Richmond just made two big moves in its push to memorialize the city’s role in the transatlantic slave trade.
Why it matters: Once complete, the 10-acre Shockoe Project will bring long-promised recognition to sites once ignored or erased — and transform Shockoe Valley.
Driving the news: The Planning Commission this week greenlighted conceptual plans for Phase 1 of the African Burial Ground Memorial.
- The design plans will be up for final review next year.
- The commission also gave the Reconciliation Plaza restoration final approval, which allows construction to begin at North 15th and East Main streets.
- Construction is estimated to be done by Emancipation Day, April 3, and to cost about $2 million.
Zoom in: The design of the burial ground, where an unknown number of free and enslaved Richmonders were buried, now includes a winding walkway and story wall in addition to the previously known reflection space.
- It’ll also incorporate stormwater management systems in the flood-prone area.
- The Reconciliation Plaza — one of three that exists in the world — will have a triangular granite fountain symbolizing the triangular route of the slave trade.
What they’re saying: “With each step, we move closer to creating spaces that acknowledge the full truth of Richmond’s history and invite meaningful reflection,” Leo Mantey, the city’s general manager of the project, said in a statement.
- “These actions mark an important milestone in that journey.”
What’s next: Another section of the project, the 12,000-square-foot Shockoe Institute, began construction earlier this year. It could open in Main Street Station in early 2026…