funeral Services 3
55

The stretches of Hull Street between 25th and 27th Streets as well as Midlothian
Turnpike between 25th and 27th Streets are both designated as “Neighborhood
Commercial Areas” by the City of Richmond’s Master Plan. The Neighborhood
Commercial Areas have specific zoning that places stringent restrictions on
commercial uses, building heights and parking requirements. Businesses in
these areas are meant to focus on garnering their business from neighborhood
residents that can walk-in at any time. Vehicular traffic is meant to be minimized
through the above methods and by moving parking lots off of the street, so that
pedestrian traffic has the right-of-way through the commercial area. Table 8 on
page 57 indicates the distances, from Carter Jones Park, to various commercial
interests.
56

Table 8: Distance to Goods or Services from Carter Jones Park in Swansboro
Business
Distance
(in miles)
Business
Distance
(in miles)
Grocery / Supermarket
Library
Grocery 0.6 Hull Street Branch Library 1.1
Farmers Foods of the South 1.7 Westover Hills Branch Library 1.9
Save-A-Lot Supermarket 2.3
Indoor Recreation
Restaurants - Sit Down Family South Side Bowl 1.5
O'Toole's Restaurant 1.7 Skateland 2.8
Banks
Movie Theatre
SunTrust 1 Byrd (Second Run) 4
Bank of America 1.9 Westhampton (Art Movies) 7.3
Wachovia 2.3 Carmike 10 (First Run) 9.3
Source: Studio I Class, Virginia Commonwealth University, Spring 2009
The relatively high number of churches and religious uses may pose a challenge
for Swansboro’s economic revitalization. Traditionally religious establishments
only create foot traffic on days of worship, which could create a lack of
pedestrian traffic within commercial districts inherently reliant on the generation
of such traffic. This issue can potentially be mitigated by using several
techniques to be discussed later in this plan.
57

Map 17: Religious Institutions within Swansboro
Source: City of Richmond Geographic Information Systems; VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
58

The data indicates that several commercial establishments are located within one
mile of the neighborhood center. The challenge will be creating cohesive
commercial corridors and enticing “upgraded” commercially viable
establishments to enter the neighborhood – such as a full service supermarket or
movie theater.
2.5.2. Surrounding Community
Surrounding Swansboro are a number of commercial districts including Forest
Hill and Semmes Avenue - both of which are located in Woodland Heights, Hull
Street in Manchester, and the intersection of Hull Street and Belt Boulevard.
These surrounding communities meet some of the needs of Swansboro residents
by providing essential commercial uses such as grocery stores, clothing stores, a
library, a health clinic, a bowling alley and a bank. Surrounding neighborhoods
often have different land use patterns than Swansboro, making some of them
more pedestrian friendly and others more automobile focused. The commercial
area along Belt Boulevard offers a number of goods and services to residents of
Swansboro. Unfortunately, there are still goods and services still not available,
even in surrounding commercial corridors such as sit-down restaurants, a movie
theater, and educational and job training institutions.
Forest Hill and Semmes Avenue
This is a relatively small area containing a coffee shop, Latin market, catering
company, beauty supply and beauty product outlet. It is also the location of a
vacant elementary school, which is in the process of becoming a free charter
elementary school with a priority of educating children in the surrounding
neighborhood, which includes Swansboro.
Manchester
This historic area along Hull Street is located to the east of Swansboro between
Cowardin Street and Commerce Road. The commercial area appears to be
predominantly dense mixed use commercial retail space with residential units
above. Like Swansboro, this area suffers from a high vacancy rate. The Hull
Street Library, located in Manchester is the closest branch to residents of
Swansboro and offers computer classes to the community. This portion of Hull
Street also offers a bookstore, some convenience stores and a homeless shelter
run by Freedom House.
59

Map 18: Swansboro’s Surrounding Neighborhoods
Source: City of Richmond Geographic Information Systems; VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
60

Hull Street and Belt Boulevard
West of Swansboro, at the intersection of Hull Street and Belt Boulevard, there is
a large commercial area with three shopping centers. Unlike the Manchester and
Swansboro commercial corridors, commercial uses along Hull and Belt are
comparable to modern-day shopping centers with much larger stores and front
placed parking lots making the area unfriendly to pedestrians. The two larger
shopping centers both house medium-sized supermarkets and a variety of other
specialty food stores including a meat store and an Asian market. The vacancy
rate is lower within these shopping centers than in Swansboro with most of the
retail outlets being occupied. Other retail outlets in the shopping centers are
clothing and shoe stores, fast food outlets, two stores selling general household
merchandise, a hair and beauty supply store, a furniture rental business and a
bowling alley. There is also one labor pool business and five payday loan
establishments and only one bank in the surrounding area near Swansboro. The
Virginia Department of Social Services occupies a large building in the middle of
the largest shopping center and there is a clinic run by VCU Health Systems.
Economic Demographic Data
The household income and property values in the Swansboro neighborhood are
both lower than the rest of the Richmond area. Swansboro also has a higher
population of households receiving supplementary income, higher
unemployment, and a higher commercial vacancy rate than the Richmond
region.
Income and Property Value
According to the 2000 Census, the median household income in Swansboro was
$25,928. At the same time, the median household income for the City of
Richmond was $31,121. The median city income was over 20% higher than
Swansboro. This may stem from the fact that Swansboro’s unemployment rate is
more than double that of the City of Richmond. According to 2000 Census data,
the City of Richmond’s unemployment rate was 5.01%, while Swansboro’s rate
was 12.38%. Land values show a similar pattern. Table 9 (see Appendix) uses
assessment data from the City to compare the value per square foot of different
property types in Swansboro and the City of Richmond. Commercial property in
Swansboro is almost 60% more affordable than the Richmond average. This
could be positive for the community because it would translate into lower rents
for new businesses. However, the square foot value of vacant and industrial
property is higher in Swansboro than in Richmond. Downtown Richmond’s
CBD and Swansboro’s lack of office space account for the table’s largest
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discrepancy. Since these values are all from the City Assessor, and therefore
based on tax revenues, the city has a vested interest in a potentially revitalized
Swansboro.
VCU’s Urban and Commercial Revitalization Plan found that from year 2003 to
year 2004 the Swansboro Triangle Commercial Area only achieved minor
growth. This growth was spurred by the increased investment of existing
property owners in their properties, which raised their assessment values is
illustrated in Table 10 (see Appendix). This minor growth can be built upon to
increase investments by existing property owners in order to raise assessment
values in Swansboro. These actions will attract outside investors, promote
community revitalization and promote community pride.
Supplementary Income
According to the 2000 Census data, the percentage of Swansboro households
receiving some form of supplementary income from the government is nearly
double that of the Richmond metropolitan area. This discrepancy may be
explained by the presence of two large retirement homes, which would skew the
Social Security data. However, the population in the retirement homes would
not affect the percentage of households on public assistance. The above
information is detailed in Table 11 (see Appendix).
Economic Development Programs
The City of Richmond currently has three economic development programs
active in the Swansboro neighborhood including Neighborhoods in Bloom,
Commercial Area Revitalization Plan (CARE) and the city of Richmond’s
Department of Economic Development’s Enterprise Zone Program.
Neighborhoods in Bloom Revolving Loan Fund (NIBRLF)
The Neighborhoods in Bloom Revolving Loan Fund (NIBRLF) is an economic
development program operated by the City of Richmond Department of
Economic Development and is designed to promote economic community
development in five of the City of Richmond’s targeted areas. Swansboro is one
of the five neighborhoods included in the program, which allows the small
businesses located in Swansboro to apply for funds under the program. The loan
fosters economic opportunity, stabilization and growth through the provision of
low interest loans to eligible existing small businesses, small business start-ups
and expansions in the target areas. The NIBRLF intends to stimulate job
creation, assist in the retention of jobs for low- and moderate-income residents
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and assist in the reuse of abandoned and under utilized properties in the target
areas. The Neighborhoods in Bloom Revolving Loan Fund targets small
businesses that traditionally have not been able to access conventional financing.
Guidelines include:
• Neighborhoods in Bloom Revolving Loans are maximized at $50,000
• Loans can be used for working capital, acquisition of commercial
property, as well as machinery and equipment
• The business must be located in one of the target areas
• A business plan / project description must be submitted with the
application
The maximum term of the loan is based upon the average useful life of the asset
being acquired with loan proceeds. Loans under the program are secured by the
assets being acquired or renovated, and generally require the personal guaranty
of all owners having 20% or more interest in the business. There is a small
application fee for the program and the current interest rate is four percent.
Commercial Area Revitalization Plan (CARE)
The neighborhood of Swansboro is one of the City of Richmond’s eleven
Commercial Area Revitalization Effort areas. The City of Richmond’s
Commercial Area Revitalization Effort Program is designed to revitalize and
return economic viability to older neighborhood districts, primarily in the city’s
low- and moderate-income communities. The CARE program operates through
a partnership of local merchants, residents, and the City of Richmond. The
program offers a variety of incentives to local businesses including rebates for
exterior and interior rehabilitation, a rebate for security improvements, a lateral
water sprinkler system rebate, a commercial rehabilitation loan, and a leasehold
improvement loan. 15
__________________________________
14 City of Richmond Department of Economic Development. “Neighborhoods in Bloom Revolving Loan
Fund (NIBRLF)” NIBRLF Brochure.
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Enterprise Zone Program
The commercial corridor of Hull Street, located in the neighborhood of
Swansboro, is part of the Enterprise Zone program. Enterprise zones encourage
development in blighted neighborhoods by providing tax and regulatory relief to
entrepreneurs and investors that locate in the zone. The City of Richmond
Department of Economic Development and the Virginia Department of Housing
and Community Development offer a variety of incentives to businesses locating
in enterprise zones. Local incentives include a ten-year real estate tax abatement,
a brownfields site assessment rebate, a 50% machinery and equipment rebate, an
employment assistance grant, a loan fee rebate, a business relocation rebate, and
a development fee rebate. State incentives include a real property investment
grant and a job creation grant. All enterprise zone incentives are subject to an
application process and restrictions. 16
Local Incentives include:
• Real Estate Tax Abatement
• Brownfields EZ Rebate
• Machinery and Equipment Rebate
• Employment Assistance Grant
• Loan Fee Rebate
• Business Relocation Rebate
• Development Fee Rebate
Brownfield Redevelopment
Brownfields are a major obstacle to economic development in any setting, be it
urban or suburban. They serve as an impediment to redevelopment and can
discourage social equity and cause environmental harm if they are not handled
in an appropriate manner. Brownfields are parcels of land that have been
contaminated as a result of past uses and pose a significant liability to land
developers wishing to redevelop them. A variety of brownfield assessment and
remediation efforts have been created, ranging from federal programs to local
programs. Heavy industrial facilities and chemical processing facilities are some
of the most commonly recognized culprits of environmental contamination but
gas stations, service stations, and dry cleaning facilities also contribute to the
nation’s brownfield inventory.
_____________________________
15 City of Richmond Department of Economic Development. “Commercial Area Revitalization Effort”
CARE Brochure.
16 City of Richmond Department of Economic Development. “Enterprise Zone: Local & State Incentives,”
Enterprise Zone Brochure.
64

The City of Richmond does not possess an official brownfield site inventory but
there are several potential brownfield sites located in Swansboro. The City of
Richmond’s Department of Economic Development offers public assistance to
private developers seeking to redevelop brownfield sites. The Department of
Economic Development accepts applications for federal grants offered by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The total award for each
grant is $200,000 and covers Phase I assessments, Phase II assessments, and
specialized site assessments. Eligible sites include commercial and industrial
properties located within an Enterprise Zone and a limited number of Richmond
Redevelopment Housing Authority project areas.
65

2.6. HOUSING AND LAND USE
INTRODUCTION
Swansboro is largely a residential neighborhood with a mix of housing types,
although in the eastern portion of the neighborhood, there are some industrial
uses mixed in among residential development. There has recently been some
redevelopment undertaken by a variety of organizations including the Richmond
Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA), and Southside Community
Development and Housing Corporation (SCDHC), as well as other non-profit
organizations like the Good Samaritan Ministries.
2.6.1. Existing Conditions of Structures and Land Use
In order to become familiar with previous neighborhood development plans, the
Cherry Hill Master Plan from the Department of Planning in the City of Baltimore
was examined for brainstorming ideas for the Swansboro Neighborhood
Revitalization Plan. Various neighborhood development plans for the city of
Richmond including the 1996 Blackwell Neighborhood Revitalization Plan were
researched for this study. The neighborhood of Blackwell lies immediately east
of Swansboro in south Richmond. Blackwell has experienced many of the same
issues Swansboro is facing now, including a lack of income diversity and an
uneven distribution of housing types. Blackwell later underwent a significant
redevelopment effort led by RRHA, which led to a significant change in the
community’s urban design, but also left many neighborhood residents with a
negative opinion of RRHA’s work. After the initial examination of similar types
of plans, the Housing and Land Use task force began its assessment of housing,
land use, and historic preservation issues within Swansboro. The parcel map
below identifies the vacant lots and boarded up structures in the entire
neighborhood north of Hull Street.
66

Map 19: Swansboro Neighborhood Vacant Lots & Boarded-Up Structures
Source: Field Survey, VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
67

