The John Marshall Hotel Restored

Click here to view a great CBS 6 news video highlighting the beautiful renovation of The John Marshall Hotel into the John Marshall Residences. Located in the heart of downtown Richmond, the John Marshall offers 238 Class "A" studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments in 55 unique floor plans. In addition, 30,000 sq. ft. of retail has been leased by Homemades by Suzanne's, bringing the elegant ballrooms back to life. An additional 24,000 sq. ft. of retail space is still available. For more information, please click here.

City Receives $600,000 Revitalization Grant for Leigh Street Armory

On Tuesday, December 28, 2011, Governor Bob McDonnell announced that the City of Richmond has been awarded a $600,000 Industrial Revitalization Fund (IRF) grant towards the redevelopment of the Leigh Street Armory, located at 122 West Leigh Street in historic Jackson Ward.

Mayor Dwight C. Jones thanked Governor McDonnell and stated, "Restoration of this property will further advance the City's revitalization of Jackson Ward, which occupies a vital place in the social and economic history of African Americans. It will also enhance Richmond's ongoing efforts to expand tourism while developing our city's cultural offerings. Additionally, it will help give meaningful use to an architectural icon."

To read the full press release, please click here. To read the Richmond Times Dispatch article, please click here.

Work It, Richmond Features Numerous Articles on City Commercial Corridor Success Stories

The Wednesday, December 28th edition of the Richmond Times Dispatch's daily e-news, Work It, Richmond, is chock full of great articles about Shockoe Botton, Church Hill, Libbie & Grove, McArthur Avenue, and successful companies such as businesses that cater to people who love their pets and creative firms. Click here to read the whole edition.

Richmond Ranked a Best City for Business by Wall Street Journal's Marketwatch.com

On December 13, 2011, The Wall Street Journal's MarketWatch issued its yearly report of the top cities in the country for business. Washington, DC, located approximately 90 miles from Richmond, won first place for the second year in a row. Richmond ranked the 12th best city, closely following cities such as Denver, New York, Austin, and Boston.

To read the full article, please click here.

New Downtown Restaurant Recipient of City Loan

Richmond BizSense featured an interview with the owner of one of downtown Richmond's newest restaurants, Pasture, located on East Grace Street in the former Montaldo's clothing boutique. Click here to read the full article.

Mayor Jones Announces Major Expansion of Health Diagnostics Laboratory, Inc.

On Tuesday, November 23, 2011, Mayor Dwight C. Jones announed the expansion of Health Diagnostics Laboratory, Inc. (HDL) in the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park. "This $68.5 million capital investment and 653 net new jobs will bring HDL's employment to over 950 employees and makes HDL a major employer in the city of Richmond," said Mayor Jones.

Click here to read the full press release and here for the Richmond Times Dispatch article.

Shockoe Economic Revitalization Strategy Unveiled

On Tuesday, November 2, 2011, Mayor Dwight C. Jones and the Department of Economic & Community Development unveiled the Shockoe Economic Revitalization Strategy. The Strategy builds upon previous planning efforts, refining the vision of the future for this portion of Downtown Richmond. To learn more, please click here.

The Atlantic Showcases Richmond as a Start-Up Hotspot

In The Atlantic's new special report, "Start-Up Nation: The Search for the next Silicon Valley," Richmond is the first city on the tour. Noted as "blossoming into a tech hub thanks to a great research university, a big creative agency, and cheap, beautiful real estate," the feature showcases Richmond's start-up potential. Click here to read the full article.

Richmond Ranked 7th Best City for Working Mothers

Forbes Magazine announced its list of the 50 best cities for working mothers and Richmond was ranked as one of the top ten. Cities were ranked using metrics including women's earnings, cost of childcare, cost of living and per student public education expenditure. To learn more, please click here.

Putting RVA to Work: Using Section 3 to Create More Businesses and Jobs

A community workshop to discuss Section 3 and its economic
opportunities it provides.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011
10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Richmond Public Library, Auditorium, 101 E. Franklin St.,
Richmond, VA 23219

Come learn about the job and business creation tools available through
Section 3 legislation. J. Keith Swiney, CEO of Motivation Inc., will
illustrate nation-wide business models that used Section 3 to spur
entrepreneurship and employment within federally funded projects. Mr.
Swiney will be joined by a team of presenters from Richmond’s
Department of Economic and Community Development, the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development and Richmond
Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

What is Section 3?

Section 3 is a provision of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968,
which recognizes that HUD funds are typically one of the largest sources of
federal funding expended in communities through the form of grants, loans,
entitlement allocations and other forms of financial assistance. Section 3 is
intended to ensure that employment or contracting opportunities are
generated because a covered project or activity necessities the employment
of additional persons or awarding of contracts for work, preference must be
given to low-and very low –income persons or business concerns residing in
the community where the project is located.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Light refreshments will be available. Click here to view the brochure.

For more information, call:
John Logan at (804) 646-6428 or James Muhammad at (804) 717-5755
Sponsored by:
City of Richmond ● RRHA ● HUD Richmond Office ● Section 3 National Consulting Group LLC

Project Rebuild: HUD Tours Richmond's Church Hill Neighborhood

Last week, Secretary Donovan of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, visited Richmond to see firsthand how previous neighborhood stabilization efforts have helped revitalize neighborhoods, create jobs, stabilize home prices, and stimulate local economies. Click here to view the full blog entry by HUD on their trip to Richmond.

City hosts Entrepreneur Express Seminar

On Wednesday, October 12th, the City of Richmond's Department of Economic & Community Development hosted the Entrepreneur Express seminar at the Police Training Academy sponsored by the Virginia Department of Business Assistance. To learn more, please click here. The City plans to offer this seminar again in the spring of 2012.

Richmond's Tourism Coordinator Talks Slogans, Signs and the Sesquicentennial

Click here to read Style Weekly's feature interview with Anedra Bourne, the City of Richmond's new Tourism Coordinator within the Department of Economic & Community Development.

