Richmond's Suburban Developments

[I miss RVA]

9 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Sorry, I'm probably just obtuse, but while it is possible to provide structured parking, it seems like building a structure that is less expensive would allow more affordable rents. Perhaps there was a government subsidy to provide structured parking versus surface parking in those other situations but not in this situation?

No, Coupe, you're not being obtuse at all - rather quite the opposite - you make a really good point, particularly if something like this kind of development there is government involvement (subsidies) which we'd probably expect would be the case with affordable housing.

Rather - I think the point about the surface vs structured parking (perhaps not really applicable in this particular case) is more to call out that RVA's market size still throws a ton of constraints on the types of developments that absolutely work in other (read: "larger") markets, particularly at market rate (vs affordable rates), but are a real (if all but impossible) stretch to make work here. Just pointing out that a similar kind of apartment complex built in NOVA might have integrated/structured parking, thereby freeing up more actual land space for actual development and potential creation of an urban footprint, including some kind of street/sidewalk setup - whereas in RVA - because doing such a project carries a cost as "x" level - the structured parking would tend to get scrapped in favor of an ocean of surface parking surrounding the complex because it's a lot cheaper and would pencil in Richmond - whereas the structured/integrated parking setup for a similar project might not pencil in Richmond but it certainly would in NOVA.

Kinda off topic relative to this particular development - but I think you see where we were coming from.

It's pointing out the simple and rather painful truth that from a market-size perspective, we're STILL just too damn small, and that NEEDS to change.

Edited March 10, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Flood Zone]

10 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

I think the point about the surface vs structured parking (perhaps not really applicable in this particular case) is more to call out that RVA's market size still throws a ton of constraints on the types of developments that absolutely work in other (read: "larger") markets, particularly at market rate (vs affordable rates), but are a real (if all but impossible) stretch to make work here.

It's probably an issue that correlates with market size: How much of paradise, if any, have you already paved over to put up a parking lot (so to speak)? If "all" you need to do to make things spiffy is knock down some more trees, then why not put in a surface parking lot? But what if you or someone before you has already done that in the same area, and you want to redo/add to what's been done? I don't know the technical term, but let's call it microwaving leftovers. Much (although not all) of NoVa is at that phase, but down here there are still untapped spaces -- so why go with a denser development style? 

[Child2021]

7000 Carnation St, is getting cleared as of late. 

[eandslee]

54 minutes ago, Child2021 said:

7000 Carnation St, is getting cleared as of late. 

To help clarify...this is the apartment development next to Chippenham Hospital that was mentioned in a recent RBS article (which I can't seem to find right now).

[I miss RVA]

5 hours ago, eandslee said:

To help clarify...this is the apartment development next to Chippenham Hospital that was mentioned in a recent RBS article (which I can't seem to find right now).

Yes - I believe it is.

[I miss RVA]

Some density on the way east of RIC and Sandston with a new development off the SW interchange between I-64 and the I-295 beltway. More than 1,000 new homes (all single-family - either detached or townhouse style) are planned. Local developer Doug Godsey of Godsey Properties and Godsey & Son was born & raised in eastern Henrico County - and is bullish on the area's potential to take off in the way the West End has prospered for decades. Love the quote from Godsey in Jonathan Spiers' reporting in today's RBS:

“You’re going to see a lot more development in that area,” Godsey said. “The east end has been neglected from development for quite a while now. I’m from here, so I take it to heart."

Godsey's company is also in the process of developing 300 homes on the site of the former Glenwood Golf Club. PERSONAL NOTE: WAAAAAAAAAY back in the day, I played dozens of rounds of golf at Glenwood. Indeed, it was one of my favorite courses to play in metro RVA.

One interesting thing to point out in the RBS commentary: it's nice to see that readers' criticism is actually focused on asking the question of: "why not MORE density in the development, including a grid-street pattern and a focus on integrating mass transit rather than keeping RVA hooked up to the morphine drip of car-centric development?" I couldn't agree more!

The Sandston development will include retail (and yes - the requisite Wawa - go figure!) and POSSIBLY even a hotel. 

