Richmond's Biggest Little Island
Brown’s Island may be small, but it holds a big place in the hearts of Richmonders and visitors alike. There were over a million visits to this tiny island last year—for concerts, festivals, scenic walks, work breaks, and school trips.
Despite its popularity, Brown’s Island lacks basic infrastructure—no water fountains, no flushing toilets—yet it continues to host major events and countless visitors. But as its appeal grows, so do its challenges.
Now there's a big-time plan to add big-time improvements to Brown's Island
With more than half a million crossings per year, this enhanced plaza at the T. Tyler Potterfield Bridge will welcome guests of all ages and abilities while providing better connectivity to the river.
Go Big with Us on Richmond's Biggest Little Island
With strong leadership raising funds from the private sector and philanthropic organizations, and an extraordinary financial commitment from the City of Richmond, the project is off to a great start, and the capital campaign is well underway!
Your donation to the Brown’s Island Improvement Project will help enhance nearly every single foot of our beloved outdoor space – with safe, accessible pathways, interactive play areas for children, gathering spaces for families and friends, and environmental upgrades that benefit future generations. Together, we can transform Brown’s Island into a world-class riverfront park, welcoming all—music lovers, festivalgoers, students, kayakers, and more—regardless of ability or income.
For decades, Brown’s Island has connected communities. With millions of dollars in improvements, it will offer even more—enhanced spaces for recreation, education, and the arts—becoming the true jewel of the James River.
A brand new area for kids to play offers a fun slide and stairs from the upper path to the lower path of the island.
The Project Will:
- Include $30 million in enhancements: $15 million committed by the City of Richmond and $15 million being raised by Venture Richmond from the private sector
- Enhance visitor experience for 1M+ visitors annually
- Support nature and the environment
- Provide critical infrastructure for events and recreation
- Ensure accessibility for all people, regardless of ability
- Increase support for education, ecotourism, history and the arts
- Make Brown’s Island the perfect place to “get away to it all”
A large deck terrace, redesigned stairs, shade sails, an ADA accessible ramp, and an interactive splash pad will transform the entrance plaza at the 7th Street pedestrian bridge.
Board Testimonial
“Venture Richmond was created to engage business and community leaders in partnering with the City of Richmond to enhance the vitality of our community. It is work we take very seriously; downtown’s economic and cultural success are essential to the City’s and region’s growth. The Brown’s Island Improvement Project will transform the island into a world-class riverfront park available to all Richmonders. We proudly invite our community’s many generous businesses, foundations, families and individuals to join us in supporting this important work to elevate our Downtown Riverfront.”
– Farhad Aghdami, Board Chair and member of the Campaign Leadership Committee
Shaded by the Manchester Bridge, the transformed Breezeway will become a multi-use area for visitors to relax and enjoy the iconic view of the James River, as well as an updated “backstage” area during performances.
Environmental Stewardship Priorities
The Brown’s Island Improvement Project prioritizes environmental sustainability through native plant restoration, improved stormwater management, and resilient design that protects the riverfront ecosystem for future generations.
This project will:
- Restore over 22,000 square feet of riparian buffer
- Remove invasive species and plant 200 native trees and 60,000 plants
- Add pollinator-supportive plantings and native groundcovers
- Install green infrastructure such as vegetated roofs and silva cells to manage stormwater and reduce pollution entering the James River
The new Riverfront Terraces and the removal of invasive species will provide unobstructed river views along one of the most unique sections of the James River.
History of the Project
Venture Richmond started working on the Brown’s Island Improvement Plan in 2018 and received conceptual approval from the City Planning Commission in December 2019. To see the conceptual plan, community input process and how we got to unanimous approval of the project plans by the Urban Design Committee and Planning Commission, please visit our website here.
Construction Information
- The 2025 Richmond Folk Festival (Oct. 10-12) and the 2025 Allianz Richmond Marathon (Nov. 15) will go on as scheduled, as will the 2026 Folk Festival and Marathon.
- Dominion Energy Riverrock will take place along the Riverfront in 2026 but will not utilize Brown’s Island.
- The T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge will generally remain open throughout construction and will be accessible from Tredegar Street via the western end of Brown’s Island.
- The Canal Walk will detour around Brown’s Island during construction along Tredegar Street utilizing the Haxall Point Bridge on the eastern end of Brown’s Island near 10th Street (detour signage will be installed).
If you are interested in learning more about the Brown’s Island Improvement Project, please contact us.
