TD reports on plans for Boulevard corridor
The Richmond Times-Dispatch covers two birds with one stone today — the short-term lease agreement recently reached with the Richmond Braves and the longer-term plans for the city-owned land along the Boulevard and Hermitage: Richmond’s search for a developer for the Boulevard has put any decision on a new ballpark on hold — even though the […]
The Richmond Times-Dispatch covers two birds with one stone today — the short-term lease agreement recently reached with the Richmond Braves and the longer-term plans for the city-owned land along the Boulevard and Hermitage:
Richmond’s search for a developer for the Boulevard has put any decision on a new ballpark on hold — even though the Braves offered more money for a deal.
But despite the team’s impatience, local government and business officials say they’re relieved by a lease extension this week for The Diamond that they hope gives everyone some breathing room.
Richmond plans to hire a consultant next month to run a nationwide search for developers to transform the park and surrounding area along the Boulevard, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Harry E. Black said yesterday.
The city hopes a developer will be in place by January, with plans on what to build and how to pay for it, Black said. That, however, would be an aggressive timeline, he added.
“It wouldn’t really make sense,” he said, for the Braves to go ahead separately with plans for a new facility until a Boulevard developer is in place.
“I feel good that we’re approaching it the right way.”
Black said he’s encouraged that the parent club, the Atlanta Braves, agreed this week to extend the current lease at The Diamond for up to three years. The agreement gives the Braves an option to cancel by Oct. 1 each year.
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