HUD Secretary Tours Richmond's Neighborhood Stabilization Program Successes

Shaun Donovan, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, visited Richmond on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 to promote Project Rebuild. Project Rebuild is a continuation of a neighborhood stabilization program that would expand to include commercial projects and would allow private developers to participate in the program.

Mayor Dwight C. Jones, along with Councilwoman Cynthia Newbille, toured the 800 block of North 27th Street in Church Hill, which has three houses on the block that were renovated using federal funds managed by ECD's Neighborhood Revitalization. To learn more, please click here.

City Opens First Workforce Development Center

On Monday, October 3, 2011, the City opened the first joint Workforce Development Center in the city that offers services and resources to City residents to better prepare and search for jobs. The One Stop Shop Resource and Missions Center is open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To learn more, please click here.

City Receives Excellence in Economic Development Award from International Economic Development Council (IEDC)

The City's Department of Economic & Community Development received an Excellence in Economic Development Award for their marketing kit in the category of General Purpose Promotion for communities with populations of 200,000 to 500,000 from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). To learn more, please click here.

USA Awarded 2015 UCI Road World Championship

The City of Richmond, Virginia has been selected to host the 2015 Road World Championship! Click here to read the full press release.

Forbes Lists Richmond as 15th Happiest City for Young Professionals

Richmond.com reports that Forbes.com has created the 2011 list of happiest cities for young professionals in America and Richmond is #15. The eight factors that affect workplace happiness were growth opportunities, compensation, benefits, work-life balance, career advancement, senior management, job security, and whether they would recommend their employer to others. Click here to read the full article.

Richmond schools make U.S. News & World Report's 2012 Rankings of Best Colleges

U.S. News & World Report's 2012 rankings of Best Colleges is out and Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Richmond and Virginia Union University all received accolades for various programs. Click here for the full listing reported by Richmond.com.

Richmond Gets Into a Groove

The September edition of the Virginia Business Magazine features an extensive article on the city of Richmond's significant arts and cultural scene and initiatives. Click here to read the full article.

USA Today Lists City of Richmond as Best Place for Paddling Adventure

David Brown, the executive director of the American Outdoors Association, named the City of Richmond as one of the top great places in the U.S. for a paddling adventure to USA Today. Brown said, "It's certainly an authentic whitewater experience. It's a pretty popular urban run." Click here to read the full article.

Virginia Named America's "Top State for Business" by CNBC

CNBC announced that Virginia has been named America's "Top State for Business" in 2011. Virginia received the highest point total in the history of CNBC's rankings, finishing in the top-half of every category ranked. To learn more, please click here.

Virginia Named Top Pro-Business State in National Study

Pollina Corporate Real Estate annual study picks Virginia as a "model" for pro-business states with the Commonwealth, winning by the largest margin in the history of the study. The study, considered the most comprehensive, unbiased and unvarnished by the economic development industry, is the "Gold Standard" for evaluating and ranking states based on 32 factors. To learn more, please click here.

To review the full study, please click here.

Solar Firm Moves from Incubator to Richmond

Eastlight Renewable Ventures, a solar-energy development firm, has graduated from the Dominion Resources GreenTech Incubator in Ashland and moved into a new headquarters in downtown Richmond. To learn more, please click here for the full Richmond Times Dispatch article.

Bloomberg Businessweek Names Richmond a Most Fun and Affordable City

A recent Bloomberg Businessweek online article highlights Richmond as a top city for fun and affordability. A new report from Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate, with real estate data company Onboard Informatics, evaluated over 6,000 zip codes where the mediam home price is within 20 percent of the state's median home price and then selected the 25 areas with the greatest number of bars and restaurants. Click here for more information.

Richmond Named Top Place to Live

Every year, RelocateAmerica.com comes out with a list of top 100 places to live in America, and Richmond is on the list. RelocateAmerican compiles data to find communities that are "well positioned for economic recovery, already experiencing strong economic recovery or have proven economic stability." Factors such as employement, education and overall quality of life also strongly considered in the decision.

According to relocateamerica.com, the cultural and artistic features give Richmond a cosmopolitan flair. "Easy, fun, accessible, and affordable, the Richmond area has something to offer for people of all ages and walks of life." Low traffic congestion and an average 24 minute commute are just some of the reasons that make Richmond a desirable place to live; "reasonable living costs and a wide array of affordable housing contribute to the region’s easy lifestyle."

In addition, Richmond is noted for its diverse economy which includes 10 Fortune 1000 headquarters: pharmaceutical, chemical, biotech, and other 21st century manufacturers; Fifth District Federal Reserve, Fourt Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, and state capital, financial and information technology services; and higher education.

To learn more, please click here.

UNOS Employees to be Transplanted

UNOS, the United Nation for Organ Sharing, a major Richmond nonprofit with a federal contract to match organ donors with transplant recipients, will relocate some of its employees to recently purchased Jackson Center, located in the heart of historic Jackson Ward, from their current location in Virginia Biotechnology Research Park.

According to Richmond BizSense, UNOS has outgrown its location in the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park and needs a place to expand - "we are just bursting at the seams here at our headquarters," says Lisa Schaffner, spokesperson for UNOS.

UNOS purchased the Jackson Center, the deal coming to an official close on June 30. 40- 50 of the 340 employees will begin the transition to the second location this fall.

To learn more about UNOS and their transition to a second location, please click here.

Richmond: Capital of Creativity

"There's just a general inventiveness about the people of Richmond that is somewhat contagious. Not to mention, riding my bike to work every morning past the 'Give me liberty or give me death' site fills me with stubborn entrepreneurial enthusiasm." Tom Oristian, LucyPhone

Click here to read Richmond.com's article highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit in Richmond. The article explains why Richmond is quickly becoming "the place" to bring businesses, both tiny startups and large corporations and as a location that "has the uncanny ability to attract business owners."

Big name companies have been in the city for years, and according to Richmond.com, "with the number of Richmond startups launching, it’s clear the entrepreneurial vibe is spreading like wildfire." The article highlights exciting companies such as LucyPhone, Tumblr and Green Duck.

