Virginia Commonwealth University undertook its latest master site planning process about four years ago, and so I have a real appreciation for the steps the City of Richmond is taking to be inclusive and thorough in gathering the information it needs to develop a blueprint for the growth and development of a vibrant city.

I am struck by the similarity of the foundations of the VCU and Richmond master site plans. For example, there is an emphasis in both plans on being "green," not only in providing green spaces in an urban environment, but also in building design and infrastructure projects. There is acknowledgment of the strength of developing the plans around our histories and heritages. Most important, there is recognition that the plans must support economic and cultural viability. According to the city's plan, economic diversity should be encouraged -- that it is not only how a city looks but also what it offers that makes it a vibrant place to live and work.

The current draft of the city's master site plan recommends working with VCU to support economic diversity specifically in terms of social, cultural, and economic advancement. Coincidentally, a theme of VCU's strategic plan is to maintain the university as a model for university-community partnerships.

A priority within our strategic plan, which is reflected in the university's master site plan, is to work collaboratively with the community as a catalyst to enhance access and improve health care outcomes. Specifically, the downtown location of VCU and its Medical Center provides an opportunity to integrate the cultural, racial, and economic diversity of the Greater Richmond community into the academic and health care settings. As the city's largest employer, with more than 17,000 workers, VCU has a mission that includes providing employment opportunities for a diverse population, as well as education and training. As a public academic health center, we have a mission to alleviate health disparities and ensure access to health care. As a leading medical center, we have a mission to provide advanced clinical care and pioneering research to benefit the entire community and beyond.

These missions that simultaneously serve the community and the university cannot be accomplished without an infrastructure that supports them. Certainly, a master site plan considers the aesthetics of buildings and grounds, but it also should consider the function and significant consequence to the community.

I saw a good example of achieving this balance in early April when I joined other regional leaders for the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce InnerCity visit to Charleston, S.C.

Charleston, like Richmond, is a historical city. It has successfully capitalized on those attributes during the past 20 years in a revitalization effort led by longtime Mayor Joseph Riley that has resulted in a thriving, progressive urban environment. Charleston, also like Richmond, is home to a major academic medical center, the Medical University of South Carolina.

I had the opportunity to ask Riley about the importance of the medical center to the life of Charleston, and he said it is absolutely integral to the economic health of the city and physical health of its residents. He acknowledged the need to accommodate state-of-the-science facilities and that this had been accomplished in Charleston without harming the integrity of the city's new urbanism.

Colleagues at MUSC tell us that, rather than retreating to the suburbs, the medical center has stayed downtown because of Riley's support. MUSC, as is the VCU Medical Center, is undergoing a major modernization -- designing contemporary buildings that facilitate state-of-the-art research and health care, as well as renovating historic properties on its campus.

Whether new or old, MUSC recognizes that it is part of the community and that its infrastructure reflects the environment.

We are doing the same thing in Richmond. I am pleased that the most recent draft of the city's master site plan and VCU's master site plan share similar themes and foundations. The plans acknowledge a symbiotic relationship. VCU is an integral part of Richmond and the city's success is our success. At the same time, VCU plays a significant role in the city's economic, social, and cultural vitality.

If we focus development on the needs of people, as have our friends in Charleston, we will all benefit from a thriving, vital, and healthy city.
Eugene P. Trani is the president of Virginia Commonwealth University.