VCU Developments

[540_804]

VCU School of Business, Christ University host Governor in real-time international event

In a rare event that crossed cultures and continents, the VCU School of Business and Christ University in Bangalore, India, hosted a visit today with Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell that focused on economic and educational partnerships between India and Virginia.

McDonnell, who is traveling in India this week on a creation and economic development marketing mission, spoke to a large audience of students, faculty and community leaders at Christ University.

Meanwhile, at VCU’s Snead Hall, VCU School of Business students, faculty and staff gathered with local business leaders to view the proceedings on a streaming broadcast.

The event highlighted the collaboration that has grown between VCU and Christ University. A notable example is the new dual-degree program that enables a collection of Christ’s business students to study extensively at both Christ and VCU, earning an M.B.A. degree from Christ and an M.S. degree in either global marketing or finance from VCU.

Many of the inaugural class of 55 students in the program at VCU this year attended the Snead Hall side of the event, while a number of the 65 students who will be traveling to VCU with the program next year were in the Christ audience. McDonnell answered questions from both sets of students at the conclusion of his speech.

Full press release: http://www.news.vcu.edu/news/VCU_School_of_Business_Christ_University_host_Governor_in_realtime

[burt]

Does anyone know anything plans to replace, or redesign and enlarge the James Cabel Library on the Monroe Park Campus of VCU?

From Fan of The Fan blog on RVANews:

http://fanofthefan.com/2011/12/a-new-library-for-vcu/

[majors2410]

This will be an exansion of the existing structure. The time frame in the article is correct. I believe the plan is to build the expansion in the area between the existing library and Park Ave.

[TBurban]

Here's a rendering of the addition of Broad and Belvidere student housing at the corner of Broad and Gilmer:

And I believe this is an early rendering of West Grace North, the student housing expected to break ground across from the one currently being built on the south side of Grace Street. Not sure if it's still accurate, but it gives you a sense of how massive the housing project will be:

[blake_p]

Here are links to the two photos. They images aren't showing up for me in the forums.

Broad and Belvidere:

http://ws-arch.com/p...ctureId=8004554

West Grace North

http://ws-arch.com/p...ctureId=8005410

I think they should tear down all of Broad and Belvidere and start over again. It might as well be a prison taking up the entire block with a single gated entrance. Add some retail on the first floor (even if only in a few spots) and it would be much better.

West Grace North looks like it has potential, but in a way it looks like a suburban development trying to recreate the city. It is quite an improvement from previous VCU dorms though, so I'll give them credit for that.

[Icetera]

Here's a rendering of the addition of Broad and Belvidere student housing at the corner of Broad and Gilmer:

And I believe this is an early rendering of West Grace North, the student housing expected to break ground across from the one currently being built on the south side of Grace Street. Not sure if it's still accurate, but it gives you a sense of how massive the housing project will be:

I think the project appears to be too large for the block you have in mind. Also, if I recall, someone on here stated that that development would be near identical to the one currently under construction and the footprint matches that theory. The blocks between Ryland and Harrison (Community Pride/Ukrops lot) and Harrison and Shafer (VCU Bookstore/Parking Deck) could have the space needed for this, though. The later would require demolition of the VCU Police Station, Grace Street Theater, and many shops. I have been curious of to why tenants have been vanishing from the small shopping center in the center of that block, without replacement, and have suspected a VCU buyout of the property as it otherwise seems like a viable location for businesses. The Central feature of that design also matches up nicely with the pass-through of the existing Parking Structure.

[TBurban]

I think the project appears to be too large for the block you have in mind. Also, if I recall, someone on here stated that that development would be near identical to the one currently under construction and the footprint matches that theory. The blocks between Ryland and Harrison (Community Pride/Ukrops lot) and Harrison and Shafer (VCU Bookstore/Parking Deck) could have the space needed for this, though. The later would require demolition of the VCU Police Station, Grace Street Theater, and many shops. I have been curious of to why tenants have been vanishing from the small shopping center in the center of that block, without replacement, and have suspected a VCU buyout of the property as it otherwise seems like a viable location for businesses. The Central feature of that design also matches up nicely with the pass-through of the existing Parking Structure.