Picasso Exhibition Produces Nearly $29 Million Impact on Virginia

The recent art exhibition of world renowned artist Pablo Piacasso, held in the Virginia Fine Arts Museum, not only drew over 230,000 visitors to Richmond, but left the city with a better return in economic activity than what was expected. According to The Richmond Times Dispatch, the exhibition, lasting from February to May, resulted in a $26.6 million economic impact to the Richmond region - $1.6 million more than the predicted amount. "You're talking about a $5 million exhibition for which we had zero funding on the day we said yes," says museum director Alex Nyerges.

The exhibition delivered "a highly successful return on what was a 'risky' venture for the museum, agreeing in early 2010 to become one of the only 3 museums nationwide to host the exhibit," explains Nyerges.

For more information on the exhibition and impact on the Richmond area, please click here.

City Selects Coordinator of Comprehensive Tourism Efforts

In order to boost the efforts and increase the impact of tourism in Richmond, Anedra Bourne has been hired as the new Tourism Coordinator for the City's Department of Economic and Community Development.

Anedra Bourne will be working with a diverse group of people to lead the process of implementing recommendations that will emerge from the Mayor's Tourism Commision.

Welcome to the team Anedra!

To read more about Bourne and the future plans for Richmond's Tourism, please click here.

Greater Richmond Partnership Forges Agreement with Bavarian Economic Development

The Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc., the regional economic development organization, has signed a partnership agreement with the Bavarian U.S. Offices for Economic Development, LLC. Life Sciences, medical devices and products, and information technology will be the focus of the partnership.

For additional information, please click here.

Virginia Named America's "Top State for Business" by CNBC

Virginia has been named America's "Top State for Business" by CNBC. The Commonwealth took the top spot in the extremely competitive yearly study, receiving the highest point total in the history of the rankings. Virginia finished in the top-half of every category ranked. The number one ranking comes on the heels of Virginia's receiving the highest ranking of any state east of the Mississippi in the American Legislative Exchange Council's economic competitiveness ranking of the states, which was released last week.

For additional information, please click here.

The Capital of Creativity: Launch of i.e.*

On Thursday, June 24, the launch of i.e.* took place during an all-day summit held at LaDifference in downtown Richmond. The purpose of i.e.* is to tell the Richmond region's creative story and highlight the innovation and world-class work being done in Richmond every day. To read the full article in the Richmond Times Dispatch, please click here.

A Celebration of Progress: One Year Review of East End Vision Initiative

On Tuesday, June 21st, the Richmond community came out in force to celebrate the progress of the East End Initiative and to discuss next steps at the historic Robinson Theater. To read the full article in the Richmond Times Dispatch, please click here. To learn more about the East End Initiative, please click here.

New City Economic Indicators Report Now Available

The City of Richmond has developed a new Economic Indicators Report that highlights economic activity in the city as well as selected indicators for the region, state and nation. The report provides statistics on local employment, retail sales, housing market, building permit activity and tourism activity. Please click here to view the May 2011 report.

Made in Richmond - Special Report

The Richmond Times Dispatch featured several articles recently on the Richmond region's diverse food production and manufacturing base, highlighting companies such as AMF Bakery Systems and C.F. Sauer Co. Click here to read the articles.

Governor McDonnell Signs New Legislation to Promote Clean and Renewable Energy in Virginia

Governor Bob McDonnell signed eight pieces of new legislation on June 15th at the VCU School of Business to promote the clean and renewable energy industry in Virginia and to spur development of new pilot projects and technologies that will promote reliable and affordable energy for Virginia families, businesses and industry.

The legislation will further advance development of renewable energy sources through solar generation demonstration programs, expansion of distributed generation and by establishing additional incentives for individuals and companies to utilize clean and renewable energy.

To read the full press release, please click here.

Shockoe Bottom Development Boom Continues

Residential development in Shockoe Bottom continues as developers turn historic warehouses into apartments and lofts. Click here to view the CBS 6 News video highlighting the developments underway.

Richmond Makes Cover of American Airlines Magazine

The city of Richmond is the cover page featured article in American Airlines' June 15 issue of American Way magazine. Entitled Pride + Perserverance, this article highlights the city of Richmond's history of innovation, welcoming spirit and entrepreneurial energy. Click here to read the full article.

Taste of Paris Coming to Downtown Richmond

The La Parisienne Bistro and Cafe will be opening on the ground floor of the Williams Mullen building at the corner of 10th and Cana streets in July. The restaurant will feature authentic French cuisine and eventually offer live music. For more information, read the full Richmond Richmond BizSense article here.

IT publication list Richmond as a top city for IT Professionals to live

Information technologies trade publication, Microsoft Certified Professionals Magazine, has ranked Richmond #6 on their top "Top 10 Cities for IT Professionals to Live In" list.

The article noted Richmond for its large number of government IT jobs available and the selection of Fortune 500 firms calling Richmond home.

To view the full list, please click here.

New Downtown Development Featured at Venture Richmond Real Estate Forum

On Friday, June 3, 2011, Venture Richmond hosted the "Seeing is Believing" forum, highlighting over 40 projects underway or recently completed in downtown Richmond. For more information, please click here to read the Richmond Times Dispatch article.

Revitalization of East Broad Street

A Richmond Times Dispatch article by Carol Hazard highlights new efforts by the City of Richmond and developers to revitalize a key set of blocks along East Broad Street in downtown Richmond.

Douglas Jemal, a prominent Washington developer, has teamed up with Eagle Commercial Realty to renovate and then sell or lease at least 13 buildings between First and Third Street.

The City of Richmond has been working with Jemal to encourage improvement along East Broad Street and beginning July 1, 2011, will have funding available for facade improvements and small repairs.

Additional revitalization efforts along East Broad Street include the public-private partnership program called ArtBusiness Richmond and the new City-wide loan program. Click here to learn more.