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/03/14/1000-plus-homes-a-wawa-and-more-in-store-for-area-east-of-sandston/

Images: 

Landmark/Gateway at Landmark (east of Sandston)

 

AND... the Fairway project - at former Glenwood Golf club site:

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Child2021]

https://www.nbc12.com/2023/03/14/neighbors-voicing-concerns-over-northern-henrico-housing-development/

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, Child2021 said:

https://www.nbc12.com/2023/03/14/neighbors-voicing-concerns-over-northern-henrico-housing-development/

Wowww... check out this quote from the NBC12 article:

The documents use the phrase “affordable housing,” prompting neighbors like Shari Meyer and others to worry about what that means.

“I’m all for affordable housing,” Meyer said. “We’ve already got seven multi-unit, very large, multi-unit complexes within a stone’s throw of the proposed site. We’re already saturated. If we haven’t satisfied that by now, what’s going to be different about it, and how are we going to attract the people, residents, that the county wants to attract,” she said.

Yeah... how they gonna get "the 'RIGHT' kind of people"...

I'm reminded of an incident from  WAY back in the day (as in the early '70s) a former friend of my mother once commented  to mom (at a dinner party my parents were hosting) while kvetching about GRTC running the Forest Hill bus out to Huguenot Road - "We certainly don't want the 'riff-raff from Richmond' coming into the county, do we?" (OMG... my mother, may her memory be for a blessing, was absolutely infuriated, almost slugged her on the spot and told this person to never EVER so much as call her or darken the door of our house ever again. And yes, my mom threw this woman out of our house on her tuchus right then and there. In the middle of the dinner party. Kicked her out of our house.)

Even in 2023 - this is a trope that simply won't die. The vampire that's impervious to the stake through the heart. Wow...

[Child2021]

The Lake Surf project is still going strong, along with the new construction at Spring Rock Green. At Spring Rock Green however, demolition of the parking lot has begun.

[eandslee]

2 hours ago, Child2021 said:

The Lake Surf project is still going strong, along with the new construction at Spring Rock Green. At Spring Rock Green however, demolition of the parking lot has begun.

Great reports!  These are both very good news to hear!!

[I miss RVA]

21 hours ago, Child2021 said:

The Lake Surf project is still going strong, along with the new construction at Spring Rock Green. At Spring Rock Green however, demolition of the parking lot has begun.

There are so many projects going on it's getting to be a challenge keeping them all straight without a program! (Which is a VERY good problem to have, btw!)

Now - refresh my memory - Spring Rock Green - that's on the site of the old Beaufont Mall on Midlo just west of Chippenham? Where the ice rinks are going? Or am I confusing it with something else?

[I miss RVA]

On 1/5/2023 at 3:42 PM, I miss RVA said:

 !!!!!!  This is absolutely spot on, @Wahoo 07 There's a LOT to like about this development, from a nice amount of residential density to a smart mix of business/commercial/retail/residential components to ESPECIALLY its location. It's a "long catty-corner" across the interchange of 95 and 295 from Green City - and by extension, when the two are taken together, they very well could form the foundation of a legit "beltway/edge city" in the northern suburbs. My biggest hope is that the Sauers' development will further energize discussions (and eventually plans and then ACTION) to bring the northern terminus of the much-anticipated and long-awaited north/south PULSE BRT line all the way to VCC – as well as some form of public transit to/from the new arena in Green City on game nights for college basketball games and tournaments as well as — hopefully — minor league hockey (which surely will return to Richmond when the new arena is built).

Check out a few of the particulars. (Note - the building renderings are only representative samples of the types/styles of architecture of the planned components - and are not actual renderings. Still - it's a nice mix and this development is a perfect fit for that northern suburban district.

 

 

UPDATE, courtesy of @Child2021-- this project has been APPROVED by the Henrico County Board of Supervisors. Moving the updated story over from "Off Topic Postings".

https://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/topic/20234-richmond-off-topic-postings/?do=findComment&comment=1858568

 

[I miss RVA]

While the massive new Spring Rock Green mixed-use redevelopment (Springline at District 60) has been grabbing recent headlines, work continues on the Dallas-based Trinsic Residential Group's new Aura Stonebridge 252-unit apartment building on part of the site of the former Cloverleaf Mall. The success of this project will be a HUGE win for metro RVA. The Aura Stonebridge is not only Trinsic's first development in the region, it's the only project that Trinsic is listing in the Mid-Atlantic region, per reporting by RBS. Trinsic -- which specializes in multifamily development -- has projects in Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida and the Carolinas.

The Aura-Stonebridge building will be four-and-five stories tall.

