Richmond 300 Plan Update Includes New Cap Park, Form-Based Code

Richmond, Virginia is hoping to make some big changes in time for its tricentennial in 2037, including a new cap park and a new form-based code.

2 minute read

July 7, 2020, 10:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Richmond 300 Cap Park Plan

City of Richmond / Richmond 300

"With development activity picking up on both sides of the freeway that 80 years ago cut the Jackson Ward area in half, Richmond planners are floating an idea to reconnect the historically Black neighborhood as part of the city’s proposed master plan," report Jonathan Spiers. 

"Richmond 300, the draft update to the city’s master land-use plan that city planners and consultants have been rolling out in recent weeks, includes several strategies for improving road and pedestrian connections throughout town. Among them is a proposal to cap Interstate 64-95 with a bridge deck spanning the width of First and St. James streets, creating a platform the size of a city block that could be filled with a park, buildings, and new roads and walkways."

"The occasion marking Richmond’s 300th year also would mark 80 years since the completion, in 1957, of what is now I-64-95 through Jackson Ward. It cut a swath through the heart of the neighborhood, dividing Jackson Ward physically and destroying parts of what had become an epicenter of Black culture and commerce in Richmond, known along the East Coast as 'Black Wall Street,'" adds Spiers.

More details on the six big moves included in the Richmond 300 plan are included in the source article. The Executive Summary of the draft Richmond 300 plan also lists a zoning code update, including a move from a Euclidean zoning code to a form-based code are among the six big moves.

Monday, July 6, 2020 in Richmond BizSense

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

2 hours ago - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

3 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

4 hours ago - Cities Today