Plans for Old Hospital Site Taking Shape
A developer is putting together plans to convert the old hospital at Washington and Fall Hill avenues into living and commercial space with affordable housing options and a range of amenities.
By Martin Davis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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The old hospital site at the intersection of Fall Hill and Washington avenues has attracted the interest of Rebkee, a developer based in Richmond, Virginia.
The company is proposing to convert the old hospital into residential and commercial space, along with a number of other amenities.
The project has a bit of road before it, as it will need to go through both the Planning Commission and City Council. Details of the proposal were spelled out at a pre-application meeting with city staff on Thursday.
The proposal calls for 235 residential units and 10,000 square feet of commercial space. In addition, there would be an open space and park, which could serve as a community park. The plans also include a proposed pool. A pedestrian walkway connecting Washington Avenue and Fall Hill Avenue on the south side of the project, as well as 296 off-street parking spaces, are also part of the plan.
The project also includes plans for a portion of the new residential units to be set aside as affordable options. Five percent of the units would be set aside for teachers and first responders. In addition, 20% of the units would be made available to people with incomes at 80% of the average median income (AMI).
There are discussions for a daycare facility to possibly be part of the plan. Brian McNeal, vice president of development for Rebkee, described the idea as an “initial concept.”
Part of what makes the project attractive are the tax credits the developer is looking to secure from Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources. Called Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits, they are given to incentivize the rehabilitation and reuse of historic properties.
Asked what makes the project attractive, Hirschler attorney Charlie Payne told the Advance, that it’s “the re-use of the current facility for a different use consistent with the comprehensive plan versus demolishing the facility and building townhouses.”
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