The next phase of the downtown planning process features smaller neighborhood breakout groups. Tonight’s session focuses on Manchester and Blackwell. Everyone is invited to The Bankuet Place (the old Mechanics & Merchant’s Bank in Downtown Manchester) 1129 Hull Street, from 6-8PM.

Of additional local interest may be the James River-specific session on February 19, 6PM, at the Main Library, 101 E. Franklin St.

The next public hearing on the downtown Master Plan will be held tomorrow night, January 15, at 6:30pm in City Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of City Hall. As we mentioned before, while not directly related to our neighborhoods, a strong downtown is a win-win for everyone. The Westover Hills branch of the library should have a physical copy of the draft of the plan, should you wish to bone up on things in a non-electronic format.

If you’re looking for more info, John Sarvay is the go-to guy on all things related to the downtown plan. We also welcome any attendees who wish to share their impressions of the hearing and/or the plan itself.

Today at noon, the city will unveil the first draft of the new downtown master plan. Though the focus won’t directly impact the Forest Hill corridor, it’s still an important exercise for the city as a whole. The plan will be available for review on the City Website, all Richmond Public Libraries locations, Community Centers, and City Hall rooms 110 and 510.