Manchester Development

[Brent114]

They have the standard CoStar sign  on the other sides of the building.  
 

I’m a fan of this.  It is very run of the mill message board (like at a convention center, more substantial than a vape shop)  but it’s such a static collection of buildings that seem so desolate and uninviting.   It’s nice to see something  grabbing attention, and the standard, static CoStar (and the Truist and Drive Force)  signs don’t do that. 

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, Brent114 said:

They have the standard CoStar sign  on the other sides of the building.  
 

I’m a fan of this.  It is very run of the mill message board (like at a convention center, more substantial than a vape shop)  but it’s such a static collection of buildings that seem so desolate and uninviting.   It’s nice to see something  grabbing attention, and the standard, static CoStar (and the Truist and Drive Force)  signs don’t do that. 

I am too. Definitely love the idea of spicing up the way the buildings look with some color and light. I hope whatever they're planning for the big tower on the downtown side of the river is really spectacular.

All of this reminds me of the CNB building back in the day. For a stretch of years during the '60s and into the '80s - the CNB building had big "C" "N" "B" letters on all four sidea of the top of the building. What was cool was that the letters could be set to different colors, and the folks at the building would change the color based on the weather. Red letters meant warm or hot weather (depending on season). Green letters meant cool or cold weather. White letters meant mild conditions. If the letters were blinking on and off continuously, it meant precipitation.

When I was a kid - omg - I LOVED it! Guess the CNB building and the colorful letters were channeling Jim Duncan before he arrived in Richmond in 1981! 

[rjp212]

Suburban strip center coming to what should be a prominent corner...

 

Edited June 2, 2023 by rjp212

[wrldcoupe4]

LOL they aren't even trying.

[ancientcarpenter]

OH for the love of God.... Thalhimer strikes again: Premium location lots with 1970s strip malls. Way to kill high density, urban, walkable areas with asphalt and car parking. An entire corner block in a developing area now reserved for 4 business offices at what looks like 1500-2000sqft of space for each. What a waste. The parking lot is bigger than the development. 

They're doing this nonsense in the diamond district as well

Edited June 2, 2023 by ancientcarpenter

[whw53]

They are trying in that they are building up to the street here. The real hell is the design of  Cowardin and Semmes. This project complements the current condition of these roadways. No matter what is built here you can't have a walkable paradise at this intersection until the road design is dieted, multimodal and slowed. I'd argue this actually does a better job crowding the intersection than the Jamestown apartments do catty corner. Thalhimer has done more to move this city forward than almost any other  entity private or public, If they want to build a few strip malls so be it. They can be wiped away and redeveloped later easier than other low slung development uses.

[wrldcoupe4]

You may think that, but assuming these will be national retailers, they are likely signing 10 year leases with multiple five-year renewal options, which likely sets this aside for redevelopment for another generation. It is often cost prohibitive to buy out the leases, and pay a market value for the land to redevelopment. It’s asking for a little more verticality.

[ancientcarpenter]

3 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

You may think that, but assuming these will be national retailers, they are likely signing 10 year leases with multiple five-year renewal options, which likely sets this aside for redevelopment for another generation. It is often cost prohibitive to buy out the leases, and pay a market value for the land to redevelopment. It’s asking for a little more verticality.

This is what I call "soulless development." 

Faceless mega corporation that has one goal: make a profit. They aren't in the business of strategy or vision or even maximizing profit; they are for profit as fast as possible. 

Let's all pray to (any) God that Thalhimer does not get their hands on the Dominion lot downtown... we'd have a Diamond Direct and Qdoba with 150parking spots overnight for the next 30 years.

[123fakestreet]

2 hours ago, whw53 said:

They are trying in that they are building up to the street here. The real hell is the design of  Cowardin and Semmes. This project complements the current condition of these roadways. No matter what is built here you can't have a walkable paradise at this intersection until the road design is dieted, multimodal and slowed. I'd argue this actually does a better job crowding the intersection than the Jamestown apartments do catty corner. Thalhimer has done more to move this city forward than almost any other  entity private or public, If they want to build a few strip malls so be it. They can be wiped away and redeveloped later easier than other low slung development uses.

Yeah, that was my take.  It's a suburban area/intersection, this design fits, unfortunately. Way better than what's there now.

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

LOL they aren't even trying.

No... they really aren't trying at all. Mind you - these damn little strip mall-lettes are "trying" my nerves! 

[whw53]

It seems like we forget too quick that Thalhimer is behind a number of projects that are more ideal from urbanist perspectives-  but this sub does not ascribe to those entities that part of the portfolio as regularly as much as the ones it pities. I'm thinking the upcoming Ellen Rd, Overlook 2 and neighboring Sampson Coating redevelopment right on Hull for starters if we are talking Thalhimer.

Ditto for Walter Parks. They designed the upcoming Avery Hall for instance but have not heard that commended in this thread to the extent it balances out the flak regarding other designs. I think we perpetuate these stereotypes more than is fair.  

Edited June 3, 2023 by whw53

[wrldcoupe4]

Thalhimer is the listing broker here, not the developer. 

[whw53]

1 hour ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Thalhimer is the listing broker here, not the developer. 

Got it- well even worse... the anti-Thalhimer rhetoric is essentially baseless here. 

