Libbie Mill / Westwood

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, Brent114 said:

There’s certainly a lot of land around that “new” addition that can be built on (and up!).  It would complement anything they can put here.  I suspect that it will stay and just be integrated into whatever plans they have for the future. 

Probably a lot more cost-effective, too. PLUS - a creative architectural team could REALLY design a sweet looking urban "neighborhood" on this property - a version of Libby Mill with more height/density on an obviously smaller overall footprint.  Design & bake in a "street" or two into the overall property between buildings and - wow - they could really have something here. 

Edited December 18, 2022 by I miss RVA

[blake_p]

When the addition was being built, someone told me that the original building was either the first or largest example of something to do with concrete in Virginia.  I haven't been able to dig anything up, but it is cited as an example in a number of papers on using the Mo-Sai method of architectural pre-cast concrete - https://www.pci.org/PCI_Docs/Publications/PCI Journal/2004/May-June/History of Exposed Aggregate (Mo-Sai) Architectural Precast Concrete.pdf

[skinsfan]

2 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

Probably a lot more cost-effective, too. PLUS - a creative architectural team could REALLY design a sweet looking urban "neighborhood" on this property - a version of Libby Mill with more height/density and a smaller footprint.  Design & bake in a "street" or two into the overall property between buildings and - wow - they could really have something here. 

Every time I go to Libbie Mill , I’m amazed on how well the developer did with the building designs. They’re truly well done and should age very well. 

[I miss RVA]

14 minutes ago, skinsfan said:

Every time I go to Libbie Mill , I’m amazed on how well the developer did with the building designs. They’re truly well done and should age very well. 

Every picture I've seen shows off how impressive the entire design really is. I hope that the new section that's currently being cleared (the big swath of vacant mid-century houses that to the west of the original Libbie Mill) will be designed equally well and really maintain that nice, tight, dense urban footprint as the district expands to the west.

[Brent114]

Libbie Mill is very attractive.  Much better than Broad Street Village IMO. 

[wrldcoupe4]

Higher quality for sure. 

[Flood Zone]

15 hours ago, Brent114 said:

Libbie Mill is very attractive.  Much better than Broad Street Village IMO. 

Although I've previously expressed concerns of a "connnectivity" nature re Libbie Mill, I have to agree that there's really no comparison here. It's much less frenetic than West Broad Village, and there's better things to do, whether  whether it's run the trail or walk our dog there, have a nice dinner at Shagbark, or take our kids to the library. And the importance of that library is not to be overlooked.  It's a really good one as far as libraries go and it offers a change of pace from bringing people in with a big-box store.

[blake_p]

Here's the site plan for what may be the next apartment building at Libbie Mill - Harp's Landing (March 2022)

https://henrico.us/pdfs/planning/2022/mar22/pod/pod2022-00053.pdf

If you look off the the upper left side you can see what they may have in mind for future town house expansion.

[blopp1234]

59 minutes ago, blake_p said:

Here's the site plan for what may be the next apartment building at Libbie Mill - Harp's Landing (March 2022)

https://henrico.us/pdfs/planning/2022/mar22/pod/pod2022-00053.pdf

If you look off the the upper left side you can see what they may have in mind for future town house expansion.

Only problem with it is that there is waaaaaay to much surface parking .

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, blopp1234 said:

Only problem with it is that there is waaaaaay to much surface parking .

That was my first reaction to looking at the blueprint details. Holy wow! HUGE sea of surface parking - total wasted space. I realize constructing integrated parking or on-site decks/garages, etc., isn't cheap - but wow... How I wish these folks would rethink this part of an otherwise pretty nice looking development.

[Icetera]

5 hours ago, blopp1234 said:

Only problem with it is that there is waaaaaay to much surface parking .

I would bet that the surface lot is short term.  Given construction costs, they may be trying to maximize occupiable units within their current 5-story pattern and will integrate extra parking into the next phase (much like the first apartment building) when prices come down.  They will have to grade that property in the future so may as well use it for parking in the meantime.

[I miss RVA]

24 minutes ago, Icetera said:

I would bet that the surface lot is short term.  Given construction costs, they may be trying to maximize occupiable units within their current 5-story pattern and will integrate extra parking into the next phase (much like the first apartment building) when prices come down.  They will have to grade that property in the future so may as well use it for parking in the meantime.

Good call, Ice. That makes sense.

[I miss RVA]

Here's Mike's reporting on the sale of the Anthem in today's RBS. Apparently Kinsale is growing rapidly and will likely use the space in the unused north building as they continue to expand. There were no real particulars about future development as in what might become of the overall property, though there was plenty of reference to other developments going on nearby in Westwood. Mike quoted Kinsale CEO Michael Kehoe as being interested in developing some of the surface parking, but said there are no immediate plans for said development.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2022/12/20/kinsale-buys-longtime-anthem-campus-near-willow-lawn/

Edited December 20, 2022 by I miss RVA

[ancientcarpenter]

7 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

Mike quoted Kinsale CEO Michael Kehoe as being interested in developing some of the surface parking, but said there are no immediate plans for said development.

This would be great. A much needed revival of broad st's viewing pleasures of "parking lot, car dealership, parking lot, parking lot, car dealership, storage building, Mr. Submarine, parking lot" for a fast changing and developing willow lawn area!

Edited December 20, 2022 by ancientcarpenter

[wrldcoupe4]

It's a great gateway location for an attractive project. There's an insane amount of potential at this Broad/Staples Mill node. Plenty of density could be added in and around Willow Lawn. Same can occur at the West End Antiques Mall center at some point. Would be great to have additional connectivity to Libbie Mill.