Yeah I think the rendering I posted was an early concept of the student housing project, my mistake. Some of the features, the spires and offsets, are similar to those used in the design of the West Grace South residence hall. As far as I know, West Grace North will be a mirror image of West Grace South.

Like you had mentioned, the rendering fits well on Grace behind the bookstore between Shafer and Harrison. I would love to see that block developed. VCU's most recent master plan had called for a "Greek Row" type development on that stretch of Grace, but I'm unsure if that is still in the works.

Edited December 15, 2011 by TBurban

[Brent]

Both look great. I'm very pleased with the additon on Broad. I was expecting just more of that very ugly building.

[TBurban]

According to a press release dated from 9/9/11, a recent rendering of West Grace North was released:

VCU Press Release 9/9/11

West Grace Street North Housing (Rendering courtesy of Commonwealth Architects). Planning also is under way across the street for the West Grace Street North housing, which will include 388 beds with a focus on international education.

It looks like it will not be a mirror image of West Grace South. The rendering looks pretty cool though, I guess we'll see when they get closer to breaking ground what the final design will be.

[Brent]

These signs are up on the lot. this is the design. I noticed them for the first time this morning on the way to work.

[burt]

Rick Boyko, director of VCU's Brandcenter, has been elected to the prestigeous Advertising Hall of Fame.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...sin-ar-1593510/

[wrldcoupe4]

Burt - Any word on when work might start on the gallery at Broad and Boulevard?

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Burt - Any word on when work might start on the gallery at Broad and Boulevard?

Which one? Sorry, my 49-year old mind is very sluggish at times. At first I thought you were talking about VCU's new Institute for Contemporary Art....but from the address, Broad & Boulevard, I know that that's probably not the right one. If you can give me a name or description of this gallery, I can do the most noble thing a lazy person like me can do: I'll Google it.

Edited January 7, 2012 by RVA-Is-The-Best

[burt]

Which one? Sorry, my 49-year old mind is very sluggish at times. At first I thought you were talking about VCU's new Institute for Contemporary Art....but from the address, Broad & Boulevard, I know that that's probably not the right one. If you can give me a name or description of this gallery, I can do the most noble thing a lazy person like me can do: I'll Google it.

Coupe, I'm sure you're referring to the VCU ICA at Belvidere and Broad, but I have no news on it -- except I vaguly recall hearing that funding is underway and that it could possibly be ready in 2014.

Maybe 504-804 and TBurban have heard something thru their connections at VCU. And if you dig up something on Google, RVA, please pass it along.

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Google has hopefully done me well.... I'm sure you all have seen it before though.... :good:

http://rvanews.com/news/renowned-architect-to-design-new-contemporary-art-building-for-vcu/43270

http://www.news.vcu.edu/news/VCU_Announces_Plans_for_Institute_for_Contemporary_Art

http://ideastations.org/radio/archive/2011-06-02-vcu-announces-plans-for-new-institute-for-contemporary-art

http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=47866

http://blog.vcu.edu/support/2011/06/vcu_announces_plans_for_instit.html

It's not much, but the 3rd one (the IdeaStations one) has some sort of audio file which I haven't listened to.... but apparently it has the recording of the announcement of the ICA..... I seriously don't know what is on that file though.... I'll see if I can find more.... Google says it has nearly 27,000 results, but I'm sure as I go further into the search, it'll eventually lead me totally unrelated stuff....

[burt]

Google has hopefully done me well.... I'm sure you all have seen it before though.... :good:

http://rvanews.com/n...g-for-vcu/43270

http://www.news.vcu....ontemporary_Art

http://ideastations....ontemporary-art

http://www.artdaily....2&int_new=47866

http://blog.vcu.edu/...for_instit.html

It's not much, but the 3rd one (the IdeaStations one) has some sort of audio file which I haven't listened to.... but apparently it has the recording of the announcement of the ICA..... I seriously don't know what is on that file though.... I'll see if I can find more.... Google says it has nearly 27,000 results, but I'm sure as I go further into the search, it'll eventually lead me totally unrelated stuff....

Great finds, RVA.

