Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Sharing Vision For Shared Spaces: Mobile Immersive Planning And Community-Led Design Of Green Spaces In Richmond’S Southside, Maria T.E. Dougherty

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This plan seeks to demonstrate the potential of immersive technologies, specifically augmented reality, in strengthening public engagement and enabling the collaborative, community led design of local green spaces.

Community engagement, while now a focal point of urban planning education, is still implemented in uneven strategies that often further distance the public from the process and understanding of city vision; new paradigms of outreach and community-government knowledge sharing must be explored to overcome common constraints of time, expertise, and language that prevent public participation in projects that directly impact their health. Immersive urban planning offers a way to bring people into …

Food Systems Financing Action Plan, Noah Holmes Foster

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Food insecurity is a well-documented issue in Virginia and throughout the United States. Food enterprises, especially those in under-resourced communities, often lack access to the credit needed to start or expand their operations due to the narrow profit margins of food enterprises. Community development financial institutions (CDFIs), such as Virginia Community Capital (VCC) address this issue by providing low-interest financing to food businesses that can increase food security and strengthen local economies. Food systems financing is a developing field for VCC and other CDFIs, and changes to standard practices are required to ensure that lending is as accessible as possible …

Growing Small: Citizen Preferences For New Development In Highland County, Virginia, And The Town Of Monterey, Charles F. Wilson

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

“Growing Small: Citizen Preferences for New Development in Highland County, Virginia and the Town of Monterey” is a plan by Charles Wilson for Highland County (“Highland”) as they reconsider the future of the Town of Monterey (“Monterey”). Highland is a rural county in western Virginia at the intersection of U.S. Routes 250 and 220. In the Summer of 2021, a new Family Dollar was issued permits to demolish an historical lodging facility and construct a new store—just a few buildings away from an existing Dollar General. This was not without controversy, but ultimately prompted reflection amongst community members for how …

Shenandoah Valley Partnership: Growing And Enhancing The Food And Beverage Manufacturing Industry, Justin Williams

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This plan analyzes how the Shenandoah Valley Partnership can grow and enhance its food and beverage manufacturing industry. To answer this question, I interviewed and surveyed food and beverage manufacturers to understand their business needs, as well as interviewed service providers to identify their relationships with this industry. The four main results from the plan were:

• There is a need for more capital for the businesses.

• There is a labor shortage in the industry.

• The Shenandoah Valley has an excellent distribution location.

• The industry has a poor relationship with the region’s service providers.

The plan outlines recommendations on how institutions …

Northern Neck Economic Development Plan: Improving Connectivity Within The Food Industry, Annie Weidhaas

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Northern Neck region seeks a better understanding of its food industry and how the industry contributes to economic growth and development. This plan examines the food industry in the Northern Neck to identify existing assets and missing linkages that can improve regional economic development.

The Northern Neck faces challenges to its regional economic growth and development. This plan uses a rural and regional perspective and interviews with local food-related businesses and stakeholders to answer the following research questions: 1) What is currently happening within the region’s food industry? 2) Can connectivity within the region’s food industry improve? And 3) …

Rejuvenate: North Church Street Corridor Plan, Robert J. Tate

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The city of Burlington is facing a waning issue to stimulate economic growth in neighborhoods in its eastern portion. The Rejuvenate: North Church Street Corridor Plan strives to use equitable development and smart growth strategies to uplift the economic prosperity of the North Church Street corridor. This plan recommends improving pedestrian infrastructure, fostering sustainable development growth patterns, beautifying streetscapes, and increasing social and civic capital. The recommendations proposed collectively work towards re-imagining the American suburban landscape into walkable mixed-use communities.

The Reconstructing Randolph Project, Latoya Gray-Sparks

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Reconstructing Randolph Project is an in-depth historical case study of one of the last thriving and intact Black neighborhoods in Richmond to be disrupted by urban renewal. The case study utilizes a Black geographical lens, historic preservation practices and counter cartography to illuminate the rich history and people who made up the Randolph neighborhood. The plan also outlines policies and strategies that can be implemented to 1) amplify and preserve the history of Randolph and (2) protect long-term Black residents who wish to remain in a city that is quickly changing due to gentrification.