Table 12: Existing Conditions of Structures
Commercial 1
% of Total
1 23 15%
2 86 57%
3 41 27%
Total 150 100%
Boarded-up ***** 28
Residential
% of Total
1 204 39%
2 216 41%
3 101 19%
Total 521 100%
Boarded-up ***** 34
Vacant Lots 105
For the purpose of this survey, the classification Commercial includes commercial,
industrial, and institutional.
Source: Swansboro Field Survey, VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
The above data was collected on existing structures in Swansboro. For the
purpose of analyzing the physical conditions of existing conditions in
Swansboro, a numerical value was assigned to each structure. The following
numerical values assigned were strictly based on perception and may vary
accordingly:
1. No structural damage, cleanliness, well maintained and conforms to the
character of the neighborhood.
2. The structure needs minor cosmetic repairs that might include: painting,
broken windows, new lighting, and repair of rain gutters, graffiti, or clean
sidewalk.
3. The structure has some structural problems and or a multitude of cosmetic
repairs to be done. Structural problems include: need for new siding, need for
replacement windows, and deteriorating brick/masonry façade.
The Swansboro field study emphasized the area of study delineated by
Midlothian Turnpike to the north, East Broad Rock Road/Hull Street/29 th Street
68

to the west, Maury Street to the south, and East Clopton street to the east. Upon
completion of this survey, several issues were identified including the Hull Street
corridor, and the need to try as best as possible to look at the entire structure in
order to classify its condition. One particular section of the Hull Street corridor
that deserved special consideration was the south side of the 2600 block, where
Midlothian Turnpike.
Figure 6: 2602 Hull Street
Figure 7: 2608 Hull Street
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009 Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
Adding to these primary data collection efforts, the City of Richmond’s
Department of Community Development has provided a variety of maps which
document land use, zoning, and potential areas of historical significance in
Swansboro and surrounding neighborhoods identified in Map 20.
69

Map 20: Swansboro Existing Land Use Map
Source: City of Richmond Geographic Information Systems, VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
70

After completing a field survey of structures in Swansboro and compilation of
that data, current land uses were compared with the current zoning category to
determine incompatible uses, and determine the areas of critical need, with
special attention given to boarded-up structures and blighted lots. Map 21 on
page 72 illustrates primary uses as observed within the Swansboro residential
neighborhood.
With regards to historic preservation, Department of Community Development
official Tyler Potterfield suggested that it would be difficult to pursue
nomination to the National Register of Historic Places due to the redeveloped
and non-contiguous nature of the Swansboro residential neighborhood.
However, it was determined that within the neighborhood the task force would
select an historic enclave and use it as a center to present historic resource
recommendations. The city official furthermore suggested the neighborhood
pursue an “urban design” district overlay. This would achieve the desired goal
of encouraging infill in empty land parcels, which would eventually improve the
cohesiveness of the community. Both historic preservation of distinct properties
and urban design guidelines will improve housing conditions in this community.
Therefore, Map 22 on page 73 identifies proposed areas that would constitute an
Overlay Design District in Swansboro.
71

Map 21: Swansboro Neighborhood Primary Uses as Observed
Source: Field Survey, VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
72

Map 22: Swansboro Design Overlay District Recommendations
Source: Field Survey, VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
73

2.6.2. Housing and Land Use
The field survey determined a total of 776 structures within the Swansboro NiB
boundary. After reviewing the data from the field survey, it was determined that
42% of the residential housing stock within the Swansboro NiB boundary has
minor cosmetic repairs that include painting, broken windows, new lighting, and
repair of gutters. Interestingly, 39% of the residential housing stock had no
structural damage and was perceived to be well maintained. And, 19% of the
residential housing stock had structural problems. Therefore, the Swansboro
residential housing stock is in need of minor repairs, which are deemed to be a
significant asset to the revitalization efforts of the Swansboro community. In
terms of commercial structures, over half (52%), yielded minor repairs located
along the Hull Street corridor. Only 28% of the commercial structures observed,
yielded structural problems, which provides further evidence that the
commercial corridor on Hull Street within the Swansboro community has great
potential for revitalization.
Regarding the goal to increase homeownership within the Swansboro NiB
boundary, it was concluded that an effort to encourage quality-housing
alternatives for all residents would be essential to attract not only new residents
to Swansboro but also increase homeownership for current Swansboro residents.
The effort would be achieved through a NiB partnership with local housing
agencies for low and moderate-income families. The Swansboro neighborhood is
in need of a Community Assisted Public Safety (CAPS) program that would
promote citizen awareness of code enforcement practices. In terms of dilapidated
residential structures, there were a total of 34 structures and 105 vacant lots. To
reduce the number of dilapidated structures within the Swansboro NiB
boundary, it was determined that an educational awareness program for
residents should be established through the City of Richmond Real Estate Tax
Abatement Program.
Regarding historic preservation, it was concluded that an Overlay Design
District would enable Swansboro residents to create Design Overlay Guidelines
for the community. A Design Overlay District adoption requires extensive
community participation and the Swansboro Civic Association and/or
Swansboro Preservation League would hold public hearings for residents within
the Swansboro community to meet their needs. The Design Overlay District is a
customary process that is flexible, less restrictive, and allows the Swansboro
community to incorporate a mix of residential and commercial use patterns. The
Design Overlay District is ultimately approved by an Urban Design Committee
and the Richmond Planning Commission after an application is submitted to the
City of Richmond Office of Community Development. In addition, it is a great
74

idea to make zoning recommendation concurrently with the writing of overlay
design guidelines.
In terms of land use, it was concluded that the formation of a committee of City
Department officials that meet regularly to share land use and environmental
information would serve as an educational awareness effort for Swansboro
residents. The participants should include the Richmond Redevelopment and
Housing Authority, and any related city of Richmond department, such as,
Community Development, and Economic Development. Although the
recommendation is more of a long-term solution, a transition committee is
recommended to monitor progress of the plan. Neighborhood civic leaders and
city staff should participate to empower the community. In addition, it is
encouraged that citizens and property owners within Swansboro opt to
participate in charettes and outreach meetings as well to find a common vision
for the community during the revitalization process.
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2.7. URBAN DESIGN
INTRODUCTION
Urban design strives to create a sense of community and community pride
through the built environment and urban form. Building aspects such as their
scale, color, texture, materials, building height and setbacks are all considered
under Urban Design efforts. Other aspects that are considered are the
community’s exposure, enclosure, continuity, connectedness, views, axes and
public art. Each of these factors helps to shape the community’s environment
and character.
Through quality urban design practices, we hope to build upon Swansboro’s
strengths and create recognizable gateways, inviting green spaces, lively
commercial corridors, and attractive residential streetscapes. With an
appropriate design of the built environment, it is hoped that the identity of
Swansboro will be strengthened and community pride intensified.
“Good urban design can help create lively spaces with
distinctive character. High-quality urban design can also create
streets and public spaces that are safe, accessible, pleasant to use
and human in scale. The design of everyday details, such as
lighting, signs, and site furnishings, is an integral part of what
defines a community’s character. According to the Master Plan,
Richmond’s urban character and cultural resources can be a
strong incentive to retain existing residents and attract new
residents, businesses, and visitors.”
– City of Richmond, Urban Design
Guidelines
2.7.1. Existing Urban Design Conditions
Four main aspects will be addressed through this look at urban design in
Swansboro, including gateways, greenspaces, commercial corridors and
residential streetscapes. Gateways are an indicator of arrival to the neighborhood
for residents, visitors and commuters. Green spaces are an important part of
creating life in the community, whereas, commercial corridors are important for
the economic vitality of the community. Residential streetscapes are important
for creating a livable and friendly environment. Urban design issues such as
street furniture, public art, signage, and building materials will also be
addressed.
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Gateways
Currently, there are no existing gateways in the Swansboro community. Map 23
pinpoints proposed gateways that will help identify the community of
Swansboro as a vibrant neighborhood in the City of Richmond. All proposed
gateways are located along either the neighborhood boundary or major corridors
in the heart of Swansboro. The proposed gateways will signify to both residents
and commuters through the neighborhood that they have reached Swansboro.
Gateways will help foster a sense of community within Swansboro and give
residents a sense of pride.
77

Map 23: Swansboro Gateways
Source: City of Richmond, VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
78

20 th Street and Bainbridge Avenue
The first gateway is a half block section along Bainbridge Avenue and 20 th Street.
As seen in Figures 8, 9, and 10, pre-existing structures along this main corridor
would provide an ideal location for a gateway. Figure 8 is a graffiti mural on the
east side of an abandoned commercial building. Figure 9 illustrate an example of
an ill-favored gateway. The only indication of an entrance to Swansboro, both
pedestrians and drivers will see this gateway when traveling west on Bainbridge
Avenue. Figure 10 show the view directly adjacent to the graffiti wall as well as
the location of old concrete walls that seem to have originally been retainer walls
to surrounding trees and vegetation. This gateway is ideally situated near the
eastern edge of Swansboro along Bainbridge Avenue, a major thoroughfare for
the community.
Figure 8: Grafitti Gateway
Figure 9: Existing Structure
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class of Spring 2009 Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class of Spring 2009
Figure 10: Inhibited Circulation
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class of Spring 2009
79

Carter Jones Park
The second proposed gateway is located farther west along Bainbridge Avenue,
as shown in Figure 10 and marked with a ‘2’ in Map 23 on page 78, a potential
second gateway is the entrance to Carter Jones Park, which serves as a
community focal point. This would be the ideal location for the northwest
gateway and would serve to distinguish the park as part of the Swansboro
neighborhood.
Figure 11: Carter Jones Park
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class of Spring 2009
Hull Street and East Broad Rock Boulevard
Figure 11 illustrates the third gateway, located in the southwest corridor of the
neighborhood, at the intersection of Hull Street and East Broad Rock Boulevard.
Marked with a ‘3’ in Map 23 on page 78, this vantage point looks eastward down
Hull Street. A gateway at the convergence of these two major thoroughfares
would announce arrival to Swansboro to a large number of commuters.
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Figure 12: Hull Street and East Broad Rock Boulevard
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class of Spring 2009
Hull Street and Midlothian Turnpike
Located in the heart of the commercial district along Hull Street, the fourth
gateway is not the most aesthetically pleasing. As depicted in Figures 13 and 14,
not only is this location along a main commercial corridor, but it is also at the
intersection of two arterial roads, Hull Street and Midlothian Turnpike, and a
collector road, West Clopton Street. This intersection is one of the most trafficked
in Swansboro, with much traffic along the east-west commercial corridor, as well
as neighborhood traffic along Midlothian Turnpike and West Clopton Street.
Figure 13: Hull Street & Midlothian
Figure 14: Hull Street and Clopton
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class of Spring 2009 Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class of Spring 2009
81

Green Spaces
Swansboro has two existing quality green spaces (Map 24). As detailed in the
below, Swansboro has many other opportunities for smaller pocket parks and
green spaces.
East 29 th and Burfoot Street
The most challenging green space in the Swansboro neighborhood is at East 29 th
and Burfoot Street. The outer fringes of the space are lined with unattractive
overgrown shrubs, and weeds and branches also clutter the space. Only two
trees exist within the green space, both of which are dead and in need of
removal. Removal of dead trees and cleanup of existing shrubbery would allow
for the planting of new trees and installation of park benches.
82

Map 24: Swansboro Green Spaces
Source: City of Richmond, VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
83

Hargrove Street & West 26 th Street
The greenspace at Hargrove Street and West 26 th Street is located in a dangerous
intersection. This green space needs additional signage to limit surrounding
speeding and accidents. ‘No Parking’ signs adjacent to the space would allow for
easier pedestrian access, and a possible widening of the space would allow for a
seating area and the planting of trees. An out-of-place and unattractive utility
line is also present in this small triangular shaped green space.
East Broad Rock Boulevard and Playn Street
The size, character and location of the green space at East Broad Rock Boulevard
and Playn Street provide the most opportunities of any green space in the
Swansboro neighborhood. Overall the site is in good condition with healthy
grass and trees as shown in Figure 15. Due to the size and location of this space,
it could be a quality neighborhood park.
Figure 15: Open Space on East Broad Rock Boulevard
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
West 24 th Street
A relatively new green space within Swansboro is at West 24 th Street and is part
of the Oscar E Stovall Apartment Complex on Bainbridge Street. This green space
is well groomed with tall trees and newly planted grass. While access to the
space is limited to the residents of the development, the overall quality of the
space is a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
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Commercial Corridors
There are three commercial corridors located in the community of Swansboro
which are shown in Map 16 on page 53, located in the Economic Development
Chapter. These are the Hull Street, Midlothian Turnpike, Cowardin Avenue and
Broad Rock Boulevard. Broad Rock Boulevard and Midlothian Turnpike both
have very few businesses located along them in the Swansboro area. Cowardin
Avenue is the second largest commercial corridor in the community, along
which is a pharmacy, fast food restaurants and car dealerships. Hull Street is the
location of most commercial activity within the neighborhood, particularly
between Cowardin and Broad Rock Boulevard. Almost 50 commercial
establishments are located along this corridor including a mix of retail, service,
and light industry. Despite this mix, there is very little variety and Hull Street
offers a disproportionate number of auto shops, convenience stores, beauty
shops and churches. There is a vacancy rate of 30% along the Hull Street
corridor.
A triangular shaped open space, shown in Figure 16 is found at the intersection
of Lawson Street and Broad Rock Boulevard, which could be renovated as a
public sitting area with vegetation and street furniture.
Figure 16: Triangle Lot
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
Cowardin Avenue
The Cowardin Avenue commercial corridor is located along a major commuter
road through Swansboro to the city of Richmond. As Cowardin Avenue
experiences a huge traffic load there is no street parking available. The shopping
centers along this corridor are automobile-focused with acres of parking lots.
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Figure 17 shows that pedestrian walkways are all well defined in this corridor.
Street lighting, traffic signals and pedestrian crosswalks provide safe transport
for pedestrians in this corridor. Vacant parcels along this corridor disrupt the
street front’s continuity. As before, there is little variation in building material
and color, and most of structures along this corridor are brick.
Figure 17: Along Corwardin Ave
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
Hull Street
The Hull Street corridor is the primary commercial area in Swansboro. There is
no on street parking along this four-lane road, and most of the commercial
parcels have their own off-street parking lot along this corridor.
Ample pedestrian amenities exist along this corridor but these pedestrian
walkways are in generally poor condition. Weeds surround most walkways and
pedestrian crosswalks are difficult to identify. Moreover, there is a lack of traffic
signals for pedestrians are observed at street intersections and street lighting is
sporadic.
Figure 18 shows an example of the many vacant parcels that can be observed
along the Hull Street corridor causing breaks in visual continuity. Like Broad
Rock Boulevard, this corridor has differing setbacks for buildings, which is an
obstacle in creating a consistent street front. Little variation exists in building
material and color, and most structures along this corridor are wood or brick.
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Figure 18: Along Hull Street
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
Midlothian Turnpike
The Midlothian Turnpike corridor is a combination of residential and
commercial parcels with little provision for on-street parking as Figure 19
displays. Most commercial properties share common parking spaces or lots.
There are adequate provisions for pedestrian movement along this corridor but
these pedestrian walkways lack maintenance, many of which have weeds
growing along the periphery. Many street intersections do not have pedestrian
walkways in both directions, and those that do are still difficult to identify.
Intersections are lacking traffic signals and street lighting is sporadic.
Figure 19: Midlothian Ave
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
There are many vacant parcels along this corridor and it is difficult to achieve a
consistent street front. Uneven building setbacks serve to further perpetuate this
87