The story on the Artdaily dot org site (above) is current. It's under today's date (01/08/12) which clearly indicates that famed architect Steven Holl and associates are moving ahead in collaboration with VCU.

The Contemporary Institute of Art at Belvidere and Broad in Richmond should, indeed, be an iconic structure.

[burt]

Holl's work is nothing if not controversial.

Joe Seipel, head of VCU's Fine Arts School, suggests in the third of RVA's google finds (the one with audio) that VCU's Richmond ICA will likely conform to the Nelson Adkins style in Kansas City.

Views of Holl's museum buildings from Google:

http://www.stevenhol...hp?type=museums

PS: If you listen to the audio you'll hear Seipel hint there could be a three to four year window before the new building comes on line.

Edited January 8, 2012 by burt

[wrldcoupe4]

Whoops - I meant Broad and Belvidere. Yep, was curious if anyone had heard anything regarding a timeline for construction, design, etc.

[burt]

The VCU RamCam follows progress at the site of the Grace Street South Dorm/Apartment complex between Laurel and Shaffer Streets.

From Fan of the Fan blog:

http://www.vcu.edu/ramcam/wgrace/

[540_804]

That's coming along quite nicely.

I can't wait 'til the new dorm is built opposite of it. It will give that street a nice, dense urban feeling. Hopefully there will be some retail frontage along the street.

I imagine that would be a fun little section of Grace to host various block parties or events by the various student organizations.

Next, I hope they eventually get around to replacing the other (original) West Grace Student housing (@ 701 W. Grace St).

I don't know the full history of the building but apparently it was a medical facility in it's former life; I was a resident in this building and it was quite apparent that they made very little attempt to hide its previous use. The dorm rooms (patient rooms) still had what appeared to be the original hospital-style lighting (example) above the beds and the nurses stations on each floor were even left intact. The worst part was that in one of my rooms (I lived in 3 different rooms in 3 different years) the shower of the unit above would leak into the space between walls and leak into my dorm and out into the hall. Not to mention its an ugly building (haha).

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Meh.... its nothing THAT bad...... but obviously somthing higher in height would be nice

That section could make for a good "Midtown Richmond" to complement D.T. If you bridge the gap between midtown and downtown with taller buildings, we could have one of the most dense skylines in the state! But it'll be years before we see THAT happening

[burt]

540-804, it was the site of St. Elizabeth's Hospital, a skinny, 5-story building which was demolished about 1960 to make way for the present structure. The new building where you lived was erected on the site and later converted to VCU dorm space.

Is the carriage house on Laurel between Grace and Franklin Streets still there? A friend of mine (and one of Richmond's finest actors and stage directors) lived there. I recall the hospital offered him over a hundred thou for the property back in the late 1960's (big bucks in those days) and he refused. Ironically, he died about a decade later in St. Elizabeths Hospital.

[burt]

Meh.... its nothing THAT bad...... but obviously somthing higher in height would be nice

That section could make for a good "Midtown Richmond" to complement D.T. If you bridge the gap between midtown and downtown with taller buildings, we could have one of the most dense skylines in the state! But it'll be years before we see THAT happening

RVA, check out http://www.skyscrapercity.com/, go to Southeast in the index and if you dig around you'll find that many people think Richmond already has the densest skyline in the state and ranks pretty high in the entire southeast.

It's one of those site that you have to join (like this one.)

[540_804]

540-804, it was the site of St. Elizabeth's Hospital, a skinny, 5-story building which was demolished about 1960 to make way for the present structure. The new building where you lived was erected on the site and later converted to VCU dorm space.

Is the carriage house on Laurel between Grace and Franklin Streets still there? A friend of mine (and one of Richmond's finest actors and stage directors) lived there. I recall the hospital offered him over a hundred thou for the property back in the late 1960's (big bucks in those days) and he refused. Ironically, he died about a decade later in St. Elizabeths Hospital.

The carriage house is still there! I believe it's used by the university for some kind of administrative offices.

[burt]

VCU Brandcenter first year students won a top prize in New York City today in an international business competition. They were up against some top schools.

They will be ringing the closing bell in about a half hour at the New York Stock Exchange.

Froim breaking news at the RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...ize-ar-1644776/