Manchester Development

[rjp212]

51 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

It’s not new construction. They are reusing the existing buildings. 

I’m aware, but the “upgrades” to the building are not appealing. 

[whw53]

More action along Hull St.

Rezoning application filed this week would rezone to TOD-1 the Sampson Coatings block between 3rd & 4th along Hull St.

https://energov.richmondgov.com/EnerGov_Prod/selfservice#/plan/58aef311-a792-44c4-924c-0029da223781

I mean - wow - so Hull Street in review...

@ 300 block  we have this new rezoning on the north side, on the south side we have seen renderings from Walter Parks on an expansive 6 story development that would replace one story industrial building. 

@400 block we have a fulll block rezoning to TOD-1 on the North side by Thalhimer (passed Planning Commision on Monday btw)  which would be another phase of the City View developments  - potentially the tallest piece yet. On the south side here is the Current project which is wrapping up.

@500 block we have the completed Overlook at City View\City View Marketplace developments on the north side, two projects pending on the south side - ' 11 story Five50 project and on the backside of that block along Decatur we have the Box - a 7 story project.

@600 block we have the completed City View Row project sharing a block with the pending 5 story 'Manchester Commodore' while on the south side we have an ongoing effort to turn the Seaboard Train Depot into office space. 

This is not even taking into consideration the projects around the Manchester Canal (Silo, South Falls, Hydro) OR the infill projects along Hull as it goes through the  old Blackwell strip. 

 

 

 

 

[rjp212]

Demo has begun where the new dialysis center is going.   Another abandoned building on Rte 1 comes down. 

[whw53]

Rezoning to TOD-1 for the block bounded by 4th, 5th Hull, Bainbridge was ADOPTED by City Council this evening.

[I miss RVA]

13 hours ago, whw53 said:

Rezoning to TOD-1 for the block bounded by 4th, 5th Hull, Bainbridge was ADOPTED by City Council this evening.

Wow!! Great news! Potential for some more height on lower Hull Street. Folks, this is getting downright exciting.

[Brent114]

So the Current seems to be taking forever to finish but so far it’s really on another level for Richmond.  I love, love, love how tight it is making the streets around it feel.  The Hull Street side is attractive but it’s the least impactful, IMO .   When the food hall and Benchtop Brewery  open it will be a very impressive block (throw in the new ABC store and Stellas Market /the Continental across the street and Manchester, well the old manufacturing center of Manchester,  may finally feel like a proper neighborhood.

 

Here are some photos. 
The next to last photo is of the new development along the canal.  I’ll go to the roof soon and take some photos.  It’s a really attractive building that no one can see  

Edited July 22, 2021 by Brent114

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, Brent114 said:

So the Current seems to be taking forever to finish but so far it’s really on another level for Richmond.  I love, love, love how tight it is making the streets around it feel.  The Hull Street side is attractive but it’s the least impactful, IMO .   When the food hall and Benchtop Brewery  open it will be a very impressive block (throw in the new ABC store and Stellas Market /the Continental across the street and Manchester, well the old manufacturing center of Manchester,  may finally feel like a proper neighborhood.

 

Here are some photos. 
The next to last photo is of the new development along the canal.  I’ll go to the roof soon and take some photos.  It’s a really attractive building that no one can see  

These are some really great photos, Brent. You're in a great location to chronicle Manchester's growth.  Thanks so much for taking and posting these. Looking forward to more!

[whw53]

Saw a comment on Reddit the other day on a similar discussion on the Current. I linked the thread below. The comment is in reference to the Thalhimer block between 4th, 5th, Hull & Bainbridge - the block formerly part of the larger City View development that at one point had been reserved for a grocery store. This block was rezoned to TOD-1 a couple weeks back.

 

From u\daemonrealm- 

Living right next to the lot (balcony faces it basically where this picture was taken). I see and hear things.

1. Nothing happening for 2-3+ years.

2. it is being zoned and surveyed, the entire block not just the temp surface lot parking area, which is very large and the size of both the buildings in the above picture.

3. I’ve seen reps from a major grocery chain walking the property

4. the owner of that land and eventual building is the same owners as my complex. You “hear” things….but it’s rumors.

5. confirmed planned 10-14 story apartment building. 2 levels of parking garage under ground (doubtful that’s a rumor). Mimicking that horrid ugly new tower building by the flood wall.

6. unconfirmed but plausible. Kroger is “looking” at 1st story, above will be apartments. As it’s a mix use design.