@wrldcoupe4& @upzoningisgood-- is this another example of a national developer whose project, if successful, could further push metro RVA onto radar screens of other deep-pocketed national-level developers?

OF NOTE: Also adding to the tremendous synergy of this stretch of Midlo on the western side of Chippenham Parkway are long-standing projects in the pipeline, including a 1,250 unit residential Starview Village development south of the Aura project and the anticipated Shamin Hotels Inc. development closer to Midlo that would include a 250-room Embassy Suites hotel and conference center, 300 apartments, 10K sq ft of retail space and a possible brewery. That project is still in site review with the county. The Starview construction could begin next year (2024).

From today's RBS:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/03/22/fourth-apartment-building-rising-at-stonebridge/

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by I miss RVA

[upzoningisgood]

Basically if you’re on this list, you’re big enough to open other people’s eyes if you hit it big in a non-major market, or at least catch their attention when they’re doing rent comps for a prospective deal. 
 

https://www.nmhc.org/research-insight/the-nmhc-50/top-50-lists/2022-top-developers-list/

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, upzoningisgood said:

Basically if you’re on this list, you’re big enough to open other people’s eyes if you hit it big in a non-major market, or at least catch their attention when they’re doing rent comps for a prospective deal. 
 

https://www.nmhc.org/research-insight/the-nmhc-50/top-50-lists/2022-top-developers-list/

SWEET!! So right off the bat, we know there are at least three heavyweights building projects in metro Richmond - two of them in the the city. Trinsic (the aforementioned Aura Stonebridge), Greystar and Crescent (I believe, @upzoningisgood, you & @wrldcoupe4had mentioned Greystar I think with one of the Scott's Addition developments (the Otis, maybe?)) - and we know Crescent is doing the Novel Scott's Addition.

So how does this impact Richmond? What's the cutoff for what constitutes a "major market"? Is it based on population size? Or are there dollars-and-cents economic factors that go beyond just raw population?

(I'm guessing Richmond falls outside of "major market" parameters, yes?)

Edited March 23, 2023 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

Uh oh…The Park in Chesterfield may have some competition soon. VA Beach is looking to develop a new state of the art surf park too:

https://www.wtkr.com/homepage-showcase/virginia-beach-surf-park-the-brainchild-of-superstar-pharrell-williams-moves-forward

[Hike]

39 minutes ago, eandslee said:

Uh oh…The Park in Chesterfield may have some competition soon. VA Beach is looking to develop a new state of the art surf park too:

https://www.wtkr.com/homepage-showcase/virginia-beach-surf-park-the-brainchild-of-superstar-pharrell-williams-moves-forward

A beach location seems more of a natural fit for this type of thing.
I guess if people want to go to these, not having to drive the 2 hours is a plus. I’m also assuming both locations can support it? 

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, Hike said:

A beach location seems more of a natural fit for this type of thing.
I guess if people want to go to these, not having to drive the 2 hours is a plus. I’m also assuming both locations can support it? 

You'd think the beach WOULD be the primo location for something like this. Still - I think us getting out the starting gate first and having ours in metro RVA up and running should make it a fairly safe bet. Unless the VAB location offers something otherworldly that the RVA venue doesn't, I honestly can't see metro Richmonders schlepping two hours down to Tidewater to partake of something we already have here at home. The bigger impact is that the RVA location wouldn't be able to draw from Hampton Roads once the VAB location is operational.

I wouldn't worry too much.

[Flood Zone]

2 hours ago, Hike said:

A beach location seems more of a natural fit for this type of thing.
I guess if people want to go to these, not having to drive the 2 hours is a plus. I’m also assuming both locations can support it? 

Seems from the TV report that it's part of a larger development with the intention of competing with other parts of the oceanfront area. I think your take is correct. The problem I see with the planned surf park here is the location., but maybe that's just me.

[Hike]

22 minutes ago, Flood Zone said:

Seems from the TV report that it's part of a larger development with the intention of competing with other parts of the oceanfront area. I think your take is correct. The problem I see with the planned surf park here is the location., but maybe that's just me.

It seems a tourist place would be better situated. There’s a steady flow of first timers, new guests. The one here seems like it will have to rely more on returning over and over. How many locals will go more than once? Though I say this and people go over and over to Kings Dominion or Busch Gardens, will this be on par with those types of entertainment?

