On Tuesday, the Richmond Planning Commission approved plans to hang a new neon gateway sign at the entrance of Carytown above West Cary Street, between Thompson Street and Nansemond Street.
More than a decade after it was first proposed, the Carytown Merchants Association has won approval to place a 25-foot-tall sign welcoming drivers to the business district.
In the works since 2011, the Art Deco-style sign with neon tube lighting would be suspended above Cary Street, creating an arch-like entrance that cars would pass under approaching Nansemond Street.
Rocket science, this is not: Carytown’s strength is its ability to draw shoppers not just from the city, but from across the region. It’s a destination retail district, a tourist draw that is heavily dependent on suburban shoppers from bordering Henrico and Chesterfield counties, and beyond. It’s located just off Interstate 195 and the Downtown Expressway, making it easily accessible to car-bound shoppers. Making Carytown carless would be a grievous mistake.
The idea is to close Carytown to vehicle traffic, theoretically making it safer and easier for pedestrians to enjoy. But some merchants and residents aren t so sure.