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The Tri-Cities Area


wrldcoupe4

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1 minute ago, eandslee said:

Love this idea!  Such a waste (see what I did there?) of good real estate over there with great views of the city skyline. We all know moving the waste water treatment center is never going to happen, but what if?  Would be nice!

While in spirit (and conceptually) I agree - but OMG can you imagine the COST? How much federal and state money would it take to make this happen? Mind you - I'd LOVE opening up all that real estate - but - there are SO many engineering issues that require solutions - such as logistics of pathing waste-water TO a relocated facility. And the potential political firestorm of exactly WHERE to put it. This would be a project that would be in the billions of dollars to execute and who knows how many years it would take to actualize it. Not to mention the whole EPA portion of VERY necessary, thorough inspections, clean up, more inspections, etc. There's no way that this location can be redeveloped in a turn-key fashion, particularly for residential use or for something like, say, a casino (which again, involves a semi "residential" component (what are hotel stays other than people temporarily "residing" somewhere, be it for an hour, a day, a week, a month, etc.)

THAT said - I do indeed agree that it would be fantastic to free up that particular stretch of land for redevelopment.

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A bridge to Maury interchange would be a game changer for the east end.  I could be talked into this being a better idea than replacing the Mayo Bridge, and then leaving the Mayo Bridge as a pedestrian / bike  / transit linkage only.

1 minute ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

A bridge to Maury interchange would be a game changer for the east end.  I could be talked into this being a better idea than replacing the Mayo Bridge, and then leaving the Mayo Bridge as a pedestrian / bike  / transit linkage only.

Let me caveat my prior post by saying that I'm not sure how you could accomplish while also being sensitive to the historic importance of Ancarrow's Landing.

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1 hour ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

A bridge to Maury interchange would be a game changer for the east end.  I could be talked into this being a better idea than replacing the Mayo Bridge, and then leaving the Mayo Bridge as a pedestrian / bike  / transit linkage only.

Let me caveat my prior post by saying that I'm not sure how you could accomplish while also being sensitive to the historic importance of Ancarrow's Landing.

I'll have to do some digging - but where did I read recently that the Richmond 300 plan actually calls for a bridge connection to the East End - only farther south and not at Maury Street. I can't recall the exact location - (I'll have to research it later when I have a chance) - but the down-river portion would take all of that issue you mention out of play altogether, which is why, I'm sure, the planners opted to push such a bridge connection farther south.

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18 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

I'll have to do some digging - but where did I read recently that the Richmond 300 plan actually calls for a bridge connection to the East End - only farther south and not at Maury Street. I can't recall the exact location - (I'll have to research it later when I have a chance) - but the down-river portion would take all of that issue you mention out of play altogether, which is why, I'm sure, the planners opted to push such a bridge connection farther south.

I do not recall that at all, just us creating our own proposed solutions.

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I don't think the bridge idea is in the Master Plan, but it's definitely been floated around outside this forum.

 

The main benefit of such a crossing is that it would take a significant about of traffic off of Main St in Shockhoe Bottom, which of course would not only ease the congestion there but would also allow the Pulse to run much more efficiently (Pulse delays are almost always caused by its routing on Main St).

 

The bad thing, however, is that the traffic would be dumped onto an already congested portion of I-95 instead, and most of the commuter traffic is not exiting at Maury St but rather at either the Downtown Expwy or Broad. An additional lane would have to be added on 95 between the new bridge and the Expressway (including on most of 95's bridge across the river) to be able to handle it all.

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2 hours ago, Icetera said:

I do not recall that at all, just us creating our own proposed solutions.

FOUND IT!!  :tw_smiley:

The bridge & interchange with I-95 both are mentioned on pages 79-80 and again on page 127 of the adopted Richmond 300 plan. (See screenshots below.)

In the plan, the city is proposing building a new I-95 interchange in Bellemeade (more or less where Bellemeade and Commerce roads connect at or near Royall Avenue) AND a new bridge to span the river at that location, extending east into Henrico. While the exact location of the interchange (and associated bridge) is described simply as "a new interchange of I-95 /64 with Bellemeade Road" - it doesn't specify exactly WHERE/HOW the bridge (and any subsequent route) would connect with any established thoroughfare EAST of the river (because the city can't plan for the county, obviously). My GUESS is that a bridge would angle across the river from somewhere near the Vulcan Materials Company facility in south Richmond to somewhere near the Vulcan Materials Company facility in Henrico in order to bypass (and thereby minimize impact on) the large swath of riverside farmland on the county side of the river and connect to Route 5 just south of Rockett's.

