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21
Picnic in a Parklet: Dine in the Streets Around Richmond
Roadways take us from Point A to Point B, but what if the street suddenly became the spot where we drank, laughed, and dined with our friends and family? Prepare to park yourself in the middle of the road for a picnic: parklets are coming to Richmond! If you're unfamiliar with the relatively new concept of the parklet, our real estate agents have a feeling that you'll love this innovative idea that brings the RVA community out into the street!
What is a Parklet?
Outdoor dining has always been a popular option, particularly in Richmond where our warm weather is limited during the winter. Having the opportunity to dine outside with our friends and family, enjoying the sunshine and cool breeze, is perhaps even more of a luxury in today's world. Richmond is preparing to turn streets within the Richmond city limits into a parklet so that restaurants can expand their seating options for diners to safely gather.
Think of a parklet like a tiny oasis right in the heart of Richmond. This temporary pop-up park is built in an area that is predominantly used for vehicular traffic like metered parking spaces or smaller roadways. The parklet takes this space and connects to the sidewalk to increase the pedestrian space available. In many instances, these spaces are positioned around popular areas such as restaurants and coffee shops to provide more space for patrons.
The concept of a parklet dates back to 2005 when a design group in San Francisco repurposed a parking space into a "people space". This was joined by a larger movement called PARK(ing) Day which is an annual act to bring attention to the need for more public spaces within urban areas.
Parklets in the RVA
Venture Richmond is taking the concept of parklets and using them to help restaurants while indoor capacities are still limited. The project called Picnic in a Parklet is easy for businesses to apply for online and will help them with design and getting permitting assistance for their parklet.
Parklets may be temporary or permanent structures and there are already many businesses around Richmond interested in this idea, including The Stables in the Museum District and Soul Taco.
Other past parklet projects have included Robinson Street Association Parklet Project, which brought parklets near Stuart & Robinson and at Cary & Robinson, and Park(king) Day 2019 which brought parklets to local restaurants like Saison Market.
This initiative is one of the many ways our community is coming together to support small businesses. If these parklets are created, Richmond's community will be offered a new space to enjoy the outdoors comfortably and safely.
Would you like to live within walking distance of these proposed parklet locations? Want to be a part of a community that loves supporting local businesses? We can help! Contact us today to browse our Richmond homes for sale.
