Dominion Resources: New High-rise Building Planned for Downtown

[Luckyraven]

3 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

I really like this building. I was downtown today and it has quite a presence. 

It’s imposing. Wide and really nice looking with the curve.

[jonfin826_2]

Hey guys, it's me! I got locked out of my original account because I signed up through Facebook and then later deleted my Facebook, leaving me with no way to log back in (as far as I'm aware). Ah well. Anyway, here's a few pics I took yesterday!

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

I may as well be hanged for such blasphemy lol but does anyone else not find this kind of short and chubby? like it's fatter than I thought and that makes it also look shorter than it probably is

[eandslee]

3 minutes ago, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

I may as well be hanged for such blasphemy lol but does anyone else not find this kind of short and chubby? like it's fatter than I thought and that makes it also look shorter than it probably is

Honestly, it's not going to be that tall.  At 417 feet, it's not exactly the states' tallest...or even close, but it is a significant structure in the Richmond skyline.  As far as it looking short and stubby...the parking deck being built on the back side of it doesn't help it appear tall when looking at it from that angle.  However, looking at the tower from the front, it looks a lot more significant.  Also, when looking at the skyline from a distance, this tower is as tall as the city's tallest!

[eandslee]

22 minutes ago, jonfin826_2 said:

Hey guys, it's me! I got locked out of my original account because I signed up through Facebook and then later deleted my Facebook, leaving me with no way to log back in (as far as I'm aware). Ah well. Anyway, here's a few pics I took yesterday!

So glad you made it back!  I always look forward to your photos!  Thanks!

[Brent114]

The building is too wide.  I’m hopeful that the extra height of the crown will make it look more proportional.   It will look even shorter when they replace the existing dominion building.  There isn’t enough contrast in height between the two.  There will be a stumpy wall of sameness covering 1/3 of the skyline. 

 

I do like the finishes and think that the building is pretty.   It does look tall  from the ground  on Canal Street.  

Edited May 15, 2018 by Brent114

[georgeglass]

1 hour ago, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

I may as well be hanged for such blasphemy lol but does anyone else not find this kind of short and chubby? like it's fatter than I thought and that makes it also look shorter than it probably is

I agree and have felt this way for awhile. It is finished nicely, but there are a lot of vantage points where it isn't that visible. If it had been built further up Cary or on Main the same structure would be a lot more significant. I do wish that height could have been increased, but I assume the functionality for Dominion would be decreased. It's a shame this is basically a single use building. Not sure how feasible it would have been or how much height it would have added, but a residential component would have been nice.

[eandslee]

5 minutes ago, georgeglass said:

I agree and have felt this way for awhile. It is finished nicely, but there are a lot of vantage points where it isn't that visible. If it had been built further up Cary or on Main the same structure would be a lot more significant. I do wish that height could have been increased, but I assume the functionality for Dominion would be decreased. It's a shame this is basically a single use building. Not sure how feasible it would have been or how much height it would have added, but a residential component would have been nice.

I was hoping for a mixed use building from the very beginning in order to promote a taller, even an iconic tower for Richmond, but others on this forum who know how Dominion operates better didn't think it would be feasible.  So, we have what we have.

Perhaps the next tower to be built in Richmond will be of the mixed-use variety and will provide a better opportunity to produce an iconic structure.  That's my hope anyway.  Maybe if Union Bank can get growing a bit more, they might be the next candidate to do such a thing.

[cbl1]

I've been hoping the hotel at the new coliseum complex will the be big one.  With the number of rooms they are talking about and narrow corridor there (with maybe some apartments and retail in the tower) that could be the one (especially at the elevation level it would be as well).  I'm thinking a tower a few stories above the VA Beach (40+) and we would have a winner at that elevated point. 

Edited May 15, 2018 by cbl1

[eandslee]

10 minutes ago, cbl1 said:

I've been hoping the hotel at the new coliseum complex will the big one.  With the number of rooms they are talking about and narrow corridor there (with maybe some apartments and retail in the tower) that could be the one (especially at the elevation level it would be as well).  I'm thinking a tower a few stories above the VA Beach (40+) and we would have a winner at that elevated point. 