So it's definitely in the plan!

Check it out:

 

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Edited by I miss RVA
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Glad to see it in there. Didn't know they were considering connecting to Bellmeade though. They're going to go across the rock quarry? I would've thought just to the north of there.

 

The bridge doesn't even need to be that high because it's north of the Port (and turning basin), though there are bluffs in the area. I don't see it being super expensive to pull off.

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5 minutes ago, plain said:

Glad to see it in there. Didn't know they were considering connecting to Bellmeade though. They're going to go across the rock quarry? I would've thought just to the north of there.

 

The bridge doesn't even need to be that high because it's north of the Port (and turning basin), though there are bluffs in the area. I don't see it being super expensive to pull off.

My guess would be they'd swing around the rock quarry and angle over the river. There's a lot of stuff at play on both banks of the river - and I could see the county not wanting to play ball (not just because of money but also how/where does a road get routed to connect up from the bridge to Route 5 and can the road swing northward enough to minimize the impact on Route 5 -- in other words, get it as close to Rockett's as possible). Mind you, I'm a big advocate for bridging south Richmond with eastern Henrico. It absolutely makes sense - and I'm thrilled that the planners had the foresight to put it in the R300 plan. But getting the county to step up and get involved it's going to be a heck of a task and one that I don't think will be very easy. Even though the powers that be have gotten better at playing together in the same sandbox, they still haven't mastered the fine are of legitimate regional cooperation - which is a must for the metro area going forward.

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1 hour ago, eandslee said:

Maybe the casino in Petersburg isn’t dead yet after all!  Everything still appears to be up in the air.

https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/petersburg-casino-bill-clears-house-committee

That's good to hear. And though they're trying to block Richmond from getting another bid at it, if the Petersburg casino ends up being the only one in the region then I still wouldn't be upset. Yes Richmond could use those jobs (especially those on the Southside), but Petersburg DEFINITELY need those jobs and revenue.

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I, like you, wouldn't be disappointed if Richmond does not get the casino and Petersburg does.  I think the casino would be transformative for that area of Petersburg and would provide a "gateway" to the Richmond Metro area as folks are traveling up I-95.  Unfortunately, too many travelers get onto I-295 North just south of the proposed casino site at Wagner Rd. and will miss seeing it.   There just needs to be a lot more new development down that way.  Right now, it just really rural or run-down looking and is not a good optic for the metro area at-large.

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On 2/3/2023 at 8:00 PM, plain said:

The bridge doesn't even need to be that high because it's north of the Port (and turning basin), though there are bluffs in the area. I don't see it being super expensive to pull off.

Regardless of the position of the port, I suspect any bridge over navigable water needs to be high enough to allow navigation.  Ships and barges do occasionally come up to Sugar Pad.

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32 minutes ago, Icetera said:

Regardless of the position of the port, I suspect any bridge over navigable water needs to be high enough to allow navigation.  Ships and barges do occasionally come up to Sugar Pad.

Agreed - while it probably won't need to be AS HIGH as either the Varina-Enon or 895 bridges, it'll still need to be higher than, say, the downtown bridges to accommodate barge (and other) traffic.

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36 minutes ago, Icetera said:

Regardless of the position of the port, I suspect any bridge over navigable water needs to be high enough to allow navigation.  Ships and barges do occasionally come up to Sugar Pad.

I think somewhere in the 65-80 ft range should be efficient enough, allowing ample clearance for barges and small craft. For reference, the two bridges I miss RVA just referenced both have a vertical clearance of 150 ft.

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6 minutes ago, plain said:

I think somewhere in the 65-80 ft range should be efficient enough, allowing ample clearance for barges and small craft. For reference, the two bridges I miss RVA just referenced both have a vertical clearance of 150 ft.

