I've lived in Richmond area all my life (60 years) and the "Bottom" floods every time we have a storm of any significance. I remember one instance in particular when a friend and I were returning from Hampton and had to detour around the entire central city because of a simple summer thunderstorm.

When the city fathers started promoting the area for development, all the natives wondered if they had lost their minds or had figured out how to float the buildings when the water came. But I guess they were more interested in money than stability. Places like Bottoms Up Pizza get washed by muddy water nearly every year. Personally, I'd move to higher ground and convert the Bottom to a park. A little landscaping and reseeding after a storm and nobody would suffer.