RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) Construction moves forward on the Richmond Hostel located at 7 N. Second Street.
Dominion Virginia Power disconnected the electricity early Sunday morning so that loose mortar—close to the lines—could be repaired. The hostel shared some photos of the process on their Facebook page.
Power was reconnected about 12 hours later.
The Richmond Hostel Committee, operating under the Potomac Area Council of Hosteling International acquired the building in September 2011, a few months after the Richmond City Council voted to extend the hostel a special-use permit.
The location is the historic Otis Elevator building, which was most recently owned by the state of Virginia and was used as a female detention center.
The space will be transformed into a 40-50 bed hostel, “with environmentally sustainable features and operations, including a green roof and water collection system.”
A hostel offers dormitory-like accommodations, shared rooms and bathrooms, for inexpensive prices. Private bedrooms are typically available at extra cost. A night at the Richmond hostel will cost between $20-$28 a night.
The hostel will receive some funding support from Hosteling International, a network of more than 4,000 hostels worldwide, in operation for more than 75 years.
The Second Street location is near Bike Route 1 (the East Coast Greenway) and the hostel reports that it will be “a welcome stop for cyclists on overnight or multi-day journeys.”
Read an interview with Sarah Wisiger, who is working on the project: http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2012/08/27/monday-qa-less-motel-more-mission/
