Why Richmond, Why?!? Sixth Street Marketplace

ORIGINAL Aug. 27:

What's with all the weeds at Sixth Street Marketplace food court? What ever happened to that property and the Blues Armory? - Me

Not much is happening at 550 East Marshall Street. You will find some homeless people on benches and plenty of parking decks, but not much else. It didn't used to be that way and its a shame because the Blues Armory has a nice exterior and the food court setting wasn't a bad place.

The signs are still there. I remember eating at the two-level Mr. Bojangles restaurant in Sixth Street Marketplace in the early 1990s before a Colonial Athletic Association basketball tournament. Though I was young and foolish then, I really liked the atmosphere and thought it was cool to be downtown. More recently, I remember intentionally walking several blocks to eat at the food court during lunch breaks.

I liked to eat outside on the patio at Festival Park, the area between the marketplace and the Richmond Coliseum. The Richmond Light Infantry Blues statue overlooked the area and the setting was pleasant. There is Police Memorial statue in Festival Park too. It's a nice park, dedicated to the memory of Nina Friedman Abady, who tirelessly worked to create events and promote Richmond's festivals and entertainment happenings.

It saddens me to see the words "Building A Brighter Future" still emblazoned on the awning at each entrance to the food court, which closed in 2008. Festival Park is barely used and Nina Friedman Abady would likely not be pleased with all the weeds growing in her park. During a recent event at the Coliseum, I overheard people complaining about the pokeweeds and other waist-high weeds growing up through the brick patio.

In 2008, the last eight tenants of Sixth Street Marketplace left the building after accepting an offer that forgave half of back rent payments for some merchants and assisted all eight with relocation funds of up to $25,000, according to Richmond Times-Dispatch archives. The merchants were all vendors in the food court, the last remaining section of the former downtown marketplace.

At that same time, the Richmond Fire Department had administrative offices in a portion of the Blues Armory building before moving in to its new (much larger) headquarters at 201 East Franklin Street.

At that time, Texas real estate consultant The Staubach Co. was hired to recommend the best options for developing the historic Blues Armory building on East Marshall Street that has housed part of Sixth Street Marketplace for two decades.

There is nothing in the Times-Dispatch archives on what happened to that study from The Staubach Co. in regards to plans for Sixth Street Marketplace or the Blues Armory.

The Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority is responsible for the maintenance of the interior of the building and the City of Richmond is responsible for the upkeep of the exterior, including Festival Park.

Michael Wallace, a public information manager for the City, said "The city views the Blues Armory and Sixth Street Marketplace properties as extremely valuable assets to the City of Richmond, especially due to the proximity to the Richmond Coliseum. As such, the City will play an active role in the future development of these properties."

As for the sturdy brick and steel Blues Armory, the building was completed in 1910. The ground floor was built to house a food market and the upstairs was designed for use of the National Guard. A 1968 reorganization of the National Guard disestablished the Blues and the building has not had a consistent occupancy since. The Blues Armory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 17, 1976.