Manchester Development

[whw53]

22 hours ago, eandslee said:

Looks like the developers are still heavily marketing the office portion of South Falls.  I've noticed that there has been no ground broken yet for the construction of this portion of the project.  To me, this is not a good sign.  I wonder if there has been any interest at the very least?  Hope they find someone soon to fill the space - I'd love to see it fully occupied and...frankly, I want to see this office building built!

Here's a good looking brochure on the office portion of South Falls:

https://sites.vedp.org/GetAttachment?id=189311&binary=true

From an article in RTD I remember Tom Papa the developer saying something along the lines that Phase 2 site would not be a commercial spec build and if no takers they would pivot to building another apartment tower...and that was before COVID. With South Falls I wrapping up next 6 months or so I hope we see some permit activity or get some news bits on it soon. I think if lease up is strong for South Falls I and no company commits to a chunk of square footage for the proposed tower then I think they will take this residential.

They are also the developer for  the Hydro project across Hull  - update on that...i drove in there today and there is indeed some work being done on this site, still very preliminary - nothing poured yet but they have cleared the brush back to the tracks and have some sort of machine that appears to be for leveling or compacting the ground. Two other bulldozer\excavator vehicles with backhos parked on site as well along with porto-john so I think we are close to moving this project into the 'orange'...

[I miss RVA]

Nice! Glad to see the Hydro project is starting to move forward.

While it would be GREAT to get some quality office space like that in Manchester, I wouldn't mind at all if they ended up going residential - maybe re-do the second building so it's of equal size (14-stories) to South Falls.

There was one building on this Manchester thread that never got going - and I always wondered what happened to it. I think it was going to be at 6th and Hull or in that vicinity - it was to be a 12-story residential building which would have been really the first bit of height along Hull Street and the first really "inland" in Manchester what with everything else popping up along the riverfront. Anyone have any idea how/why this tower never went anywhere?

[whw53]

13 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Nice! Glad to see the Hydro project is starting to move forward.

While it would be GREAT to get some quality office space like that in Manchester, I wouldn't mind at all if they ended up going residential - maybe re-do the second building so it's of equal size (14-stories) to South Falls.

There was one building on this Manchester thread that never got going - and I always wondered what happened to it. I think it was going to be at 6th and Hull or in that vicinity - it was to be a 12-story residential building which would have been really the first bit of height along Hull Street and the first really "inland" in Manchester what with everything else popping up along the riverfront. Anyone have any idea how/why this tower never went anywhere?

I'm really hoping this one comes through. The latest activity I could find for this address was a Plan of Development submitted December 2019 for 135 apartments and retail - it is still classified as 'Awaiting Revisions' so from city's point of view I think they are waiting for the developer to re-submit? Not 100% sure. Land owner\developer has taken this plot through the rezoning and the special use process already back in 2017 which are the biggest hurdles really - would be weird throw in the towel due to some requests for plan revisions so I think something else may be happening here. 

[Icetera]

14 hours ago, whw53 said:

I'm really hoping this one comes through. The latest activity I could find for this address was a Plan of Development submitted December 2019 for 135 apartments and retail - it is still classified as 'Awaiting Revisions' so from city's point of view I think they are waiting for the developer to re-submit? Not 100% sure. Land owner\developer has taken this plot through the rezoning and the special use process already back in 2017 which are the biggest hurdles really - would be weird throw in the towel due to some requests for plan revisions so I think something else may be happening here. 

I believe the Port RVA Phase Two 12-story piece is dead with a switch to the 7-story "The Box."  The configuration of the lot does appear to potentially accommodate the tower in the future, though.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/07/09/former-manchester-box-factory-site-to-become-the-box-apartment-development/

[rjp212]

The Box is located behind where the 12-story was suppose to go.  

[whw53]

2 hours ago, rjp212 said:

The Box is located behind where the 12-story was suppose to go.  

Correct. Same block but 4 parcels make up that undeveloped section. 3 in the back are under a different LLC than the Port RVA 2 proposal in the front. The POD's submitted for these sites do not overlap. Different land owners, different developers. 

 

Edit - meant to put Port RVA 2 , not PC 2...was thinking port city for a second..

Edited September 14, 2020 by whw53

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, whw53 said:

Correct. Same block but 4 parcels make up that undeveloped section. 3 in the back are under a different LLC than the Port RVA 2 proposal in the front. The POD's submitted for these sites do not overlap. Different land owners, different developers. 

 

Edit - meant to put Port RVA 2 , not PC 2...was thinking port city for a second..

So if I understand this drawing correctly, the 512 parcel (labeled PC2 but really Port RVA2) is still available for development and, in theory, could STILL wind up with something akin to the 12-story residential tower on it? I recall that the developers who built what now stands at the Locks 321 site downtown was also going to develop this tower. Perhaps there's still a chance at some point that the 12-story could get resurrected and built there?

