‘Nothing to eat’: Those behind new Petersburg development project hope to tackle city’s food disparity
PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — Developers of a Petersburg City mixed-use development project hope to fight the ongoing food disparities plaguing the city. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a food desert is a community where the poverty rate is at least 20% and at least 33% of residents live more than 1 mile away from a grocery store in urban areas or 10 miles in rural areas. The department considers the City of Petersburg one such food desert. Virginia Development Consortium managing partners Nicole Cober and Harold Johnson said the Sycamore Grove development project will not only provide an economic boost, but also address this problem. "It's important that we have healthy food options for our citizens and for the citizens of Petersburg," Johnson said. MORE: Sycamore Grove development to bring grocery store, townhomes, restaurants and more to Petersburg The project is intended to be a mixed-use residential and retail development, one planned to sit on South Adams Street and span six city blocks. The site will be comprised of more than 170 single-family townhomes for sale, a new Shell gas station, a coffee shop, restaurants and a new Grant's supermarket. "We want there to be purpose," Cober said. "There's no reason that the seniors and the children of Petersburg should have to go to different counties to get food, basic essentials." 8News spoke with Petersburg resident Kumari Moore -- who lives steps away from where the development will be built -- about the plans for the development, touching on the food disparity. He agrees it's a problem. "It's very scarce around here in this part of the neighborhood," he said. "There's nothing convenient for the neighborhood." Moore said that, to purchase grocery items for his family, he must drive 10 to 15 minutes from his home. "There's no support -- [there's] nothing to eat," Moore said. When Moore learned more about the development plans, he told 8News what he thought of the idea. "It's perfect, especially for my grandma -- it makes it more easier for me to get food for her and everybody in my house," he said. More than $14 million in grant, city and state funding -- with some given in the form of land -- is invested into this development project, which officials are hoping to complete over the next five to six years. However, the open period is set for five to eight years.
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PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — Developers of a Petersburg City mixed-use development project hope to fight the ongoing food disparities plaguing the city.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a food desert is a community where the poverty rate is at least 20% and at least 33% of residents live more than 1 mile away from a grocery store in urban areas or 10 miles in rural areas.
The department considers the City of Petersburg one such food desert.
Virginia Development Consortium managing partners Nicole Cober and Harold Johnson said the Sycamore Grove development project will not only provide an economic boost, but also address this problem.
"It's important that we have healthy food options for our citizens and for the citizens of Petersburg," Johnson said.
The project is intended to be a mixed-use residential and retail development, one planned to sit on South Adams Street and span six city blocks. The site will be comprised of more than 170 single-family townhomes for sale, a new Shell gas station, a coffee shop, restaurants and a new Grant's supermarket.
"We want there to be purpose," Cober said. "There's no reason that the seniors and the children of Petersburg should have to go to different counties to get food, basic essentials."
8News spoke with Petersburg resident Kumari Moore -- who lives steps away from where the development will be built -- about the plans for the development, touching on the food disparity. He agrees it's a problem.
"It's very scarce around here in this part of the neighborhood," he said. "There's nothing convenient for the neighborhood."
Moore said that, to purchase grocery items for his family, he must drive 10 to 15 minutes from his home.
"There's no support -- [there's] nothing to eat," Moore said.
When Moore learned more about the development plans, he told 8News what he thought of the idea.
"It's perfect, especially for my grandma -- it makes it more easier for me to get food for her and everybody in my house," he said.
More than $14 million in grant, city and state funding -- with some given in the form of land -- is invested into this development project, which officials are hoping to complete over the next five to six years. However, the open period is set for five to eight years.