problem. Little variation exists in building material and color and most
structures are wood or brick.
Overall, the four commercial corridors each have pedestrian walkways; however,
they are generally in disrepair and lighted crosswalks are nearly nonexistent.
Another hindrance to a successful business environment seen in each of the
corridors is the inconsistent street front, which can be attributed to both uneven
setbacks and vacant parcels.
Residential Streetscapes
To provide effective and insightful solutions for the community of Swansboro,
an understanding of the history of the design and development of the area is
imperative.
The community of Swansboro, like many neighborhoods, is a product of the
transportation technology available at the time of its development. In 1887, Frank
J. Sprague introduced the electrical streetcar in Richmond, Virginia, as displayed
in Figure 20. The construction of the majority of residential structures in
Swansboro occurred in response to this innovation. It has the characteristics of
the Streetcar Suburbs that appeared across the United States in the years leading
up to World War II, an example of which is in Figure 21.
Figure 20: Early Streetcar
Source: Internet Archive
Figure 21: Electric Streetcar
Source: Internet Archive
Swansboro, like many Streetcar Suburbs, is predominantly composed of working
class homes on small lots. The presence of garages and front yard driveways are
noticeably absent from the streetscapes in these pre-automobile communities.
Also, alleys bisect every block providing rear access to the houses. While the
basic gridiron street pattern is typically present, these suburbs were developed
88