Edited July 22, 2021 by whw53

[Brent114]

That  “ugly” building by the flood wall has the nicest lobby in all of Richmond.  I’m really impressed that they spent money on real art to adorn it.

Edited July 22, 2021 by Brent114

[whw53]

I don't understand all the hate on South Falls - i think it has to be one of my favorite out of the Walter Parks shop , it seems to have a certain Scandinavian architectural influence to it, the sharpness of  which works well sitting next to a body of water. 

https://scandification.com/guide-to-scandinavian-architecture/

https://www.twenty20.com/photos/787365e6-ff81-4c38-b67a-bb95769e7770

https://swt.eu/project-cases/

https://paulrobertlloyd.com/2020/02/oslo/

https://focusedcollection.com/189993828/stock-photo-modern-architecture-scandinavia-solna-sweden.html

 

[123fakestreet]

1 hour ago, whw53 said:

Saw a comment on Reddit the other day on a similar discussion on the Current. I linked the thread below. The comment is in reference to the Thalhimer block between 4th, 5th, Hull & Bainbridge - the block formerly part of the larger City View development that at one point had been reserved for a grocery store. This block was rezoned to TOD-1 a couple weeks back.

 

From u\daemonrealm- 

Living right next to the lot (balcony faces it basically where this picture was taken). I see and hear things.

1. Nothing happening for 2-3+ years.

2. it is being zoned and surveyed, the entire block not just the temp surface lot parking area, which is very large and the size of both the buildings in the above picture.

3. I’ve seen reps from a major grocery chain walking the property

4. the owner of that land and eventual building is the same owners as my complex. You “hear” things….but it’s rumors.

5. confirmed planned 10-14 story apartment building. 2 levels of parking garage under ground (doubtful that’s a rumor). Mimicking that horrid ugly new tower building by the flood wall.

6. unconfirmed but plausible. Kroger is “looking” at 1st story, above will be apartments. As it’s a mix use design.

I saw that post and while that would be great I don't buy it.   If there is a mixed use building planned with one floor of retail those buildings tend to have generic retail space, which is fine for most retail but grocery stores have some fairly specific needs they can't just go in any retail space.  Would a grocery store even fit in a space like that?  Not sure the footprint is large enough, but they also typically have high ceilings to accommodate storage and not make the store feel cramped. I don't think a 2nd floor level above a parking garage is going to have those high ceilings.  They need to accommodate delivery trucks.   The list goes on, it just doesn't seem logical.  I guess they could do it, but Kroger would have to really really want to put a grocery store in there to make it work, and that's clearly not the case or they would have done it already.

Also parking, if this is a 10-14 story building with only 2 levels of parking, that's just enough for residents. Where would customers park? Again, works for typical retail but not groceries where people are coming out with a dozen bags of stuff, they aren't finding street parking a block away for that.  

 

[wrldcoupe4]

I think some of these details are off. I’d be surprised to see a large format grocer. 

[Brent114]

I agree about South Falls.  It’s attractive and simple.  I did expect a pop of colour or something on the large balcony side.  But overall, it’s a good-looking building and it looks like a place where people stay for 10 years or so (seems like condos).  It doesn’t have that transient look of some of the newer places in town.  Maybe I’m just enthralled with the lobby.  The bare and soaring concrete walls give it a really cosmopolitan feel.  

Edited July 22, 2021 by Brent114

[I miss RVA]

3 hours ago, whw53 said:

Saw a comment on Reddit the other day on a similar discussion on the Current. I linked the thread below. The comment is in reference to the Thalhimer block between 4th, 5th, Hull & Bainbridge - the block formerly part of the larger City View development that at one point had been reserved for a grocery store. This block was rezoned to TOD-1 a couple weeks back.

 

From u\daemonrealm- 

Living right next to the lot (balcony faces it basically where this picture was taken). I see and hear things.

1. Nothing happening for 2-3+ years.

2. it is being zoned and surveyed, the entire block not just the temp surface lot parking area, which is very large and the size of both the buildings in the above picture.

3. I’ve seen reps from a major grocery chain walking the property

4. the owner of that land and eventual building is the same owners as my complex. You “hear” things….but it’s rumors.

5. confirmed planned 10-14 story apartment building. 2 levels of parking garage under ground (doubtful that’s a rumor). Mimicking that horrid ugly new tower building by the flood wall.

6. unconfirmed but plausible. Kroger is “looking” at 1st story, above will be apartments. As it’s a mix use design.

