The Richmond Voice, going out into the neighborhood, has found black business owners in the Jackson Ward area are generally supportive of the Downtown Plan so far. The article quotes one anonymous business owner saying that he did not find anything controversial in the plan and that is the reason for him not attending the meetings, another says “it will be great”, and a third says “it’s well deserved and I hope that all taxpayers in the city will be able to take advantage of it”.

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In an article picking up on earlier reports that the Richmond City Health District’s clinic and offices could be moving into the Jackson Center office building at 2nd and Clay Streets, the Richmond Voice quotes business owners against, in favor of, and neutral to the move and then drops this:

Most of the Black business owners were not excited with the news and feel the true intention is to force them into low-ball offers for their property so they can move and whites can completely take over Jackson Ward.
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Jack Green, owner and publisher of The VOICE Newspaper points out this is not right for the community or for the vitality of business. “Something like this will kill the Black businesses in this area and kill economic investments,” Green said. “They are doing this because they feel they can because we’re Black and they feel as if all Blacks should be clumped together. So, I’m telling them not to play on my Blackness.”