What is the Fan District Association (FDA) trying to do?

The FDA is trying to ensure there are protections in place that restrict the demolition and destruction - i.e., tear down - of historic properties in the Fan if those properties may be rehabilitated.

Isn’t the Fan District already protected as a historic district?

No. The Fan District is on the National Register of Historic Places (“NRHP”) and the Virginia Register of Historic Places (“VRHP”). However, these designations are largely honorific. They do not provide any preservation protections. So anyone who owns a historic structure in the Fan could tear it down with no consequences. The reality is tear downs have not, in the past, made economic sense. However, with upzoning - see below - tearing down viable Fan District structures is not only possible, but now profitable.

Why is the FDA doing this now?

The City of Richmond is in the process of what is called the Richmond Zoning Code Refresh (ZCR). This is a complete rewrite of the City’s zoning code ordinance. Every single parcel of land in the City is being evaluated and will be rezoned.

In the context of the ZCR, most of the City will be “upzoned.” Upzoning is the process of increasing the number of units that are permitted “of right,” meaning without any additional approvals, on a specific parcel of property.

Right now, the baseline proposal would allow one (1) duplex and one (1) accessory dwelling unit (ADU), for a total of three (3) dwelling units, on any residential parcel of land in the City of Richmond.

Most Fan District residential lots are currently proposed to be upzoned to one of the following categories:

• RA-A: Residential Attached, one (1) duplex + one (1) ADU
• RA-B: Residential Attached, six (6) units of right
• RA-C: Residential attached, twelve (12) units attached

Why has the economic case for tear downs of historic structures changed?

In the past, the economics of real estate development meant it did not make financial sense to tear down a home in the Fan to replace it with another new construction home. However, with upzoning, it will absolutely make economic sense to tear down an existing building.

Let’s use a practical example, using existing Fan District properties and recent sales.

A parcel at _____ is currently proposed to be rezoned RA-B, which would allow for six (6) units of right. The Kenilworth is a current six (6) unit building at 2510 Monument Avenue. The Kenilworth was built as a six (6) unit building and was converted to condominiums in 2009. A condominium in this building sold for $800,000 in July 2025. So the market value of a “new” six unit building would be $4.8M ($800,000 x 6 units).

Using the Kenilworth as an example, each unit is 1,600/square feet (SF), for a total of 9,600SF (1,600SF x 6 units). Add 1,000SF for common space - a generous estimate - and you get a total of 10,600SF to be constructed. Let’s estimate $300/SF for construction costs, for a total of $3.180M (10,600SF x $300/SF).

If the current home at ___________ costs $1.2M to purchase, and it costs $3.180M to build a replacement six (6) unit condominium project in its place, that is a total cost of $4,380,000. Subtracting $4.8M - $4.38M = $420,000 profit.

Now, all of these numbers are very rough, and the construction cost numbers were intentionally estimated high, as was the amount of square footage to construct. The point is to demonstrate that the proposed upzoning makes tearing down existing Fan District structures not only economically feasible, but very profitable.

But I thought the City has “Old and Historic Districts” (OHD)? Why not apply for OHD designation?

Yes, the City of Richmond does have a “City Old and Historic District” designation. An OHD imposes certain limitations and restrictions on modifications to properties that are deemed to be “contributing structures” within a formal City OHD.

Generally, any exterior changes to a property within the City OHD, visible from the public right-of-way, requires review by the Commission of Architectural Review (CAR). This can include, but is not limited to:

• Additions or demolitions.
• Changes to windows and doors.
• Exterior material changes (e.g., siding, roofing).
• Construction of new structures.
• Installation of fences, decks, and other site features.
• Significant landscape alterations.

Properties that are in City OHDs do have protections from demolition, although these protections are quite weak, the penalties are limited, and developers in the past have just ignored them.

Within the Fan District, Monument Avenue, including the 400 and 600 blocks of North Allen Avenue, is within a City OHD (the "Monument OHD”). Additionally the 1100-2700 blocks of Historic West Grace Street are in a City OHD (the “West Grace OHD”). However, the remainder of the Fan District is not a City OHD.

The protections and restrictions of an OHD are more extensive than just anti-demolition protection.

Why is the FDA only asking for anti-demolition protections, rather than a City OHD to cover the entire Fan District?

The process for obtaining a City OHD is lengthy and complicated. Additionally, the demolition protections in the City OHD ordinance are inadequate, in our opinion. Moreover, because of the shift in economic incentives caused by upzoning, the FDA believes it is critically important to have anti-demolition protections in place before the new zoning ordinance contemplated by the ZCR is adopted. Therefore, the FDA is seeking a Design Overlay District (DOD) that is limited to demolition protections. If this DOD is adopted, tear downs of historic structures in the Fan District will not be permitted without a specific process. This is a faster and less restrictive approach than an entire City OHD.