RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A street block outside The Valentine is on track to be named in honor of the museum's late director, Bill Martin, who was killed in a crash just blocks away last year. City officials proposed the ordinance last month to designate the 1000 block of East Clay Street in honor of Martin. Under the ordinance, the city's public works department will install honorary commemorative signs to celebrate Martin's life and his contributions to Richmond. The signs will not replace the street's name. Martin's sudden death came after he was hit by a car while crossing East Broad Street on Dec. 27, 2025, sending shockwaves throughout Richmond. The 71-year-old had served as director of The Valentine for 32 years, where he worked to tell stories of underrepresented groups and support marginalized voices in Richmond communities. Sportsbackers' director of Bike Walk RVA, Brantley Tyndall, and The Valentine's acting director, Meg Hughes, nominated Martin for the tribute. MORE: Richmonders remember longtime Valentine director Bill Martin after his tragic death "During his tenure, Bill strengthened the Valentine’s role as a civic and cultural anchor in downtown, including committing to our location in the Court End neighborhood. Having the 1000 block of E. Clay Street named for him would be a wonderful reminder of his impact as a champion for not just the museum but for the larger Richmond community," Hughes said in a statement to 8News. Historic Richmond and VCU Health leaders have also written letters of support during the nomination process, praising Martin's character, mentorship and impact on the city. "As a community, we will miss his visionary leadership, his reasoned and thoughtful voice, his gregarious spirit of fun and adventure, his entertaining anecdotes, his warm laugh, his sense of humor, and his willingness to roll up his sleeves and set to work to help the community better understand its history," wrote executive director Cyane Crump with Historic Richmond. City council will weigh whether to approve the ordinance at its meeting on Monday, April 27. ...read more read less