VCU Health gets approval to demolish city-owned public safety building

RICHMOND, Va. — As it continues to pay for its costly exit from an ill-fated downtown development project, VCU Health has been given a go-ahead by the city to begin demolishing and clearing the project site at a cost of $5 million. City Council on Monday authorized the health system to access the city-owned property at 500 N. 10th St. to begin demolition of the old Public Safety Building, which had been planned to be razed as part of the VCU Health-anchored development. The $325 million project was aborted in February after VCU Health decided to back out of its lease and the city took back ownership of the 3-acre property.