City of Richmond Biennial Fiscal Budget Passed

CITY OF RICHMOND
News Release

For Immediate Release Contact: Tammy Hawley
Monday, May 23, 2011 (804) 646-3110
Tammy.Hawley@Richmondgov.com

Mayor Comments on FY 2012-2013 Biennial Fiscal Budget Passage

Richmond, VA – Richmond City Council passed the city’s 2012-2013 Biennial Fiscal Plan and Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) during its formal meeting tonight. Mayor Dwight C. Jones has provided the following comments on the budget’s passage:

"I thank Richmond City Council for working with my team in reviewing and passing the city’s 2012-2013 biennial budget. Richmond City Council has kept changes to my proposed budget to about 1/10 of one percent for the third year in a row; representative of how we are working together to benefit City residents. This budget is sustainable and is structurally balanced. The enormous costs of the country's financial crisis and lagging economy have continued to force hard choices, but for the third consecutive year, we have not raised taxes, there have been no furloughs or layoffs, and we have not interrupted core services.

“This budget continues our commitment to education as $124 million is included for schools, plus an agreement that the School System will keep the $6 million project fund balance from this fiscal year – to use next fiscal year. Our commitment to schools also is continued in the CIP which includes $6 million for continuing our ADA compliance efforts and includes $52.5 million in School construction projects. This constitutes the greatest commitment of all in the two-year CIP.

“These have been lean times, and it is important that we provide for our hard-working employees. Using the rates calculated by the Richmond Retirement System, we fully fund the required annual contribution to the pension fund, and Council even increased that by $500,000. We have provided a consistent health insurance plan, and in our second year of combining City and School employees in a single plan, we will be fully self-insured as of July 1; which is one year faster than we projected when we combined the two systems in 2010. This budget absorbs the employees’ and retirees’ shares of the increased cost of health insurance. And, we have provided for a $1,000 bonus for each eligible full-time City employee who has been with us for at least one year and included a 1% bonus per eligible employee for RPS employees.

“The budget includes funding for a satellite one-stop job referral and workforce development site at the former Richmond Nursing Home facility on Cool Lane in the city’s East End. Year two of the budget allows for the opening of a child care facility to help parents seeking training and jobs. We have $400,000 for enterprise zones, and $200,000 for the CARE program, to make façade and other improvements in several areas – and this is in the face of budget cuts from HUD.

“We are moving forward with a Mental Health docket and the electronic monitoring of non-violent offenders as we seek to reduce the inmate population at the city jail by moving individuals who don’t need to be there. We are also moving forward with construction of our new Justice Center.

“This budget allows us to assist the Virginia Treatment Center for Children with a new Children’s Mental Health Resource Center, to ensure families receive help in getting the right assessments for their needy children. Right now, too many parents struggle to get help for their children in an incredibly complex network of providers.

“Infrastructure continues to be a major priority for my administration as this budget provides funding to pave 130 lane miles of streets this year, with a cumulative total of 30 percent of City streets paved by 2014. For sidewalks, the CIP includes $1.25 million for sidewalk projects to repair hazardous conditions, and add sidewalks as requested. And, for our cyclists, we have provided $250,000 in each of the next two years for 80 miles of sharrows for sharing roads with cars and bicycles.

“And all of this has been part of a practical budget, and I think it is important to note that we are planning for the future by setting extra reserves this year to help with spike in debt service costs due to school debt coming online in FY 13. We will also see significant savings through the replacement of vehicles with cash in an effort to reduce borrowing. And, we are taking steps to reduce our debt service in the future by paying the costs of the debt issuance with cash and by re-financing higher interest rate debt.”

Greater Richmond Fortune 1000 Headquarters Grows to Eleven

The number of Fortune 1000 companies headquartered in Greater Richmond, Virginia has grown by one for a total of 11. This ranks Greater Richmond 13th best of all metros in the number of Fortune 1000 companies per 100,000 residents.

Across all U.S. metro areas, Greater Richmond ranked 19th in the number of total Fortune 1000 companies, tying with Kansas City, MO and Phoenix, AZ.

NewMarket Corporation was added this year by being ranked 943 on Fortune's list. NewMarket began in Richmond in 1887 and is the parent company of Afton Chemical Corporation and Ethyl Corporation.

Below is the list of Fortune 1000 companies in Greater Richmond*:
Altria Group Tobacco products 154
Dominion Resources Electric and gas utility 162
Genworth Financial Insurance 243
Owens and Minor Health care wholesaler 295
CarMax Automotive retailer 311
MeadWestvaco Packaging 373
Brink's Security services 645
Massey Energy Mining 662
Universal Tobacco wholesaler 749
Markel Insurance 818
NewMarket Chemicals 943

Source: www.fortune.com, May 2011.

Gregory H. Wingfield, president and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc., said, "For a region our size, it is impressive to have 11 Fortune 1000 companies who choose to be headquartered in Greater Richmond, of which six are ranked as Fortune 500. These are well-known companies that are obviously very successful. Having another headquartered company added to the Fortune list this year validates that businesses can thrive in Greater Richmond."


The Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. was launched in 1994 as a pioneering regional public-private initiative to serve as the regional economic development group for the City of Richmond and the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico. The mission is to help grow the Greater Richmond economy through the attraction of high quality jobs and new capital investment, the retention of existing businesses, and the continued improvement of the region's business climate. Since inception, the Partnership has played a key role in the attraction of more than $7.3 billion in investment by 395 new and expanding companies. This is a return on investment of $164 for every $1 in funding provided by public and private partners since 1994. For more information, please visit www.grpva.com. RSS feed: http://www.grpva.com/rss/rss-prod/

###

Media Contact:
Greg Wingfield
President/CEO
Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc.
(804) 643-3227ghw@grpva.com
www.grpva.com

VCU Set to Hire Architect for New Arts Institute

Virginia Commonwealth University's plan to build a $19.3 million gallery to showcase the works of its top-ranked arts school is about to enter the design phase.

The 32,000-square-foot arts institute will be built at the southwest corner of Broad and Belvidere streets on property owned by the VCU Real Estate Foundation that is currently used for surface parking.

To learn more, please click here for the entire Richmond Times Dispatch article.

Richmond Seeks Comment on Transportation Plan

Richmond seeks comment on transportation plan
By Times-Dispatch Staff
Published: May 16, 2011
Updated: May 17, 2011 - 12:00 AM

The city of Richmond is holding an open-house workshop today to encourage residents to help shape the city's vision, goals and policies on transportation.

