A community built around opportunity, ownership and legacy.
Richmond Heights emerged in 1949 as a planned community created for African American World War II veterans at a time when segregation sharply limited where Black families could buy homes in South Florida.
From farmland to a planned Black community.
After World War II, Pan American pilot and developer Captain Frank C. Martin acquired land in southwest Dade County and developed Richmond Heights as a residential community marketed to returning African American veterans. Miami-Dade County's 2026 historic-marker announcement describes Richmond Heights as one of the first planned African American communities in the United States.
The first 26 pioneering families purchased lots in 1949. In the context of Jim Crow-era housing discrimination, the opportunity to own a new home in a purpose-built neighborhood carried significance well beyond real estate. Richmond Heights became a place where Black veterans, professionals, educators, civic leaders and families could build generational roots.
Richmond Heights is not simply the setting for the Plaza. Its history explains why community ownership, access, public service and cultural preservation remain central to the building's purpose.
A legacy protected across generations.
Richmond Heights takes shape
The first families purchase homes in a planned community developed for African American World War II veterans.
Local historic designation
Preservation work results in formal county recognition of historic resources connected to Richmond Heights.
National Register recognition
The neighborhood's preservation efforts reach the National Register of Historic Places.
Florida historic marker unveiled
Miami-Dade County, Dade Heritage Trust and The Historic Society unveil a marker honoring the community's founders, veterans and legacy.
Legacy translated into active community infrastructure.
Larcenia J. Bullard Plaza sits within this historic neighborhood and carries forward several themes that defined Richmond Heights from its beginning: entrepreneurship, access to opportunity, neighborhood institutions and long-term investment in community life.
Retail and office space support local economic activity. The conference room and shared spaces give residents and organizations a place to meet. Youth STEM education, senior programming, weekly chess and First Fridays create recurring public use. Cultural and museum functions preserve history while the building remains active in the present.
That combination is intentional: preserving a community's history is strongest when the history remains connected to daily life, economic participation and the next generation.