Richmond Community Compost Initiative Plan, Brendan Mcdowell

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The City of Richmond is beginning the process of creating a composting program for the first time in the city’s history. It is part of a cross-departmental collaborative plan to divert food waste from the landfill and into a new composting program. The Office of sustainability is in the process of drafting the RVAGreen 2050 Climate and Equity Master Plan for Richmond, which includes an ambitious zero-waste goal. In order to accomplish this future goal, the city must begin setting up the infrastructure to begin diverting waste from the landfill.

The purpose of the Community Composting Initiative Plan is to …

Revitalization Strategies For Downtown Elkton, Virginia, Gabrielle Dean

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Elkton is a rural Virginia town eager to revitalize its downtown. After years of decline, there is a newfound interest in developing the downtown commercial district. This plan addresses community goals and current market conditions to provide implementable recommendations for revitalization in a rural context. The recommendations are modeled after the Main Street America Community Transformation strategy and primarily focus on vacant property abatement and utilizing urban design tactics to create a walkable district.

Williamsburg Road Commercial Corridor Revitalization Plan, Rachael B. Thayer

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Sandston is the second oldest established neighborhood in the County of Henrico, and the commercial corridor found along Williamsburg Road has served this community for over a century. This corridor developed during a time when Williamsburg Road, or Route 60, was the primary roadway between the City of Richmond and Williamsburg. As seen with other American corridors that emerged before the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, the Sandston corridor has experienced a halt in the economic development and decrease in the vitality of the economic base in recent decades. The Williamsburg Road Commercial Corridor Revitalization Plan strives to identify key …

Vcu Monroe Park Campus 'Iconic Green' Pre-Planning And Design Study, Nicholas A. Jancaitis

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The 'Iconic Green' pre-planning study for the Monroe Park Campus of VCU provides the framework and data necessary to support the intended 'nexus' on the proposed site. A review of the existing literature on various subjects included will highlight models and successful measures that have ensured success for previous similar built works. Having an understanding of the underlying factors and implications for the site, a needs assessment using existing literature and design precedents and in comparison with VCU's own desired end state and needs. Focusing on these comparisons within a theoretical framework called the Just Beautiful City, established in this …

Disability Inclusive Transportation: Assessing First Mile Last Mile Conditions In The Richmond Region, Rebekah A. Cazares

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Accessible public transportation services are vital to promoting a healthy, livable, and thriving region. For people with physical disabilities, the inability to access services and activities can have a harmful impact. A lack of personal mobility may lead to a decreased quality of life and the inability to advocate for one’s rights. Given the region's growing population, as well as increased disability rates, providing accessible public transportation services is crucial.

While public transportation services are required to be accessible under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, supporting infrastructure oftentimes creates additional barriers. For example, poorly maintained …

Tredegar Street Corridor Plan: A Step To Unifying The Richmond Riverfront, Chesley A. Deleon

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

In order to understand the performance of a transportation network, the three concepts of mobility, connectivity, and accessibility must be evaluated. Each concept must be assessed separately and collectively to comprehend how people move about the network. The purpose of this professional plan is to evaluate and enhance these three concepts of Tredegar Street by the James River in Richmond, Virginia. The street is part of an extensive transportation network that consists of roads, trails, and bridges that connect to parks, workplaces, residential neighborhoods, and Downtown. Tredegar Street plays a vital role as a conveyer of multiple users utilizing various …

Green Alley Network Plan, Dan Motta

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Green Alley Network Plan seeks to realize the potential of Richmond’s public alleyways as opportunities for biodiverse shared streets acting as active transportation corridors, stormwater management systems, and public spaces that support high quality of life and community health. This project aims to be an expansion on Richmond’s Green Alley program, detailing tools, examples, recommendations, and steps to implementation. It is guided by the city’s visions of High-Quality Places, Equitable Transportation, a Diverse Economy, Inclusive Housing, and a Thriving Environment as expressed in the Richmond 300: A Guide for Growth Master Plan. Additionally, the region’s long-range transportation plan being …

Richmond Riverviewshed Analysis, Mounika Reddy Sudini

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Richmond River viewshed analysis emphasized the importance to be given to the south side of the river. In order to increase the significance of the south side thus, this plan will be focusing on the existing conditions, discusses the accessibility issues, perform viewshed analysis and create standards for access in the right – of – way.

