Carver District / Newtowne West / Allison District

[whw53]

More good news for this area - ORD 2020-205 &  ORD 2020-208 are on city council agenda for 10/12. This is in regards to the SUP and abandonment of right of way needed for the Carver Square project which will bring 92 staked condo units to Lombardy St. This project is most likely on the consent agenda. Carver Civic league supports this per attached letter. Looks like Lombardy St is about to be a construction zone at both ends.

 

 

 

[eandslee]

Is the gas station still operating?  If so, they’re about to get fenced in!

[I miss RVA]

41 minutes ago, whw53 said:

More good news for this area - ORD 2020-205 &  ORD 2020-208 are on city council agenda for 10/12. This is in regards to the SUP and abandonment of right of way needed for the Carver Square project which will bring 92 staked condo units to Lombardy St. This project is most likely on the consent agenda. Carver Civic league supports this per attached letter. Looks like Lombardy St is about to be a construction zone at both ends.

 

 

 

FANTASTIC news!!! What are the nearest cross streets north and south of this project?

[whw53]

12 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

FANTASTIC news!!! What are the nearest cross streets north and south of this project?

Here's the entry on the Dev map in blue.

.

[I miss RVA]

What I'm loving about these 4 story condo/apartment projects in the older neighborhoods is that they are giving those locations a real Brooklyn, Baltimore, Philadelphia kind of "feel"to them - the streetscape on those blocks becomes something very commonly seen in those cities. Seems like a LOT of the new development in the older neighborhood are taking on this character - and it's transformative - bringing a LOT of the urban northeast to Richmond. Glad to see Richmond breaking out of the strictly "southern style" mode with these kinds of projects.

Throw in the bigger projects - such as in Manchester, Scotts Addition, the Opus on Broad - the new place at 25th and E. Main ... and that ratchets up that northeastern urban feel even more. I'm loving every second of this! Just consider how many projects are currently on the table - and if they all get underway before the end of the year - or in early 2021 - within the next 12-18 months, Richmond will have been transformed quite dramatically yet again! What an AMAZING evolution the city is enjoying right now!

[Brent114]

The gas station is closed.  The building has been emptied.  I didn’t look to see if the pumps s has been removed but it’s mostly picked clean.  Looks like it will  be will be gone this time next week. 

Edited September 30, 2020 by Brent114

[majors2410]

The pumps are gone. Construction fencing laying on the ground. 

[I miss RVA]

47 minutes ago, majors2410 said:

The pumps are gone. Construction fencing laying on the ground. 

OK - to clarify - construction fencing that was already up has been taken down? Or additional construction fencing waiting to be installed is what's laying on the ground? I don't follow. Does this look like things are definitely moving forward?

[eandslee]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

OK - to clarify - construction fencing that was already up has been taken down? Or additional construction fencing waiting to be installed is what's laying on the ground? I don't follow. Does this look like things are definitely moving forward?

I’ve been told by a very credible source that this is definitely happening right now!  This is the start of construction for Opus.  No doubt!

[Brent114]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

OK - to clarify - construction fencing that was already up has been taken down? Or additional construction fencing waiting to be installed is what's laying on the ground? I don't follow. Does this look like things are definitely moving forward?

There are rolls of chain link fence on the ground.  It hasn’t yet been attached to the poles, which were driven into Broad Street yesterday.
 

 People are already moaning  about how difficult turning right onto  Broad is with the fence posts in the way lol.  Just wait until construction starts! 

Edited October 1, 2020 by Brent114

[whw53]

1 hour ago, eandslee said:

I’ve been told by a very credible source that this is definitely happening right now!  This is the start of construction for Opus.  No doubt!

I was always under the impression that once it's orange on the dev map, the developer is obligated to complete the project...lol.

[I miss RVA]

Excellent!!

[Brent114]

Chain link is up.

They’ve taken over the Lowe’s entrance off of Lombardy too.  Something more then just demolition is happening. 

[rjp212]

On 9/30/2020 at 2:44 PM, whw53 said:

More good news for this area - ORD 2020-205 &  ORD 2020-208 are on city council agenda for 10/12. This is in regards to the SUP and abandonment of right of way needed for the Carver Square project which will bring 92 staked condo units to Lombardy St. This project is most likely on the consent agenda. Carver Civic league supports this per attached letter. Looks like Lombardy St is about to be a construction zone at both ends.

 

 

 

I think one of my favorite things about this project, outside of connecting Carver to VUU, is that the construction will be visible from the interstate.   A lot of people get their perception of Richmond by driving down I-95, and let's be honest, that's not the most impressive drive. This along with the new apartments on both sides of I-95,  Scotts Addition, Manchester, and the new towers at VCU/MCV are really starting to give the perception that Richmond isn't a sleepy town anymore.  