Mind you - I'm glad The Box is getting built along Decatur and am happy we'll have that part of the Manchester mix - but boy was I hoping for some height along Hull.

Edited September 14, 2020 by I miss RVA

[georgeglass]

McRae and Lacy townhomes are taking shape.

 

 

[whw53]

On 9/14/2020 at 3:29 PM, I miss RVA said:

So if I understand this drawing correctly, the 512 parcel (labeled PC2 but really Port RVA2) is still available for development and, in theory, could STILL wind up with something akin to the 12-story residential tower on it? I recall that the developers who built what now stands at the Locks 321 site downtown was also going to develop this tower. Perhaps there's still a chance at some point that the 12-story could get resurrected and built there?

Mind you - I'm glad The Box is getting built along Decatur and am happy we'll have that part of the Manchester mix - but boy was I hoping for some height along Hull.

@I miss RVA So I think the 12 story tower is still an active application - there are some delays but when i dug into the permit and found that POD application from 12/2019 I was surprised because that was a lot more recent than I expected to be honest even though pre-COVID feels like a decade ago. That last we had heard press-wise was longer ago than that - maybe early-mid 2018 or even 2017? so was expecting something in there. Under a year is still encouraging in my book given the geologic time it takes to get through the city in some cases. It is also worth mentioning that the city marks this as an active case in their Land Use Development map so I take that as meaning they must be communicating to some degree with the applicant/developer. Let's not write this one off yet.

[I miss RVA]

21 minutes ago, whw53 said:

@I miss RVA So I think the 12 story tower is still an active application - there are some delays but when i dug into the permit and found that POD application from 12/2019 I was surprised because that was a lot more recent than I expected to be honest even though pre-COVID feels like a decade ago. That last we had heard press-wise was longer ago than that - maybe early-mid 2018 or even 2017? so was expecting something in there. Under a year is still encouraging in my book given the geologic time it takes to get through the city in some cases. It is also worth mentioning that the city marks this as an active case in their Land Use Development map so I take that as meaning they must be communicating to some degree with the applicant/developer. Let's not write this one off yet.

Thanks for digging this info up! Man oh man - let's hope this tower gets built. It would be impactful for Manchester - and not just visually.

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

More infill development! 700 Semmes on a riverfront site, six stories, on the site of a warehouse now.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/09/28/230-unit-development-planned-for-riverfront-site-in-manchester/

[eandslee]

2 hours ago, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

More infill development! 700 Semmes on a riverfront site, six stories, on the site of a warehouse now.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/09/28/230-unit-development-planned-for-riverfront-site-in-manchester/

While this is good news, I’m a little disappointed in the height.  I’m also disappointed that this is a Walter Parks design. 

[blopp1234]

Height of the project makes sense as I’m sure residents of the apartment building directly behind it would have a fit if it blocked their views of the river, making it almost impossible for the project to pass. Not a huge fan of the architecture but love the density in that area.

[Icetera]

6 minutes ago, blopp1234 said:

Height of the project makes sense as I’m sure residents of the apartment building directly behind it would have a fit if it blocked their views of the river, making it almost impossible for the project to pass. Not a huge fan of the architecture but love the density in that area.

This has been about my expectation height-wise the moment we found out the buyer of the land was the same group behind the those residences behind.  Under different ownership, I doubt those views would have been considered.

[I miss RVA]

While I'd love to have more height, overall I like it. Definitely glad to have the density.  It almost seems as if Manchester and Scott's Addition are in a "race" of sorts (but with no clear "finish line") in terms of the number and size of residential projects underway or planned. I'm loving how both parts of town are just exploding with development like this.

I was looking at the satellite image map of Manchester -- there are maybe more vacant blocks just waiting to be developed in Manchester than there are in Monroe Ward! Lots of places to get the height we want. If the Port RVA2 project ever gets going (the 12-story building at 512 Hull Street) we'll have some inland height there. I almost get the feeling that a lot of projects currently will start rising in 2021 - likely close to the same time. We might see more than a couple of cranes popping up in Manchester.

Edited September 28, 2020 by I miss RVA

[Icetera]

26 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

I was looking at the satellite image map of Manchester -- there are maybe more vacant blocks just waiting to be developed in Manchester than there are in Monroe Ward!

There is actually a lot of infill development that is not yet updated on Google Maps, especially in the old residential neighborhood.  You may be surprised by how filled in it is when the next update is released.  The two lots along Commerce  just Southeast of this new announcement appear to be ripe for some height without blocking any views:

 

[I miss RVA]

On 9/19/2020 at 6:24 AM, georgeglass said:

McRae and Lacy townhomes are taking shape.