under single ownership, so designers modified the grid to suit context.
Sidewalks are present in front of the houses, but do not continue around the
sides of the structures, creating a lack in continuity for pedestrians.
Using surveys and maps of The City of Richmond from 1900 to 1914, the nature
of this development can be established. Individuals owned large tracts of land
throughout Swansboro. Many references are made to subdivision plans in these
records. In addition, the current street and parcel patterns correlate
geographically with the documented ownership. The Map 25 below depicts the
typical block style in Swansboro. This portion, located in the southwestern part
of the community originally was part of an area called Burfoot’s Estate. The
entire estate extends beyond Swansboro’s boundaries but maintains the scale,
style and grid of this portion.
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Map 25: Block Style Layout of the Early City
Source: City of Richmond, VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
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Swansboro’s houses employ the front porches typical of the streetcar suburb era.
These were fundamental social elements in this type of development. The
residential architecture varies throughout the community. The majority of the
area contains first and second quarter twentieth century dwellings and
associated structures ranging from foursquare cottages and small bungalows,
shown in Figure 22 to one and two story brick colonial revival homes, shown in
Figure 23.
Figure 22: Hull Street Housing
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
Figure 23: Example of Housing Types
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
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The housing type was very common during the time period when the majority of
Swansboro was developed. Many of these housing types were available through
catalogs and could be purchased cheaply and assembled quickly. The styles,
scale and quality vary greatly. Swansboro’s typical houses are smaller than many
of the advertised plans, but share the same craftsmen manufactured style,
examples of which are shown in Figure 24 and Figure 25.
Figure 24. Floor Plans
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
Figure 25. Floor Plans
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class,
Spring 2009
Swansboro’s residential streetscapes have many strengths and weaknesses. The
community would be served best by maintenance. The existing housing is
charming but badly neglected in many cases. The service alleys that were helpful
so many years ago are now littered and misused. This community can be unified
by urban design, which would also provide a better quality of life for its
residents.
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3. SWOT ANALYSIS
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3. SWOT ANALYSIS
3.1. DEFINITION & PURPOSE OF SWOT ANALYSIS
SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a neighborhood plan. It
involves specifying the objective of the project and identifying the internal and
external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving the objectives
within the neighborhood plan. A SWOT analysis must first start with defining a
desired end state or objective. A SWOT analysis may be incorporated into the
following strategic planning model:
• Strengths: attributes of the neighborhood plan that are helpful to
achieving the objectives.
• Weaknesses: attributes of the neighborhood plan that are harmful
to achieving the objective.
• Opportunities: external conditions that are helpful to achieving
objectives.
• Threats: external conditions which could do damage to the
neighborhood plan.
Identification of SWOTs is essential because subsequent steps in the process of
planning for achievement of the selected objective may be derived from the
SWOTs. First, the decision makers have to determine whether the objective is
attainable, given the SWOTs. If the objective is NOT attainable a different
objective must be selected and the process repeated. The SWOT analysis is often
used in academia to highlight and identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
and threats. It is particularly helpful in identifying areas for development. The
following sections list Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats for
Swansboro.
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3.2. STRENGTHS
History, Background, Existing Conditions
Swansboro was once a thriving community in the City of Richmond. The
neighborhood has a mixture of historical architecture that is valuable for
preserving the area’s history. There are also existing historic and recreational
assets in Carter Jones Park and a Civil War burial site.
Transportation, Circulation & Utilities
The roads are in good condition, and provide adequate access through the
neighborhood without creating traffic backups. The roads through Swansboro
provide connectivity to downtown Richmond that correlates with high traffic in
public transportation patrons. The neighborhood relies on alleys to maintain an
open environment and ensure that there is an abundant amount of parking.
There are three bus routes that run through the neighborhood that operate on a
daily basis. Most streets in Swansboro have sidewalks along both sides and the
ones along Hull Street are wide enough to ensure easy passage. New
construction in the neighborhood has ensured that sidewalks have ramps to
allow handicap access. Swansboro has workable existing utility and electrical
services.
Community Services
The Swansboro community possesses a multitude of great strengths. Many of
the community services, such as the Boys and Girls Club, are well established
and provide many benefits to the surrounding community. Both Melvin C. Cox
Manor and the St. Francis home offer seniors healthy transitions through
retirement with well-managed and established care and living centers. The
existence and construction of more affordable housing in Swansboro will
provide for a more diverse community. Parks and other community amenities,
such as the pool at the Swansboro Elementary School, offer great recreational
and sports facilities for all community residents. New investments in Swansboro
are occurring within its boundaries creating a much healthier environment.
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Economic Development
The concentration of both auto supply and body and repair shops gives the area
its own small cluster that can be built upon in the future. This cluster provides
local access to parts suppliers for repair shops. These parts suppliers can also
steer customers toward local body or repair shops. Also, the significant number
of beauty and barbershops draw customers from outside of Swansboro and the
surrounding communities into the commercial corridors.
Swansboro is conveniently located close to several highways, including Interstate
95, which runs north-south, and Interstate 64, which runs east-west. The
Powhite Parkway is located within two miles of Swansboro and provides direct
access to downtown Richmond or west of the city. 17
Housing and Land Use
The majority of houses in Swansboro are occupied, 521 occupied houses.
However, out of the 521 occupied houses, 3 are boarded up. In addition, there
are 105 are vacant lots in the neighborhood. There is little need for demolition in
order to spur redevelopment. The neighborhood also boasts a diverse and
affordable housing stock that includes single-family housing, multi-family
housing and apartments.
Swansboro is easily connected to surrounding areas because it was built with the
city neoclassical grid system. The residential area of Swansboro is primarily
single-family residences, 96%, with the remaining 4% of housing stock being
multi-family. Carter Jones Park provides recreational uses for the entire
community and there are several other open green spaces in the neighborhood.
Swansboro has several historic properties that may be eligible for nomination to
the National Historic Landmarks Register. These properties are scattered
throughout the neighborhood and could become symbols for Swansboro’s
community identity and represent its important historical roots.
Urban Design
Being arranged in a grid pattern, Swansboro’s network of streets provides many
excellent opportunities for creating strong gateways.
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High volume streets such as Hull Street, Midlothian Turnpike, Jefferson Davis
Highway, Bainbridge Street and East Broad Rock Boulevard could potentially
become great locations for neighborhood gateways.
The concentration of auto supply, auto body and auto repair shops gives the area
a small clustering effect that helps to define the commercial area. In addition,
surrounding neighborhoods use Hull Street to access the city of Richmond;
therefore, making this commercial corridor more important. The placement of
the Cowardin Avenue commercial corridor also affords the community an
opportunity to capitalize on their commercial properties
A pedestrian friendly area with a solid infrastructure base to build upon,
Swansboro also has strength in its diverse architectural styles, numerous civic
associations, and strong presence of religious institutions. Green spaces in
Swansboro are of a sufficient size to provide recreational opportunities to the
community, and the locations of the green spaces could be supported by
pedestrian traffic throughout the neighborhood.
__________________________________
17 Virginian Commonwealth University Urban and Commercial Revitalization Class. Swansboro Triangle
Commercial Revitalization Plan: A Vision for the Future. December 2004. L. Douglas Wilder School of
Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. p. 20.
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3.3. WEAKNESSES
History, Background, Existing Conditions
Swansboro lacks a cohesive vision with regard to its historical assets; many of
these assets have fallen into disrepair and are underutilized. Also, many of these
historical buildings are abandoned and standing vacant.
Transportation, Circulation & Utilities
Swansboro has inadequate traffic calming measures with limited vehicular
signage throughout the neighborhood. There are high accident rates at the
intersections of Bainbridge Street and Cowardin Avenue, Broad Rock Boulevard
and Midlothian Turnpike, and Hull Street and Cowardin Avenue. The alleys in
the neighborhood promote speeding along the community’s streets. Many of the
neighborhood’s crosswalks are faded, or completely un-delineated at important
intersections and many of the neighborhood’s sidewalks are dilapidated,
incomplete and lack ramps to allow access to the crosswalks. Along the public
transportation routes there is poor management of trash receptacles at the stops.
The utility and electrical systems in Swansboro are both aging and need
increased maintenance.
Community Services
Obvious weaknesses of Swansboro include poor connections and
communications between different community services and organizations.
Services available to local businesses are unknown by many residents within the
community. Community engagement in Swansboro could be much better to
enhance overall civic pride. Currently, there is no solitary civic association to
encourage citizen involvement or provide unity within the community. Street
debris and trash cover many of Swansboro’s sidewalks and street gutters making
walking around an unpleasant venture.
Economic Development
Swansboro is “under-stored” in grocery stores, legal services, restaurants and
recreational options. The only “financial” institution in all of Swansboro is a
payday loan lender on Hull Street. A survey of the surrounding area indicates
that none of the above services are within walking distance of Swansboro. This
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lack of diversity is accompanied by a high vacancy rate along the Hull Street
commercial corridor. The absence of banks and financial services in the
neighborhood makes it difficult for residents to access ATMs or their own
banking accounts. Since recreational facilities only operate during the daylight
hours of the workweek, there are very few recreational options for residents at
night or during the weekends. In addition, many aesthetic and structural
improvements are needed along the commercial corridors in Swansboro. These
improvements include, but are not limited to street lighting, parking lots,
sidewalks and other pedestrian friendly attributes.
Housing and Land Use
The Swansboro neighborhood lacks a visible community identity, which is
displayed by the random housing setbacks, designs and architectural styles.
Neighborhood blight is evident in the community due to the vacant boarded-up
houses and the visible trash on both private and public lots. The neighborhood
does have some areas with incompatible land uses, where industrial land uses
can be found mixed with residential land uses. Also, structures in the
neighborhood have inconsistent setbacks, creating an uneven street front.
A large capital outlay is required for nomination to the Historic Landmarks
Register and for rehabilitation of the historic properties. The dilapidated
conditions of historical sites and properties suggest that historic preservation is
currently not a community-wide goal.
Urban Design
Currently, no gateways exist in the community to notify pedestrians or
commuters of their entrance to Swansboro. The lack of gateways also contributes
to the lack of community cohesiveness in Swansboro. Swansboro is severely
lacking in streetscaping along its major corridors. Low neighborhood pride leads
to deteriorated facades along these corridors and overall poor maintenance of
both buildings and sidewalks.
Poor maintenance in the Swansboro community repels new businesses as well as
deters shoppers from entering existing businesses. A lack of pedestrian oriented
street lighting creates a dark shopping district, which leads consumers to feel
unsafe in the area. Apart from that, disproportionate building setbacks and
vacant land make the commercial corridors visually unappealing and hard to
differentiate from other areas of the community.
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While numerous civic associations were earlier mentioned as a strength for the
community, they are also a weakness due to their lack of communication with
one another. Overall maintenance of the neighborhood has large quantities of
garbage scattered about, inconsistent levels of home maintenance, and an
inconsistency in regards to building heights, colors, materials, setbacks, and
scale.
While green spaces exist, many are in dire need of cleanup. Brush, weeds, and
dead trees create an uninviting place, and many are surrounded by dangerous
intersections that will benefit from an increase in signage, such as stop signs, no
parking signs, and speed limit signs.
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3.4. OPPORTUNITES
History, Background, Existing Conditions
The historical homes in Swansboro are more affordable than housing in other
older Richmond neighborhoods. There are many resources, such as the City of
Richmond’s tax abatement program, that exist to encourage the rehabilitation of
historic homes. Some existing civic organizations can also serve as a catalyst to
engage and education the community with regard to historical preservation.
Also, the rehabilitation and development of surrounding neighborhoods, such as
Old Manchester, may have a positive influence on the future of the Swansboro
neighborhood.
Transportation, Circulation & Utilities
Speeders can be slowed by putting up speed limit signs and utilizing simple
traffic calming measures. The neighborhood’s wide streets necessitate signage
and coordination to allow easy pedestrian access. These wide streets also provide
adequate space for parking, bicycle lanes and other traffic calming strategies.
The existing sidewalks can be repaired and pedestrian ramps can be installed at
each street corner. Bus stops that have on/off counts of over 100 riders per day
should be given trashcans. The high transit ridership in Swansboro ensures that
future transit opportunities will be viable in the neighborhood. Finally, trees and
other plantings, street lighting and other street furniture can be located along
wide sidewalks and right-of-ways to provide a barrier between pedestrians and
vehicular traffic.
Community Services
The recent declaration of Swansboro as a Neighborhood in Bloom (NiB) will
provide many opportunities for the neighborhood. NiB funds can be utilized for
infill development, development and rehabilitation of vacant properties, and to
generally increasing the quality of the neighborhood’s housing stock. The tax
incentives under the NiB program are especially useful. Higher student
enrollments at local universities mean that there is an increasing student
population seeking housing close to the Richmond city center.
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Economic Development
The high vacancy rate offers a myriad of opportunities to expand or develop new
businesses. Major opportunities for economic development in Swansboro
include the attraction and establishment of a full-service grocery store chain such
as Ukrops, Kroger or Shoppers. In addition, many of the vacant commercial
buildings are along Hull Street, a major commuter corridor, making it a market
area with high visibility and commercial potential. Swansboro already has
excellent public recreational facilities such as an indoor community pool, a
baseball field and Carter Jones Park. However, the vacant buildings along Hull
Street may provide facilities for the development of other public recreational
facilities for neighborhood residents.
Housing and Land Use
The Swansboro neighborhood has plenty of vacant parcels that will allow for
infill development of affordable housing. Also, vacant structures can be
rehabilitated in order to meet any current or future housing needs. The
community can also implement homeownership programs to assist residents in
purchasing a home under the NiB and HOPE VI programs. Also, community
collaboration can be established to guide and document the revitalization process
through the Sponsoring Partnerships and Revitalization Communities (SPARC)
program. The creation of community gardens can provide residents with locally
grown vegetables and also act as social gathering spaces. Also, multi-family
structures can be developed on vacant parcels to provide housing for those that
prefer to rent rather than own their home.
There is an opportunity for some properties to be designated as national
landmarks through nomination to the National Register. This designation, while
requiring research and a detailed application process, would give national
significance to the properties granted National Register listing. There is also
substantial opportunity for Swansboro to pursue an urban design overlay
district, which would achieve the goal of promoting both the rehabilitation of
historic homes and the construction of architecturally similar houses in the
community. This will contribute to a unified neighborhood aesthetic. Historic
designation of the Hull Street Commercial Corridor will also attract future
commercial opportunities through commercial reinvestment and economic
development opportunities through state and federal tax credit incentives.
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Urban Design
Swansboro can easily have well-kept buildings, tree-lined streets and maintained
sidewalks to create a pedestrian friendly environment. Each of these concepts
can be applied in order to develop a sense of community pride.
The neighborhood has great potential to expand its commercial activities. High
vacancy rates also offer opportunities to expand or develop new businesses. As
the future holds ample opportunity for commercial expansion and infill
development, design guidance should be provided to the community in order to
create an inviting and safe environment with a cohesive neighborhood identity.
Ample green space allows for the addition of park benches, sidewalks, and trails
to improve the overall aesthetics of the neighborhood.
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3.5. THREATS
History, Background, Existing Conditions
The changing economic times may negatively affect the design of new
development, and could discourage rehabilitation of historical properties.
Increased vacancies in Swansboro may also lead to further deterioration of
existing historic buildings.
Transportation, Circulation & Utilities
The roads in Swansboro can easily fall into disrepair if they are not maintained.
Drivers through the neighborhood ignore stoplights, stop signs and other traffic
signage when there is no other traffic in the area. The heavy traffic down
commuter routes may discourage residents from walking, biking or accessing
public transit along these roads. Drivers on residential streets tend to speed due
to the lack of signage and wide streets. A lack of funding or programming for
regular maintenance of existing and new pedestrian infrastructure will lead to
deterioration in the future, if no changes are made. Commercial vehicles that use
the residential roads for parking may significantly decrease the available parking
in the neighborhood. A final threat is if there are significant budget cuts in the
GRTC operations.
Community Services
The lack of public safety and crime statistics are clear threats to Swansboro’s
future. Negative connotations of the neighborhood continue to contribute to the
disinvestment and decline of Swansboro’s economic growth. The continuing
apathy towards the community from community residents and business owners
will further promote decline in the neighborhood.
Economic Development
Threats to the economic future of the Swansboro area include the current macroeconomic
recession that may impact the development of new businesses in
Swansboro. A second threat is the potential development of a baseball stadium
in Shockoe Bottom, which may absorb economic development resources, funds
and attention away from the relatively depressed areas around the city,
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including Swansboro. There is a possibility that crime in the area may
discourage and prevent the establishment and/or operation of new businesses.
There must also be a focus on preventing gentrification in Swansboro as any new
development occurs.
Housing and Land Use
Visitors and residents both have a negative perception of crime based on the
neighborhood’s dilapidated structures. Redevelopment and rehabilitation of the
neighborhood may cause gentrification that may cause a negative reaction from
current residents. This negative reaction may be caused by the perception that
housing prices and property taxes will increase to the point so that current
residents will be forced out. There is the possibility of a “chain reaction” of
abandonment of residential and commercial structures in the neighborhood if
redevelopment and rehabilitation is not pursued. The vacant lots and presence of
trash deter newcomers to the neighborhood and decreases community morale
and pride.
An Urban Design Overlay District can be seen as too restrictive to new
development by potential investors and developers. Also, the historic
designation process is costly and may only directly affect a few of the homes or
commercial buildings in Swansboro
Urban Design
Swansboro’s largest threat is the perception of crime along the major corridors.
While crime rates are not staggeringly high, relative to that of the city of
Richmond, the perception of crime in the area deters outsiders from living in or
visiting the neighborhood. This perception only perpetuates the apathetic
attitude towards the community and without community pride, neighborhood
gateways are less likely to exist.
This perception of crime and subsequent loss of consumers to the neighborhood
also threatens commercial ventures. Current economic difficulties related to the
recession threaten the commercial corridors of Swansboro as well.
Maintenance of the neighborhood is one of its largest weaknesses. The low
interest of community residents to participate and take pride in their
community’s private and public spaces could prove to be a major threat to the
future of Swansboro. As previously mentioned, there are ample opportunities for
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ehabilitation and infill in the community. If proper measures are not taken to
ensure that quality structures are placed in the community, this could be
detrimental to the sense of community. Along with poor maintenance,
dangerous intersections and dirty green spaces may deter usage of the spaces.
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4. GOALS & OBJECTIVES
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4.GOALS /OBJECTIVES/ACTION ITEMS
4.1.HISTORY, BACKGROUND & EXISTING CONDITIONS
GOAL 1: Preserve the historical character of the Swansboro neighborhood.
Objective 1.1: Preserve the historical structures within the neighborhood,
including residences, commercial facades, historical sites, and religious
buildings.
Action 1.1.1: Encourage the City of Richmond to work with
developers to ensure that new construction compliments existing
architecture in the neighborhood.
Action 1.1.2: Determine the legal ownership of the Civil War burial
site located on Wise Street and work with the Museum of the
Confederacy to improve the appearance and accessibility by
removing the chain link fence and adding landscaping as well as a
more predominant monument.
Action 1.1.3: Educate homeowners about historical tax credits such
as the Richmond City tax abatement program.
Objective 1.2: Engage the community to improve historical awareness.
Action 1.2.1: Connect existing community organizations with the
Historical Richmond Foundation in order to promote Swansboro’s
historical assets.
Action 1.2.2: Begin a dialog between residents and community
groups pertaining to the designation of Swansboro as an Old &
Historic District as recognized by the Historic Richmond
Foundation.
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4.2. TRANSPORTATION, CIRCULATION & UTILITIES
GOAL 1: Create a safe road network in Swansboro.
Objective 1.1: Enforce Traffic Calming Measures.
Objective 1.2: Incorporate traffic calming measures throughout Swansboro.
Objective 1.3: Optimize traffic flow in Swansboro.
Objective 1.4: Improve visibility for vehicles
GOAL 2: Create a safe pedestrian network in Swansboro.
Objective 2.1: Increase pedestrian connectivity in Swansboro.
Objective 2.2: Create buffers between vehicles and pedestrians.
Objective 2.3: Maintain the pedestrian network in Swansboro.
Objective 2.4: Promote pedestrian traffic in Swansboro.
GOAL 3: Create a safe bicycle network in Swansboro.
Objective 3.1: Increase bicycle connectivity in Swansboro.
GOAL 4: Increase transit connectivity between Swansboro, downtown
Richmond, and other employment, commercial, educational, and recreational
opportunities in the Richmond Metropolitan Area.
Objective 4.1: Support existing transit in Swansboro.
Objective 4.2: Encourage new transit options in Swansboro
GOAL 5: Improve utility infrastructure in Swansboro.
Objective 5.1: Improve safety of utility infrastructure in Swansboro.
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4.3. COMMUNITY SERVICES
GOAL 1: Enhance greater citizen capacity and community pride in Swansboro.
Objective 1.1: Organize a new Swansboro community organization.
Action 1.1.1: Contact existing civic and religious organizations to find
willing participants to serve as representatives for their organizations to
form a new collective Swansboro community group.
Action 1.1.2: Organize and setup periodic meetings for a new Swansboro
civic organization.
Objective 1.2: Expand community services throughout the Swansboro
neighborhood.
Action 1.2.1: Identify potential organizations and churches willing to
provide their facilities to provide a reliable community service center.
Action 1.2.2: Provide adult education options for Swansboro including:
adult high school and GED resources.
Action 1.2.3: Establish additional after school programs and mentorship
opportunities for children of all ages and ethnicities.
Objective 1.3: Improve the overall appearance of Swansboro.
Action 1.3.1: Organize community trash cleanups through different
community and religious organizations.
Action 1.3.2: Develop and provide educational tools regarding housing
revitalization.
GOAL 2: Maintain and enhance the existing services in the Swansboro
neighborhood.
Objective 2.1: Encourage the Boys and Girls Club and community schools to
create additional after school programs to encourage young people to spend
their time productively, and discourage vagrancy and petty crime among
teenagers.
Action 2.1.1: Coordinate with the City of Richmond, local schools, civic
associations and the Boys and Girls Club to learn how to implement after
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school programs and acknowledge which programs would be most
beneficial.
Action 2.1.2: Work with the City of Richmond to help fund and/or
conduct programs.
Action 2.1.3: Contact Art 180 (nonprofit) to see if they would be
interested in setting up satellite after school art classes for the children of
Swansboro.
Objective 2.2: Promote increased use of city operated, community facilities.
Action 2.2.1: Request better maintenance for City operated facilities,
mainly the fire station and Carter-Jones Park, to encourage community
pride and aesthetics.
Action 2.2.2: Obtain funding and support from the City of Richmond for
improvements to the fire station and to Carter-Jones Park.
Action 2.2.3: Increase informal uses of the park and fire station through
different community groups.
Action2.2.4: Create annual get-togethers for community residents and
their families at Carter Jones Park throughout the summer months.
GOAL 3: Promote a safe community for Swansboro.
Objective 3.1: Develop Community Policing Strategy
Action 3.1.1: Identify corridors or areas within the neighborhood with
high crime risk using monthly police reports and target these areas for
visibility.
Action 3.1.2: Appoint a lead officer for the Swansboro community
policing.
Action 3.1.3: Conduct studies to identify the funds needed and placement
of a community police station.
Action 3.1.4: Obtain building/property for development of community
police station if needed.
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Action 3.1.5: Hire and appoint staff for local station and open for
operations.
Action 3.1.6: Create a route of travel through Swansboro that includes the
majority of the neighborhood, and appoint officers to travel the paths
more frequently on their patrols.
Objective 3.2: Organize the community against crime
Action 3.2.1: Hold neighborhood watch information meetings to equip all
residents with the information and resources necessary. Pass out light
bulbs for porch and business fronts.
Action 3.2.2: Establish regular meetings for neighborhood watch; appoint
leaders; and submit concerns to local officers.
Action 3.2.3: Identify local business owners.
Action 3.2.4: Set meeting dates for focus groups.
Action 3.2.5: Meet with business owners, identify concerns, and share
concerns with community police officers.
Objective 3.3: Use Crime Prevention through Environmental Design to
facilitate safer neighborhoods
Action 3.3.1: Conduct study of Crime Prevention through Environmental
Design (CPTED) techniques.
Action 3.3.2: Create plan for urban design improvements based on
conducted studies.
Action 3.3.3: Create plans for implementation of CPTED improvements.
Action 3.3.4: Implement CPTED plans and monitor results
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4.4. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
GOAL 1: Create a more diverse business environment that will provide
essentials for the community.
Objective 1.1: Create a more bustling environment in commercial areas.
Action 1.1.1: Create a “Shop Swansboro First” motto for the area to
increase local interest.
Action 1.1.2: The creation of grocery stores, legal services, financial
services, restaurants, and more recreational outlets will increase
pedestrian traffic throughout the area to cause a bustling environment.
Action 1.1.3: Apply to the Virginia Main Street Program for existing
commercial corridors and seek assistance from the Nation Main Street
Center.
Objective 1.2: Coordinate with other economic agencies in the area
including: Virginia Economic Development Partnership, City of Richmond’s
Economic Development Department, The Greater Richmond Partnership, and
other similar groups.
Action 1.2.1: Seek contacts within these agencies that will help better
utilize the areas economic potential.
Objective 1.3: Cleanup of brownfields in Swansboro for commercial use.
Action 1.3.1: Seek funding through the City of Richmond’s Department of
Economic Development for brownfield cleanup and new businesses
creation on brownfield sites.
Action 1.3.2: Use vacant buildings to house incoming businesses.
Objective 1.4: Reduce unemployment in Swansboro.
Action 1.4.1: Increase employment opportunities in nearby commercial
corridor
Action 1.4.2: Attract job training and placement program or staffing
agency.
GOAL 2: Improve educational advancement for Swansboro.
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Objective 2.1: Reduce high school dropout rates through programs with local
businesses to encourage kids to advance their education via vocational
training.
Action 2.1.1: Provide mentor programs or after-school programs for
middle school and high school age children
Action 2.1.2: Provide adult education options, adult high school and GED
resources
Goal 3: Involve the Richmond area universities and think tanks in developing
economic development programs in Swansboro.
Objective 3.1: Involve the City of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth
University, and Virginia Union University as well as other universities in the
region on economic development opportunities within the Swansboro area.
Action 3.1.1: Seek campus leaders and students for involvement in the
areas development.
Objective 3.2: Work with the Richmond Downtown Business Association.
Action 3.2.1: Focus information on Swansboro as a safe and affordable
place to live close to downtown Richmond.
Objective 3.3: Promote Swansboro’s historic architecture to attract people
into the neighborhood.
Action 3.3.1: Request Live-Work-Play banners from the City of Richmond
in order to create a sense of pride throughout the community.
Objective 3.4: Research and identify business leaders and entrepreneurs with
ties to the City Richmond that may have an interest in making this area more
marketable.
Action 3.4.1: Identifying prestigious members of society will increase local
interest in the economic business of Swansboro.
Action 3.4.2: Coordinate with the City of Richmond on its Downtown
Master Plan to address shared economic interests of those residing in
downtown as well as the Southside.
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4.5. HOUSING AND LAND USE
GOAL 1: Create diverse and quality housing options for Swansboro.
Objective 1.1: Encourage quality housing alternatives for all residents
including low and moderate income families.
Action 1.1.1: Work with agencies in the NiB partnership to educate
consumers on housing options and home purchasing programs.
Action 1.1.2: Seek programs that assist in subsidizing the cost of home
construction and purchase such as Richmond Habitat for Humanity and
like organizations.
Objective 1.2: Utilize code enforcement to improve neighborhood aesthetics.
Action 1.2.1: Publicize CAPS program and meetings to promote citizen
awareness of code enforcement practices.
Objective 1.3: Reduce the number of dilapidated structures and vacant lots to
improve neighborhood cohesion.
Action 1.3.1: Educate the neighborhood residents about the City of
Richmond Real Estate Tax Abatement Program.
Action 1.3.2: Encourage connections between potential developers and
owners of vacant lots.
GOAL 2: Preserve the historic resources of Swansboro.
Objective 2.1: Promote the historic character and charm of Swansboro
neighborhood through the rehabilitation of existing housing and commercial
structures.
Action 2.1.1: Preserve the unique architectural fabric and character of
Swansboro by adopting a Design Overlay District.
Action 2.1.2: Develop & establish overlay district guidelines as what to
regulate i.e. roofs and porches on dilapidated housing structures.
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Action 2.1.3: Identify defining elements of area i.e. critical buildings,
setbacks, and height of buildings.
Action 2.1.4: Designate preservation areas.
Action 2.1.5: Gather community input to determine needs of Swansboro
residents for overlay district guideline formulation through a public
information hearing.
Action 2.1.6: Hold community meeting to reveal successful overlay design
districts i.e. Boulevard Overlay Design for the City of Richmond.
Action 2.1.7: Submit overlay design district application for approval.
GOAL 3: Create a neighborhood of complimentary and compatible land uses
that will positively influence the community’s well being and economic vitality.
Objective 3.1: Coordinate environmental and economic development
conditions with land use, industrial, and brownfield recommendations.
Action 3.1.1: Establish a committee of City Departments that will meet
regularly and share information to foster communication and advance
progress of plan.
Action 3.1.2: Transition committee of City Staff to monitoring status and
