Transforming the James River in Richmond by Hambrick Ralph;Street CEO James River Association Bill;

Author:Hambrick, Ralph;Street CEO James River Association, Bill;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing Inc.
Published: 2020-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

The establishment of the James River Park, largely on land that had seen no development, provided an inviting venue for the rapid growth of recreation on and along the river. Some visionaries had big ideas about the recreational and commercial potential for an area that had been developed and redeveloped many times—the downtown riverfront.

7

RIVERFRONT

A VISION THAT LINKS THE FUTURE TO THE PAST

Today the James is a “diamond in the rough” begging to be polished as Richmond’s showpiece.

—Richmond and the James, City of Richmond Planning Commission, 1967

At some point—who knows when?—Richmond remembered the value of the jewel in its midst.…Great accomplishments depend on a vision. And the vision of a Richmond centered on the James pleases the eye and invigorates the spirit.

—Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial, July 26, 1996

Despite pollution and the historical clutter along its banks, the potential for making the downtown riverfront something special had been recognized for decades. Beginning shortly after mid-century, various organizations and individuals began to build a vision of what the downtown riverfront could be. Some of these efforts were officially requested plans; others were unofficial discussions and writing, some preserved and some not. Several newspapers, including the Richmond News Leader, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Style Weekly, Metropolitan Observer and the short-lived City Edition participated in these periodic discussions. Many early visions of what the river might be were not implemented immediately, or not at all, but they did begin to shape thinking and attitudes about the river.

The riverfront in the central business district is quite different from the less disturbed reach between Bosher’s Dam and Lee Bridge. The shoreline downtown was highly developed before the modern transformation of the river began after mid-century. Although this shoreline is no longer a candidate for wilderness, it still has pristine islands and some of the best whitewater paddling and fishing anywhere.

The downtown banks of the river have been developed and redeveloped many times. It was here that ships coming upstream were stopped by the “falls” and here that waterpower was used to mill flour, make rope, produce iron products and generate electricity. Over time, these activities and structures have been replaced by financial institutions, service industries, restaurants and high-rise residential structures.

During the modern transformation of the river, orienting, or reorienting, the city toward the river has been an overarching and recurring theme. During the time when transportation and water power were vital to the economy, the river was a major focus of attention and economic activity in the city. Afterward, the city largely turned away from the river, considering it an obstacle as much as a resource. As Brenton S. Halsey, a major figure in transforming the downtown riverfront, remarked: “In the 20th Century, Richmond turned its back on the river and buried its riverfront in dilapidated industry, railroads, highways, and general neglect—exacerbated by frequent flooding.”129 The central theme of plans during the last fifty-plus years, both implicitly and explicitly, has been to undo the period of neglect and again make the river the centerpiece of the city—a centerpiece with a new purpose.

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