The meeting will be from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Carillon, 1300 S. Blanton Ave., in Byrd Park. It's part of work to update the Richmond Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan, known as Richmond Connects, by December.

For information, contact Phil Kempf at (804) 287-3164 or pkempf@ mbakercorp.com.

Picasso Adds His Flourish to the Bottom Line

According to a May 17, 2011 Richmond BizSense article, more than a quarter-million people came through the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to see a rare collection of Pablo Picasso works. The month-long exhibit, which ended Sunday, was a major boost to the local hospitality industry, filling hotel rooms and bringing out-of-town spenders to local restaurants and shops.

The Jefferson Hotel, for example, said it booked 1,600 guests who were heading to the museum.

Alex Nyerges, the museum’s director, said the Picasso exhibit sold more than 229,000 tickets, which was more than the 200,000 the museum expected.

Nyerges said the museum sold $2.6 million in tickets for the Picasso exhibit and sold close to a half million in memberships. Nyerges also said that the Picasso exit store, a gift shop, did $1.4 million in sales over a three-month period.

To read the full Richmond BizSense article, please click here.

All of a sudden Boomtown, USA

According to Richmond BizSense, commercial real estate firms have reported $160.6 million in sales from 34 deals for the first four months of 2011, up more than 200 percent from the $47.9 million in sales for the same period in 2010.

“The office market for sales is just beginning to pick up a little steam, and I suspect that we will see some fairly steady activity from here on out,” said Walton Makepeace, a broker with CB Richard Ellis.

Makepeace was one of the brokers involved with the second-largest deal to move forward this year: Dominion Realty Partners’ $63.7 million sale of Riverside on the James to McLean-based American Real Estate Partners.

“I think that deal will start some momentum in downtown Richmond for office building sales,” Makepeace said.

To read the full Richmond BizSense article, please click here.

University of Richmond business school has a top program in the U.S.

According to a Richmond Times Dispatch article, the University of Richmond's Robins School of Business has the top international business program in the country, according to the financial magazine Bloomberg Businessweek.

The magazine said Robins got the top spot in the international program because "of a concentration that includes seven required courses; an international cultural experience involving at least a semester of study outside the U.S., along with proficiency in a second language; and a full-time international internship."

To read the full article, please click here.

Altria Workers Expand Cleanup Effort to Richmond's Arts District

Altria workers are taking part in another event Friday to help clean up parts of the city.

The employees, who are picking up trash and planting flowers on Broad St. from 6th Street to Belvidere, are working to ensure the corridor is welcoming to visitors and residents.

Officials say the area is a crucial gateway to Richmond's Arts District, which includes CenterStage, The National, Shockoe Bottom, art galleries and restaurants.

Additionally, Altria employees will paint four new murals designed by local artists. They will also paint Richmond-inspired visuals on traffic utility boxes.

The event is part of Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup program, which has been supported by Philip Morris for over 60 years.

The Great American Cleanup is the nation's largest community improvement program and takes place annually from March 1 through May 31. The event has more than three million volunteers across the country.

Click here to view the CBS 6 News video.

Steven Spielberg to film Lincoln in Richmond and Petersburg

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell announced on May 4 that Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg will shoot his highly anticipated major feature film Lincoln in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The film is based on the book "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin and will be shot in the Richmond and Petersburg areas. Filming will begin in the Fall and the movie is slated for release in 2012.

The film will star Academy Award-winning actors Daniel Day-Lewis (My Left Foot, There Will be Blood) as Abraham Lincoln and Sally Field (Norma Rae, Places in the Heart) as Mary Todd Lincoln. The screenplay was written by Tony Kushner who last worked with Spielberg on the feature film Munich. The film will be produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Steven Spielberg for DreamWorks Studios.

"We are honored that Steven Spielberg, an award winning and visionary film maker, has chosen the Commonwealth for this important film. It is especially notable coming during the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and emancipation," said Governor Bob McDonnell. "Steven is an exceptional storyteller who brings historic themes to life on screen, resulting in such important and influential films as Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, Munich and the mini-series Band of Brothers. I have no doubt that Lincoln will quickly join the ranks of those famous works."

Steven Spielberg noted, "Virginia's rich historic legacy, coupled with the remarkable period architecture found in Richmond and Petersburg, make Central Virginia the ideal location for this production."

Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Jim Cheng remarked, "It would not have been possible for Virginia to attract such a prestigious film to the Commonwealth without the work of the Virginia Film Office, support of the General Assembly, and the cities of Richmond and Petersburg."

Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones commented, "Richmond played a central role in the Civil War, and we are honored that our city will be featured in a film about this important time in American history. We welcome this extraordinary opportunity to be part of this film."

The Virginia Film Office worked with the cities of Richmond and Petersburg to secure this project. The incentive package includes $1 million from the Governor's Motion Picture Opportunity Fund, $2.5 million from the Virginia Motion Picture Tax Credit program and $1.1 million in in-kind contributions. The amount of funding awarded to a project is based on Virginia workers hired and the purchase of Virginia based goods and services.

The direct and indirect impact of Virginia's motion picture and video production industry in 2009 was $346 million, representing 2,700 jobs for the state.

# # #

German Solar Company Locates U.S. Operations in Richmond

The Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. and the City of Richmond are pleased to announce abalus solar USA's decision to locate in Richmond to distribute solar panels and components. abakus solar has already hired four employees and has aggressive plans to grow the distribution range along the East Coast over the next few years.

abakus solar USA is a subsidiary of abakus solar AG, located in Germany.Founded in 1995, abakus solar AG engineers and operates photovoltaic turnkey plants renowned internationally with locations in Germany, Italy, Greece, Taiwan and now the U.S. The company has special competence in high-quality BIPV (building integrated photovoltaic), tailor made according to the requirements of customers and architects.

James Huff, CEO of abakus solar USA, said "With the emphasis on the need for alternative energy, now is the perfect time for abakus solar to expand in the U.S." The company imports modules to Richmond and plans to create a network of contractors for solar panel installation. Customers will be able to stop by the storefront facility, simplifying both the purchase of materials and installation process. Huff sees ample opportunities to work with existing solar businesses in the region and geographically grow distribution in increments.