empower members of the community and civic associations with
responsibility to continue neighborhood revitalization progress.
Objective 3.2: Ensure land uses desired by the community and property
owners are represented in zoning regulations.
Action 3.2.1: Perform market analyses for Swansboro and surrounding
neighborhoods to determine goods and services served and the
underserved in the area. Create policies that strive to attract the uses
needed for Swansboro and complimentary to surrounding
neighborhoods.
Action 3.2.2: Engage citizens and property owners of Swansboro in
charrettes, public informational meetings and other outreach efforts to
determine the vision for community and the Hull Street commercial
corridor.
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Objective 3.3: Coordinate land uses so that they define the Swansboro
neighborhood i.e. maintain residential areas with residential uses and
promote commercial uses that serve the needs of the neighborhood along the
Hull Street corridor.
Action 3.3.1: Analyze existing land uses with existing zoning regulations
to determine conformity and compatibility. For uses determined to be
non-compatible, provide assistance for business relocation.
Action 3.3.2: Analyze and compare existing zoning regulations with
recommended future land use designations in the Master Plan to
determine compatibility. For zoning regulations that do not progress
towards future land use designations, amend, and modify zoning
ordinance.
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4.6. URBAN DESIGN
GOAL 1. Enhance Neighborhood Identity of Swansboro.
Objective 1.1. Create Swansboro gateway entrances that are both easily
Identifiable and aesthetically appealing.
Action 1..1.1 Enhance the gateways with signage, landscaping, and public
art.
Action 1.1.2 Partner with the Boys & Girls Club, Richmond Visual Arts
Center, civic associations, and local artists to provide public art.
GOAL 2. Provide aesthetically pleasing streetscapes and green spaces for
residents, merchants, and visitors of the neighborhood.
Objective 2.1. Develop a pattern book for Swansboro residents that
includes specifications on building materials, building colors, fencing,
landscaping, signage, setbacks, and other urban design components.
Action 2.1.1. Partner the community with local design
professionals to create Urban Design Guidelines for the
community.
Objective 2.2. Increase public safety through lighting as well as buffers
placed between roads and sidewalks. Lighting along streets shall be
pedestrian-oriented.
Action 2.2.1. Partner with CAPS (Community Assisted Public
Safety) to increase public safety.
Objective 2.3. Increase public art throughout the neighborhood.
Action 2.3.1. Partner with the Boys & Girls Club, Richmond Visual
Arts Center, civic associations, and local artists to provide public
art.
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5. IMPLEMENTATION
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5. IMPLEMENTATION
5.1. Background, History & Existing Conditions Strategy
Swansboro is a Richmond neighborhood with significant historical character and
resources. The primary goal for the history, background & circulation section is
to preserve the historical character of Swansboro; the housing and land use
strategy section will address the historic preservation in further detail.
Preserving the historical character of Swansboro is to be accomplished by
ensuring that new construction compliments the existing architectural
characteristics of the neighborhood. The City of Richmond will be responsible
for enforcing existing codes regarding acceptable architectural styles, and
adjusting codes as necessary. The large number of older homes that qualify for
historical tax credits and abatements offers many opportunities to the property
owners of Swansboro, as well as an effective action for preserving the historic
qualities of the neighborhood. The Civil War burial site on Wise Street is to be
protected and maintained. The owner of the property will be identified. The
City of Richmond and the Museum of the Confederacy should be explored as
possible entities to maintain the appearance, prominence, and accessibility of the
site.
Some of the proposed actions, such as the recommendation for an overlay design
district in which the housing and land use strategy section address in further
depth, or determining the legal ownership of the neighborhood’s Civil War
burial site, should take place immediately upon adoption of the plan. In these
cases, it is important to take advantage of the momentum created by the newly
adapted plan in order to more fully engage stakeholders.
Encouraging the City of Richmond to more closely work with developers
regarding the design of new construction or renovation projects should also be
given immediate attention in order to prevent development that does not
coordinate with the historical character of the neighborhood. Consideration
should be given to this issue throughout the life of the Swansboro neighborhood
plan, in order to continually guard against construction or renovation that is
incongruent with the existing neighborhood. The other actions proposed in this
plan should be implemented in a mid-range timeframe as funds become
available. Priority should generally be given to those projects that will create the
greatest visible change within the neighborhood, in order to create excitement
and illicit pride from residents.
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5.2. Transportation, Circulation & Utilities Strategy
Swansboro’s transportation and utility infrastructure are still in decent condition,
but face decline and should be a focus of renewal so that the neighborhood
increases it’s connectivity to downtown Richmond. The first goal for
transportation is to create a safe road network in Swansboro utilizing road
maintenance and improvements as well as incorporating connectivity to all the
different elements of Swansboro. The immediate actions, occurring in year 1,
establish neighborhood watch groups to report traffic problems to the city as
well as increasing the police presence along the streets. Furthermore, painting
the road edges and stop lines at intersections provides greater road awareness
for vehicles. Short term actions, occurring in year 2 through year 5, pertain to
further road maintenance. Speed limit signs need to be installed along
Bainbridge Street, Hull Street, Semmes Avenue, Midlothian Turnpike and
Cowardin Avenue. Encouragement of line painting for on-street parking will
help reduce the speeds of traffic along Bainbridge Street. Mid-term actions,
occurring in year 6 through year 10, will use traffic calming measures to reduce
the speeds throughout the neighborhood. The installation of traffic chokers, curb
extensions and roundabouts will create an acceptable flow of traffic but reduce
the speeds down the major corridors. Long term actions, occurring in year 11
through year 20, are continuations of actions established in previous years.
Encouragement of neighborhood watch groups as well as the continuation of line
painting along road edges and intersections round out the actions for goal one.
The second goal for transportation is to create a safe pedestrian network in
Swansboro. Immediate actions include identifying and pursuing funding sources
for sidewalk and crosswalk projects and beautification efforts such as picking up
trash along the sidewalks. Short term actions seek to repair existing sidewalks,
install ramps at every corner and paint crosswalks at every intersection. Further
enhancements to the streetscape include planting trees and placing benches,
lampposts and trash cans along the road. Mid-term actions create additional
traffic calming devices like curb extenders and installing street crossing signals at
intersections along the main traffic corridors. New sidewalk construction will
occur during this phase in the areas lacking sidewalks and along busy roads. The
long term actions for creating a safe pedestrian network include collaborating
with neighboring communities to create a continuous sidewalk network allowing
pedestrians to walk throughout the Southside of Richmond.
The third goal for transportation is to create a safe bicycle network in Swansboro.
Short term actions comprise the installation of bicycle racks at Carter Jones Park,
Swansboro Elementary School and locations along Cowardin Avenue and Hull
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Street. Signage alerting drivers to the presence of bicycles will also appear in
years two through five. Bicycle lanes will be installed during year 6 through year
10 using colorized paint at a width of six feet.
The fourth goal for transportation is to increase the connectivity of Swansboro
with downtown Richmond and other employment, commercial, educational and
recreational opportunities in the Richmond Metropolitan Area. Immediate
actions propose to make all transit stops compliant with the Americans with
Disabilities Act. Short term actions include initiating a community program to
encourage transit ridership. Other short term actions call for the installation of
trashcans and benches at GRTC stops serving one hundred or more riders per
day, plus enhancing signage for all transit stops in the community. Long term
actions call for shelters at all GRTC stops with ridership exceeding 400 riders per
day. The fifth goal for transportation is to improve the utility infrastructure in
Swansboro by working with the City of Richmond to bury utility lines and
replace the conveyance system.
Implementation of the five goals above will take as long as 20 years, some of the
smaller projects can be started immediately and will provide feelings of safety
and commitment to the plan. Small projects such as painting lines near
intersections, placing bike racks in Carter Jones Park or cleaning sidewalks of
trash can have an immediate effect on the neighborhood. Larger projects such as
street beautification by planting trees, installing bicycle lanes, or burying the
utility lines will require partnerships with the city and numerous organizations
to facilitate, but will have profound results for the community’s transportation
and circulation needs.
5.3. Community Services Strategy
The first goal for community services is to enhance the citizen capacity and pride
in Swansboro. A new community organization should be created where the
residents and community member’s voices can be heard. Contact should be
made with already existing community organizations, such as churches, to
determine interested participants. These new community leaders will create an
organization that is aimed directly at serving the community in a variety of
ways. This new organization will be asking for the use of meeting facilities from
already established churches or other civic groups. Another option would be to
ask the St. Francis home if their facilities would be available for such activities.
In order to expand further on the community services aspect of Swansboro, it is
recommended that additional GED (General Education Degree) resources be
provided for community residents. This will help expand educational and
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employment opportunities for Swansboro residents. Such programs can be
easily set up at a relatively low cost.
After the establishment of such programs, many of them will become selfsufficient
and would not require additional funding other than the initial start up
costs of gaining all the materials and finding staff. Along with the additional
educational resources for Swansboro’s adult population, we have recommended
the establishment of additional afterschool and mentorship programs for
community children and teenagers. The new community organization that is
being proposed could create a mentorship program where an adult from the
community is paired up with a younger adolescent. These recommended
programs and initiatives will expand community communication, a key
ingredient to a more involved and caring community. Finally, both civic groups
and other community organizations would come together to try and improve the
appearance of Swansboro. Improving the appearance will further help foster a
better sense of community pride for all its visitors and residents. Youth groups,
camps, and other community organizations can help by participating in
community clean-ups, where trash is picked up around the neighborhood. Also,
community residents can work with the City of Richmond in developing pattern
booklets to help residents make decisions regarding their homes and yards.
The second goal for community services is aimed at enhancing the already
established community services in Swansboro. One way to enhance the
community is to offer more after school programs for children and teenagers in
Swansboro. Currently, the Boys and Girls Club does an excellent job of offering
services to young adolescents around the community. The City of Richmond
should be interested in expanding on the Boys and Girls Club to offer a more
diversified selection of activities for the younger population. To keep young
minds focused on enhancing personal development and leadership skills,
Swansboro can ensure a healthy future by investing in its children, today. Other
organizations, such as Art 180, should be contacted to determine the feasibility of
offering after school art classes for the community. With increasing the amount
of community services for children, Swansboro, partnered with the City of
Richmond, should encourage more use of community facilities, such as Carter
Jones Park and the Firehouse. Many of the park’s facilities are in great condition,
but are underutilized by the community. These community resources offer great
potential for gathering places where the community could come together as a
neighborhood.
First of all, we suggest the continuing funding for improvements to areas
including: the firehouse and park. In addition, however, it is recommended that
community organizations increase the number of uses of each of these facilities.
The community organizations could put into motion an annual “kick-off” bash
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held in Carter Jones Park, where community residents come together to form a
unique communal bond. Community organizations such as the Boy Scouts and
Girl Scouts of America could additionally hold events at the park and firehouse.
The third goal for community services is to promote a safe community for the
residents of Swansboro. There are three areas of implementation concerning this
goal. First, there is statistical and numerical data needed from the formal crime
prevention staff of the police department. Second, there are organizational
efforts needed from the community to fight against crime. Third, there are things
that can be done in the urban design to fight crime. Therefore, the efforts of these
three factors will combine to promote a community which residents can feel safe
to live, work, and play.
The residents need to organize their efforts to fight crime. There are simple
things that need to be done such as creating or maintaining a neighborhood
watch program. Through this program residents will be able to do small, yet
beneficial efforts such as distributing light bulbs and being aware of the safety of
the neighborhood. The citizens would also be responsible for talking to business
owners in the area to coincide their concerns with the neighborhood safety. The
police department would be responsible for creating a formal strategy for the
policing of the neighborhood. A lead or primary officer should be identified to
give the neighborhood some consistency and familiarity for the continued safety
of the community. If the initial efforts of the citizens and police force do not
impact the crime situation significantly the police department would begin the
implementation of a local hub for community policing. The City should partner
with local colleges and universities, such as VCU, to conduct studies of ways to
decrease criminal activity through the design of the neighborhood. Studies have
shown that certain urban environments welcome crime and this could be the
case in Swansboro. If it is found that there are areas in Swansboro that
inadvertently welcome crime due to their city’s setup, appropriate plans should
be created and changes made. A safe community is one that welcomes new
residents and keeps long time residents happy and healthy.
5.4. Economic Development Strategy
The first goal for economic development is to create a more diverse business
environment that provides essential services for the community, a number of
objectives must be achieved. The creation of a bustling environment can be
achieved through a variety of methods. Attracting new businesses to Swansboro
is a priority and can be achieved with assistance from the City of Richmond
Department of Economic Development and the Virginia Main Street Program. It
is necessary for the community to immediately apply for assistance from the
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Department of Economic Development and the Virginia Main Street Program.
The creation of a “Shop Swansboro First” motto will also increase commerce in
Swansboro’s commercial corridors.
Possible sources of funding include grants from the Enterprise Zone Program,
Commercial Area Revitalization Effort (CARE), and the Neighborhoods in Bloom
Revolving Loan Fund (NIBRLF). These three revitalization programs are
managed by the Department of Economic Development. There a variety of local
and state Enterprise Zone incentives, including tax abatements, the Employment
Assistance Grant, the Real Property Investment Grant, and various rebates. The
CARE program offers numerous commercial property revitalization funding
options. The NIBRLF offers a maximum loan of $50,000 to new and existing
small businesses. The Virginia Main Street Program, operated by the Virginia
Department of Housing and Community Development, also offers support to
communities in need of revitalization.
In order to secure professional economic development support, it is necessary for
the community to immediately form relationships with economic development
organizations in the region. Organizations such as the Department of Economic
Development, the Greater Richmond Partnership, the Greater Richmond
Chamber of Commerce, and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership
offer a variety of community support and services, including assistance in
attaining grants for local economic development. Economic developers
employed by these economic development organizations can assist the
community in attracting new businesses and supporting existing businesses.
The cleanup of brownfield sites in Swansboro is not only an environmental issue;
it is also an economic development issue. Brownfields affect the continuity of
commercial corridors and even deter business from the community. These
contaminated sites are also costly to assess and remediate, deterring investment
in the community. The city’s Department of Economic Development offers
grants for brownfield site assessment. The assessment and remediation of
brownfield sites in Swansboro is a long-term objective, but grants should be
applied for as soon as possible. The Department of Economic Development offers
a Brownfields Assessment Grant for Petroleum Sites and a Brownfields
Assessment Grant for Toxic Sites. The total award for each grant is $200,000 and
covers Phase I Assessments, Phase II Assessments, and specialized
environmental studies.
Economic development programs that revitalize Swansboro’s business corridors
and attract new businesses will create new jobs in the community. Assisting
residents of Swansboro attain employment opportunities in the community is a
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challenge that will require the assistance of a workforce development program.
The Department of Economic Development and the Greater Richmond
Partnership both offer workforce development programs that connect potential
employees with employers.
Education attainment rates are low in Swansboro, indicating a deficiency in
public school education. Work-study programs and vocational training
programs should be improved and promoted in order to assist students learn
beneficial skills. Working in cooperation with Richmond City Public Schools, the
community should design work-study programs that cater to the numerous
businesses located in Swansboro. This objective is a long-term commitment that
need to be addressed immediately and must be funded by the public school
system. Other funding sources are within the United States Department of
Education School Dropout Prevention Program. The local Boys and Girls Club
provides a variety of excellent programs for youth in Swansboro. The support
and expansion of these programs, especially educational after-school programs,
is imperative to the general well-being and development in the community. This
is a long-term commitment that can be funded from grants offered by the Robins
Foundation, an organization that seeks to improve the lives of Virginians.
The second goal for economic development is to improve educational
opportunities for adults in the community, it is necessary for the community to
partner with the City of Richmond Department of Economic Development’s
Workforce Development Program. GED programs need to be strengthened and
supported so that high school dropouts have an opportunity to attain the
equivalency of a high school diploma. Adult Education Grants provided by the
United States Department of Education is a potential funding source for the
creation of adult education programs. These programs should be created as soon
as possible and implemented for more than ten years.
The third goal for economic development is to involve Richmond Area
institutions of higher education and think tanks in developing programs geared
towards economic development in Swansboro. For example, Virginia
Commonwealth University’s Division of Community Engagement, Virginia
Commonwealth University’s Master of Urban and Regional Planning Program,
and the University of Richmond’s Bonner Center for Civic Engagement are
excellent sources of economic development awareness and accessible to the
Swansboro community. Involving these institutions draws attention to
Swansboro and provides the community with an excellent resource for economic
development and revitalization. These organizations are cost-free and should be
contacted immediately for their knowledge and support.
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One of the major obstacles to economic development in Swansboro is the
perception of crime associated with it. Overcoming this perception by creating a
relationship with the Richmond Downtown Business Association would be
beneficial to the community. The Richmond Downtown Business Association
has the ability to market Swansboro as a desirable place to live and conduct
business. A lasting relationship between the community and the Richmond
Downtown Business Association should be created and maintained by business
owners in the community.
5.5. Housing and Land Use Strategy
As a method for achieving the housing objectives, the first goal for housing and
land use is to foster a relationship with agencies in the NiB partnership in order
to educate consumers on housing options and the available home purchasing
programs available to Swansboro residents. For example, Southside Community
Development and Housing Corporation have a down payment initiative grant
sponsored through the Department of Housing & Development that would assist
low to moderate-income residents with homeownership. Also, the Virginia
Housing Development Authority in partnership with the Department of
Housing & Development offer funding through SPARC “Sponsoring Partnership
for Revitalizing Communities” for homeownership to residents opting to move
into neighborhoods in need of revitalization. The City of Richmond Department
of Community Development should seek programs that assist in subsidizing the
cost of home construction and purchase such as the Richmond Metropolitan
Habitat for Humanity.
The neighborhood civic organization in partnership with the City of Richmond
should publicize the CAPS program (Community Assisted Public Safety) and its
meetings to promote citizen awareness of code enforcement practices. The 2 nd
precinct meetings are held at 4200 Hull Street on the 1 st Monday of each month at
6pm. Any community member may attend. The CAPS program works in
partnership with citizens to bring attention to “problem” properties to help
eliminate blight in neighborhoods. Educate the neighborhood residents about the
City of Richmond Real Estate Tax Abatement Program. This program reduces
property taxes for a set period of time on qualifying rehabilitated or replaced
structures. Create a forum to encourage connections between potential
developers and owners of vacant lots.
The second goal for housing and land use is to preserve the historic resources of
Swansboro through the pursuit of certain objectives. The first of these is the
rehabilitation of existing housing and commercial structures. This can be
achieved by undertaking the following actions. First, the unique architectural
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fabric and character of Swansboro can be preserved through adoption of Design
Overlay Guidelines (DOG), which creates a city-designated Design Overlay
District. To this end, overlay design guidelines must be developed in
collaboration with the City of Richmond Department of Community
Development (DCD); the neighborhood and City DCD must determine what
housing elements (such as roofs, porches, building heights, setbacks, etc.) should
be regulated, as well as rules for demolition and new construction.
Furthermore, preservation areas in the neighborhood should be established
based on the concentration of existing historic structures. These areas,
characterized by similar architectural styles and contiguous streetscapes, will
prove the pattern and the model for future redevelopment of vacant tracts of
land in the neighborhood. Residents of the neighborhood of Swansboro and the
Swansboro Civic Association must take part in this process in order to ensure
that property owners are able to determine their needs for Swansboro's Design
Overlay District. Community participation through civic meetings is necessary
to this objective, and the neighborhood may look to the recently formed Museum
District in Richmond as a model for the Design Overlay designation. Swansboro
will have more success in the drafting of their Design Overlay Guidelines if they
note the accomplishments and pitfalls of DOG of the Museum District and by
working closely with city of Richmond DCD staff to formulate regulations
compatible with Swansboro's existing zoning and land use. This will require
leadership from a unified Swansboro Civic Association and Swansboro
Preservation League.
The second objective, to educate residents about the historic designation process
and about how to access local, state, and federal funding through this process, is
also intended to promote the preservation and maintenance of Swansboro's
existing housing stock. The action items associated with this goal are as follows:
to conduct a community outreach session that will discuss historic tax credit
initiatives to familiarize Swansboro property owners with the concept of
preservation, which can be achieved through working with local non-profit
groups such as A.C.O.R.N. Additionally, the Swansboro Preservation League
should ensure that local community centers and libraries supply information
about historic preservation and the architectural traits of Swansboro, for example
Bungalow Style housing. Further action items include arranging historic
preservation forums with Swansboro residents to discuss historic tax credit
initiatives (with assistance from A.C.O.R.N. if residents so choose), and finally to
develop a historic tax credit rehabilitation incentive central database for
Swansboro community use.
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The third goal for housing and land use is to create a neighborhood of
complimentary and compatible land uses that will positively influence the
community's well being and economic vitality. This will involve three major
objectives with associated action items. The first objective is to coordinate
environmental and economic development conditions with land use, industrial,
and brownfield recommendations. The coordination of these conditions will
require that City of Richmond departments such as the Richmond
Redevelopment and Housing Authority, DCD, Department of Economic
Development (DED), Department of Parks & Recreation, and others establish a
neighborhoods committee that will meet regularly and share information to
foster communication about industrial and brownfield site remediation and
environmental conditions. Furthermore, city staff should form a transition
committee to monitor the implementation of brownfield redevelopment,
industrial and land use goals. This committee should be formed by DCD and
DED staff with representation or regular contact with Swansboro's Civic
Association in order to further progress of this and other neighborhood plans.
The second objective is to ensure that land uses desired by the community and
property owners are represented in zoning regulations. This will require that
market analyses are performed for Swansboro and surrounding neighborhoods
to determine goods and services that are served and underserved in the area.
Additionally, policies designed to attract the uses needed for Swansboro and are
complimentary to surrounding neighborhoods should be applied by the City of
Richmond DCD and DED. Recognizing existing commercially zoned areas,
citizens and property owners of Swansboro should take part in charrettes, public
informational meetings and other efforts to focus on encouraging use and
rehabilitation of vacant structures on the Hull Street commercial corridor.
The final objective associated with land use goals is to coordinate land uses so
that they define the Swansboro neighborhood. In fact, the analysis of existing
land uses and zoning regulations to determine conformity and compatibility.
For uses determined to be non-compatible, assistance should be provided for
business relocation. The Department of Community Development is the
responsible party. This is both a long and short term solution. The analysis and
comparing of existing zoning regulations with recommended future land use
designations in the Master Plan to determine compatibility. This involves the
maintenance of residential areas with residential uses and the promotion of
commercial uses that will serve the neighborhood needs along the Hull Street
corridor and in limited locations within residential zones. To this effect, existing
land uses should be compared with existing zoning regulations to determine
their conformity and compatibility. For uses which are determined to be noncompatible,
the City of Richmond DED will provide assistance for business
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elocation. Additionally, existing zoning regulations should be compared with
the Master Plan to determine compatibility. For those zoning regulations that are
not in accord with the Master Plan, the zoning ordinance should be modified. For
zoning regulations that do not progress towards future land use designations,
zoning ordinances should be amended. The Department of Community
Development is the responsible participant. This action should be completed in
less than five years to speed the pace of revitalization.
5.6. Urban Design Strategy
Through quality urban design practices, we hope to build upon Swansboro’s
strengths and create recognizable gateways, inviting green spaces, lively
commercial corridors, and attractive residential streetscapes. With an
appropriate design of the built environment, it is hoped that the identity of
Swansboro will be strengthened and community pride intensified.
The first goal for urban design is to enhance the Swansboro’s neighborhood
identity. The first action that should assist in reaching this goal is the creation of
Swansboro gateway entrances that are easily identifiable and aesthetically
appealing. The city of Richmond would be the main implementers of this action
and this should be started immediately upon adoption of the plan. These
gateways will include signage, landscaping and public art. The plan calls for
Swansboro residents to be the contributors to this. Local residents of all ages
could assist in this project.
The second goal for urban design is to provide an aesthetically pleasing
streetscapes and green spaces for residents, merchants, and visitors of the
neighborhood. This will be accomplished by implementing three actions. The
first of these actions is to develop a pattern book for Swansboro residents that
include specifications on building materials, building colors, fencing,
landscaping, signage, setbacks, and other urban design components. This will be
done by partnering with local design professionals to create urban design
guidelines for the Swansboro community. Swansboro’s numerous civic
associations should partner together to accomplish this task. The next action will
increase public safety through lighting as well as buffers placed between roads
and sidewalks and lighting along the streets will be pedestrian oriented. The city
of Richmond will be the main implementers of this action. The community will
also partner with CAPS (Community Assisted Public Safety) to help accomplish
this goal. This action will start immediately but will be a long-term/permanent
relationship. The last action for achieving this goal will to increase public art
throughout the neighborhood. The main way this will be done is by partnering
with the Boys & Girls club, the Visual Arts Center, civic associations and local
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artists. This will be an immediate action started immediately upon adoption of
the neighborhood plan.
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6. CONCLUSION
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6. CONCLUSION
The students of the Master of Urban and Regional Planning Spring 2009 Studio I
class has provided a Swansboro Neighborhood Revitalization Plan that aims to
achieve the vision set forth earlier in this plan. The plan’s vision is:
Swansboro is a thriving Richmond neighborhood known for its vibrant
business district and excellent community atmosphere that provides its
residents a unique and balanced community with a diverse range of
housing, employment, shopping and recreational opportunities.
Swansboro is a destination to live, work and play, with convenient access
to nearby downtown Richmond. Known for its distinct character
represented by an eclectic mix of architectural styles, green spaces, and
public art; Swansboro is an attractive community to residents of all ages
and socio-economic backgrounds.
After researching existing conditions and conducting personal interviews with
community members along with students’ direct observations, the class
developed goals and objectives with an implementation strategy to realize a
thriving Swansboro neighborhood. To achieve the above vision, the entire
community must play a role in Swansboro’s revitalization. The students of the
Studio I class have aimed to provide actionable strategies that can be achieved by
the community as a whole.
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______________________________________________________________________________
APPENDIX
Table 2: City of Richmond Roadway System Characteristics
Source: City of Richmond Master Plan, Chapter 7: Transportation
Interstates / Freeways
• Grade separated intersections and limited access roadways designed to carry
major traffic and commuter traffic.
• Constructed with four to six moving lanes with a median
Principal Arterial Streets
• Major routes for carrying high traffic volumes originating in areas not
conveniently served by interstates or freeways.
• Generally, four to six moving lanes, sometimes with a median, but not
limited access.
• Parking generally prohibited at peak times with signalization and other
controls and transit provisions being major design features.
• Follow neighborhood boundaries where possible and provide direct services
Minor Arterial Streets
• Routes designed to support and supplement principal arterial roadways.
Generally two to four moving lanes, sometimes with a median.
• Lower design standards than principal arterial roadways.
Collector Streets
• Routes designed to collect traffic from local streets and channel it to arterial
streets with two moving lanes.
• Lower design standards than minor arterial roadways but higher than local
streets. Desirably, residential properties front on local streets rather than
directly on collectors.
Local Streets
• Provide access to adjacent properties.
• Serve as an element of neighborhood street grid design.
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Table 4: Means of Transportation to Work for Workers Ages 16+
Means of
Transportation
Total Car /
Truck /
Van
% Car /
Truck /
Van
Public
Transit
%
Public
Transit
Bicycle %
Bicycle
Walked %
Walked
517600605001 291 256 88% 8 3% 0 0% 21 7%
517600603001 486 404 83% 46 9% 8 2% 21 4%
517600605003 387 363 94% 7 2% 0 0% 0 0%
517600605002 462 399 86% 38 8% 0 0% 10 2%
517600603002 164 88 54% 53 32% 0 0% 23 14%
517600604001 376 262 70% 88 23% 0 0% 12 3%
517600604006 614 468 76% 146 24% 0 0% 0 0%
517600604005 110 77 70% 33 30% 0 0% 0 0%
Source: U.S. Census 2000: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
136