Advancing Racial Equity In Homeownership Through A Lease-To-Own Program: An Evaluation Framework For The Maggie Walker Community Land Trust, Leah Demarest

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

During the summer of 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and its resultant economic crisis and unprecedented levels of housing and financial instability, the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust (MWCLT) launched a pilot lease-to-own program in Richmond’s gentrifying Church Hill neighborhood. The official goal of the program is to expand access to affordable homeownership for Black households in MWCLT’s homes across Richmond, Henrico County, and Chesterfield County by addressing barriers to mortgage lending that they disproportionately face due to past and on-going systemic racism. With three households currently participating in the pilot program and a fourth household slated …

Norfolk Scope Community Plan, Michael D. Nixon-Garrison

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The purpose of the Norfolk Scope Community Plan is to provide the client, the City of Norfolk’s Department of City Planning, with a plan for revitalization of the community surrounding the Norfolk Scope Complex. The plan includes three potential redevelopment scenarios, along with general recommendations for areawide enhancements, both of which the client could potentially use to guide small area planning for the community in the future. The Scope is a multi-functioning entertainment complex located in the heart of Downtown Norfolk, Virginia and includes the Scope Arena, an 11,000-seat venue for concert and sporting events, Chrysler Hall, a performing arts …

Utility-Scale Solar In Virginia: An Analysis Of Land Use And Development Trends, Aaron R. Berryhill

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Virginia has seen a rapid growth of the utility-scale solar industry with many new solar facilities constructed in recent years. The continued development of utility-scale solar facilities is anticipated because of Virginia’s aggressive renewable portfolio standards in addition to recent technological improvements and declining system costs. However, an emerging concern regarding the widespread development of utility-scale solar facilities is its potentially significant land use. To date, there is very little information available that comprehensively evaluates the existing land use impacts and development trends of solar facilities. This study investigates the spatial characteristics of existing utility-scale solar energy facilities in Virginia …

Stony Point Fashion Park Small Area Plan, Jane I. Howk

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The purpose of the Stony Point Fashion Park Small Area Plan is to explore the value and future of the Stony Point Fashion Park through the creation of a small area plan. This topic needs to be addressed immediately because malls are facing a sharp decline in economic growth and use. Online shopping brings a competition that malls do not seem to be equipped to address. This drives the research question: how can Stony Point Fashion Park be reimagined to attract business, increase residential growth, and maximize the potential for new services? Malls that continue to flourish differ significantly from …

Disposition And Development Strategies For Vacant Property In Petersburg, Virginia, Grace N. Stankus

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Petersburg, Virginia has weathered decades of population and industrial decline resulting in the abundance of City-owned vacant property. As the Richmond metropolitan area continues to gain population and attract development, Petersburg is ideally positioned to capitalize on these regional growth trends. The purpose of this plan is to propose recommendations for Petersburg to establish a streamlined and proactive land disposition and development approach to reposition itself within the region. Through the study of five post-industrial cities to learn how each handle vacant property disposition and development, this plan incorporates good practices from the study cities and feedback from regional developers …

Appleton Area Ohv Park Master Plan, Chad M. Kingstrom

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This master plan for the Appleton Area OHV Park, located in Swift County in west-central Minnesota, is intended to capture user feedback and to inform future park development. This master plan will be used to show that the park is of regional significance and will therefore gain access to Minnesota’s Legacy Funds administered by the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission. Because most of the public OHV resources are in the northeastern part of the state, and access to private land is extremely limited, the park is a critical regional amenity for OHV users. The park serves all four …

Affordable Housing In Reston Virginia, Margaret Gallagher

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Reston was one of the first planned cities in America and was planned to be inclusive and accessible for people of all ages, incomes, and backgrounds. Reston lies within Fairfax County, Virginia, which is currently re-evaluating its comprehensive plan. As a region under Fairfax County’s governance Reston’s 2017 Comprehensive Plan is also being re-evaluating, in effort to assess how it is meeting community needs today. As a part of the re-evaluation the housing market in Reston will be reviewed, including affordable housing. This plan aims to assess the stock of affordable housing in Reston, understand any unmet needs of the …

Green Infrastructure Plan For Private Property In Richmond, Virginia., Rebecca C. Acland

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This plan was developed for the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU), researching and identifying methods to increase implementation of green infrastructure throughout the City's private residential properties. Green infrastructure (GI) is a relatively new technique utilized for stormwater management, defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as infrastructure mimicking natural processes of absorbing and storing water during large storm events. The implementation of GI directly contributes to the creation of healthier urban environments and the reduction of water quality problems.