You were reading my mind, @plain I actually was going to ask if anyone knew their height over the river. Much appreciated! :tw_thumbsup:

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  • 1 month later...
1 hour ago, Marcus Squires said:
Exciting news for the city of Petersburg! After decades of lying dormant, Hotel Petersburg is undergoing a $13.5 million renovation and is set to open its doors for the first time since 1969. The upscale boutique hotel will feature 68 rooms, street-level dining, a bar, banquet facilities, and an outdoor courtyard for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And if funding allows, there may even be a rooftop bar!
The renovation has been underway for the past two years, with crews finishing mold abatements and replacing windows. The ground floor will showcase extensive marble work, decorative plaster molding, and coffered ceilings, while the upper floors will focus on comfort and space. The hotel's unique character and downtown environment are key players in the boutique hotel experience.
This project is being led by primary developer Nat Cuthbert, who believes that demand for a boutique hotel like this has come "full circle." The hotel's location is prime, with easy access to Virginia State University's Multipurpose Center, Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie County, and the region's historic tourism. Retro Hospitality, a Richmond-based company, is serving as an advisor during development and will ultimately manage the hotel once it opens. The company specializes in historic boutique hotels with between 50-100 rooms and has worked on projects such as Staunton's Blackburn Inn, Warrenton's Black Horse Inn, and the Hotel Weyanoke in Farmville.
Hotel Petersburg has the potential to boost the local economy and be a linchpin to future development in the city. Similar to the success of Quirk Hotel in Richmond, Hotel Petersburg could help spur development and infrastructure in the area. We can't wait to see this once abandoned and blighted building come back to life and become a destination for tourists and locals alike!

Screen Shot 2023-03-15 at 9.42.50 PM.png

I’ve always wanted to see Petersburg thrive and it’s just been disappointing to see that it just hasn’t.  Projects like this one will help hopefully turn the tide there!  This is really good news and I wish Petersburg all the success of growth and prosperity now and in the future!

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2 hours ago, Marcus Squires said:
Exciting news for the city of Petersburg! After decades of lying dormant, Hotel Petersburg is undergoing a $13.5 million renovation and is set to open its doors for the first time since 1969. The upscale boutique hotel will feature 68 rooms, street-level dining, a bar, banquet facilities, and an outdoor courtyard for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And if funding allows, there may even be a rooftop bar!
The renovation has been underway for the past two years, with crews finishing mold abatements and replacing windows. The ground floor will showcase extensive marble work, decorative plaster molding, and coffered ceilings, while the upper floors will focus on comfort and space. The hotel's unique character and downtown environment are key players in the boutique hotel experience.
This project is being led by primary developer Nat Cuthbert, who believes that demand for a boutique hotel like this has come "full circle." The hotel's location is prime, with easy access to Virginia State University's Multipurpose Center, Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie County, and the region's historic tourism. Retro Hospitality, a Richmond-based company, is serving as an advisor during development and will ultimately manage the hotel once it opens. The company specializes in historic boutique hotels with between 50-100 rooms and has worked on projects such as Staunton's Blackburn Inn, Warrenton's Black Horse Inn, and the Hotel Weyanoke in Farmville.
Hotel Petersburg has the potential to boost the local economy and be a linchpin to future development in the city. Similar to the success of Quirk Hotel in Richmond, Hotel Petersburg could help spur development and infrastructure in the area. We can't wait to see this once abandoned and blighted building come back to life and become a destination for tourists and locals alike!

Screen Shot 2023-03-15 at 9.42.50 PM.png

Excellent news!! This is certainly a good start to getting the Grande Olde Dame that is Petersburg back on her feet. The Tri-Cities have lay fallow for far too many decades -and it's always gratifying when new opportunities arrive there. Time for that part of the metro to thrive. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I almost lost it when I saw this image looking as if Petersburg would get an urban format Target, but it appears to be just an example rendering.  Still, these developments bode well for seeing Petersburg work toward its great potential.

https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/petersburg-plans-april-12-2023

Petersburg Development Rendering Old Towne.jpg

Downtown

Petersburg Development Rendering Sycamore Grove .jpg

Sycamore Grove

Petersburg Development Rendering 1 .jpg

Sycamore Grove

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1 hour ago, Icetera said:

I almost lost it when I saw this image looking as if Petersburg would get an urban format Target, but it appears to be just an example rendering.  Still, these developments bode well for seeing Petersburg work toward its great potential.

https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/petersburg-plans-april-12-2023

Petersburg Development Rendering Old Towne.jpg

Downtown

Petersburg Development Rendering Sycamore Grove .jpg

Sycamore Grove

Petersburg Development Rendering 1 .jpg

Sycamore Grove

Great renderings! I'm really glad to see some positive developments on the horizon for Petersburg. They have languished in the role of the "ugly, red-headed step child" for FAR too long now.

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23 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

Great renderings! I'm really glad to see some positive developments on the horizon for Petersburg. They have languished in the role of the "ugly, red-headed step child" for FAR too long now.

I always thought that was Hopewell lol (or at least the joke between our family was such)

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