Washington Plaza

Washington Plaza is a 28-apartment senior community at 21 East Leigh Street in Jackson Ward, two blocks from the Broad Street Arts District. It occupies the former Booker T. Washington Junior High School, a Second Empire building from the 1870s that also housed the Leigh School, Richmond Colored Normal and Armstrong High School before it was converted to apartments in 2010; the conversion left the mansard roof, tall windows and a schoolhouse blackboard in every apartment. One- and two-bedroom garden-style homes have hardwood floors throughout, a kitchen with icemaker and dishwasher, ceiling fans and an ADA-compliant tub and shower with grab bar, and an emergency nurse call system is available. Residents share a 24-hour wellness centre, a clubroom with a kitchen, on-site laundry and free off-street parking. Colony Management runs it as a 55-and-over community under the federal LIHTC program, so households must be at least 55 and fall under published income limits, and no pets are accepted.