After months of public outcry and private discussions, answers about the future of the former Richmond Community Hospital building seem closer than ever.

On Tuesday, Virginia Union University officials confirmed at a civic association meeting that they will schedule a meeting with Cyane Crump, executive director of the preservation group Historic Richmond, to discuss the building’s future.

“I’m reaching out right now to have lunch with Ms. Crump in the coming days,” said Grant Neely, VUU spokesperson.

The plans for a discussion were raised before the meeting started, and VUU fully committed during an exchange between Mr. Neely and Viola Baskerville well into the event hosted by the Edgehill Chamberlayne Court Community Civic Association.

Ms. Baskerville, an attorney and co-founder of the Save Community Hospital online group, has helped lead advocacy efforts to preserve and reuse the building following VUU’s announcement earlier this year of housing plans for the area, which may involve removing the hospital. Historic Richmond is one of several lo-cal groups offering expertise to VUU in assessing the state of the hospital building, which served for decades as a resource for African-Americans facing medical discrimination and segregation. These groups aim to find alternative uses after news of VUU’s plans led to community backlash.

“We finally have Virginia Union getting their calendars together with Historic Richmond to sit down and talk about the hospital,” Ms. Baskerville said. “We’re making baby steps of progress, but Virginia Union University is well advised to continue to talk to the community.”

Mr. Neely answered questions from over a dozen residents as he explained the latest steps in VUU’s plans and their goals for the university and the area, with Franklin Patterson, VUU’s vice president of administrative services and infrastructure management, stepping in to provide additional information.

This meeting was the latest public discussion of VUU’s plans for the building since a town hall in Richmond’s 3rd District at Linwood Holton Elementary School in March, where Mr. Patterson answered questions from the public.

At Tuesday’s meeting, residents raised concerns about the planned redevelopment’s impact, including increased traffic, parking complexes, and the role of green space in the project. Some also stressed the need for VUU to be more communicative and open about their plans.

“What perplexes me is why these kinds of matters weren’t discussed before February on the front end rather than the backend,” said public historian Carmen Foster. “I think that the community relationship needs much repair, just like the hospital needs preservation as well.”

According to Mr. Neely, further community meetings are planned, with discussions likely throughout the summer and fall.