Parks and Rec

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

I've never been so excited about sod in my life haha

[wrldcoupe4]

really is a pretty massive improvement.

[blopp1234]

4 hours ago, jbjust said:

Here it is!

SOD!

 

WOW!

[jbjust]

Extensive irrigation has been installed, not only on the lawn but drip irrigation looks like it's circling just about every plant in the place.  

[jbjust]

I suspect the park will be ready by next week.  If they had gone ahead and built the stage, I could see it getting incorporated into the Folk Festival, but that would be hard to do as currently constructed.  Perhaps the symphony could erect their portable stage there and put on a show in the future.

[eandslee]

4 hours ago, jbjust said:

I suspect the park will be ready by next week.  If they had gone ahead and built the stage, I could see it getting incorporated into the Folk Festival, but that would be hard to do as currently constructed.  Perhaps the symphony could erect their portable stage there and put on a show in the future.

Why can't they put up a portable stage there for any event?  Seems like a great space - looks waaaaaay different and waaaaay better. Looks awesome!

[jbjust]

On 9/9/2016 at 6:44 PM, eandslee said:

Why can't they put up a portable stage there for any event?  Seems like a great space - looks waaaaaay different and waaaaay better. Looks awesome!

The only obstacle I see is that the area where the mobile stage would go is grass, so if it would kill that grass it would be a bad thing.  Then again, I have no idea whether mobile stages kill grass. 

[eandslee]

I saw on Reddit that they had turned the fountain on!  The pic posted there looked awesome. Such an improvement!  I certainly hope it is utilized for downtown concerts and festivals!

Edited September 17, 2016 by eandslee

[drayrichmond]

here's the image, looks really good

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

It might have some future phases incomplete, but would it be appropriate to change this project from purple to green on the development map? I certainly think so.

Edited September 17, 2016 by RVA-Is-The-Best

[blopp1234]

15 hours ago, drayrichmond said:

here's the image, looks really good

Wow what a difference. Hopefully the food trucks and the renovation will help bring people over to that part of the CBD.

[blopp1234]

http://m.richmond.com/news/local/city-of-richmond/article_613b7a13-f14e-585b-a050-5d2485198a38.html?mode=jqm

kanwaha plaza has officially reopened. It looks good in the pics and if they can draw enough food trucks over there, I think it could become busy during lunchtime.

[jbjust]

Went over during the grand opening and talked to two very nice city representatives.  They indicated that they had some new momentum on funding for the stage and the two large shade structures from the rendering and promised that it wouldn't take as long to build them as we have had to wait on the current renovations. 

[Blackbird Fly]

Done with Kanawah Plaza, on to Monroe Park!

 

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

An RTD article regarding the announced Monroe Park renovations

http://www.richmond.com/news/local/city-of-richmond/article_0a87bd23-2969-5d66-ad97-8a39cd68161a.html

[drayrichmond]

I'm not sure why they're going with crushed stone for the pathways, I feel like that's a step down from paved paths and it can't be very easy for people with handicaps e.g. wheelchairs. 

[Marcus Squires]

Crushed stone is better for drainage and most if not all of the parks in Paris, France use crushed gravel and the only issue I ever saw with it when I lived there for a year was with pot holes from soil that was sunk in, but it is great for all pedestrian usage.   

[TBurban]

Was in town visiting friends and family over the weekend and walked through Kanawha Plaza on our way to the folk fest. What a great, revitalized space. Love the openness of it. The city needs to work on programming the green space during the warmer months. Would love to see an outdoor beer garden and lawn games similiar to what Philly and Boston have done with formerly underutilized spaces. Too bad a winter ice rink would kill the grass. Would have been cool now that the lot along Broad is surface parking. Dominion's new tower and the Locks at 321 will totally transform this space within the next couple years. Time to land a tenant for the second phase of Foundry Park to round off the southwest corner of new plaza.

[jbjust]

On 10/10/2016 at 2:46 PM, TBurban said:

Was in town visiting friends and family over the weekend and walked through Kanawha Plaza on our way to the folk fest. What a great, revitalized space. Love the openness of it. The city needs to work on programming the green space during the warmer months. Would love to see an outdoor beer garden and lawn games similiar to what Philly and Boston have done with formerly underutilized spaces. Too bad a winter ice rink would kill the grass. Would have been cool now that the lot along Broad is surface parking. Dominion's new tower and the Locks at 321 will totally transform this space within the next couple years. Time to land a tenant for the second phase of Foundry Park to round off the southwest corner of new plaza.

There was a big group of 20-somethings playing ultimate frisbee in the park during their lunch break -- a very multi-ethnic and mixed gender group.  Looked so perfect I thought it was being staged for a photo op at one point.  

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

I'm far more excited about the Brown's Island/Kanawha Canal terraces than the Lehigh Terraces imo. 

For some reason I can't find the after version of this ''before'' pic. But I remember there being terraces and fountains and whatnot in the renderings for this location:

that will be exciting. Second to Monroe Park, the Brown's Island Terraces excites me most (followed by Sugar Pad, then Mayo Island, then everything else)

[meegwell]

[tparkerzut]

Yea I was surprised they took out that many trees, wasn't too happy to see that. But I'm hopeful of the overall renovation.

[drayrichmond]

I hate to see trees go, but not being a tree expert I'm not going to rush to judgement. A lot of those trees are quite old and trees do have a life span. I was just at my Grandmothers old house that has a huge tree in the front yard, it looks great, but our tree expert came by and check it out; turns out it was near the end of its life and it would be safer to have it removed than left their to die naturally. This could very well be the case with a lot of the trees being removed, roots get in the way of things too, can imagine if they're doing to the plumbing system for the bathrooms. Sad to see them go, but it just might be necessary.

[Asace88]

29 minutes ago, drayrichmond said:

I hate to see trees go, but not being a tree expert I'm not going to rush to judgement. A lot of those trees are quite old and trees do have a life span. I was just at my Grandmothers old house that has a huge tree in the front yard, it looks great, but our tree expert came by and check it out; turns out it was near the end of its life and it would be safer to have it removed than left their to die naturally. This could very well be the case with a lot of the trees being removed, roots get in the way of things too, can imagine if they're doing to the plumbing system for the bathrooms. Sad to see them go, but it just might be necessary.

Yes it is a combination of several things.  I'm in landscape sales and I actually have the plans for this particular project sitting on my desk.  While many of these trees are old, they do pose many care and safety issues at this size in high traffic areas.  With the plans to do a major renovation there is no better time than now to start with a clean slate.  While lots of trees are going to be removed I can promise you that what is going back in will be special.

The size and canopies of the existing trees had actually started to take away from the functionality of this park.  It made the park feel dark and cut off where the new design will have a very welcoming layout and tons of new (more fitting) trees, shrubs and color to make people want to spend time here.  Once this project is done you will see a lot more people utilizing this area as a common space and it will serve as a focal point for downtown.

[eandslee]

Thanks for the insight on the tree situation at Monroe Park.  Sounds like a great plan!

Hey, you're our Photoshop guy too!  Thanks for fulfilling our Photoshop requests!  It's good to have someone with your skills on this board!