The Locks at 321

[blopp1234]

6 hours ago, eandslee said:

I'm with you on this one, vaceltic. Height based on number of floors is not how to determine a building's height...it's based on actual measurement. If you use measurement to determine the height of this new tower (rather than number of floors), and according to Coupe who has a good grasp on these sort of things - he guessed about 300 feet.  If this building is about 300 feet, then this tower will be nowhere near the top 5 tallest in Richmond (gotta love how the media spun that up).  Monroe tower is 449 ft.  The current Suntrust tower is 400 ft.  Federal Reserve is 394 ft.  Bank of America Center is  331 ft.  City Hall is 315 ft.  Riverfront Plaza is 312 ft for both towers.  One James River Plaza is 308 ft.  Main Street Centre is 305 ft. Then this new tower at about 300 ft, followed by Two James Center at 299 ft.  By my count, this new tower will be the 10th tallest in Richmond. They are WAY off!  What's also interesting is that the newest of Richmond's tallest are the twin Riverfront Plaza towers at 26 years old!  We have to start building some new tallest folks!

I disagree, riverfront is only 19 stories but stands at 312 and the elevation for this tower is less than 10 feet below the riverfront plaza towers while having 2 more stories(even though some are residential). I'm predicting around 310 feet making it RVA's 8th tallest(7th if you take off city halls spire). Hopefully there could be a height increase that would add another floor or 2 of residential.

Edited January 21, 2016 by blopp1234

[eandslee]

24 minutes ago, blopp1234 said:

I disagree, riverfront is only 19 stories but stands at 312 and the elevation for this tower is less than 10 feet below the riverfront plaza towers while having 2 more stories(even though some are residential). I'm predicting around 310 feet making it RVA's 8th tallest(7th if you take off city halls spire). Hopefully there could be a height increase that would add another floor or 2 of residential.

Really?  I thought Riverfront Plaza was 20 stories. Also, not sure if the height of City Hall included the antennae for its total height. Either way, the RTD was wrong and not even close. I was also hoping that maybe a height increase would be possible, but based on the design (just like Gateway Plaza), 21 stories is probably the maximum height.  I'm guessing on that though. I'd be nice to be able to ask these questions to someone who knows the answers. 

[meegwell]

"The new high-rise, which will tower over the nearby 15-story Riverside on the James office building, will feature a residential clubroom and a rooftop pool and plaza. It will have separate office and residential elevators, on-site security, card-access control systems, 10-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass in residential units. A parking deck with 502 spaces will be built on the lower floors."

 

Is 10 foot ceiling normal for these (Richmond) modern tower residential units?

[eandslee]

8 minutes ago, meegwell said:

"The new high-rise, which will tower over the nearby 15-story Riverside on the James office building, will feature a residential clubroom and a rooftop pool and plaza. It will have separate office and residential elevators, on-site security, card-access control systems, 10-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass in residential units. A parking deck with 502 spaces will be built on the lower floors."

 

Is 10 foot ceiling normal for these (Richmond) modern tower residential units?

Yeah, I think that is the normal height for a typical "story" floor nowadays.  Sounds very nice doesn't it?!

[wrldcoupe4]

Probably 13-14' slab to slab 

[meegwell]

16 hours ago, eandslee said:

Yeah, I think that is the normal height for a typical "story" floor nowadays.  Sounds very nice doesn't it?!

 

Yeah - I've been in 10ft in the Fan for 25 years.  I get claustrophobic wen I enter a 'normal' modern home...

14 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Probably 13-14' slab to slab 

Is this a 'quick and dirty' calc for building height by floor based on 10ft interior ceiling?  Not my area of expertise so just completely curious.

[eandslee]

Assuming 13 to 14 foot height, that would put the total height at just under 300 feet, not including whatever roof decoration there is. I read that the architect is from Raleigh and they have a similar project as 321 in their downtown, but their building will be 22 stories. Damn Raleigh, always trying to "one up" us in Richmond.

Edited January 22, 2016 by eandslee

[Icetera]

30 minutes ago, eandslee said:

Assuming 13 to 14 foot height, that would put the total height at just under 300 feet, not including whatever roof decoration there is. I read that the architect is from Raleigh and the have a similar project as 321 in their downtown, but their building will be 22 stories. Damn Raleigh, always trying to "one up" us in Richmond.

The lobby and office floors will certainly have taller floor plates, say 16 for office and 20 for lobby, though the parking deck levels, depending on how they are incorporated, may be a bit lower.  Just counting occupiable floors I am estimating between 279-304 feet.

[Wahoo 07]

I prefer more height, but I like this project.  That part of the CBD is getting denser by the year and this project will help link the canal walk to the rest of the city.  Curious as to the footprint and whether or not another high rise can fit on Byrd.  Hopefully all the new development will lead to the pentagon parking lot at 10th and Canal being developed (that is a great spot for a statement building).