On selecting Greater Richmond for its location, Huff explained: "Access to the Port and being at the crossroads of I-95 and I-64 were critical for our decision to locate in Richmond. If accessibility is what you need, why locate anywhere else?" He added, "The Greater Richmond Partnership and the City of Richmond were a tremendous help to abakus solar in making our business decision on where to locate and then supporting us as we established our facility."

Mayor Dwight C. Jones said, "abakus solar AG has chosen the right city for its first USA location! The decision by this German company reaffirms Richmond's most recent accolade as the Best Small American City of the Future by Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Magazine. Having recently launched our own sustainability planning process, we are extremely pleased to welcome and support businesses at the cutting edge of alternative energy solutions. We welcome abakus solar USA to our city."

Gregory H Wingfield, president and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc., said "We are pleased to welcome another German company to the Greater Richmond community and one that is focused on the growing alternative energy market. It was a pleasure working closely with abakus solar and it's rewarding to know that our services were valued. We are very excited about their growth plans."

abakus solar USA was provided site-selection and relocation assistance by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Inc., the Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. and the City of Richmond.

###
Media Contacts:
Greg Wingfield, President/CEO, Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc.
(804) 643-3227
ghw@grpva.com


James Huff, CEO, abakus solar USA
804-980-1351
huff@abakus-solar.com
www.abakus-solar.com

ECD Welcomes New Director, Lee Downey

The City of Richmond Department of Economic & Community Development welcomes Lee Downey as the new director. Click here to read the full release regarding the Mayor's announcement of Mr. Downey's appointment and here for additional information in the April ECD E-News. Welcome Lee!

City of Richmond Kicks Off Strategic Multimodal Transportation Planning

The City of Richmond is kicking off the development of the Richmond Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan, known as Richmond Connects, with two events in early May. The first event is on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at the Byrd Theatre from 5:30 - 8:30 PM. The second event is at Carillon in Byrd Park on Tuesday, May 17, from 5-8 PM. For more information, please click here or contact Phil Kempf at (804) 287-3164 or pkempf@mbakercorp.com.

Riverside on the James Purchased by Herndon-based American Real Estate Partners

On April 14, 2011 American Real Estate Partners (www.americanrepartners.com), a Herndon, VA-based, fully-integrated private real estate investment company announced its most recent acquisition, the firm's first purchase into the Richmond, Virginia market. In addition to the $63.7 million acquisition of Riverside on the James, the company also announced the firm's first acquisition in the New York metro area.

"These new acquisitions are the very best assets in their respective submarkets and will exceed our return objectives," said Douglas Fleit, Chief Executive Officer. "We are seeking many more of these types of opportunities and expect to be extremely active in acquiring quality office projects the next few years."

American Real Estate Partners concentrates on commercial real estate assets and real estate financial instruments in markets along the Eastern Seaboard, including Washington, DC; Virginia; suburban Maryland; Raleigh-Durham; Philadelphia; New Jersey; and New York. The firm's current holdings total approximately 4.2 million square-feet of Class A office and flex assets.

VCU Creates First Program In Product Innovation

Virginia Commonwealth University has received approval from the State Council of Higher Education to develop a master's degree program in product innovation, making VCU the first university in the U.S. to offer such a program. The VCU's da Vinci Center, which is a collaboration between VCU's schools of the Arts, Business and Engineering, will launch the program beginning with the 2011-2012 academic year. To read the fill Richmond Times-Dispatch article, please click here.

Mayor Jones Announces New Director of Economic & Community Development

On Thursday, May 14, 2011, Mayor Dwight C. Jones announced the appointment of three key positions in his administration, including Director of Economic & Community Development. Lee Downey, currently Vice President for Business Development with McKinney & Company, will begin on May 2. Mayor Jones stated, "You need people who have the direct experience, the direct training and a proven track record to take the city forward, and it's been difficult to find such a person. We've interviewed many people, but I think our waiting was well worth waiting." Click here to read more.

Mayor Announces ArtBusiness Richmond Development

On Wednesday, March 13, Mayor Dwight C. Jones and Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO) Peter H. Chapman, announced a new development project in ArtBusiness Richmond that includes an approved loan from the new City-wide loan program. The loan is for adaptive rehabilitation along the Broad Street Corridor and is the first investment in the City Administration's ArtBusiness initiative. To view a video from NBC 12 News, please click here.

Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) Magazine Names City of Richmond Best Small City of the Future

The Financial Times Froup fDi (Foreign Direct Investment) Magazine has awarded the City of Richmond the top "Small American City of the Future" 2011/2012. Richmond was also ranked as the third Top Small Cities for FDI Strategy and fifth overall for Small Cities Business Friendliness. To read the City of Richmond press release, please click here.

Richmond Slave Trail Marker Unveiling this Sunday, April 10, 2011

On Sunday, April 10, 2011, an emancipation celebration and unveiling of 17 new slave trail markers will commence at 3:00 PM at Lumpkin's Jail Site, 1500 E. Franklin Street. The markers are located throughout the Shockoe Bottom area of Richmond and mark sites that help tell the historic journey, human impact, and the role Richmond played in the history of slavery. Click here to view an interview by CBS 6 News with Delegate Delores McQuinn.

New Neighborhood Stabilzation Program (NSP) Homes for Sale

The City of Richmond has been allocated $2.4 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (ECD) to address foreclosed and abandoned properties in three neighborhoods: Highland Park, Barton Heights, and Church Hill. Click here to view the list of properties that have been acquired and are being renovated under Other Publications.

Richmond's 11th Ukrop's Monument 10K is Virginia's Largest Participatory Sporting Event

Over 41,000 runners and walkers participated in this year's Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K in downtown Richmond. More than 100,000 spectators cheered on the participants. All proceeds benefit the VCU Massey Cancer Center. Click here for a great CBS 6 News video.

