RICHMOND, Va. -- Neighbors living near Brookland Park Boulevard on Richmond's Northside brought their concerns about crime and light to a district meeting Thursday with Richmond City Councilman Chris Hilbert.
The Northside community sat down with Councilman Hilbert at the Ginter Park Library. They shared concerns from the increased shootings and lack of lighting along Brookland Park Boulevard, that they said, is stopping economic growth on that side of the city.
Their main concern lies with the American National Bank Building at 201 Brookland Park Boulevard. The property was brought by a developer several years ago, along with a $200,000 grant given to the developer by the city.
Fast foward to 2019 and and the community still sees no developments. Matthew Dunlap lives in the area and hopes something is done.
“And yet the city has asked for no accountability for the money and the city has not asked for the money back," said Dunlap.
“I’d like to see the bank taken back from the developer who is not met his obligations and given back to the city so it could be sold to a developer who will actually do something with it," he added.
“This is going to happen relative to the small business development center," said Hilbert. "I do think that there might be folks out there that want this property but my question to them is where were they four years ago when this was developed.”
Hilbert told CBS 6 that Virginia Union University is looking to move its small business development center into the National Bank Building, but no timetable or signing has been made on that.
