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Designed for Richmond


Cadeho

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For those of you who have been here long enough, you know I have always loved sharing my designs. This is especially true when it comes to the lot bounded by Canal, 8th, Cary, and 9th streets, or as it has been referenced in the past as the "triangle" or "piano" lot. This will be my last and final rendering the forseeable future, so any feedback--the good and the bad--are much appreciated.

I call this proposal, "Founders Square." Consisting of an office tower, a hotel/residential tower, and a glass atrium retail and entertainment component, this proposal would create a "signature" tower for the city. Greeting and visible to viewers from interstates 95 and 64, the two towers would become the city's two tallest buildings. The office tower would be somewhere along the lines of 50/60 stories, whereas the hotel/residential tower would fall between 35/45 stories.

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The corner of Canal and 8th streets would be a monument dedicated to the three ships that sailed and founded Jamestown: the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery. The bright white glass "sails" rise up from three small pools and fountains located at the base of each of the sails. Not shown above would be yet another water feature. Water would fall from the top of the dark blue glass atrium and fall around each of the three sails, circulating it back into the pools at the base.

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Founders Square as seen from 8th and Canal.

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Founders Square as seen from the Manchester Bridge (9th st.)

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A semi-aerial of the development from the corner of 9th and Canal.

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Second aerial from 8th and Canal streets.

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Aerial of the 9th and Cary street intersection of the development. The centerpiece of this plaza is a large fountain (perhaps an interactive piece) depicting a compass.

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View from 9th st.

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View from Cary st.

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View from 8th st.

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This last rendering shows what the cobblestone-like pavers might look like throughout the square.

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E.Canal/S.8th/S.9th/E.Cary Street proposal v.3

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a statue would look really cool on one of the two main plazas

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Tommy, I think the September 28th, 2009 design (above) is more monumental, has larger floor plates in the single tower and, overall, is more vusually appealing. But I love water features which could be incorporated with, perhaps, free-standing tributes to the Jamestown landing of the three ships.

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Thanks for the feedback, Burt! Between the two designs, one keeps the existing road and the other removes the road to create a full city block. When something finally does get developed on this site, I wonder if they'll choose to keep the site as is or combine the two parcels and remove the road.

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  • 2 years later...

Not sure if this is someone on here but I love the effort put into this student proposal for development of the GRTC Trolley/Bus Depot:

 

http://murp.vcu.edu/projects762/S11/S11_SSquier_Fan_Trolley_Barns.pdf

 

Discovered due to the comment on this article:

 

http://rvamag.com/articles/full/24426/city-council-members-aim-to-return-former-grtc-bus-depot-to-the-public

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Rather surprised there has been nothing developed at the former bus barn.  Tear down the structures, restore the grid and build a mixed use development with Whole Foods, Trader Joe's or maybe a Harris Teeter.

 

Contamination has been an issue though I suspect the city has been failing to market the site.  I agree with restoring the grid but would much prefer to see the structures remain (none block the right-of-ways) and use of historic tax-credits.  A smaller floor-plan grocer can certain fit in such a development without the sea of parking.

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Contamination has been an issue though I suspect the city has been failing to market the site.  I agree with restoring the grid but would much prefer to see the structures remain (none block the right-of-ways) and use of historic tax-credits.  A smaller floor-plan grocer can certain fit in such a development without the sea of parking.

What is the historic value of the current structures?  A parking lot is not needed with a grocer.  Build the parking of the grocer and residential underground.  Retail on the ground floor with a couple of residential floors above.  These types of developments are simple and becoming quite numerous though out the DC area.

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Ah, come on - those are fantastic old (110 years) unique large buildings that add a lot of character to the fan - I see that being a huge draw if developed right that you could never replicate out in the burbs. There are lots of empty lots (or crappy 60's-70's structures) around town where cool new construction could add a lot of value, buts lets not destroy what makes Richmond unique in the process!

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.... Look at fig 27 in the dev proposal icetera posted - do you really not see how cool that would be as a restored feature in that part of town?

 

"The area is a prominent residential neighborhood of 100 year old structures,
often cited as the largest intact Victorian neighborhood in the
United States.  The streetcars of the period fueled the expansion
of Richmond outward from its downtown core.  Richmond’s
streetcar system was notable as the world’s first successful
operation of electric rail transit, beginning service in 1888.  Many
innovations in the early days of electric rail service occurred at
the Fan trolley barn site."

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  • 1 month later...

Looks like GRTC is accepting bids for the bus depot...I hope a development comes out of this.

 

GRTC invites bids for former bus depot in Fan District

 

 

Not sure if this is someone on here but I love the effort put into this student proposal for development of the GRTC Trolley/Bus Depot:

 

http://murp.vcu.edu/projects762/S11/S11_SSquier_Fan_Trolley_Barns.pdf

 

Discovered due to the comment on this article:

 

http://rvamag.com/articles/full/24426/city-council-members-aim-to-return-former-grtc-bus-depot-to-the-public

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