[eandslee]

1 hour ago, rjp212 said:

I think one of my favorite things about this project, outside of connecting Carver to VUU, is that the construction will be visible from the interstate.   A lot of people get their perception of Richmond by driving down I-95, and let's be honest, that's not the most impressive drive. This along with the new apartments on both sides of I-95,  Scotts Addition, Manchester, and the new towers at VCU/MCV are really starting to give the perception that Richmond isn't a sleepy town anymore.  

Completely 100% agree with this statement.  I have, for years, wished that Richmond would clean up its I-95 corridor so that it didn’t look so run-down and pitifully industrial (how hard is it just to do a street cleaning in the median, plant flowers, trees, take those stupid green things off the Jersey Barriers in the middle and come up with a cleaner and different idea, etc.?). Just those suggestions alone would be a huge improvement!  But yes, when everyone drives through and sees all the construction, eyebrows will be raised for sure!  Love it!

[whw53]

Carver Square sailed through Planning Commission yesterday - heading to council next week.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/10/05/the-agenda-local-government-briefs-for-10-05-20/

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/10/06/richmond-300-plan-b-3-zoning-changes-advance-city-to-acquire-social-services-building/

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, whw53 said:

Carver Square sailed through Planning Commission yesterday - heading to council next week.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/10/05/the-agenda-local-government-briefs-for-10-05-20/

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/10/06/richmond-300-plan-b-3-zoning-changes-advance-city-to-acquire-social-services-building/

Now the transfer of ownership of the DSS building: does that move the needle toward the $350 million redevelopment of that block? Would love to see that 20-story building rising across 10th St. from the new Outpatient Hospital Building in the near future.

[rjp212]

Purely speculation, but what do you think of CarMax being behind the rumored tower?  I mean, they  are already moving some employees to the Sauer Center.  I’d think naming rights on a 20+ story tower within eyesight of I-95 would be pretty stellar.  As far as employee retention/recruitment, it would have awesome skyline views, nearby would be Whole Foods, breweries, ballpark, convention center, VCU and the Pulse line. They’ve also got the massive Carvana shop going up nearby. Can’t be overshadowed by their competitor in their hometown. 

Edited October 6, 2020 by rjp212

[I miss RVA]

39 minutes ago, rjp212 said:

Purely speculation, but what do you think of CarMax being behind the rumored tower?  I mean, they  are already moving some employees to the Sauer Center.  I’d think naming rights on a 20+ story tower within eyesight of I-95 would be pretty stellar.  As far as employee retention/recruitment, it would have awesome skyline views, nearby would be Whole Foods, breweries, ballpark, convention center, VCU and the Pulse line. They’ve also got the massive Carvana shop going up nearby. Can’t be overshadowed by their competitor in their hometown. 

Totally love it! It would be fantastic. Let's hope.

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

There's a rumored tower in/near Sauer Center?

[I miss RVA]

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

There's a rumored tower in/near Sauer Center?

My bad - this was referring to the downtown block on Leigh Street across 10th from the new Outpatient Hospital - and the RBiz stories were referencing quite a wide swath of topics. I should have taken it over to the VCU developments page.

HOWEVER - wasn't there a tower of some kind at part of Sauer's overall plan for the property?

[rjp212]

Ha, I was referring the one I mentioned a few days back.  Purely hearsay, but the friend is pretty connected and it lines up with what the article mentioned about the Sauer Center developer wanting a new project once the rezoning went through. 

[whw53]

46 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

My bad - this was referring to the downtown block on Leigh Street across 10th from the new Outpatient Hospital - and the RBiz stories were referencing quite a wide swath of topics. I should have taken it over to the VCU developments page.

With new Bio tech section about to break ground and a lot more discussion to come for this area I think we need a Navy Hill\MCV\Va Bio+Tech Park thread in and of itself to capture everything north of Broad, between interstates and Jackson Ward.

Edited October 7, 2020 by whw53

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, rjp212 said:

Ha, I was referring the one I mentioned a few days back.  Purely hearsay, but the friend is pretty connected and it lines up with what the article mentioned about the Sauer Center developer wanting a new project once the rezoning went through. 

The one at 10th and Leigh, right? If so, I thought that's the one you were referring to! 

4 hours ago, whw53 said:

With new Bio tech section about to break ground and a lot more discussion to come for this area I think we need a Navy Hill\MCV\Va Bio+Tech Park thread in and of itself to capture everything north of Broad, between interstates and Jackson Ward.

Definitely. Excellent idea. Thank you for doing all this!

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

It's official. Opus Group has purchased the Sunoco site. It's on. 

The station will be razed imminently so hole digging can begin for the underground parking garage. 

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/10/08/developer-buys-site-of-planned-12-story-broad-street-tower-for-3m/