Richmond City Council approves third Planned Parenthood facility, sells land for $10

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Virginia League for Planned parenthood is slated to build a third healthcare facility in the City of Richmond.

On Monday July 22, the members of Richmond City Council voted unanimously to allow the sale of the former Brook Hill School, which is located at 4929 Chamberlayne Avenue, to the women’s health organization for $10.

According to officials, the $6 million, 10,000-square-foot clinic will provide family planning, primary care, cancer screenings and gender-affirming care services with subsidized fees to make care affordable for those who may not have insurance.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said the decision comes after an uptick in travel to Virginia for abortion care since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022.

“To have these options and opportunities in the city of Richmond puts us in a class of our own,” said Stoney.

According to the Virginia League of Planned Parenthood (VLPP), clinics in Virginia have seen a 30% increase in clients coming from out of state in search of healthcare services. Virginia has seen an 84.7% increase in clinician-provided abortions since 2020.

VLPP Communications Director Rae Pickett said the need for the facility is urgent.

“When people access abortion care, sometimes they are traveling long distances and they might bring their children with them,” said Pickett. “So our health centers are able to identify things nearby, like libraries or playgrounds for folks to be able to accommodate.”

The Family Foundation president Victoria Cobb said the facility isn’t needed.

“The needs of the city, particularly in this area, are great — homelessness, addiction, education,” Cobb said. “There are so many needs and there are so many entities trying to meet those needs that could have done that more effectively in that property location.”

There is currently no timetable for when the facility will be built but VLPP will soon begin fundraising to eventually demolish the old building and construct its new facility.

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