Table 5: Acreage Comparisons
Neighborhood
Acreage
Richmond
2493.83 A
Old South District 460.75 A
Swansboro 15.60 A
Source: City of Richmond Master Plan Appendix, March 2009
Table 6: Crime Statistics 1/1/08 to 12/31/08
SEX
VEHICLE
NEIGHBORHOOD HOMICIDE OFFENSE ROBBERY ASSAULT BURGLARY VICE THEFT THEFT OTHER TOTAL
Swansboro 0 2 10 74 6 34 58 12 284 480
Swansboro West 1 1 7 97 13 50 22 10 269 470
Blackwell 1 2 8 72 11 46 37 8 221 406
Woodland Heights 0 1 1 14 12 5 29 11 86 159
Broad Rock 0 2 10 47 10 47 22 9 207 354
Richmond (avg) 0 1 3 24 7 15 23 5 103 181
Source: Richmond Police Department (http://www.ci.richmond.va.us), VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
137

Table 9: Swansboro Property Values
Swansboro
Type of Land area Square ft. Total monetary
value
Monetary
Value per
Square ft.
Commercial 1,815,204 $21,079,400 $11.61
Government 50,962 $872,000 $17.11
Industrial 4,006,508 $41,243,900 $10.29
Institutional 286,350 $6,294,800 $21.98
Multi-family Residential 694,735 $15,569,500 $22.41
Single-family Residential 3,169,814 $53,144,600 $16.77
Office 220,235 $1,242,300 $5.64
Public open Space 614,661 $1,734,000 $2.82
Vacant 178,463 $6,155,200 $34.49
Source: Census, 2000
Table 10: Richmond Property Values
Richmond
Type of Land area Square ft. Total monetary
value
Monetary
Value per
Square ft.
Commercial 94,012,249 $2,800,383,600 $29.79
Government 34,399,614 $1,150,089,000 $33.43
Industrial 136,663,895 $1,276,904,700 $9.34
Institutional 76,231,506 $2,391,214,500 $31.37
Multi-family Residential 87,194,211 $2,141,022,300 $24.55
Single-family Residential 584,216,753 $10,579,196,600 $18.11
Office 20,694,126 $1,861,429,500 $89.95
Public open Space 96,075,572 $204,166,900 $2.13
Vacant 171,623,940 $357,452,600 $2.08
Source: Census, 2000
138

