Reestablishing the Rhythm at Central National Bank
Patrick Thompson is clearly waiting for something to happen as the tiny darkened elevator car ascends the abandoned Central National Bank tower. And just before Floor 15, the car clangs against the elevator shaft. “There it is,” the project architect says with calm. It’s a jarring feeling when you’re up that high, but he’s used […]
Friends: 142-Year-Old Gift to Richmond
Former slave Lucy Goode Brooks established the Friends’ Asylum for Colored Orphans in Jackson Ward in 1871 and the work she began continues to this day. With the help of her sewing circle and local religious groups, Brooks provided a home and hope to black children in Richmond who had been orphaned by slavery and […]
By the People. For the People.
A new project, where anyone can write their own stories and thoughts in books that have been repurposed for others to check out, has Richmonders digging out their library cards. Two 2013 VCU graduates have created The People’s Library, taking books headed for the recycling bin and removing pages and shredding the paper to make […]
A Better Way to Deliver
In 2014 Grid is moving forward by exploring better ways to deliver our publication. With a focus on sustainable transportation, we’ve partnered with a number of local businesses to help deliver a portion of our magazines in the coming months. BIORIDE Jeff and Joey Anderson, founders of bioRide, are known as the kind of Richmonders […]
Summit Avenue Rising
Summit Avenue’s coffee shop and its beer brewery alone, Mac Gambill half-jokes, cover two key pillars of his lifestyle these days. Lured to Scott’s Addition by its industrial-turned-mixed use properties and its hip, young professional vibe, the 27-year-old signed a lease at the Ambience Lofts in January. After graduating college in 2010, he moved to […]
80 Amps: Jump Starting New Businesses
By Ace Callwood Richmond is well-rounded. Within the city limits there are nationally ranked academic programs in arts and advertising, Fortune 500 companies, top-tier branding agencies, and a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. That’s why it’s no surprise that the unique mash-up of creative and business in Richmond is exactly what prompted an impressive group of partners […]
CreateAthon: Collaborating For 24 Hours
“We should work around the clock once in a while,” said Cathy Monetti, during a late- summer night in the studio. “Then maybe we could get ahead.” “Yes, we should,” Teresa Coles agreed, with the look of a brainstorm on her face. “But we should do it for charity.” That exchange between Monetti and Coles […]
Localities Team Up For Economic Development: Partnership A Model for Regionalism
Greg Wingfield, the president and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership, knows a thing or two about playing on teams. The 6-foot-5-inch former college basketball player has been forming bonds in economic development for around 35 years. “When you look down the bench and can trust every player on your team, it means a lot,” […]
A Botanical Makeover of the RVA Arts District
The RVA Arts District just got a makeover-a botanical makeover, that is. The RVA Arts District Beautification Plan has successfully revamped the Broad Street gateway and the 400 block of E. Grace Street thanks to the efforts of Capital One, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Venture Richmond, and the City of Richmond. “This project says ‘you […]
Neighborhoods That Work — Together
Shockoe District By Pete Humes It has often been said that everything good ends up in Shockoe. While young, exciting minds are busy making cool stuff at VCU and downtown, all of the energy behind those good ideas eventually flows down to Shockoe. Shockoe is the epicenter of everything awesome. As you walk the cobblestone […]