I like the way you're thinking, but we'll see what happens.  I am waiting on pins and needles to see the plans for that area, but we won't see anything until at least sometime in June (I believe the city and the Farrell group  are still in the negotiation period until then).  I hope what's left is a nice arena of at least 17.5K seats and a tower like you describe (I can dream anyway).  Somehow I just have this nagging feeling that there will not be as big a tower as we hope.  Maybe I'll be proven wrong.

[Wahoo 07]

4 hours ago, eandslee said:

I like the way you're thinking, but we'll see what happens.  I am waiting on pins and needles to see the plans for that area, but we won't see anything until at least sometime in June (I believe the city and the Farrell group  are still in the negotiation period until then).  I hope what's left is a nice arena of at least 17.5K seats and a tower like you describe (I can dream anyway).  Somehow I just have this nagging feeling that there will not be as big a tower as we hope.  Maybe I'll be proven wrong.

From that neighborhood, a forty story (or even twenty-five) tower would dominate the skyline.  

[RVAbigdawg]

Not much happening up there on the crown.....seems like they're moving slowly up there.

[eandslee]

18 minutes ago, RVAbigdawg said:

Not much happening up there on the crown.....seems like they're moving slowly up there.

Agreed.  Going pitifully slow.  Not sure why.

[Icetera]

2 hours ago, eandslee said:

Agreed.  Going pitifully slow.  Not sure why.

Perhaps they need to install the massive HVAC and elevator systems in prior to building out (assuming HVAC is not on the parking garage structure).

[wrldcoupe4]

You Guys...

Dominion builds 2nd tallest tower ever in Richmond and the tallest to be built in Richmond in 30 years, solidifying its position as a major downtown employers for decades to come  

“not tall enough” “looks fat”

Construction slows for a transition in the structure 

”too slow!” “Hurry up!”

project gets finished 

“We need more towers now that Dominion is finished “

i get get the sense if someone proposed a mixed use 40 story tower with a renowned architect I’d be reading about how it should be 50 stories. 

[eandslee]

1 hour ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

You Guys...

Dominion builds 2nd tallest tower ever in Richmond and the tallest to be built in Richmond in 30 years, solidifying its position as a major downtown employers for decades to come  

“not tall enough” “looks fat”

Construction slows for a transition in the structure 

”too slow!” “Hurry up!”

project gets finished 

“We need more towers now that Dominion is finished “

i get get the sense if someone proposed a mixed use 40 story tower with a renowned architect I’d be reading about how it should be 50 stories. 

LOL!  You’re probably right!!  

I’m guilty!  And I’m sorry...

Edited May 17, 2018 by eandslee

[Richmonopoly]

I'm guilty, too.  But my sentiment doesn't change.  I'm excited for the height and infill, but when I consider the power players in other cities who've recently constructed towers (ie Charlotte and OKC) then, yea, I am a bit let down by the height.  (and have been)

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

I'm not apologetic at all, the tower does look fat from certain angles. It looks very good from others and the skyline is better as a result of it but that's not going to stop me from fat shaming the tower from a certain angle. 

Edited May 18, 2018 by RVA-Is-The-Best

[eandslee]

13 hours ago, eandslee said:

LOL!  You’re probably right!!  

I’m guilty!  And I’m sorry...

Okay, I want to also explain myself here as well:

First of all, I never want to come off as a "Negative Ned," so I hope that's not the message I ever send.  I'm very grateful for the progress Richmond is making.  It has made some very lengthy strides as of late and I'm excited about the possibilities of what may come in the future.  I just know in my heart and mind that Richmond can do so much more - I expect a lot out of her.  Naturally, I get frustrated sometimes when developers in this city shoot well below my "expectation bar" for what this city should be doing.  I hope that the mindset of some of these "under achieving" developers change to do something greater (or stretch their ideas and plans) to help move Richmond to the next tier of city - to bring it to the next level and beyond.  I know there are limitations (some out of their control) and that there are risks that developers make, but I'm "willing" the city to grow so much more and faster than it is to keep up and even (hopefully), surpass some of the other southern cities that are outpacing Richmond.  I say, shoot for the stars (isn't the Richmond City motto, Sic Itur Ad Astra "Thus do we reach the stars?").  I think Richmond can and should do just that with everything it does, to include the developments built within.  There is so much potential here - Richmond can, and should, be the next greatest city in the east, not just because WE think it is, but because EVERYONE ELSE in the country thinks it is too!