[benstyree]

On 9/14/2022 at 8:48 AM, rjp212 said:

A few clearing renderings:

 

https://www.rva.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/Diamond Handout.pdf

 

42 minutes ago, ancientcarpenter said:

This would be great. A much needed revival of broad st's viewing pleasures of "parking lot, car dealership, parking lot, parking lot, car dealership, storage building, Mr. Submarine, parking lot" for a fast changing and developing willow lawn area!

DON'T YOU DARE BESMIRCH THE NAME OF MR. SUBMARINE!

[Flood Zone]

50 minutes ago, benstyree said:

 

DON'T YOU DARE BESMIRCH THE NAME OF MR. SUBMARINE!

Logged back on just to say this, and you beat me to it!

[I miss RVA]

5 hours ago, benstyree said:

 

DON'T YOU DARE BESMIRCH THE NAME OF MR. SUBMARINE!

AMEN!!! I used to eat at the Mr. Submarine in Southside on Richmond Highway eons and eons ago when I worked at Philip Morris - it took me longer to get from where I parked (on the side of the Ops Center office building where my office was) to Bells Road than it took to drive from that point to Mr. Sub. LOVED getting a fresh, hot gyro for lunch!

[ancientcarpenter]

I'm convinced Mr. Submarine was a money laundering scheme. All the signs were discolored from the sun. I never saw anyone EVER in there and I never even saw employees.

But people swear by it...maybe I will go in and see it for myself.

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, ancientcarpenter said:

I'm convinced Mr. Submarine was a money laundering scheme. All the signs were discolored from the sun. I never saw anyone EVER in there and I never even saw employees.

But people swear by it...maybe I will go in and see it for myself.

Honestly - you owe it to yourself (to quote those cheesy old-school commercial pitches) to stop in at least once. Mr. Submarine is a Richmond "tradition" in many ways. It's one of the things I miss. When I worked at Philip Morris, it was easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy to go grab lunch at Mr. Sub - sometimes I'd eat there - sometimes I'd get it as takeout and go back to the office and eat at my desk. Ya gotta give it a try, mate! Quoting another old, cheesy commercial pitch - you'll be glad you did!

[flaneur]

not to make this a subs thread, but mr. submarine is legit and an institution on broad at westwood. however, is it the highest and best use given the pulse and increasing infill and density in the area? probably not. that's the challenge...not losing all the small businesses and quirky buildings that add to the special sauce of our urban frabric while also growing and densifying in prime areas such as broad. in this case, the drive-through mr. submarine set-up should go, but i hope the business would have a home in future development should the owners sell. and speaking of subs, i was just home for christmas and hit bernie's over on ridge road. simply THE BEST old school richmond sub institution. and the new spot next to it, supper club, is excellent too. i also had to hit stuffy's at libbie and grove. my second favorite RVA sub:)

[I miss RVA]

21 hours ago, flaneur said:

not to make this a subs thread, but mr. submarine is legit and an institution on broad at westwood. however, is it the highest and best use given the pulse and increasing infill and density in the area? probably not. that's the challenge...not losing all the small businesses and quirky buildings that add to the special sauce of our urban frabric while also growing and densifying in prime areas such as broad. in this case, the drive-through mr. submarine set-up should go, but i hope the business would have a home in future development should the owners sell. and speaking of subs, i was just home for christmas and hit bernie's over on ridge road. simply THE BEST old school richmond sub institution. and the new spot next to it, supper club, is excellent too. i also had to hit stuffy's at libbie and grove. my second favorite RVA sub:)

1.) West Broad/Westwood/Small businesses: best of both worlds would be for however many of these businesses that are able to do so to relocate to the retail space in the newer construction if they can afford to do so. Could potentially be a win-win. Old-school businesses familiar to the neighborhood remain in business - and - the new retail space is occupied. It's VERY frustrating (and frankly incongruent) to see lovely new construction of residential buildings with residential space on the ground floor that sits vacant and empty for an extended amount of time. Empty storefronts - even in brand-spanking-new buildings - just makes an area seem 'deader' than it really is. Here's hoping we will see tremendous growth in residential density along W. Broad and throughout Westwood - and the integration of old-school RVA businesses like Mr. Sub.

2.) BERNIES - OMG!!! MY FAVORITE SUB SHOP IN RICHMOND!!!  It has been DECADES since I was last a customer at Bernies (given that I moved to Chicago 22 years ago) -- my first wife and I were frequent customers in the '90s. It was one of her favorite places, too. 

Edited January 3, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Flood Zone]

Mr.  Submarine is definitely on the up-and-up, and it actually had a bit of a renaissance during COVID, when its drive-thru line routinely stretched out on Broad. Also, its subs are legit. Bernie's is probably better, but Mr. Submarine is no joke. And no it's probably not the highest and best use for that stretch of Broad, but there are things in that stretch that are lower and worse uses.....

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, Flood Zone said:

Mr.  Submarine is definitely on the up-and-up, and it actually had a bit of a renaissance during COVID, when its drive-thru line routinely stretched out on Broad. Also, its subs are legit. Bernie's is probably better, but Mr. Submarine is no joke. And no it's probably not the highest and best use for that stretch of Broad, but there are things in that stretch that are lower and worse uses.....

Yep - agreed - Mr. Sub is a Richmond institution. Loved going there. Aside from how much it would cost - and whether they own the building they're in vs leasing space in new construction - perhaps they could move into new construction. Best of both worlds - keep Mr. Sub in the neighborhood - and get the highest and best use of the land. 

[Wahoo 07]

Third apartment building at Libbie Mill to add nearly 400 units - Richmond BizSense

Nice article on a new building at Libbie Mill.  Interesting that the article states that there isn't much developable land left at the  site.  I guess some suburban parking must persist, although I wished they'd consolidate in a parking deck and build on the rest.