Richmond lacks handicap-accessible apartment units, according to Mike Frame, who plans to remedy that situation.
Frame appeared March 11 before the Richmond Board of Zoning Appeals with a variance of use request that would permit 12 single-story accessible apartments on the southwest corner of South L and South 23rd streets. BZA members unanimously approved the variance in the medium-density, single-family residential zoning.
Frame said his company, Trademark Construction, plans to invest $2 million to create four buildings with three units each. There would be four one-bedroom units and eight two-bedroom units accessed off South 23rd Street.
Four lots will be combined to form one parcel just shy of an acre in size. Each lot violates a zoning requirement for construction of a single-family residence.
Neighbors Tara Robinson and Steve Markley spoke against the apartments. Robinson said it’s terrible living next to rentals, and she worried about apartment tenants being able to see over her privacy fence.
“It just doesn’t make sense to put an apartment complex there,” Robinson said.
Markley would approve of single-family residences; however, he opposes the commercial aspect of apartments.
“I just don’t think it’s a very good idea,” Markley said.
Kyle Tom supported the variance. He said single-story apartments fit the area’s aesthetic and are a good use of the undersized lots.
6Main sign
The planned sign along East Main Street for the 6Main apartments required the BZA to grant three variances of development standards. BZA members unanimously approved the variances for the sign’s placement in relation to the main door, height off the ground and square footage.
The variances enable the vertical sign saying “6Main” to align with a stairwell for proper structural support, avoid interfering with the front entrance awning and be 48.75 square feet.
A version of this article appeared in the March 18 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.