One thing not made clear in the Times-Dispatch's recent article on the selection of The Staubach Company as the development company-of-choice to figure out what to do with 60 acres of city-owned land in North Richmond is how the Dallas-based company was selected. Apparently, they don't have to attend spring training to play ball with Richmond's City Hall -- unlike Tulsa, where Staubach had to submit a proposal (competing against three other development firm).
It's not that the firm isn't reputable -- The Staubach Company helped bring Volkswagen to Northern Virginia, and represents firms like Yahoo and Target in real estate activity. It's just that the process for developing one of the larger public tracts of land north of the James River ought to be more open.
The consultant's selection is the first step of a long-delayed process to redevelop almost 60 acres that Richmond owns around The Diamond between North Boulevard, Hermitage Road and Interstate 95.
The city and its regional partners in The Diamond also are talking to the Atlanta Braves about a new or renovated stadium on the property for the club's AAA affiliate. The stadium is owned by the Richmond Metropolitan Authority.
The process has been stalled by the search for a real estate consultant as well as concerns over the estimated $30 million cost of moving the massive Parker Field Maintenance Facility that the city operates on about 30 acres next to The Diamond.
Staubach's job will be to give Richmond a detailed analysis within 90 days on how to develop the property, as well as the historic Blues Armory building on East Marshall Street that has housed part of 6th Street Marketplace for two decades.
The consultant then has another 90 days to solicit development proposals for carrying out the recommended uses of the properties.
Here's hoping one of Staubach's first recommendations is that the significant residential population surrounding the North Richmond tract be included in the conversation, not to mention its most immediate educational neighbor -- Virginia Union University. (I'm sure VCU already has tickets to the game.)
