The City of Richmond has announced a series of updates aimed at improving the visitor experience on the first floor of City Hall. The initiative includes enhanced wayfinding, the reopening of the Marshall Street entrance, new service kiosks, upgraded security measures, and the return of a staffed concierge desk.
Director of General Services Gail Johnson is overseeing these changes. Johnson stated, “City Hall is the people’s building. Richmonders should be able to walk through those doors and safely and conveniently find the services they’re looking for; our improvements are meant to ensure just that.”
Mayor Danny Avula emphasized the broader vision behind these efforts. “These changes are part one of a multi-step effort to realize a vision of City Hall that is more accessible and more valuable to the residents we serve,” said Avula. “When I envision a thriving City Hall, I see a building teeming with the work of city government, where citizens can walk through the doors to find the resources they need, when they need them.”
Security upgrades include new weapons detectors at the 9th Street entrance. These Evolv sensors provide improved detection capabilities compared to standard metal detectors and are designed to enhance both security screening precision and reduce wait times for visitors.
Inside City Hall, visitors will see updated signage on the main floor. The signs use color-blocking and clear icons to help people locate various services such as tax payments (green), assessments (orange), city treasurer and public utilities (blue), and permits or zoning (pink). A map detailing these zones will be available in English and Spanish at entrances and at the concierge desk next month.
A full-time bilingual staff member now works at the Concierge Desk inside the Marshall Street entrance during business hours. This person assists visitors in finding services quickly.
Further enhancements are planned later this year, including consolidation of planning and permitting processes, more foreign language signage, and public art installations.
Residents can provide feedback about their experiences by emailing AskOSC@rva.gov.