So just for some clarity: Is THIS the location we're talking about here? A block north of where the 11-story PortRVA2 - 512 Hull Street apartment building is planned?  If so, and if it were to come to pass, that would be some fantastic height AND density along this stretch of lower Hull Street.

Edited July 22, 2021 by I miss RVA

[majors2410]

An aerial photo really shows how much property is wasted on surface parking lots in this city. With all the development in Manchester there is still so much emptiness. At least it has potential for more development. 

[wrldcoupe4]

True but most of the surface lots above have been filled. Few more to go though. 

[Brent114]

So this happened yesterday…

 

[Hike]

13 minutes ago, Brent114 said:

So this happened yesterday…

Thought this was Thurston springs location but this is Bay Diesel, the sign is on the post from your photo, thankful you're updating us with these the last couple of days.

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

Edited July 27, 2021 by Hike

[Brent114]

It’s the lot at the corner of Semmes and 7th.  Thurston Spring is the lot just east of here (I’m parked on the street between the two lots in this photo).   Maybe this lot was an extension of Thurston?   
 

On Sunday I noticed the bulldozer and those orange and white plastic construction barriers on site  (piled at the back of the lot, not yet installed) so I stopped by yesterday to see what was up. 

[Hike]

Just now, Brent114 said:

It’s the lot at the corner of Semmes and 7th.  Thurston Spring is the lot just east of here (I’m parked on the street between the two lots in this photo).   Maybe this lot was an extension of Thurston?   
 

On Sunday I noticed the bulldozer and those orange and white plastic construction barriers on site  (piled at the back of the lot, not yet installed) so I stopped by yesterday to see what was up. 

You're our eyes the last couple of days on these projects, thanks for getting these.  i updated my post above and added a link from Bizsense on the development.  

[whw53]

Lot at 7th and Semmes? Should be site work for the Tidewater apartment development .

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[georgeglass]

Just wanted to say the new Stella's Market is open on Hull St near 6th and The Continental (sharing same space) will be open very soon. Also, the new ABC in the same development along Hull should also be opening sometime soon. All the decals are on the windows and all the shelves are in place. Excited for this transformation to continue. When we moved to RVA ten years ago, this was a wasteland....I think there was an abandoned Burger King near where Port RVA is and a closed down Citgo near the same spot. Other than a Papa's Pizza that was takeout only and Plant Zero (coffee and breakfast place that we miss dearly) there was no reason to spend anytime in this area.

[georgeglass]

There has been something on Nahum's site that I have been curious about. It's the building next to the Hydro development by the Silos...with the Witch painted in it. He has on his site several images of what looked to be a redevelopment of the building. 

 

I was trying to find confirmation that this was a part of the Hydro project or if there was a plan to do something with it. I finally found a lease flyer...

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/3-Manchester-Rd-Richmond-VA/23494646/

 

This also excites me because it indicates that it will take a bit more advantage of the canal along that side of Hull. 

 

 

 

[Brent114]

That actually looks pretty great. 

[whw53]

It looks like the apartment development by Urban Design Associates at 124 W 9th St has been nixed and instead will be developed into for sale duplexes - probably similar to Manchester Green. If you all remember this was the project that was to share a block with the former Triangle Gardens' Manchester Urban Farm -  the site itself situated to the north of that and directly across Porter from the CoHousing project. (see development map)
ORD 2021-197 was adopted at the the City Council meeting on 7\26 and was related to vacating a publicly owned right of way on the block - the alleys of which are no longer servicing any development or appear to be visible. Indeed the one mentioned in the report as an 'unimproved public alley running westerly off W. 9th Street' (see below) runs right through the center of the urban farm.  From the application materials the developer wil be constructing and deeding 2 new alley ways and in doing so, along with the application to vacate the ROW from W 9th, is making me think this new forthcoming project will take over the entire block. I'm not sure the status of the urban farm but Triangle Farms has lost its funding  since the POD was approved for th former project and UDA is in control of the whole block. 
While any loss of the urban farm will be hard to see , i am not as much disheartened to see what was to only be a 3 or 4 story mid rise apartment project get traded in for for-sale duplexes. Plenty of mid-rise and pending high rise structures in this area will provide that stock - good to see more rowhomes\duplexes pushing toward the river. 
Blurb from staff report and sketch showing the block and the ROW in question.
The aerial imagery is somewhat outdated - the structures at 120 & 122 W 9th have been cleared already.
 
 

Edited August 9, 2021 by whw53