We applaud Virginia Union University for their recent commitment to preserve and repurpose the former Richmond Community Hospital, located on their campus. At the school, we see a leadership that is willing to change course and make the right decision – when they’re boxed into a corner with few other options.

Once a lawsuit over their plans for the property was announced, it didn’t take long for the university to change course and congratulate itself for doing so:

“We have listened closely as the community has spoken throughout this year,” VUU President and CEO Hakim J. Lucas stated in a press release. "The engagement process has worked, and we can all be proud that the community has shaped this plan together.”

These comments suggest a finality to the “engagement process” that is premature. The lawsuit will continue and we don’t expect the people who have pressed this issue to quietly fade away.

While the hospital has been given a good prognosis for survival, the road to recovery may be long and arduous. Fortunately, it won’t be a path that school officials and developers will walk alone. The community will be watching closely and walking alongside them every step of the way.