Monroe Ward / Oregon Hill

[whw53]

[I miss RVA]

3 hours ago, whw53 said:

FANTASTIC PIX, @whw53!! Thanks for taking and posting these. Methinks you've just earned a nomination for this (new) week's RVA/UP "YOU DA MAN" award and the prestigious SILVER PORT-A-POTTY trophy. Given that Sunday is the first day of the week, nominations for last week's award and trophy are closed - so @whw53's nomination goes into the hat for this new week. 

[ancientcarpenter]

On 2/5/2023 at 9:15 AM, whw53 said:

Parc View as seen from Abner Clay Park

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Ah poor quality but wanted to share new angle


 

 

From someone who lived in Jackson Ward I cannot believe THAT is the view from Abner Clay Park. Although, we know winter gives us better views, I think this will still shoot up during the spring and summer blossoms

[Ward Wood]

I think ParcView will only get taller too btw look at the logo for it 

[I miss RVA]

51 minutes ago, Ward Wood said:

I think ParcView will only get taller too btw look at the logo for it 

Oh wow - how about that! The mechanicals, most likely in there! VERY cool!

[whw53]

Wow that may actually be a worse logo than the Richmond Real seal.

[ancientcarpenter]

47 minutes ago, whw53 said:

Wow that may actually be a worse logo than the Richmond Real seal.

I honestly thought he was making a clever joke by doing a quick drawing in paint.

[whw53]

A rare Oregon Hill development story

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/03/31/oregon-hill-infill-project-nears-completion-with-more-on-the-way/

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[I miss RVA]

20 minutes ago, whw53 said:

A rare Oregon Hill development story

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/03/31/oregon-hill-infill-project-nears-completion-with-more-on-the-way/

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Nice!! Interesting design - though those rather spindly posts kinda worry me just a bit. Still - glad to see this developer is making some good infill additions in Oregon Hill. Every vacant lot that's converted into townhouses or apartments in that neighborhood is a win. Can't wait to see what rises in the second project on China Street.

Check out the building:

 

[eandslee]

22 minutes ago, whw53 said:

A rare Oregon Hill development story

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/03/31/oregon-hill-infill-project-nears-completion-with-more-on-the-way/

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Just for fun, we should be NIMBYs to the developments in Oregon Hill. 

[Icetera]

25 minutes ago, eandslee said:

Just for fun, we should be NIMBYs to the developments in Oregon Hill. 

Ok, Scott...

25 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Nice!! Interesting design - though those rather spindly posts kinda worry me just a bit. Still - glad to see this developer is making some good infill additions in Oregon Hill. Every vacant lot that's converted into townhouses or apartments in that neighborhood is a win. Can't wait to see what rises in the second project on China Street.

Check out the building:

 

I was thinking that as well but I imagine they are being wrapped with more substantive decorative columns as the front decking is installed.

[I miss RVA]

26 minutes ago, Icetera said:

Ok, Scott...

I was thinking that as well but I imagine they are being wrapped with more substantive decorative columns as the front decking is installed.

Hopefully!! And hopefully legit substantive - decorative AND supportive.

[Brent114]

Those posts aren’t finished.  Prolly just holding up the roof until the slab beneath them is poured.  At the very least those 4x4’s will be wrapped in Boral or PVC with some trim pieces at the top where they meet the porch beam.  

Edited March 31, 2023 by Brent114

[I miss RVA]

3 hours ago, eandslee said:

Just for fun, we should be NIMBYs to the developments in Oregon Hill. 

Love it!

Actually - I'd put myself in the camp of being a NIMBY to colossal space-wasters like Foushee Mews. Granted, the buildings are indeed quite handsome, but that's about all they are. Why? Because they are single-family homes. BIG single-family homes. As in - 3,500 sq ft SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. In MONROE WARD!!!  Mind you - I'm in favor of increasing home ownership but Jesus... put something like that in Oregon Hill or Carver or Jackson Ward. It's a better fit in those neighborhoods. NOT in freakin' Monroe Ward! 

And I STILL want to know what the heck Dr. Slipek was smoking when, in a recent commentary, he came up with THIS gem: "(Foushee Mews)... will help repopulate downtown." Oh really now? How'z that, Doc? Soooooo... adding maybe 30 or 40 people AT MOST by the time the entire project is complete (and taking most of a city block to do it at that!) is REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY gonna get us closer to the critical mass of 30,000 downtown residents that my urban planning profs at VCU said some 40 years ago is absolutely necessary to turn downtown RVA from a ghost town to a vibrant 24/7/365 happenin' kind of place. That's what you're sayin'?

