 | Fan District Association |
Design overlay district initiative
The Fan District Association is pursuing a design overlay for the Historic Fan neighborhood. We are pursuing the design overlay initiative for demolition only, because we want to protect the buildings within the Fan District that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places Inventory. This will slow down the demolition process and help preserve the urban fabric of our neighbor from future developments.
|
Community Meeting: Aug. 19, 2026After receiving overwhelming support from its membership, the FDA has requested the city designate The Fan as a Design Overlay District (DOD) to protect buildings in the neighborhood from demolition. While the designation is called a Design Overlay District, the DOD will have nothing to do with design, only demolitions. The next step in the process, before all property owners are given the opportunity to vote, is an informational meeting. Please join us to learn why your support for this designation is critical.
|
Why the Fan is at risk for demolitionRichmond is in the process of changing its zoning laws to increase housing supply and population density. These rezoning changes will impact every City parcel, put increased pressure on the Fan, and could lead to the demolition of structurally sound buildings by their owners, forever and irreparably altering the unique fabric of neighborhood. |
Why the Fan deserves to be protected
The Fan is a residential area noted for both its architectural cohesiveness and its role in Richmond's transformation from village to city. Primarily designed between 1890 and 1930, the Fan conveys a unity that depends not so much on consistent architectural style as on intrinsic qualities of good urban design such as uniform heights and setbacks, compatibility of texture and building materials, and consistent planting of trees.
Each of The Fan’s over two thousand buildings is an essential element of the neighborhood’s many visually charming block facades, all characterized by lively rooflines and a multiplicity of porch types. The Fan is one of the largest, and best preserved, turn-of-the-20th-century neighborhoods in Virginia, and in the United States.
Although The Fan is federally recognized and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this designation does not provide demolition protection to any building in the neighborhood’s nearly 100 city blocks. As a result, almost any building within The Fan can be demolished by its owner for any reason.
What the FDA is doing to protect the Fan
After surveying its membership and receiving overwhelming support for the initiative, The Fan District Association, led by its Historic Preservation Committee, has requested that the City of Richmond designate The Fan as a Design Overlay District (DOD) to protect buildings in the neighborhood from demolition. While the district is called a Design Overlay, it will have nothing to do with design, only demolitions.
Learn more and support this initiative
|
Updated Proposal - July 16, 2026On July 16, 2026, the FDA submitted to the Planning Department an updated proposal for an design overlay ordinance that would protect contributing structures -- including houses, porches, stoops, and carriage houses -- from demolition. |
|
Frequently Asked QuestionsHow will City zoning changes impact The Fan? The rewrite of the City’s zoning code ordinance (“Code Refresh”) will increase the number of dwelling units (“upzone”) on a specific parcel of property that are permitted “of right,” meaning without needing City approval. Most residential lots in The Fan are currently proposed to be upzoned to one of the following categories:
How will upzoning impact The Fan? The third draft of Code Refresh would, in most circumstances, allow three (3) dwellings on any single-family residential parcel within two (2) buildings. For instance, a duplex and an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) of up to 1200 sf. Much of the north side of Main Street is proposed to be zoned MX-4, which would allow for up to four (4) story apartment buildings to be built behind the houses on the south side of Floyd Avenue. In these examples, on-site tenant parking is NOT required when additional dwelling units are added. Wouldn’t it be too expensive to tear down a property in The Fan? Not necessarily. Historically, the economics of real estate development did not make sense for a building in The Fan to be torn down and replaced with new construction. However, with upzoning, the economics of tear downs have completely changed. For example, in draft three of Code Refresh every building between Robinson Street and Arthur Ashe Boulvard is proposed to be zoned RM-A at a minimum, so every building – many now single-family residences – could be demolished and replaced with a 6-unit apartment building. None of these hypothetical buildings would be required to seek neighborhood input on the project. They also would not be required to provide on-site tenant parking. How will a DOD in The Fan impact areas within the neighborhood already designated as a “City Old and Historic District”? The DOD designation will not apply to the four City Old and Historic Districts that fall within The Fan’s boundaries: Monument Avenue, West Grace Street, West Franklin Street, and the east side of The Boulevard (now Arthur Ashe Boulevard). 
The proposed boundaries for the Fan overlay are included within the note red boundaries. The Design Overlay District we are pursuing borders the existing districts noted on the map. The proposed boundaries for this initiative do not include VCU. Will a DOD protect all the buildings in The Fan from demolition? No. Only buildings (whole structures, garages, carriage houses, front porches, and stoops) that are (1) listed on the 1985 National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form for The Fan Area Historic District or (2) meet the definition of “Historic Resource” as defined in the City’s Cultural Heritage Stewardship Plan will receive DOD demolition protections. Will the DOD stop all demolitions from occurring in The Fan? No. The DOD will not fully eliminate the possibility of a viable building being demolished. However, attempting to tear down a viable building will require a specific process to be followed. Even so, this is the best chance we have as a unique neighborhood and vibrant urban community to Keep The Fan The Fan. What happens next? Property owners in The Fan will receive ballots at the end of August to vote either in favor of or against the DOD designation. Based on the voting outcome, the DOD guidelines will be reviewed by the Urban Design Committee (UDC). If the UDC grants approval, City Council will then vote on the measure. |