While I was searching through various documents on the web for information related to the English Village, I ran across this map of the area of Richmond west of the boulevard that surrounds English Village. Just looking at the print across the map shows how much the area has changed in such a short period of time. VCU isn't even labeled on the map and the Landmark Theater was a few owner's and names back as "The Mosque". And, this was all as recently as the 70's!
I suppose compared to other areas of the country under heavy development, Richmond probably hasn't changed much - but we always think of it as such an historic - static - area, that we forget it's still alive sometimes.