Commonwealth

The Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority (RRHA) planned to reenvision six public housing complexes, including the Gilpin Court, Hillside Court, Creighton Court, Fairfield Court, Whitcomb Court, and Mosby Court housing developments. Since the project received federal funding, RRHA was required to comply with Section 106. RRHA hired CPG to document and assess the integrity of the City's "Big Six" public housing developments to comply with Section 106 mitigation requirements.

Within one week, CPG surveyed more than 500 buildings, documenting historic and modern features. This informed our analysis and determination of historic significance. CPG also conducted archival research, organized public engagement opportunities, and worked closely with RRHA and VDHR staff to ensure the goals of the client and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) were accomplished. This resulted in a historic context report that highlights the background of these communities against the backdrop of local, state, and national public housing history.

CPG identified opportunities for RRHA to benefit from the Section 106 process while also preserving the physical and cultural heritage of these public housing complexes. The context study that CPG created not only documented the history of these buildings but also resulted in a successful nomination of Fay Tower to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and positioned RRHA to pursue state historic tax credits for its renovation.  

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