Table 11: Supplementary Income
SWANSBORO
NEIGHBORHOOD
Number of
Households
% of
Households
RICHMOND--
PETERSBURG, VA MSA
Number of % of
Households Households
Total: 841 100.00% 387,736 100%
Receiving Social
338 40.19% 102,755 26.50%
Security/Supplemental
Security Income
Receiving Public
43 5.11% 9,535 2.46%
Assistance income
Not Receiving Benefits 460 54.70% 275,446 71.04%
Source: Census, 2000
139

Map 8: Street Legend
140

Map 9: Swansboro Traffic Accidents-2008
141

Map 14: Blockgroups
142

Table 13: History Implementation Timetable
Source: VCU MURP Studio I Class, Spring 2009
History Implementation Timetable
Objective
1.1 Action 1.1.1
Goal 1: Preserve the historical character of the
Swansboro neighborhood.
Responsible Parties
Encourage the City of Richmond to work with
developers to ensure that new construction
compliments existing architecture in the
neighborhood.
City of Richmond and Developers
Immediate
Year 1
Short-term
Year 2-5
Mid-term
Year 6-10
Long-term
Year 11-20
Action 1.1.2
Determine the legal ownership of the Civil War
burial site located on Wise Street
City of Richmond and Mueseum of
the Confederacy
Action 1.1.3
Work with the Museum of the Confederacy to
improve the appearance and accessibility by
removing the chain link fence and adding
landscaping as well as a more prominant
monument.
City of Richmond and Mueseum of
the Confederacy
Action 1.1.4
Educate homeowners about historical tax credits
such as the Richmond City tax abatement
program.
City of Richmond
1.2 Action 1.2.1
Action 1.2.2
Connect existing civic asociations with the
Historical Richmond Foundation in order to
promote Swansboro’s historical assets.
Begin a dialog between residents and civic
associations pertaining to the designation of
Swansboro as an Old & Historic District as
recognized by the Historic Richmond
Foundation.
Historical Richmond Foundations,
Swansboro Preservation Civic
Association, and Swansboro
Preservation League
Historical Richmond Foundations,
Swansboro Preservation Civic
Association, and Swansboro
Preservation League
143

Table 14: Transportation Implementation Timetable
Source: VCU MURP Studio I, Spring 2009
Transportation Implementation Timetable
Objective
1.1 Action 1.1.1
Goal 1: Create a safe road network in
Swansboro.
Responsible Parties
Install traffic chokers and curb
extensions along main streets Bainbridge,
Hull Street, Cowardin, Clopton, and
Midlothian.
City of Richmond
Immediate
Year 1
Short-term
Year 2-5
Mid-term
Year 6-10
Long-term
Year 11-20
Action 1.1.2
Install roundabouts at the intersections of
Bainbridge and Clopton and Bainbridge
and Pilkington.
City of Richmond
Action 1.1.3
Install additional speed limit signage
along Bainbridge, Semmes, Cowardin,
Hull Street, and Midlothian.
City of Richmond
Action 1.1.4 Narrow Lanes to 10 foot widths City of Richmond
Action 1.1.5 Paint lane edge lines City of Richmond
Action 1.1.6
Paint stop lines at all stop signs and
traffic light intersections
City of Richmond
1.1 Action 1.1.7
Paint on-street parking along
Clompton/26 th Street to encourage
Swansboro residents and visitors to park
on the street.
City of Richmond
Action 1.1.8
Request speed tracking signage to be
used on a regular basis along Semmes,
Cowardin, Hull, Clompton/26th, and
Midlothian.
City of Richmond
Action 1.1.9
Install raised intersections at the
intersections near or adjacent to
Swansboro Elementary and Carter Jones
Park
City of Richmond,
Police Department
Action 1.1.10
Install short medians along
Clompton/26th Street.
City of Richmond
144

