As reported by Richmond BizSense yesterday, Virginia Union University’s decision to revise its apartment plans and fully preserve the Richmond Community Hospital building represents a major win for community activism. This victory is largely credited to the grassroots efforts of locals Viola Baskerville and Farid Alan Schintzuis, who formed the ‘Save Community Hospital‘ group. Their efforts began with Baskerville’s letter to the Richmond Free Press in February. Shortly after, Michael Paul Williams’ editorial in the Richmond Times-Dispatch further amplified the issue, bringing it into the spotlight and rallying broader community support.
Since March, we have been documenting this rallying effort, which aimed to prevent the erasure of a key piece of Richmond’s history.
Initially, VUU and developer Steinbridge Group proposed demolishing the hospital, sparking concern from the community about losing a historic structure that played an important role as the city’s first Black hospital. Baskerville and Schintzuis, alongside many other concerned residents, mobilized to ensure the building was preserved. The scaled-back plan announced by VUU on October 23rd, which now preserves the entire structure and repurposes it into a fitness and health education center, stands as a testament to the impact of their sustained efforts.
This outcome highlights the power of grassroots activism, showing that community voices can influence large-scale development decisions. The hospital building’s preservation, framed as an homage to its historical roots, is a direct result of months of advocacy, rallies, and public pressure. It reflects a broader trend in Richmond, where locals are increasingly demanding that development respect the city’s historical and cultural legacy.
While community activism was a major driving force behind the preservation of this important site, it’s worth noting that the timing of VUU’s decision also followed a court order filed on October 22, 2024, by community advocate Sa’ad El-Amin. The legal challenge raised concerns about the handling of the property by VUU and highlighted the historical and cultural importance of the building, suggesting potential legal complications for the university if they pursued demolition. Though not the primary factor, this court order adds an interesting dimension to the victory, showing that public pressure and legal action can go hand-in-hand to achieve common goals.
You can view the document HERE.
Key points from the court document:
- Parties Involved:
- Sa’ad El-Amin, the petitioner, an advocate representing the interests of Richmond’s African American community.
- Virginia Union University (VUU), a historically Black university, named as a respondent.
- Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Chair of VUU’s Board of Trustees.
- Dr. Hakim J. Lucas, VUU’s President.
- Historical Context:
- The Richmond Community Hospital, built in the 1930s, was one of the few hospitals for African Americans during segregation.
- This hospital served as a crucial institution for Black medical professionals and patients, offering services when most hospitals denied African Americans equal care.
- By the 1980s, the hospital moved to a new location, but the Overbrook Road site remained historically significant.
- Legal Claims:
- El-Amin accused VUU of neglecting its responsibility to maintain and preserve the hospital building.
- The complaint noted a $1.3 million fund, originally set aside to help preserve the structure, which had not been used for that purpose.
- The petition argued that demolishing the hospital would violate the terms of VUU’s 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, which restricts how such properties can be sold or repurposed.
- The document requested an injunction to prevent VUU from demolishing or altering the building until the matter was resolved legally.
- Request for Relief:
- The petitioner sought a declaratory judgment that VUU’s failure to protect the hospital amounted to the destruction of a historical site.
- The filing requested the court to block any demolition plans and require VUU to actively preserve the building moving forward.
The court order highlighted numerous concerns about VUU’s neglect of the property and their proposed development plans, which included demolishing the historic edifice to make way for market-rate apartments. El-Amin’s filing underscored the building’s importance as one of the last remaining African American hospitals from a period when racial segregation limited healthcare access for Black patients.
From the early rallies to the detailed discussions with city officials and developers, the local community’s consistent pushback has been central to achieving this result. The preservation of the hospital building isn’t just a win for history buffs or preservationists—it’s a victory for everyone in Richmond who believes that the city’s future should honor its past. This project serves as a powerful example of how unified, grassroots efforts can drive real change in urban development, with the court’s involvement further underscoring the community’s rightful claim to protect its history.
Ultimately, the Richmond Community Hospital stands preserved as a symbol of the city’s resilience, history, and the strength of community activism.