[eandslee]

1 hour ago, Wahoo 07 said:

I prefer more height, but I like this project.  That part of the CBD is getting denser by the year and this project will help link the canal walk to the rest of the city.  Curious as to the footprint and whether or not another high rise can fit on Byrd.  Hopefully all the new development will lead to the pentagon parking lot at 10th and Canal being developed (that is a great spot for a statement building).

I agree with you about the pentagon parking lot. I had actually forgotten about that space before you mentioned it. Maybe Union First & Trust will build a new tower there if/when it grows out of its current space. You know, they've been doing a lot of expanding as of late and they have expressed interest in growing larger. Maybe their next acquision will put them over their space limit in Three James Center!  Just thinking of the possibilities!

Edited January 23, 2016 by eandslee

[varunner]

 

1 hour ago, Wahoo 07 said:

I prefer more height, but I like this project.  That part of the CBD is getting denser by the year and this project will help link the canal walk to the rest of the city.  Curious as to the footprint and whether or not another high rise can fit on Byrd.  Hopefully all the new development will lead to the pentagon parking lot at 10th and Canal being developed (that is a great spot for a statement building).

I personally think the height is appropriate for its location. We should be developing and building the taller high rises in the center and "back" parts of downtown. If you build high rises too tall along the river, then there won't be much to see behind it. 

[eandslee]

22 minutes ago, varunner said:

 

I personally think the height is appropriate for its location. We should be developing and building the taller high rises in the center and "back" parts of downtown. If you build high rises too tall along the river, then there won't be much to see behind it. 

I hear ya, but how many locations are there in the center of downtown that could accommodate a city's tallest?  Everything in the city center is being rehabbed leaving not much available space to build anew. Most of that space available is west of the city center...or closer to the river.  Just my thoughts. Anyone agree or disagree?

[Wahoo 07]

1 minute ago, eandslee said:

I hear ya, but how many locations are there in the center of downtown that could accommodate a city's tallest?  Everything in the city center is being rehabbed leaving not much available space to build anew. Most of that space available is west of the city center...or closer to the river.  Just my thoughts. Anyone agree or disagree?

I would like to see high rise construction heading west into Monroe Ward.  There are plenty of surface parking lots that would be better off as 40 story mixed use buildings.  Dominion's new building will (hopefully) be a step in this direction.

[wrldcoupe4]

Not too many:

The parking lot on Grace between 6th and 7th is an awesome opportunity. 

Then there's the half block behind the carpenter center on Broad between 6th and 7th. 

Plus the parking lot on broad between 4th and 5th. 

Hopefully at at some point some of the smaller parking decks along Cary can be redeveloped. 

[Richmonopoly]

I'd love to see the space between the flood wall, the canal, and just west of the Vistas on the James developed into a hotel with retail space fronting the canal.  

I wouldn't hope for a new tallest on this spot, but I believe a hotel would bring in plenty of round-the-clock activity, as I've noticed since the opening of the dual Marriott's a block from my apartment.  

 

Edited January 23, 2016 by Richmonopoly
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[Blackbird Fly]

7 hours ago, Richmonopoly said:

I'd love to see the space between the flood wall, the canal, and just west of the Vistas on the James developed into a hotel with retail space fronting the canal.  

I wouldn't hope for a new tallest on this spot, but I believe a hotel would bring in plenty of round-the-clock activity, as I've noticed since the opening of the dual Marriott's a block from my apartment.  

 

 

I really love your idea for that plot! Is that entire parking lot owned by The Locks' property developers? I feel like I have seen plans for 3-4 small apartment complexes fitting into that space much like Gate V which is just to the west of this image.

Edited January 24, 2016 by Blackbird Fly

[varunner]

Here is the old rendering. It does appear more apartments in the plan. 

[Richmonopoly]

Nice.  This puts alot into perspective.  Still though, I like the idea of a hotel.  It would make for livelier restaurants and encourage more boat rides along the canal.

 

I've read reviews on TripAdvisor and the lack of dining and easier access seem to be the biggest complaints about the canal walk.  

And again, the obvious increase in activity around the two Marriotts make then an exciting addition to our neighborhood. 

 

Edited January 23, 2016 by Richmonopoly

[Blackbird Fly]

19 minutes ago, Richmonopoly said:

Nice.  This puts alot into perspective.  Still though, I like the idea of a hotel.  It would make for livelier restaurants and encourage more boat rides along the canal.

 

I've read reviews on TripAdvisor and the lack of dining and easier access seem to be the biggest complaints about the canal walk.  

