GREEN RIDE RVA USES GRANT FOR TROLLEY SERVICE
Holiday Trolley will provide transportation from Church Hill to Willow Lawn
Federal Realty Investment Trust is pleased to announce a free shuttle trolley service between the historic Church Hill neighborhood and Willow Lawn during this holiday season. Ford Motor Company selected eight universities around the country to partner with on a sustainability transportation program. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) was one of the chosen recipients. They are using Ford’s funding to initiate a free trial period during the peak holiday shopping season to test the effectiveness of the system, and if successful will officially launch an ongoing program in early 2015.
Dr. Van Wood, Ph.D. is Philip Morris Chair in International Business and Professor of Marketing for VCU’s School of Business. Wood said of the program, “VCU, as one of the premier urban institutions of higher education, is dedicated to partnering with businesses, public institutions, and our communities to provide the contributions needed to achieve our educational and research missions. This project, involving Ford Motor Company, VCU students, community members and private enterprises (Willow Lawn, RVA Trolley and others) represents an excellent example of how such partnerships are being developed to do well and to do good for all involved.”
The Steward School in Richmond has been involved with the project from the beginning. Steward Students will volunteer once it is underway, and will use Green Ride RVA as a research project to study finance, sustainability models, and food deserts in the community. Cary Jamieson, Bryan Innovation Lab Director at The Steward School said, “We’ve been honored to play a supportive role in this dynamic project with VCU and other community partners. Stewardship and understanding the needs of our community are wonderful ways to connect real-world learning into our curriculum.”
The trolley can transport 24 adults comfortably. It will run from 8 am until 2 pm on Friday, November 28, Sunday, November 30, Friday, December 5, and Sunday, December 7 . While a similar route using GRTC typically takes over an hour and a half to travel from Church Hill to Willow Lawn, the Green Ride RVA Trolley will be an express route and each transit should last just over 25 minutes. The Green Ride RVA Trolley will arrive in either Church Hill or at Willow Lawn approximately every hour.
Deirdre Johnson, Senior Director of Asset Management for Federal Realty Investment Trust said, “We are excited about this collaboration which provides a sustainable and enjoyable means of transportation for the community to Willow Lawn. This program aligns with our core values by focusing on the urbanization of the community through an eco-friendly means. ”
“Given Richmond, Virginia was the site of the very first successful trolley system in the world demonstrated originally in May 1888, it is only fitting the trolleys return to service in their birthplace,” added Buck Ward, President of RVA Trolley. “We are very pleased and privileged to support VCU and its partners in such an important community project.”
Pickup locations in Church Hill are:
31st Street Baptist Church
823 N. 31st Street
Richmond, VA 23223
New Light Baptist Church
2000 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23223
Mount Carmel Baptist Church
3200 E. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23223
Route schedules will be posted at pickup locations and updated in real time via Twitter using the hashtag #greenriderva.
About Willow Lawn:
Willow Lawn is an outdoor lifestyle shopping center located at 1601 Willow Lawn Drive in Richmond, Virginia and is owned and operated by Federal Realty Investment Trust. A major renovation was completed at Willow Lawn in 2012 and now offers a full range of amenities including an outdoor community gathering place with a central stage and children’s play area, new retail storefronts, inviting sidewalks with improved property circulation, centralized parking and enhanced landscaping. Willow Lawn features more than 60 shops and restaurants including American Tap Room, Old Navy, Zoës Kitchen, Which Wich, Lucky Foot, Travinia Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, Crazy 8, Lenscrafters, Staples, Bath and Body Works, and Kroger and Starbucks with Duck Donuts, Pigtails & Crewcuts and Family Meal opening in the upcoming months. For more information visit http://www.willowlawn.com or follow event updates on Facebook and Twitter.
About Federal Realty:
Federal Realty is a recognized leader in the ownership, operation and redevelopment of high-quality retail based properties located primarily in major coastal markets from Washington, D.C. to Boston as well as San Francisco and Los Angeles. Founded in 1962, our mission is to deliver long term, sustainable growth through investing in densely populated, affluent communities where retail demand exceeds supply. Our expertise includes creating urban, mixed-use neighborhoods like Santana Row in San Jose, California, Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, Maryland and Assembly Row in Somerville, Massachusetts. These unique and vibrant environments that combine shopping, dining, living and working provide a destination experience valued by their respective communities. Federal Realty’s 89 properties include over 2,400 tenants in approximately 20.1 million square feet of retail space and 1,500 residential units.
Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 47 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT. For additional information about Federal Realty and its properties, visit www.FederalRealty.com.
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Sarah North
Senior Marketing Manager
Federal Realty Investment Trust
snorth@federalrealty.com
(434) 227-5174
