Living In Richmond

Rich in history and deep in charm, Richmond, Virginia is the epitome of a classic Southern city.  One visit will not do it justice, as the Richmond area is a fantastic place to work, play and enjoy life.

 

Newcomers will revel in Richmond’s vibrant, diverse, and laid-back atmosphere.  Nearly one million people reside in the growing metro area, and their friendliness is part of the appeal.   Richmond is a place for all ages to enjoy. Students, professionals, retirees, and families with children have made it their home.  Many Richmonders live and work in the same areas, but commutes are easy from all sections of town. Residential living ranges from urban to suburban, often encompassing the surrounding counties of Henrico, Hanover, Goochland, Powhatan, and Chesterfield.

 

With a great location and accessibility, the Richmond metro area was recently ranked 12th on Forbes magazine’s list of the nation’s “Best Places for Business and Careers.”  The banking, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology industries dominate business in the area.

 

The physical location of the city is an advantage to both visitors and residents alike.  Interstate 95 bisects the city while Interstates 295 and 64 loop around and through to provide easy access into Richmond. Situated almost halfway between New York and Atlanta in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic, Richmond is in the perfect spot for both business and pleasure. 

 

Richmond’s great location has solidified its place as a transportation hub. Richmond boasts an ever growing international airport, shipping port, and the newly renovated Main Street Station and bus terminal.  The Station is a short drive from Colonial Williamsburg, Washington, D.C., Virginia Beach, and the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The GRTC Transit System also provides bus service around the Richmond area.

 

Not only has there been great revitalization in the area’s transportation system, but Richmond’s downtown revitalization is also in full swing with the recent addition of a 600,000-square foot convention center and the creation of new housing and office space.  As the capital of Virginia, Richmond is the center of government for the Commonwealth and region, making the need for convenient office and housing space most important. Virginia’s legislators conduct their business from the Capitol building in downtown, while the Federal Reserve Bank for the fifth Federal Reserve District and the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the fourth district also operate in Richmond.

 

Culturally, the area enriches its residents with its own theater, symphony, ballet, opera, and over 20 museums.  Local colleges and universities, including Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Richmond, Randolph-Macon College, Virginia State University, and Virginia Union University, also pride themselves on the cultural programs they host.

 

Mother Nature smiles on the area and graces it with relatively mild winters and warm summers, which makes it a good spot for outdoor lovers.  Richmond has a variety of gardens; golf courses; hiking, biking, walking and rafting opportunities; and much more.  For the spectator set, NASCAR, minor league baseball, hockey and soccer, as well as arena football are popular local attractions. 

 

Richmond’s attractions, location, and history give Richmond personality, as inspiring monuments dot the cityscape, and paved roads meld into cobblestone streets. However, the diversity of Richmond’s neighborhoods and the quality of life they offer is a surprise.

 

Each neighborhood divides the area’s landscape with its own distinct personality that takes advantage of its location and scenery.  Residents like to think of it as an area of neighborhoods.

 

DOWNTOWN
Richmond’s Downtown is unique compared to other areas of the city because of its intensive mix of retail, commercial, and residential development. When Richmonders refer to “Downtown,” they generally mean the business or governmental center of the city. A steady influx of new residents, restaurants, and shops, however, is giving Downtown a neighborhood identity all its own.

Available living space has increased dramatically in recent years. Former industrial and office buildings with rich histories are being converted into apartments and condominiums, adding thousands of new residential units Downtown. Revitalization and creative development are reinvigorating the architectural and cultural treasure that is Jackson Ward, arguably the most historically significant African-American neighborhood in the nation. Developers and entrepreneurs have also discovered Tobacco Row in Shockoe and are now turning the old cigarette plants and tobacco warehouses into condominiums, loft apartments, and shops.

 

Five-star hotels, restaurants serving an enormous variety of cuisine, premiere theatrical entertainment, and the hottest nightclubs in town are mere blocks from each other, and the streets between them serve as gateways to 250 years of history. Richmond’s innovative Canal Walk connects the past and future of the city’s riverfront while bringing apartments, business, and shops to the banks of the James River.

 

With residential, entertainment, and business opportunities, Richmond’s Downtown has become a neighborhood where you can truly live, work, and play. 

 

EAST END
Richmond’s East End is the city’s birthplace. It was among the hills overlooking the James River that William Byrd II, who owned the land, founded his new settlement, and named it after a city in England that had a similar view of the Thames River. The most recognized of these hills is Church Hill, named for its many churches the most renowned of which is St. John’s Episcopal, site of Patrick Henry’s speech. The surrounding neighborhood, also known as Church Hill, is Richmond’s oldest, and its antebellum homes, gas lamps, brick sidewalks, and national historic status make it the city’s most famous as well.

However, there is more to the East End than the historic district. New developments north of Broad, such as Jefferson Mews and Charity Square, are adding to the diverse character of the area, and an ongoing revitalization process is bringing many older homes back to life. Libby Terrace offers spectacular views of the James River, Tobacco Row, and Downtown.

