Richmond leaders say work on southside affordable housing site will resume after two year pause

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — After more than a year and a half of asking when work will resume on the Heights at Brady Square, city leaders say plans are underway to restart the project next year.

Hundreds of Richmond tenants were supposed to have moved into the Heights at Brady Square in 2024, located in the southside of Richmond. That was the completion date set by out-of-state developer Dakota Partners, which was hired to bring 264 affordable units to the city. However, it was that same year that 8News learned contractors stopped getting paid, forcing them to stop their work.

(Photo: Erik Halverson, 8News)

(Photo: Erik Halverson, 8News)

At the time, Dakota Partners told 8News that COVID-related financial troubles on the project caused delays. The problem impacted both contractors waiting for compensation and interested residents who were left wondering when they would move in.

For more than a year and a half, 8News asked developers, investors, and city leaders when the project would resume. This month, 8News sat down with Merrick Malone, Director of Housing and Community Development, who says plans to move forward are underway.

“We are really sorry about it, but at the same time our message was we're going to do everything we can, particularly with our lenders, the major lenders and the major investors to encourage them to get this project back,” Malone said.

(Photo: Jakobi Davis, 8News)

To get the project back, Malone says the city and other investors -- including Boston Financial, JPMorgan Chase Bank and Virginia Housing -- added Marlyn Development Corporation to the development team. The decision comes after the removal of Dakota Partners.

"It's not something that any developer wants to see, and as a municipality, we certainly don't want to see it," Malone said.

(Photo: Jakobi Davis, 8News)

(Photo: Jakobi Davis, 8News)

According to their website, Marlyn Development Corporation is based in Virginia Beach and has more than 30 years of construction experience.

Before work can resume, Malone says, contractors will be paid. He adds that payments should be made by this month, with work set to resume by February 2026. However, restarting doesn't come without concern for added costs, Malone says, since the site has sat vacant for two years with reports of vandalism.

A new project completion date has not been set.

"This kind of project, with the exception of the hiccups, we'd like to see more of," Malone said.