Memorial Park / Shockoe Project

The Shockoe Project Master Plan was announced on Feb. 27, 2024. Click here to download the plan document.

Site plan

View of African Burial Ground Memorial "Hush Arbor"

 We (you, me, they, her, him) celebrate this long-awaited step, and need to stay involved to ensure the next results: 

1. Transparency of Process and Decision Making
2. Black Descendant Governance Structure
3. Equitable Redevelopment Practices 
4. and Tangible Community Benefit.

Links to Memorial Park documents:

Making the case:

Significance of Shockoe Bottom (ed. 2021)

Click here to learn about our visit to Auschwitz Memorial Site and the Schindler Factory Museum and how it helped us connect the experience to Shockoe Bottom.

Community Proposal:

Alternative Proposal for Shockoe Bottom (2015) - First Community Proposal.

Community Proposal for Shockoe Bottom Memorial Park (2017) - Refined Community Proposal

Economic Studies:

Equitable Economic Redevelopment Resource Guide (2019) - 1st of 2 studies

Shockoe Bottom Memorialization: Community and Economic Impacts" (2019) 2nd of 2 studies

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Why endorse the Memorial Park? Click here to find out. 

Parcels concerned: E0000127005 - Lumpkin's Jail; E0000213006 - Burial Ground; 
E0000127020 - east of CSX tracks; E0000127016 - between Lumpkin's Jail and 
the CSX tracks; E0000159001 - east of tracks, part public, part private.

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In 2014, the National Trust for Historic Resources listed Shockoe Bottom as one of its most endangered sites and as a National Treasure.  Learn more here. 

That same year, Preservation Virginia did the same thing. Click here for their 2014 Endangered Sites List Brochure.

Archive of documents leading to the present proposal:

2017 DOCUMENTS

- REVISED DESIGNS & RECOMMENDATIONS

 

• 2017 Proposal - downloadable version of the report details updates made from public comments received from June 2016 through May 2017.
• Slide Presentation of the 2017 Proposal.

2016 DOCUMENTS

  

• Center for Design Engagement (CDE) 2016 Report - includes design and project developments from June 2016 design charrette process, and ideas submitted during 2015 Community Brainstorming Sessions (see 2015 Documents below). 
• Slide Presentation of CDE 2016 Report.

2015 DOCUMENTS

• Presentation: A Community Proposal for Shockoe Bottom (15 Aug 2015)
• Full 2015 Proposal (cover, text, images) - 12 pt.
• Alphabetical list of all ideas submitted during Community Brainstorming Sessions - 12 pt.
• Full 2015 Proposal (text only) - 18 pt.
• Alphabetical list of all ideas submitted during Community Brainstorming Sessions - 18 pt.

UPDATE April 23, 2016: Virginia People's Assembly Votes Unanimous Passage of "Resolution supporting the Community Proposal for a Shockoe Bottom Memorial Park"

Endorse the Shockoe Bottom Memorial Park!

Click here to learn about our visit to Auschwitz Memorial Site and the Schindler Factory Museum and how it helped us connect the experience to Shockoe Bottom.