There are incredible times in our lives when we should work as hard as possible to preserve old buildings to retain our sense of community and protect our history.

I was born in the old Richmond Memorial Hospital in the 1960s. The hospital served as the official memorial to Richmonders killed in World War II. This hospital, now called Ginter Place, was converted into a high-end condominium development in 2008.

Protecting historical buildings can be a challenging task, but it is possible. The controversy surrounding the proposed redevelopment of the site housing the historic Richmond Community Hospital, on the campus of Virginia Union University, has become a matter of great concern and importance for many in the Richmond community. Opened in Jackson Ward in 1907 and relocated to Overbrook Road in the 1930s, this Black-owned hospital treated Black patients during segregation and was a teaching hospital for Black nurses.

I know there are challenges and opportunities when tough decisions have to be made on how to incorporate historic preservation into a development project. However, this is not the time for elected officials to pontificate. Meaningful action is required. I have taken the time to call the leadership at Virginia Union and speak with some of the preservation activists personally— with a sincere interest in finding a solution. We can be our own “heroes” by taking the time to pause and listen to each other.

Together, we can and should find ways to develop the project by integrating preservation incentives that align with the focus of preserving the historic Richmond Community Hospital building and its cultural value. By balancing appropriate tradeoffs, I believe we can achieve a fair and feasible compromise, together!

MICHELLE MOSBY

Richmond