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Housing and Neighborhood Preservation
Richmond, VA 23219
(804)646-6344
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Richmond’s Northside has offered city residents an
ideal living environment since the turn of the last century, when an innovative
electric streetcar system first made it possible for people to live on the edges
of the city while still working downtown. The first of these “streetcar suburbs” was developed in 1890, and by the 1920s
Northside was one of Richmond’s most desirable areas in which to live.
This legacy can still be seen in neighborhoods such as
Ginter Park, Sherwood Park and Bellevue: spacious houses on large lots, streets
lined with mature trees, and an established community infrastructure within
minutes of downtown offices and cultural amenities. Other areas of Northside,
such as Highland Park, are being brought back to their former glory through
creative City programs such as Neighborhoods in Bloom.
The area also contains scenic Bryan Park with its
breathtaking azaleas, as well as the Gothic campus of Union Theological Seminary
and The Diamond, home to the Richmond Braves baseball team. Today, Northside
offers the same qualities that made it desirable 100 years ago; the best of both
urban and suburban living.
Ginter Park/Sherwood Park
The Ginter Park and Sherwood Park neighborhoods lie just north of central Richmond. Despite being only a stone’s
throw from downtown, both communities possess a tranquil air and ample greenery,
reflecting their original intent as refuges from the bustle of the city’s urban
center.
Ginter Park is the older of the two neighborhoods, and
among the city’s first planned developments. It has retained most of its
enlightened, turn-of-the century residential planning qualities that established
its reputation as “Queen of the Suburbs.” It was originally an independent
community, but was incorporated into the city in 1914.
The neighborhood occupies a 21-block area in the heart of North Side and most of the properties are at least
60 years old. Architectural styles vary from Victorian cottages to Georgian
mansions, and most homes were built on ample lots with beautiful gardens and
foliage. Features include spectacular, mature trees, especially on Seminary
Avenue, where they form archways over the street.
The Sherwood Park neighborhood lies just to the south
of Ginter Park, along Brookland Park Boulevard. It was also annexed by the city
in 1914. Streets and roads bear names rich in English associations: Robin Hood,
Little John, Chatham, Suffolk, Gloucester and Whitby. The city’s Little John
Park is a local attraction. The handsome community offers spacious brick homes,
generous yards and quiet streets.
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Bellevue
The Bellevue neighborhood extends north from Ginter Park to the city limits along Westbrook Avenue. Originally part of
Henrico County, the area was annexed into the city in 1940. The houses in the
community vary in size from small dwellings to spacious homes. Cottages and
bungalows abound with many featuring large windows, wide porches and
verandas.
The architecture ranges from Italianate to Spanish with tile roofs to American Four Square. Roads lined with shade trees
curve and meander through the neighborhood. Just west of Bellevue is the
expansive Joseph Bryan Park, with walking trails, lakes and its beautiful
displays of azaleas.
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Highland Park
The neighborhood of Highland Park is situated on the
heights above Shockoe Valley, just north of downtown Richmond. The history of
the area goes back to 1820, but the neighborhood’s development did not begin
until the late 1890s, when Highland Park became one of Richmond’s original
streetcar suburbs.
Now the southern tip of Highland Park, featuring the most extensive collection of Queen Anne architecture left in the
city, is being reborn through the Neighborhoods in Bloom (NiB) program. NiB is a
public/private partnership that targets specific areas within older urban
neighborhoods and provides a range of resources to make structural,
environmental and community improvements. Through hard work and the dedicated
commitment of neighbors, many of Highland Park’s beautiful old homes are now
ready for a new generation to discover. For more information about the NiB
program, consult the back cover of this brochure.
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