 

 

Is anyone else getting a very "Brooklyn" feel to Manchester nowadays? I'm loving what's happening there.

[I miss RVA]

30 minutes ago, Icetera said:

There is actually a lot of infill development that is not yet updated on Google Maps, especially in the old residential neighborhood.  You may be surprised by how filled in it is when the next update is released.  The two lots along Commerce  just Southeast of this new announcement appear to be ripe for some height without blocking any views:

 

Oh most definitely! I can't wait to see what an updated picture looks like. However, I was thinking more in terms of quite a few blocks that are deeper into Manchester - the farther "in" you go you find quite a few entire square blocks that had been razed years ago and either covered with surface parking or with random trees that look to be older-growth trees.  Perry Street between 10th and 13th. 12th & Bainbridge. Stockton St from 10th to 11th.  6th and Stockton. Hull & Commerce Road. LOADS of large-size parcels that could be developed.

[blopp1234]

2 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Oh most definitely! I can't wait to see what an updated picture looks like. However, I was thinking more in terms of quite a few blocks that are deeper into Manchester - the farther "in" you go you find quite a few entire square blocks that had been razed years ago and either covered with surface parking or with random trees that look to be older-growth trees.  Perry Street between 10th and 13th. 12th & Bainbridge. Stockton St from 10th to 11th.  6th and Stockton. Hull & Commerce Road. LOADS of large-size parcels that could be developed.

Those lots will be filled in within the next 20 years. As the riverfront fills up, development will head inland and start to fill up a lot of those surface parking lots. Can’t wait to look at Manchester in day 20 years and see all the lots that will be filled. Also, loving the slope that Manchester’s skylines starting to have. Would love to see 3+ Story development trickle down Semmes and hull street towards belt boulevard and forest hill. 

[I miss RVA]

29 minutes ago, blopp1234 said:

Those lots will be filled in within the next 20 years. As the riverfront fills up, development will head inland and start to fill up a lot of those surface parking lots. Can’t wait to look at Manchester in day 20 years and see all the lots that will be filled. Also, loving the slope that Manchester’s skylines starting to have. Would love to see 3+ Story development trickle down Semmes and hull street towards belt boulevard and forest hill. 

Agreed... although the farther west along Semmes it may get tricky with all the older, large single-family houses. STILL... it could work.

Honestly, boost the 3-plus to 6 (or more) plus, and you've REALLY got something. AND... I'd love to see sprinkled in that development swath along Semmes/Hull more 10, 11, 12 (or more)-plus story building popping up. Mix the bigger buildings in with the smaller ones. How about some taller buildings along the Cowardin Ave (and farther south along US 301) corridor? Ditto Commerce Road. Bainbridge Street. Stockton Street. LOTS of opportunity to get some taller development plugged in.

I love how in Scott's Addition (and this is related to the PULSE re-zoning, isn't it?) we're not seeing much of anything shorter than five stories. Here's hoping that 12-story envelope starts getting hit - and pushed - there soon. Imagine getting a north-south PULSE corridor extending down Belvidere, across the Lee Bridge, down Cowardin to 301 and continuing south. That opens up that entire area for much higher-density development and more height. A win-win for Richmond no matter how you slice it.

[eandslee]

An interesting quote from the comments section of the RBS article from Bruce Milam, a major Real Estate Broker in the area...he says “. . . and there’s another exciting development (or two, or three) to be announced shortly. Manchester is in a major building mode. I learn about a new deal nearly every week, and I didn’t know about the one in this article. Things are popping!” 

Things appears to be heating up again!!  Here’s to more exciting development announcements coming very soon!

[I miss RVA]

11 minutes ago, eandslee said:

An interesting quote from the comments section of the RBS article from Bruce Milam, a major Real Estate Broker in the area...he says “. . . and there’s another exciting development (or two, or three) to be announced shortly. Manchester is in a major building mode. I learn about a new deal nearly every week, and I didn’t know about the one in this article. Things are popping!” 

Things appears to be heating up again!!  Here’s to more exciting development announcements coming very soon!

In today's RBS?

[eandslee]

1 minute ago, I miss RVA said:

In today's RBS?

Yep.  Go to the comment section at the bottom:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/09/28/230-unit-development-planned-for-riverfront-site-in-manchester/

[I miss RVA]

4 minutes ago, eandslee said:

Yep.  Go to the comment section at the bottom:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/09/28/230-unit-development-planned-for-riverfront-site-in-manchester/

Thank you kindly!

WOW - I need to read these story comments more regularly! Hmmm... wonder exactly what new projects are lurking just off stage? I'm salivating now thinking about it.

Edited September 29, 2020 by I miss RVA

[georgeglass]

Site work for the Hydro Apartment development in Manchester. Pics taken yesterday.