Edited March 23, 2023 by Hike

[Brent114]

Water Country USA  may be a closer model.   I can certainly see people buying season passes (if that’s a thing with this park) and will go multiple times. 

[I miss RVA]

Crescent Communities is taking a second bite of the metro-RVA apple, this time in the far-western reaches of the metro's ever expanding (sprawling?) suburbs: According to today's RBS, Crescent - through it's development arm Axial Industrial - is planning to develop a pair of industrial buildings at 2212 Ashland Road in Goochland, not far from the huge Rockville Industrial Park ("Project Rocky"). The two buildings would total 350K sq feet. 

A VERY interesting nugget from this story: apparently this actually constitutes Crescent's third bite of the RVA apple - Axlal Industrial is currently under contract for a 500K sq ft industrial development at a yet-to-be announced location in Chesterfield.  Of course, we already know that Crescent's landmark RVA project is the Novel Scott's Addition apartment building, currently under construction on N. Arthur Ashe Blvd across from the Diamond District.

Call me crazy, but this definitely reads to me as a HUGE win for RVA!

Hey @upzoningisgood& @wrldcoupe4-- as soon as I saw Crescent Communities being the developer behind this project, I thought of you, as you've mentioned that since they're among the real heavy-hitters nationally, their additional presence in metro RVA is a super positive sign. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this outstanding news.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/03/27/n-c-developer-planning-two-industrial-buildings-near-project-rocky-site/

Edited March 27, 2023 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

I'm sure we've had previous reporting on this development - but the Times-Dispatch is reporting that construction is now underway in the quickly densifying northern suburbs near Virginia Center Commons.

The Walker - a 275-unit, multi-family apartment complex will offer both market-rate and affordable housing on a portion of the city of the former VCC, close to the Henrico Sports Complex, construction on which continues apace.  Roughly 20% of the project is set aside for affordable housing.

Very close to this site on the VCC property, another parcel is set to close within the next 30 or so days with an unnamed but "national developer" slated to come in to build an additional 361 townhouses, at least a portion of which might be of the 2 -over-2 variety.

Indeed, I'm hoping this will quell discussion that there's not enough "potential" ridership for the PULSE BRT (yellow!) line to VCC. Having increasing density and multi-family construction immediately adjacent to where a potential northern-most terminus might be could certainly help sway GRTC's/CVTA's thinking toward not stopping at the city line at Azalea Avenue.

https://richmond.com/business/local/henrico-affordable-housing-virginia-center-commons/article_e4847990-d261-11ed-961a-63bccc47f633.html?utm_source=richmond.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletter-templates%2Flocal%2Fdaily-business&utm_medium=PostUp&lctg=4428112&tn_email_eh1=0ec7e032dd1e4ec101109fd5c9cd7c5c0a175c41

 

Edited April 9, 2023 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

The Times-Dispatch reported on Friday on another project we may already know about: "The Brook" will bring 310 units to the site of the shuttered Knight's Inn motel at 9002 Brook Road - just north of Hungary Road. The development will include 274 apartments and the balance of the units made up of townhouses. The apartments will be in five four-story tall buildings, while the townhouses will be in six buildings, each with six units.

Again, this constitutes significant progress in bringing greater density to the Brook Road corridor between the city line and the Virginia Center Commons redevelopments and -- hopefully -- will also help move the needle enough to help GRTC/CVTA and whatever other powers-that-be who need to be involved to build out the northern PULSE BRT (yellow!) line all the way to VCC and not merely stop at the city line.

https://richmond.com/business/local/knights-inn-apartments-townhomes-henrico-development-brook-road-glen-allen/article_e9cfa2c4-d579-11ed-a374-2fc097acf5e8.html?utm_source=richmond.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletter-templates%2Flocal%2Fdaily-business&utm_medium=PostUp&lctg=4428112&tn_email_eh1=0ec7e032dd1e4ec101109fd5c9cd7c5c0a175c41

Edited April 9, 2023 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

Nice recap in Friday's RBS detailing the progress of Spy Rock's and Crescent's apartment project on the site of the former Henrico Plaza Shopping Center. I didn't realize Crescent was involved in this development as well - and we know based on recent reporting that they're really planting some flags in RVA with several large multi-family projects. 

From Friday's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/04/07/project-snapshot-springdale-park-rising-at-old-henrico-plaza-site/