(Richmond, IN)--Thursday, Richmond’s Board of Public Works will address a contract to perform an environmental site assessment at the former Elder-Beerman building.  The assessment will include adjacent lots and the skywalk that connects the building to the municipal parking garage.  It’s the latest step to convert that property into a new building with roughly 150 market-rate apartments.  Right now, Richmond has a vacancy rate of only one percent for those types of units.  A large proposed development on South 37th that would have included those types of apartments was struck down by Common Council earlier this week.