This plan provides potential funding sources for future GI programs, zones of opportunity for GI and green investments, …

Equitable Development On The Richmond Highway Corridor In Richmond, Virginia, Amelie M. Rives

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This professional plan supports the work of Virginia Community Voice to organize with neighbors advocating for equitable development of Richmond’s Southside neighborhoods along the Richmond Highway (formerly known as the Jefferson Davis Highway Corridor). Virginia Community Voice is a community-based non-profit organization with a mission to equip neighbors in historically marginalized communities to realize their vision for their neighborhoods and prepare institutions to respond. As redevelopment rapidly increases, Virginia Community Voice seeks to create an “equitable development scorecard” that reflects the desires and needs of residents for housing and business development along the Richmond Highway in the City of Richmond. …

Stadium Neighborhood Plan, Richmond, Virginia, Donald J. Smith

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The purpose of this document is to provide a 20 year comprehensive plan for the Stadium Neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia. This document was produced as part of the requirements for the Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). This plan fulfills the Professional Plan requirement in the MURP program, a credit-bearing educational experience in which students work with a community to develop its vision for the future and a strategic map to reach that vision.

The Chesterfield Pike Plan: A Community Revitalization Plan For Historic Route 1, Eric Van Mai

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Chesterfield Pike Plan complements Chesterfield County’s ongoing efforts to revitalize the northern section of the Jefferson Davis Highway corridor. By focusing on housing and local economic challenges on what is locally known as “The Pike,” this plan explores community revitalization strategies in a diverse inner-ring suburb. The Pike has been impacted by the nationwide trends of suburban poverty and immigrant suburbanization, which present challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of revitalization. Striking a balance between meeting community needs and economic growth requires a plan that identifies ways in which both new private investment and the existing community can benefit. …

The Eastern Goochland Greenway: Connecting Goochland's Past, Present, And Future, Scott A. Newhart

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

The Eastern Goochland Greenway Plan proposes a shared-use trail that is nested within the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) conceptualization of a statewide trail system called the James River Heritage Trail (JRHT). The JRHT includes shared use bicycle and pedestrian facilities as well as water trail access points that would connect pre-existing trail systems to new proposed trails that are parallel with and in close proximity to Virginia’s James River corridor and all of the natural, cultural, and historic resource opportunities that the surrounding areas offer. Specifically, the Eastern Goochland Greenway aims to serve two major purposes; to …

Rehouse Richmond: Plan To Address The Eviction Crisis, Lark Washington

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Rehouse Richmond aims to recommend specific best practices and start-to-finish development of successful organizing strategies for anti-eviction work. The client for this plan, RISC, is an interfaith coalition of congregations across the Richmond region. Richmond has a compounding history of redlining, urban renewal, foreclosure crisis, and now evictions that has drained the wealth of its Black residents for generations. There is a wealth of academic literature indicating the prevalence of eviction as well as the people who are most vulnerable: rent-burdened tenants, and Black women especially with children. There are a lot of responses to the eviction crisis ranging from …

Infra-Sutures: New Perspectives In Responsive Design And Community Engagement, Shekinah Mitchell

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Whether considering the construction of highways, urban renewal, or concentrated poverty, many low-wealth communities of color bear the scars of inequity. These scars are symbols of racial and socioeconomic trauma with deep physical, cultural and economic impact; however, this plan asserts that if the built environment has the power to entrench and reinforce hierarchies, it also has the power to participate in dismantling oppressive ideologies and advancing racial and socioeconomic equity. With Richmond, Virginia serving as the case example, this plan proposes a community engagement process and culturally responsive design principles to activate public space redevelopment projects as infra-sutures. Developed …

Westwood Multimodal Transportation Plan, Ashley N. Austin

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Westwood is experiencing an industrial regeneration that will change the way the area is utilized by the surrounding communities. To be proactive, Henrico County is planning for the future by creating an overlay zoning district and striving for a multimodal environment to ensure the area grows in a sustainable manner.

This plan evaluates the study area, retrieves community engagement, and makes recommendations on streetscape design and public transit improvements to create a multimodal Westwood. Study area observations provided evidence that the streets in Westwood need to be redesigned to accommodate more for pedestrians and cyclists. Community outreach in the form …