RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmond city council unanimously voted Monday to approve a special use permit that would relocate The Salvation Army of Central Virginia Richmond headquarters for the first time in nearly 50 years.
The Salvation Army's Area Command will relocate to 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue, formerly Eternity Church. It's a move the organization says will allow them to better serve those in need.
The organization says the nearly 50,000 square feet one-story building will better equip them to serve disabled individuals in need of housing. Also, space will more than double the number of available beds, increasing from 55 to 97.
Eternity Church site
"We're excited for the potential impact this new facility will have on people who are experiencing a housing crisis," said Major Donald Dohmann, Area Commander, at The Salvation Army of Central Virginia. "In order for The Salvation Army to continue doing the most good, we need to evolve as community needs evolve, and this is the perfect opportunity for that."
The relocation plan will also move all administrative operations, case management services, and emergency housing into one facility, which the organization says will increase client accessibility.
Some neighboring business owners expressed concerns about the potential move saying that the shelter doesn’t align with a 2016 master plan that city and business leaders proposed together to help the area thrive economically and socially.
Plans for an overflow shelter at the Chamberlayne Avenue site were withdrawn earlier this month.
The Salvation Army of Central Virginia Richmond had been headquartered at its current location at 2 W. Grace St. since the early 1970s.
