Extreme Makeover: Petersburg's Revitalization Plans Take Shape
3 Jul 2008
A five-page feature on Virginia LISC's Petersburg Initiative, from a special section of the July 2008 Richmond Magazine entitled "South of the James"
by Katherine Houstoun
Richmond Magazine
July 2008
Smack in the middle of what was once a culturally vibrant area of Petersburg sits a depressing sight: a dead end street with 14 rundown and mostly vacant bungalows. Sidewalks are overgrown, windows are broken and a smattering of graffiti adorns the crippled structures. Ross Court has been a stronghold for drug activity for years, effectively relegating the street to a live of seemingly never-ending blight and ruin.
It's a sad story, particularly for this neighborhood, the Halifax triangle, which once served as the center for Petersburg's middle- and upper-class African-American community. Like many Petersburg neighborhoods, the area suffered from years of disinvestment and decay, leaving behind city residents who were both nostalgic for what used to be and skeptical about the region's future.
The story's final chapter has not yet been written, however; today, a combination of private, public and nonprofit organizations, propelled by the efforts of community building group Virginia Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC), are striving to infuse Ross Court with new life. With any luck, the blighted street could be just months away from regaining its former status as a charming cottage community.
Richmond Magazine
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Article Type: News