Happy Friday, gentlefolk.

Edited March 31, 2023 by I miss RVA

[wrldcoupe4]

I know for a fact that the prior owner of this property would only sell if it was this type of for sale development. They may have end put deed restrictions to that effect on it. They had a line of interest for higher density residential / student housing etc over the years. So, the alternative was a parking lot in perpetuity or this. 

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

I know for a fact that the prior owner of this property would only sell if it was this type of for sale development. They may have end put deed restrictions to that effect on it. They had a line of interest for higher density residential / student housing etc over the years. So, the alternative was a parking lot in perpetuity or this. 

Right!! I remember we'd talked about this previously - that it was because of the previous owner that something more substantial didn't go there. So how exactly does an end put deed restriction work? I'm guessing there are absolutely no legal workarounds? What stinks is since each unit would be individually owned, there's no way for a developer to come in and buy up all the property in one shot unless they did so prior to even the first unit selling - and since it's being piece-meal developed in phases, that's an impossibility.

Why wouldn't the the previous owner sell if a developer wasn't going to put 3-story townhouses on the land? Why restrict what could be built there? Was he one of those uber-draconian preservationist types who can't stand the idea of Richmond advancing beyond the 1880s or something?

Mind you - I love the look of the buildings - they're gorgeous. But at 3,500 sq ft a pop - they are about as ridiculous a waste of space as it gets. At least if these were multi family buildings (how many nice-sized apartments - not cracker boxes - but something of decent size) could you fit into 3,500 sq ft over three floors? Or if home ownership was a prerequisite - why not multi-family condos? The construction is gorgeous, I will say that. Gorgeous, but a colossal waste of prime downtown space when this city NEEDS to go vertical.

Sorry, but I'll never stop rolling my eyes or shaking my head at this one.

Edited March 31, 2023 by I miss RVA

[wrldcoupe4]

Not sure, but my guess is because they lived across the street in the Ellen Glasgow House and wanted and perhaps thought their legacy could be to protect the scale around it? 100% a wild guess. 

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Not sure, but my guess is because they lived across the street in the Ellen Glasgow House and wanted and perhaps thought their legacy could be to protect the scale around it? 100% a wild guess. 

Yeah, honestly, that very well might be the case.  I'm thinking your guess has hit the bullseye on that one, my friend. The Glasgow house is a legit historic landmark, so if that was their mindset, I can respect that. 

So how exactly does an end put deed restriction work? I'm guessing there are absolutely no legal workarounds?

[BigBobbyG]

Random but has anyone heard anything about the 8 story apartment building at 219-225 W Broad St that's been planned by Bank Street and SMBW architects? I love the idea of more people living in the downtown core so I really hope this one hasn't been scrapped or truncated.

[rjp212]

5 minutes ago, BigBobbyG said:

Random but has anyone heard anything about the 8 story apartment building at 219-225 W Broad St that's been planned by Bank Street and SMBW architects? I love the idea of more people living in the downtown core so I really hope this one hasn't been scrapped or truncated.

Looks like Construction was supposed to start around April. I assume it's being held up right now like all the others because lending has tightened up.

https://www.constructionjournal.com/projects/details/8ca592a4cf7d428a84e87861d3713505.html

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, rjp212 said:

Looks like Construction was supposed to start around April. I assume it's being held up right now like all the others because lending has tightened up.

https://www.constructionjournal.com/projects/details/8ca592a4cf7d428a84e87861d3713505.html

Good call. I was just thinking about this building a few days ago wondering if it's also temporarily on ice.

[Shakman]

18 hours ago, rjp212 said:

Looks like Construction was supposed to start around April. I assume it's being held up right now like all the others because lending has tightened up.

https://www.constructionjournal.com/projects/details/8ca592a4cf7d428a84e87861d3713505.html

Hilarious!  I clicked on the link.  It shows a Richmond address for this project but a map of Charlotte, NC!  Anyone else see this?

Edited May 4, 2023 by Shakman

[I miss RVA]

14 minutes ago, Shakman said:

Hilarious!  I clicked on the link.  It shows a Richmond address for this project but a map of Charlotte, NC!  Anyone else see this?

[Icetera]

26 minutes ago, Shakman said:

Hilarious!  I clicked on the link.  It shows a Richmond address for this project but a map of Charlotte, NC!  Anyone else see this?

It did not do that for me yesterday or now, so may have been a fluke.

[I miss RVA]

Wowzers... @Shakman-- those charlatans must've hijacked your computer (just like they hijacked all our banks over the last 30-40 years...)  Unreal, my friend.