VCU's Final Four Debut Brings Record National Exposure

The Washington Post highlights the significant amount of attention given to Virginia Commonwealth University as it rose through the NCAA Tournament. According to this article, it means 11 million Web hits - in one day, significant local and national media coverage, more friends, followers and engaged alumni, and more interest in admissions. Richmond BizSense's Monday Q&A interview with George Mason University President Alan Merten highlights George Mason University's similiar experience in 2006 and the aftermath. GMU has quantified the exposure it received from its run as worth more than $600 million. And five years later, Merten says George Mason is still reaping the benefits. To read the full interview, please click here.

Richmond Named 6th Best City to Find a Job

Ajilon Professional Staffing, a speciality recruiting and workforce solutions firm, issued its top 10 cities for finding employment in the U.S., listing the City of Richmond as the 6th best. Using Department of labor data and insights from its regional market branches, Ajilon selected cities with an unemployment rate of 8 percent or lower, and considered other factors such as diversity of industries, cost of living, the range in size of companies offering employment, and the level of higher education among its residents. To learn more, please click here.

Hoopstown USA: Richmond is Focus of National Attention During NCAA Tournament

The City of Richmond is one of only four cities in the country to have two schools in the NCAA Mens Basketball tournament that head to the Sweet 16. To honor the VCU and University of Richmond teams, the City, in partnership with Venture Richmond, VCU and UR, held a pep rally along the Canal Walk at the Turning Basin. Mayor Jones, Dr. Rao, President of VCU and Dr. Ayers, President of the University of Richmond joined in the festivities as hundreds of people came out to cheer their team and their city. Click here to view a Richmond Times Dispatch video of the people rally and here for photos from Richmond.com. The momentum continued as VCU won in overtime against Floriday State on Friday, March 25th, continuing on to the Elite Eight. On Sunday the 27th, VCU beat Kansas, ranked second in the country, heading on to the Final Four - the first time in the university's history. Click here for more coverage from Sport Illustrated.cnn.com.

Richmond Celebrates U of R and VCU Making Sweet 16 in NCAA Tournament

On Wednesday, March 23rd, 5:00 PM, the City of Richmond is hosting a Sweet 16 Pep Rally at the Turning Basin along the Canal Walk in Shockoe Slip to cheer the University of Richmond Spiders and the Virgininia Commonwealth University Rams. Richmond has become the first city since Los Angeles (in 2007) to send two teams to round 16 of the tournament - the fourth time ever in history.

To view a featured video by CBS 6 News, please click here.

University of Richmond Ranked 12th Best Business School for Undergrads

The University of Richmond's Robins School of Business ranked 12th in the country for Best Undergraduate Business Schools 2011 by Bloomberg Businessweek. Last year the school was ranked No. 15. To read more, please click here.

In addition to this accolade, the newly expanded Robins School of Business opened recently with a 37,000-square-foot expansion to Queally Hall. The expansion includes eight new classrooms, a 225-seat auditorium and a large trading room, equipped with 12 Bloomberg terminals where students can get up-to-the-minute stock market and economic data. For more information, click here.

Dominion Announces "Troops to Energy Jobs" Initiative

At Dominion's downtown Richmond HQ's on March 14th, Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling announced the Dominion (NYSE: D) will establish a pilot program to begin linking thousands of future job openings in the energy industry with troops leaving military service. To learn more about the "Troops to Energy Jobs" initiative, please click here.

A member of our Economic and Community Development team found these pictures in a news article and thought you might find them interesting!

http://shockoenews.com/2011/03/16/17th-street-market-2/

City Planners Focus on Riverfront Planning

The City of Richmond Department of Planning and Development Review has begun a series of community forums to receive public input on planning for future riverfront development. Click here to view a video highlight from NBC Channel 12 News on this weekend's public forum.

Luck Stone Supports 15th Annual XTERRA East Championship

On Friday, March 11, 2011 Mayor Dwight C. Jones announced that Luck Stone Corporation has signed on as the presenting sponsor of this year's XTERRA East Championship June 11th and 12th in downtown Richmond.

Bob Grauer, Senior Vice President of Luck Stone stated, "Today we mark another milestone in our efforts to support our city and to positively impact the lives of the people within the community where our company began. It is our hope that this will be the first step in connecting with a new generation of athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, while reaffirming our commitment to the environment and the Greater Richmond community. We know that keeping XTERRA in Richmond is important to the Mayor, City Council and downtown businesses. We're proud to be the presenting sponsor of XTERRA which plays such a vital role in the local economy."

To read more, please click here. To read the Richmond Times Dispatch article, please click here.

Richmond Workforce Pipeline Success Story

During the week of March 7th, 2011, the Workforce Development Division of ECD worked with our Richmond Workforce Pipeline Partners to host an event for a local employer, Standard Parking, to connect local qualified job applicants to job opportunities available with the company. Over 100 job seekers recruited by RRHA, Social Services, Justice Services, RESOURCE, Goodwill, and Boaz & Ruth interviewed for positions as cashiers and parking valets. Standard Parking was pleased with the turnout of high quality candidates and plans to continue to utilize the Richmond Workforce Pipeline to help fill their future hiring needs. If you’d like support for your hiring needs or would like to be a participant in the Richmond Workforce Pipeline, call 646-6464.

Virginia Business Highlights Best In Business

In the March issue of Virginia Business, twenty-five of Virginia's top business leaders are highlighted. Of this prestigious group, a number are leaders of companies based in the City of Richmond including John Adams, Jr. and Mike Hughes of The Martin Agency, William H. Goodwin, Jr. of CAA Industries, Thomas F. Farrell II of Dominion Resources, Inc., and Floyd D. and Bruce C. Gottswald of NewMarket Corp. To read the full article, please click here.

Mayor Jones Places Emphasis on Tourism

On Thursday, March 9th, Mayor Dwight C. Jones held a press conference at ECD's headquarters at Main Street Station to announce the creation of a tourism commission tasked to focus on three issues: how to manage the tourist experience, how to expand and support local attractions, and how to market the city in a way that continually attracts visitors. To view the NBC Channel 12 highlight video and read the full article, please click here.

