Reid Health will provide Richmond nearly 80 acres of land to be used in a planned housing development on the city’s east side.
The city’s Board of Public Works and Safety approved the acquisition of five tracts from Reid for the Smith Hill planned unit development south of Backmeyer Road between South 37th Street and Garwood Road. The Smith Hill development plans single-family houses and townhouses.
Beth Fields, the city’s director of strategic initiatives, told the board that by providing the land to the Smith Hill developers, the city can apply the $1.1 million value toward its match for a Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative 2.0 funding award. That leaves about $3.2 million the city must match.
Reid will give Richmond the land instead of paying the city’s Redevelopment Commission $1 million when environmental remediation concludes at the former hospital site on Chester Boulevard.
Fireworks aplenty
Scarrette Pyrotechnics LLC of Eastern Indiana requested Peacock Road closures on eight evenings for fireworks displays.
The board approved closing Peacock between North West 11th and North West 13th streets from 5:30 to 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, and on seven Fridays: June 12, June 19, June 26, July 10, July 17, July 24 and Aug. 7. The fireworks shows will follow Richmond Flying Mummies baseball games at McBride Stadium.
The Flying Mummies begin play this season in the Northwoods League.
Park roofs
Ken Paust, the board’s chair, opened three bids to replace 14 roofs for the parks department.
Central Structures of Greenville, Ohio, bid $315,150. Whisenhunt Construction of Richmond bid $238,467 for metal roofs and $172,124 for shingle roofs. Smarrelli General Contractor of Richmond bid $125,000 to roof the parks department’s greenhouse and $186,090 for metal roofs on the remaining 13 buildings.
The bids were taken under advisement.
Bid award
The board approved awarding bids for aggregate and bituminous materials effective May 1 through April 30, 2027.
Ernst Enterprises of Richmond received the bids for concrete and flowable fill, Barrett Paving of Richmond received the bid for stone, Milestone received the bid for cold mix and asphalt, and US Aggregates received the bids for gravel and sand.
Outdoor seating
Two businesses received board approval for outdoor seating on city sidewalks.
Bad Dad Pint & Slice at 421 N. Eighth St. received permission to put seven outdoor tables along North E Street and two tables along North Eighth Street. The tables are 30-inch square tables with two chairs each.
Downtown Deli and Catering Company received approval for two 24-inch tables outside its 716-718 E. Main St. location.
Contracts
- The board approved a corrected contract with Patriot Engineering and Environmental Inc. for the predemolition survey and asbestos inspection at the former Warfield Oil facility, 1102 N. F St. The contract had previously been approved with an incorrect $3,200 cost. The correct cost is $4,500.
- Richmond Police Department received board approval to spend $19,919 outfitting a new Ford vehicle used as a K-9 unit. The contract includes installation of emergency lights, prisoner transport partitioning and the K-9 transport system.
This reporting is made possible in part by Whitewater Community Television.
A version of this article appeared in the April 29 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.