A rendering of some of the improvements planned for Brown's Island (Photo courtesy Venture Richmond)
Access to one of Richmond’s most visited riverfront parks will be blocked until next fall, forcing an extended pause on concerts, festivals and “baddie walks.”
The redevelopment of Brown’s Island comes after city officials earlier this year gave downtown booster group Venture Richmond the green light to add new landscaping and amenities, including public bathrooms, water fountains, terraces, shade sails and a splash pad.
At an anticipated cost of $30 million, the project aligns with goals the city adopted in 2012 aimed at making parks and green spaces along the James River more attractive and welcoming to visitors. So far, the city has spent more than $9 million to build the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge in 2016, connecting Manchester to Brown’s Island and a growing downtown office district.
Venture Richmond, the nonprofit that manages the island and produces the Friday Cheers summer concert series and events like the Richmond Folk Festival, is raising $15 million for the project. The organization says the city will match its fundraising to pay for the makeover, but the city has only allocated $10 million. A Venture Richmond spokesperson said the nonprofit anticipates that the city will “honor its commitment” for the rest.
With construction expected to take almost a year, Venture Richmond has suspended Friday Cheers next season.
“Once the Brown’s Island Project is complete, we plan to make the 2027 series one of the best yet,” Stephen Lecky, Venture Richmond’s director of events, said in a press release. “We can’t wait to welcome everyone back, and the improvements to the island will make the experience on Downtown’s riverfront better than ever.”
Other major events such as the Richmond Marathon and the folk festival will return in 2026, but the closure means everyday visits and grassroots community groups like the new women’s “RVA Baddies” walk club will need to hold off or relocate in the meantime.
In the shadow of CoStar Group’s forthcoming 26-story office tower, the transformation of the island could change how people think and feel about the cultural venue.
Earlier this summer, global concert and event company Live Nation opened the 7,500-seat Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront, uphill from Brown’s Island. Music fans celebrated the busy calendar for the venue’s inaugural season, but above-average drink prices and costly resale tickets led to complaints. And nearby along the Canal Walk, the recent opening of the Padel Plant club in the former Haxall hydroelectric plant space sparked controversy over the lack of public access to a former street mural hotspot.
The city’s Urban Design Committee earlier this year described a tension between corporate influence and “wildness” when reviewing the Brown’s Island plan.
While officials unanimously approved the project, a few members of the advisory group said renderings showing various amenities, signage and paved plazas could make the site feel less natural and disconnected from the river.
Project supporters, however, said the addition of restrooms and water fountains is necessary, and that new amenities will continue to draw visitors to the downtown riverfront.