JPMorgan Chase Opens Downtown Office

Richmond BizSense reports that the New York banking giant JPMorgan Chase announced on Sunday, March 6, 2011 that it is moving its local team from Innsbrook to Three James Center. JPMorgan spokesman Michael Fusco said the company also has plans for further expansion that could include Richmond. To read the full article, please click here.

Richmond Ranks 4th Best City for Commuters

In its "10 Best Cities for Commuters" online article, Kiplinger.com ranked Richmond as 4th best in the nation, noting the gas prices in the area are lower than the national average and the network of major highways that feed right through the center of the city. To read the full article, please click here.

RFP for Brand Development, Website Design & Creative Services Posted

On March 1, 2011, Economic & Community Development issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Brand Development, Website Design and Marketing Services. To read the complete RFP, please click here, a link within the City of Richmond's Department of Procurement Services (www.richmondgov.com/procurement). Please direct any questions regarding this RFP to the listed contact in the RFP.

Hull Street Renaissance Underway

Click here to view the video posted on the River District News blog of a NBC 12 feature highlighting the infrastructure improvements being made by the City.

The video highlights Papa's Pizza, a restaurant that opened in Manchester in March, 2010 with assistance through the City of Richmond's Economic & Community Development Commercial Area Revitalization Effort (CARE) program and the Enterprise Zone Program. Both programs are administered by the Department of Economic & Community Development. For more information on these programs, please click here.

Richmond in Top Ten Cities for Filmakers

CBS 6 News highlighted Richmond's newest accolade of being named by MovieMaker Magazine as one of the ten best cities in the country to "live, work and make movies." To read the CBS 6 article, please click here. To read the full article in MovieMaker Magazine, please click here.

New Homes for Sale Brochure Now Available Online

Click here to view the beautiful homes that are now for sale through ECD's neighborhood revitalization partners including Better Housing Coalition, Lifetime Homes and Southside Community Development & Housing Corporation.

Census 2010 Results: City of Richmond Population is Increasing

Results from the 2010 Census for the Richmond region were released Thursday, February 3, 2011 showing that the city of Richmond's population has increased for the first time in 40 years from 197,790 residents in 2000 to 204,214 in 2010. To read more about the results of the 2010 Census, please click below.

Richmond Times Dispatch

NBC 12 News

ABC 8 WRIC

Mayor Jones Gives Second State of the City Address

On Thursday, February 3, 2011 Mayor Dwight C. Jones held his second State of the City Address to a full house at the recently renovated Hippodrome Theater in historic Jackson Ward. Many news outlets covered this speech. Click below to read news articles and view video clips from the event.

Richmond Times Dispatch

CBS 6 News

RVA News

Mayor Dwight C. Jones' State of the City Address

This Thursday, February 3rd, 2011, Mayor Dwight C. Jones will present the State of the City Address at a public event held at the Hippodrome Theater in historic Jackson Ward from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. For more information, please click here.

Study Recommends Downtown as Site for New Richmond Coliseum/Arena

The Coliseum Study consultants issued recommendations for the site of a new arena of 14,000 to 15,000 seats to be constructed downtown between 8th and 10th Streets, next to the existing Richmond Coliseum site. The cost estimate for a new downtown arena is $147 million. Click here to review the full report.

Two city of Richmond hotels receive coveted AAA awards

In a January 27, 2011 article in the Richmond Times Dispatch by John Reid Blackwell, two hotel located in the city received the coveted AAA rating of four- or five- diamonds. Less than 4 percent of the properties evaluated by AAA inspectors receive the four- or five- diamond awards. The Berkeley Hotel received a four-diamond rating for the 22nd year and The Jefferson Hotel received the five-diamond award for the 18th consecutive year, the only hotel in Virginia to receive this award. To read the full article, please click here.

2010 Digital Cities Focus: Richmond, Virginia Praised for Innovation

In a January 26, 2011 article posted by Wayne Hanson with Digital Cities, the city of Richmond's Department of Information Technology (DIT) is highlighted for the innovative cost-saving projects that earned the city three digital government achievement awards and an honorable mention in 2010. To read the complete article, please click here.

"We want to be part of the resurgence occurring downtown"

Reported by Al Harris in the January 17th, 2011 edition of Richmond BizSense, one of Rchmond's oldest skyscrapers is about to get the apartment-conversion treatment. Local development firm Hunt Investments LLC and the Virginia Beach-based Armada Hoffler together purchased the building at 700 E Franklin Street for $7.2 million. The historic building is planned to be converted into 115 units of studios and one- and two- bedroom apartments. Tony Nero, president of Armada Hoffler said his firm hopes to pursue more projects in the Richmond area. "We've obviously developed a lot of relationships in Richmond, and we want to be part of the resurgence occurring downtown." To read the full article, click here.

Fast-Growing Firm Expands at Biotech Park in City of Richmond

Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. celebrated the opening of its expanded office and laboratory space within Virginia BioTechnology Park in the City of Richmond on Wednesday, January 19th. Since its founding in 2009, HDL has grown from a staff of 11 to about 180 with revenue reaching about $70 million in 2010. To read the full article, please click here.

Richmond Highlighted as Tourism Destination

The City of Richmond has been highlighted by the Today Show and Daily Candy, the New York edition, as a hotspot to spend a 3-day weekend. Click here to view the Today Show feature and here to view the Daily Candy article.

USA Reports Richmond International Airport a "Road Warrior" Favorite

USA Today reports today on the popularity of regional airports by "road warriors" who log millions of miles each year and highlights Richmond International Airport (RIC)as being a top favorite.To read the full article, click here. To learn more about Richmond International Airport, including the newest nonstop services to Miami and Minneapolis/ St. Paul, please click here.

Richmond Ranked 7th Best City for Business

According to the Wall Street Journal's online magazine Marketwatch, Richmond ranked seventh in this year's review of the best cities in the country for business. Marketwatch states, "Richmond boasts the best of both worlds; it's about an hur and a half to metro Washington by car, yet it's a lower-cost, relatively smaller city." Washington, D.C. was ranked the top city for business this year. To read the full article, please click here.