And again, the obvious increase in activity around the two Marriotts make then an exciting addition to our neighborhood. 

 

Agreed, a hotel would make the canal walk so much livelier and would be a terrific asset to people coming into town for our big events like Folk Festival and RiverRock, et cetera. Expanding businesses fronting the canal walk should definitely be a focus of any future development in that area; it serves to make the apartments/hotel more desirable if canal walk was a place more locals hung out. Hopefully they will be good stewards of the precious parcels they own, and push our this district forward. 

Edited January 24, 2016 by Blackbird Fly

[Steve_]

A boutique hotel right there would be really nice! Glad to hear that the new building will have more residential as well - more people living& working down there has to be good news for the couple of restaurants already there. Access is still a problem (not for me, but for normal people) - I'd love to see a pedestrian extension, even just a skinny one, on the east side of that 10th street bridge over the expressway that would lead right up to the new "Locks at 321". While we're at it, I'd really like to see them dig that tunnel under the expressway to connect the alley by the plaza at the Martin Agency to the cool old stone bridge on the canal for pedestrian traffic! Very interested in hearing their plans for the canal side of the new building - its exciting to see the slow-but-steady momentum on the canal continue...

[Steve_]

10 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Not too many:

The parking lot on Grace between 6th and 7th is an awesome opportunity. 

Then there's the half block behind the carpenter center on Broad between 6th and 7th. 

Plus the parking lot on broad between 4th and 5th. 

Hopefully at at some point some of the smaller parking decks along Cary can be redeveloped. 

Yes! Great opportunity for a string of pearls on Broad - with the CNB tower being rehabbed, 4-5, 6-7, and hopefully the state ends up doing something substantial at 8-9. Plus there are several great blocks in the VCU/biotech park area - I know VCU has plans for some of them, and something substantial (pharma/biotech/etc) could go behind the convention center between 3-4, and I've dreamed a big campus headquarters for someone could fit between 2-3 north of Jackson (up against the highway). It's a bit tricky since they'd have to "step down" as the building went west to avoid overshadowing the neighborhood but I think it could be done. 

...plus a handful of buildings begging to be torn down and replaced by something grander - like the trashy little building at 6th and Franklin

[varunner]

58 minutes ago, Steve_ said:

A boutique hotel right there would be really nice! Glad to hear that the new building will have more residential as well - more people living& working down there has to be good news for the couple of restaurants already there. Access is still a problem (not for me, but for normal people) - I'd love to see a pedestrian extension, even just a skinny one, on the east side of that 10th street bridge over the expressway that would lead right up to the new "Locks at 321". While we're at it, I'd really like to see them dig that tunnel under the expressway to connect the alley by the plaza at the Martin Agency to the cool old stone bridge on the canal for pedestrian traffic! Very interested in hearing their plans for the canal side of the new building - its exciting to see the slow-but-steady momentum on the canal continue...

maybe one of those buildings in the rendering above is a hotel...I found this quote in an old RichmondBizsense article:

"Cooke, from Thalhimer, said that once the whole project at Reynolds North is done, it would bring about 500 apartments to the area, a new hotel and ideally a few new restaurants."

The article: http://richmondbizsense.com/2012/03/02/developers-have-high-hopes-for-new-property/ 

 

 

[Blackbird Fly]

1 hour ago, Steve_ said:

Yes! Great opportunity for a string of pearls on Broad - with the CNB tower being rehabbed, 4-5, 6-7, and hopefully the state ends up doing something substantial at 8-9. Plus there are several great blocks in the VCU/biotech park area - I know VCU has plans for some of them, and something substantial (pharma/biotech/etc) could go behind the convention center between 3-4, and I've dreamed a big campus headquarters for someone could fit between 2-3 north of Jackson (up against the highway). It's a bit tricky since they'd have to "step down" as the building went west to avoid overshadowing the neighborhood but I think it could be done. 

...plus a handful of buildings begging to be torn down and replaced by something grander - like the trashy little building at 6th and Franklin

The MCV campus of VCU and VCU Health have some big projects forthcoming. The MCV campus is adding a very large school of Allied Health which will be a ~$200 million facility and it will replace some of the mid-rise dorms that are currently at Leigh and 8th street. VCU Health's next capital developments (after completion of the outpatient peds facility on 10th and broad will be an additional tower added to the main hospital to add beds to the medical floor there and word is they are moving forward with an inpatient pediatric hospital somewhere on the MCV campus. I've heard the timeline for completion of these two buildings would be over the course of 8 years. 

[wrldcoupe4]

Not to stray too off topic but here is a possible rendering of the new Allied Health Professions building. 

http://eypaedesign.com/expertise/higher-education/virginia-commonwealth-university-allied-health-building

[Steve_]

thats awesome - do you know which block that is?