Objective
1.2 Action 1.2.1
Goal 1: Create a safe road network in
Swansboro.
Minimize curb cuts for vehicular access;
prohibit new driveway-curb cuts onto
arterials Hull, Midlothian, Cowardin, or
Semmes. Instead, require business
parking or other vehicular outlets onto
side streets.
Responsible Parties
City of Richmond
Immediate
Year 1
Short-term
Year 2-5
Mid-term
Year 6-10
Long-term
Year 11-20
Request greater police presence for speed City of Richmond,
1.3 Action 1.3.1 and traffic violation enforcement. Police Department
Action 1.3.2 Hire a community traffic guard. Civic Associations
Action 1.3.3
Encourage neighborhood watch groups
to report traffic problems to the civic
association.
Civic Associations
1.4 Action 1.4.1 Install additional street lighting City of Richmond
145

Table 15: Community Services Implementation Timetable
Source: VCU MURP Studio I, Spring 2009
Community Services Implementation Timetable
Objective
Goal 1: Enhance greater citizen
capacity and community pride in
Swansboro.
Responsible Parties
Immediate
Year 1
Short-term
Year 2-5
Mid-term
Year 6-10
Long-term
Year 11-20
1.1 Action 1.1.1
Contact existing civic and religious
organizations to find willing participants
to serve as representatives for their
organizations to form a new collective
Swansboro community group.
Action 1.1.2
1.2 Action 1.2.1
Action 1.2.2
Organize and setup periodic meetings
for a new Swansboro civic organization.
Identify potential organizations and
churches willing to provide their
facilities for a reliable community service
center.
Provide adult education options for
Swansboro including adult high school
and GED resources.
Action 1.2.3
1.3 Action 1.3.1
Action 1.3.2
Establish additional after school
programs and mentorship opportunities
for children of all ages and types.
Organize community trash cleanups
through different community and
religious organizations.
Develop and provide educational tools
regarding housing revitalization.
146

Objective
Goal 2: Maintain and enhance the
existing services in the Swansboro
neighborhood.
Responsible Parties
Immediate
Year 1
Short-term
Year 2-5
Mid-term
Year 6-10
Long-term
Year 11-20
2.1 Action 2.1.1
Action 2.1.2
Action 2.1.3
2.2 Action 2.2.1
Learn how to implement after school
programs and mentorships and
determine which programs would be
most beneficial to Swansboro residents.
Work with City of Richmond to help
fund or conduct programs.
City of Richmond, Boys and
Girls Club, local schools, civic
groups
City of Richmond
Contact Art 180 (non-profit) to see if
they would be interested in setting up
satellite after school art classes for the
children of Swansboro. Art 180
Request better maintenance for City
operated facilities, mainly the fire
station and Carter-Jones Park, to
encourage community pride and
aesthetics.
City of Richmond
Action 2.2.2
Action 2.2.3
Action 2.2.4
Obtain funding and support from the
City of Richmond for improvements to
the fire station and to Carter-Jones Park. City of Richmond
Increase informal uses of the park and
fire station through different community Community Organizations,
groups
City of Richmond
Create annual get-togethers for
community residents and their families
at Carter Jones Park throughout the
summer months Community Organizations
147

Objective
3.1 Action 3.1.1
Goal 3: Promote a safe community
for Swansboro
Responsible Parties
Immediate
Year 1
Identify corridors or areas within the
neighborhood with high crime risk using
monthly police reports and target these
areas for visibility
Richmond Police Department
Short-term
Year 2-5
Mid-term
Year 6-10
Long-term
Year 11-20
Action 3.1.2
Appoint lead officer for Swansboro
community policing
Richmond Police Department
Action 3.1.3
Conduct study to identify funds needed
and placement of community police
station if needed
Richmond Police Department
Action 3.1.4
Obtain building/property for
development of community police
station if needed.
Richmond Police Department
Action 3.1.5
Hire/Appoint staff for local station and
open for operations
Richmond Police Department
Action 3.1.6
3.2 Action 3.2.1
Action 3.2.2
Action 3.2.3
Action 3.2.4
Action 3.2.5
Create a route of travel through
Swansboro which covers most of the
neighborhood and have officers follow
that path more frequently on the beat.
Hold Neighborhood watch information
meeting to equip all residents with the
information and resources necessary.
Pass out light bulbs for porch and
business fronts
Establish regular meetings for
neighborhood watch; appoint leaders
and submit concerns to local officers
Identify local business owners
Set meeting date for focus group
meeting
Meet with business owners, identify
concerns, share concerns with
community police officers
Richmond Police Department
Community Organizations
combined
Community Organizations
combined
Community Organizations
combined
Community Organizations
combined
Community Organizations
combined
148

Objective
3.3 Action 3.3.1
Goal 3: Promote a safe community
for Swansboro
Conduct study of Crime Prevention
Through Environmental Design
(CPTED) techniques
Responsible Parties
City of Richmond
Immediate
Year 1
Short-term
Year 2-5
Mid-term
Year 6-10
Long-term
Year 11-20
Action 3.3.2
Create plan for urban design
improvements based on study
City of Richmond
Action 3.3.3
Action 3.3.4
Create plan for implementation of
CPTED improvements
City of Richmond
Implement CPTED plan and monitor
results City of Richmond
149

Table 16: Economic Development Implementation Timetable
Source: VCU MURP Studio I, Spring 2009
Economic Development Implementation Timetable
Objective
1.1
Goal 1. Involve the Richmond area universities
and think tanks in developing economic
development programs in Swansboro.
Involve the City of Richmond, Virginia
Commonwealth University, and the Virginia
Union as well as other universities in the region on
economic development opportunities within the
Swansboro area.
Responsible Parties
VCU Division of Community
Engagement, UR Bonner
Center for Civic Engagement
Immediate
Year 1
Short-term
Year 2-5
Mid-term
Year 6-10
Long-term
Year 11-20
1.1.1
1.2
Seek campus leaders and students for involvement
in the area's development.
Work with the Richmond Downtown Business
Association.
VCU Division of
Communbity Engagement
Richmond Downtown
Business association
1.2.1
Focus information on Swansboro as a safe and
affordable place to live close to downtown
Richmond.
Richmond Department of
Community Development
NIB
1.3
Promote Swansboro’s historic architecture to
attract people into the neighborhood.
Richmond Association of
Realtors
1.3.1
Request Live-Work-Play banners from the City of
Richmond in order to create a sense of pride
throughout the community.
Richmond Department of
Community Development
1.4
Research and identify business leaders and
entrepreneurs with ties to Richmond that may
have an interest in making this area more
marketable.
Greater Richmond Chamber
of Commerce
1.4.1
Identifying prestigious members of society will
increase local interest in the economic business of
Swansboro.
1.5
Coordinate with the City of Richmond on its
Downtown Master Plan to address shared
economic interests of those residing in downtown
proper as well as the Southside.
Richmond Department of
Community Development
150

Table 17: Housing & Land Use Implementation Timetable
Source: VCU MURP Studio I, Spring 2009
Housing & Land Use Implementation Timetable
Goal 1: Create a neighborhood of
complimentary and compatible land uses
that will positively influence the
community’s well being and economic
Objective
vitality.
Coordinate environmental and economic
development conditions with land use,
industrial, and brownfield recommendations.
1.1 Action 1.1.1
Establish a committee of City Departments that
will meet regularly and share information to
foster communication and advance progress of
plan.
Responsible Parties
Richmond Redevelopment and Housing
Authority, All City of Richmond
Departments involved in elements of plan
e.g. Community Development, Economic
Development, Parks & Recreation,
Sherriff, Police, etc.
Action 1.1.2
Transition committee of City Staff to monitor City of Richmond Department of
status and empower members of the community Community Development, City of
and civic associations with responsibility to Richmond Department of Economic
continue neighborhood revitalization progress. Development
Action 1.1.3
Ensure land uses desired by the community
and property owners are represented in
1.2 Action 1.2.1 zoning regulations.
Perform market analyses for Swansboro and City of Richmond Department of
surrounding neighborhoods to determine goods Community Development, City of
and services served and underserved in the area. Richmond Department of Economic
Create policies that strive to attract the uses Development
needed for Swansboro and complimentary to
surrounding neighborhoods.
Action 1.2.2
Engage citizens and property owners of Citizens and Property Owners of
Swansboro in charrettes, public informational Swansboro, City of Richmond
meetings and other outreach efforts to Department of Community Development,
determine vision for community and Hull Street City of Richmond Department of
commercial corridor.
Economic Development
Action 1.2.3
Immediate
Year 1
Short-term
Year 2-5
Mid-term
Year 6-10
Long-term
Year 11-20
151

Objective
1.3 Action 1.3.1
Goal 1: Create a neighborhood of
complimentary and compatible land uses
that will positively influence the
community’s well being and economic
vitality.
Coordinate land uses so that they define the
Swansboro neighborhood i.e. maintain
residential areas with residential uses and
promote commercial uses that serve the
neighbor hood needs along the Hull Street
corridor.
Responsible Parties
Immediate
Year 1
Short-term
Year 2-5
Mid-term
Year 6-10
Long-term
Year 11-20
Action 1.3.2
Analyze existing land uses with existing zoning
regulations to determine conformity and
compatibility. For uses determined to be noncompatible,
provide assistance for business
relocation.
City of Richmond Department of
Community Development
Action 1.3.3
Analyze and compare existing zoning
regulations with recommended future land use
designations in the Master Plan to determine
compatibility. For zoning regulations that do
not progress towards future land use
designations, amend and modify zoning
ordiance
City of Richmond Department of
Community Development
152

Table 18: Urban Design Implementation Timetable
Source: VCU MURP Studio I, Spring 2009
Urban Design Implementation Timetable
Objective
Goal 1: Enhance Neighborhood Identity
of Swansboro
Responsible Parties
Immediate
Year 1
Short-term
Year 2-5
Mid-term
Year 6-10
Long-term
Year 11-20
1.1 Action 1.1.1
Create Swansboro gateway entrances that are
both easily identifiable and aesthetically
appealing.
City of Richmond
Objective
Action 1.1.2
2.1 Action 2.1.1
Enhance the gateways with signage,
landscaping, and public art.
Goal 2: Provide aesthetically pleasing
streetscapes and green spaces for
residents, merchants, and visitors of the
neighborhood.
Develop a pattern book for Swansboro
residents that includes specifications on
building materials, building colors, fencing,
landscaping, signage, setbacks, and other
urban design components.
Swansboro Community
Civic Associations
Action 2.1.2
Partner the community with local design
professionals to create Urban Design
Guidelines for the community.
Civic Associations
2.2 Action 2.2.1
Action 2.2.2
2.3
Action 2.3.1
Increase public safety through lighting as well
as buffers placed between roads and
sidewalks. Lighting along streets shall be
pedestrian-oriented.
Partner with CAPS (Community Assisted
Public Safety) to increase public safety.
Increase public art throughout the
neighborhood.
Partner with the Boys & Girls Club,
Richmond Visual Arts Center, civic
associations, and local artists to provide
public art.
City of Richmond
CAPS
Civic Associations & Boys
and Girls Club
Boys & Girls Club, Visual
Arts Center, and Civic
Associations
153

Figure 26: Event Flyer
Source: VCU MURP Studio I, Spring 2009
154

Figure 27: Event Poster
Source: VCU MURP Studio I, Spring 2009
155

______________________________________________________________________________
REFERENCES
1 City of Richmond, Virginia. “Downtown Master Plan,”
http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/forms/docs/online/masterplan. (1 February 2009).
2 United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service. “Grace Street Commercial Historic District.”
http://www.nps.gov/history/NR/travel/Richmond/GraceHD.html. (1 February 2009).
3 Weisiger, Benjamin B. III. “Old Manchester & its environs, 1769-1910.” Richmond, VA. William Byrd
Press, 1993.
4 Johnette Powell. Interviewed by Crystal Morris-Lowery and Tarvaris McCoy, 19 January 2009.
5 Aubrey Fountain. Interviewed by Crystal Morris-Lowery and Tarvaris McCoy, 16 January 2009.
6 City of Richmond, Virginia, “Richmond’s Neighborhoods in Bloom (NiB),”
7 Carolina Reid, “Neighborhoods in Bloom: Measuring the Impact of Targeted Community Investments,”
Community Investments, Winter 2006.
8 City of Richmond, Virginia. “Blackwell Neighborhood Revitalization Plan,”
http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/departments/communitydev/docs/Blackwell_Neighborhood_Revitalization_Plan.pdf
(9 February 2009).
9
City of Richmond, Virginia. “Downtown Master Plan,”
http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/forms/docs/online/masterplan. (9 February 2009).
10 City of Richmond, Virginia, “Richmond’s Neighborhoods in Bloom (NiB),”
http://www.neighborhoodsinbloom.com (1 February 2009).
11 Robert Howlette. Interviewed by Justin Doyle, 6 February 2009.
12 Johnette Powell. Interviewed by Crystal Morris-Lowery and Tarvaris McCoy, 19 January 2009.
13 City of Richmond, Virginia. “Blackwell Neighborhood Revitalization Plan,”
http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/departments/communitydev/docs/Blackwell_Neighborhood_Revitalization_Plan.pdf
(9 February 2009).
14 City of Richmond Department of Economic Development. “Neighborhoods in Bloom Revolving Loan Fund
(NIBRLF)” NIBRLF Brochure.
15 City of Richmond Department of Economic Development. “Commercial Area Revitalization Effort” CARE
Brochure.
16 City of Richmond Department of Economic Development. “Enterprise Zone: Local & State Incentives,”
Enterprise Zone Brochure.
17 Virginian Commonwealth University Urban and Commercial Revitalization Class. Swansboro Triangle
Commercial Revitalization Plan: A Vision for the Future. December 2004. L. Douglas Wilder School of
Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. p. 20.
156