[Shakman]

15 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

You Guys...

Dominion builds 2nd tallest tower ever in Richmond and the tallest to be built in Richmond in 30 years, solidifying its position as a major downtown employers for decades to come  

“not tall enough” “looks fat”

Construction slows for a transition in the structure 

”too slow!” “Hurry up!”

project gets finished 

“We need more towers now that Dominion is finished “

i get get the sense if someone proposed a mixed use 40 story tower with a renowned architect I’d be reading about how it should be 50 stories. 

Beotch slap alert.  

Edited May 18, 2018 by Shakman

[RVAbigdawg]

I drive by the new building 2 times a day, 5 days a week and I think it is a gorgeous structure.  I am super excited at the possibility of a second tower to mirror the first one and what else could come for this city.  Having lived in both Richmond and Charlotte, I do get a little upset that Richmond hasn't kept up with the pace of Charlotte, but Charlotte is in a different league than Richmond.  Richmond had the opportunity way back in the late 70's, early 80's to be better/bigger than Charlotte (I heard that the folks in City Council at the time rejected having an airline hub for Piedmont/US Air), but we lost out on that.  Imagine what would have happened if we had an airline hub here?  Imagine if Richmond was a bigger banking town than Charlotte?  We'd definitely have some bigger, taller buildings downtown, shoot there might have been some on the other side of I-95 on Broad and all around the train station.  But I have come to appreciate what Richmond is today and it's a pretty cool place to live.

[eandslee]

On 5/18/2018 at 10:36 AM, RVAbigdawg said:

I drive by the new building 2 times a day, 5 days a week and I think it is a gorgeous structure.  I am super excited at the possibility of a second tower to mirror the first one and what else could come for this city.  

I totally agree with you!  Even if it is shorter than some of us dreamed it would be when the possibility was first announced.

On 5/18/2018 at 10:36 AM, RVAbigdawg said:

Having lived in both Richmond and Charlotte, I do get a little upset that Richmond hasn't kept up with the pace of Charlotte, but Charlotte is in a different league than Richmond. 

Charlotte is in a different league than Richmond is now due to the reasons you mentioned, but I think we can do some significant catching up if we think "big city" and not "sleepy southern town."  Our plans/projects need to be more ambitious.  We already have a great quality of life and I think there is a lot of community/city pride, so there's that.  Somehow, the rest of the world needs to discover what we have to offer and then get others to move here, companies need to bring their businesses here.  As that happens, I think it will be easier for developers to build more ambitious projects.  More amenities will follow and Richmond will be an even cooler place to live and work!

On 5/18/2018 at 10:36 AM, RVAbigdawg said:

Richmond had the opportunity way back in the late 70's, early 80's to be better/bigger than Charlotte (I heard that the folks in City Council at the time rejected having an airline hub for Piedmont/US Air), but we lost out on that.  Imagine what would have happened if we had an airline hub here? 

Dude, I have never heard that, but it's very possible (I'm going to do some research).  If this is true, I'm going to go crazy nuts!!!  This should NEVER happen and if given the chance again, should never let it slip away!!  EVER!!!

I'm already super frustrated with what happened to all of our banks!  That set Richmond back several decades when that happened - just stripped the heart out of the city...where were we to go from there?  I think we are still trying to pick up the pieces in many respects.

The new Dominion Energy tower is breathing life back into downtown (as well as many other projects).  There is a "chatter" that we haven't heard here in very long time...possibly ever.  People are moving back into the city.  There is a momentum that the city is riding on and I'm just hoping the trend continues.  Here is a chance for us to catch up and I think we need to take full advantage!

Edited May 20, 2018 by eandslee

[jbjust]

I hear what you're all saying, but let me tell you that I would much rather live in Richmond than Charlotte.  

[RVAbigdawg]

31 minutes ago, jbjust said:

I hear what you're all saying, but let me tell you that I would much rather live in Richmond than Charlotte.  

I agree... Charlotte was a little too... prissy for me.  

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

I agree RVA is one of a kind but we don't have to put down other cities to bring ours up.