 

The Fulton area, south of Church Hill against the county line, offers quiet streets, small frame and brick houses, and a close-knit community. A strong sense of family and local pride exists throughout the East End; neighbors look out for each other and many families have lived in the same house for generations.

 

For a great sample of what Richmond has to offer–history, beauty, family, and opportunity–look no farther than its East End.

 

NORTHSIDE
Richmond’s Northside has offered city residents an ideal living environment since the turn of the last century when an innovative electric streetcar system first made it possible for people to live on the edges of the city while still working downtown. The first of these “streetcar suburbs” was developed in 1890, and by the 1920s Northside was one of Richmond’s most desirable areas in which to live.

 

This legacy can still be seen in neighborhoods such as Ginter Park, Sherwood Park, and Bellevue: spacious houses on large lots, streets lines with mature trees, and an established community infrastructure within minutes of downtown offices and cultural amenities. Other areas of Northside, such as Highland Park, are being brought back to their former glory through creative City programs such as Neighborhoods in Bloom.

 

The area also contains scenic Bryan Park with its breathtaking azaleas, as well as the Gothic campus of Union Theological Seminary and The Diamond, home to the Richmond Braves baseball team. Today, Northside offers the same qualities that made it desirable 100 years ago: the best of both urban and suburban living.

 

WEST END
Richmond’s West End is the perfect combination of city and suburban living. It offers river views, winding streets flanked by mature trees, stately brick homes, corner restaurants, urban parks, and boutique shopping. All the cultural amenities of an urban center and the quiet of a tranquil riverside are both just a stone’s throw away. Though the area has some of Richmond’s most beautiful and historic homes, it also offers cozy brick bungalows and quaint cottages, each with their own individual character.

 

The extensive tree cover and multitude of gardens help preserve the tranquility of each property, but a short walk down any street will afford the opportunity to meet neighbors and friends out and about. Neighborhoods such as Windsor Farms, Westhampton, and Sauer’s Gardens each offer their own particular charms and surprises, but their common thread is what makes the area so distinct and distinctly Richmond; living in the West End means experiencing the best of both worlds.

 

CENTRAL
Central Richmond is geographically and socially the heart of the city. The area includes Richmond’s best-known example of urban living, The Fan, as well as the architecturally diverse and culturally rich West of the Boulevard neighborhood and the quiet Byrd Park and Carillon neighborhoods along the river.

 

Corner bars, restaurants, and markets are interspersed with row houses featuring some of the best turn-of-the-century Victorian architecture left in the South, especially in The Fan. A dynamic mix of students, artists, professionals, and long-time residents give this area a particular flavor unmatched anywhere. Those who live here are passionate about their neighborhoods, and active community associations help maintain the quality of life.

 

The area includes many of the city’s best-known attractions, including Monument Avenue, the only street in America designated as a National Historic Landmark, Hollywood Cemetery, Byrd Park and Maymont, Virginia Commonwealth University, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and the Carytown shopping district. It also contains a few lesser-known areas, such as Oregon Hill neighborhood, originally home to many of the workers who toiled in the factories that used to line the banks of the James River below. It now features a fiercely independent blend of residents and some of the best examples of wooden rowhouse construction in the city.

 

SOUTHSIDE
Richmond’s Southside offers its residents a wealth of natural beauty, including river views, quiet streets, and many woods and creeks. Much of the area was originally forests and farmland, so the majority of its homes offer sizeable yards and plenty of shady trees.

 

In fact, Southside offers literally every type of community possible. From the converted warehouses and renovated storefronts of Old Manchester, to the sloping lots and gorgeous views of Riverside Drive, to the brand-new homes being built in Fawnbrook and Broad Rock, the range and diversity of the area’s neighborhoods is remarkable.

 

The area features older neighborhoods such as Woodland Heights and Westover Hills, with winding streets, unique architecture, and an urban feel, as well as newer ones such as Broad Rock and Cherry Gardens, with quiet cul-de-sacs, affordable properties, and close proximity to schools and recreational activities.

 

The area contains the crown jewel of Richmond’s park system, the James River Park, which stretches from the western city limits to Belle Isle, as well as more local treasures, such as Forest Hill Park and the secluded Falling Creek Reservoir.

 

SOUTHWEST
Richmond’s Southwest area has a dual personality. It offers elements of country living such as wildflower-filled meadows and secluded riverfront properties. Many of the neighborhoods pay homage to their origins with names such as Hobby Hill Farms and Huguenot Farms, but they are only minutes from the offices, museums, and nightlife of downtown.

The Southwest area runs along the south bank of the James River from the Powhite Parkway west to Old Gun Road at the city limits. It contains several different subdivisions and neighborhoods, from Stratford Hills and Oxford closer to the city center to Hobby Hill and Huguenot Farms bordering the city limits.

 

Windy streets meander through wooded areas and alongside creeks. Many of the houses are set far back from the road. These neighborhoods offer seclusion and the beauty of unspoiled natural setting.

The secret is out; Richmond offers the amenities of a big city and the feel of a friendly town. While you are in the area you will discover what Richmonders have always known: living in the heart of it all is the only choice in town.