1836 Park
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
T ROOSEVELT
In 2025, three friends and Fan neighbors came together to begin a new project: Restoring the unused church at 1836 Park Avenue into a shared space that serves the community. Our aim is to preserve the historic charm of the building’s exterior while renovating the interior into a multi-purpose space that will bring our neighborhood together and make it stronger for everyone living here – kids, adults, and elders. We’re still exploring what forms this will take – we’ve already heard many ideas from neighbors and community members in our early explorations. We look forward to hearing and sharing more in the months to come.
FAQs
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It’s a white, neoclassical-ish-looking building at the corner of Park Avenue and North Meadow Street – across from Meadow Park and diagonally opposite Garnett’s sandwich shop. It has columns and a pediment above its front steps and a bright red front door.
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Historical records indicate that the building dates to 1906 and has been used primarily as a place of worship for several different church congregations, including most recently the congregants of The Chapel. It has been unused for the past several years. Our restoration process will include learning more about the building and documenting its unique history.
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Our aim is to renovate the building into a multi-purpose shared space to serve Richmond’s kids, adults, and elders. We’ve heard many ideas from neighbors and are still working on finalizing what form the space will take.
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No(!). While ideas and possibilities for the interior are still in very early stages, one thing that’s certain is our plan to maintain the building’s stately, friendly exterior (in alignment with guidance from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources).
Updates
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