[I miss RVA]

22 hours ago, whw53 said:

It seems like we forget too quick that Thalhimer is behind a number of projects that are more ideal from urbanist perspectives-  but this sub does not ascribe to those entities that part of the portfolio as regularly as much as the ones it pities. I'm thinking the upcoming Ellen Rd, Overlook 2 and neighboring Sampson Coating redevelopment right on Hull for starters if we are talking Thalhimer.

Ditto for Walter Parks. They designed the upcoming Avery Hall for instance but have not heard that commended in this thread to the extent it balances out the flak regarding other designs. I think we perpetuate these stereotypes more than is fair.  

Quoting Anna from Frozen - WAIT... WHAT???? Walter Parks designed those gorgeous - and I DO MEAN GORGEOUS - Avery Hall towers??

WOWZERS!

Okay -someone please pass me the smelling salts - I think I feel an "episode" of vapors coming on!

[rjp212]

A POD was filed for a 4-story multi-family building at 2008 Hull Street.  Could we finally be seeing development creep down Hull St?

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, rjp212 said:

A POD was filed for a 4-story multi-family building at 2008 Hull Street.  Could we finally be seeing development creep down Hull St?

I do believe that's the first such development along Hull Street proposed for beyond the Cowardin Avenue/Petersburg Pike "boundary". It's at about the same relative "location" beyond Cowardin Avenue as the big townhouse/apartment development on Semmes Avenue in Swansboro. Looking at this particular location, there's a TON of potentially developable land in that immediate vicinity - and I'm guessing property this far out from "central" Manchester can be gotten on the cheap, certainly compared to the pricey parcels farther north toward the riverfront. It'll be interesting to see if this project will break the ice for development farther south along Hull.

[blopp1234]

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/06/06/apartment-towers-totaling-550-units-next-to-legend-get-planning-commission-nod/
 

Looks like the planning commission has given the Avery Hall project the go ahead.

[eandslee]

2 minutes ago, blopp1234 said:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/06/06/apartment-towers-totaling-550-units-next-to-legend-get-planning-commission-nod/
 

Looks like the planning commission has given the Avery Hall project the go ahead.

Great news!  Hopefully, this easily passes City Council’s vote next Monday too!  Would have loved to hear a construction timeline.  When can we expect to see ground broken?

[blopp1234]

42 minutes ago, eandslee said:

Great news!  Hopefully, this easily passes City Council’s vote next Monday too!  Would have loved to hear a construction timeline.  When can we expect to see ground broken?

Agreed about it passing city council. Hopefully it goes through pretty easily.

 

As far as construction, my best guess is unless they tied the site plan and building permit review into the special use permit, we likely won’t see ground broken until next spring. Again that is just my best guess but usually projects as big as this take a few months to get through the site plan stage.

[BigBobbyG]

I'm glad it got approved. I was just looking at the public comment and it's grown far larger than I expected. Both on the support and oppose sides. Disappointing seeing some of the businesses that are on the opposition. Especially considering the benefits that this will bring. I have been in Basic City and Cafe Zata a ton of times and they are dead inside at relatively popular hours. You'd expect they would want the foot traffic.

But anyways, glad to see it's approved and I hope for smooth sailing for this project through city council. Does anyone know if it'll be on the consent agenda?

[Child2021]

Southern States Silos are still up construction fencing around the site.

[eandslee]

14 minutes ago, Child2021 said:

Southern States Silos are still up construction fencing around the site.

Good report @Child2021!  Thanks for the update. This one seems to be taking a while to demolish the silos.  Wonder what’s taking so long?  Demo prep?  Abating asbestos?

[I miss RVA]

Just now, eandslee said:

Good report @Child2021!  Thanks for the update. This one seems to be taking a while to demolish the silos.  Wonder what’s taking so long?  Demo prep?  Abating asbestos?

Could be asbestos abatement. Could also be stuff like methane (and other gasses) abatement - no idea if there had been any leftover "product" in any of the silo chambers - but any potentially flammable gasses would have to be abated to minimize/eliminate any potential fire hazard during demolition. (Mind you, that's a VERY uneducated layman's guessessment...)

If I had to bet - I imagine that once the process reaches a "tipping point" where demo can begin in earnest, it will pick up speed and go pretty quickly.

[I miss RVA]

Couple of important takeaways re: the Planning Commission's vote to recommend the SUP for Avery Hall:

1.) It was a unanimous vote to approve -- which hopefully will translate to approval by City Council.

2) Manchester Alliance's surprise vote in support - that's huge. Again, hoping this will also increase the likelihood that City Council will approve the SUP without any hiccups.

Remind me of council's procedures: if it (the SUP) is included on the consent agenda, then approval is all but a done deal? 

Edited June 6, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Icetera]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

Could be asbestos abatement. Could also be stuff like methane (and other gasses) abatement - no idea if there had been any leftover "product" in any of the silo chambers - but any potentially flammable gasses would have to be abated to minimize/eliminate any potential fire hazard during demolition. (Mind you, that's a VERY uneducated layman's guessessment...)

If I had to bet - I imagine that once the process reaches a "tipping point" where demo can begin in earnest, it will pick up speed and go pretty quickly.

A "friend" can confirm that there is plenty of left-over residue and a strong odor, so significant abatement likely.