The Fan / Museum District

[I miss RVA]

3 hours ago, ancientcarpenter said:

Don't over-think comments on the internet, especially from "news" sites. The most vocal person is complaining about no parking when it clearly states there are over 300+ parking spots being built. Most people simply aren't reading the article before they comment. 

 

If anyone was to walk around this particular area of the Museum they would see how deserted it is and how run down it is. There is no historical value to preserve (and this is coming from me, a Jackson Ward preservationist guy!). It's simply 1-2 story office buildings that are run down with empty parking lots. 

 

This development will bring lots of foot traffic... love it!

Totally agree with you, @ancientcarpenterAs usual, I'm going to add in a few thoughts:

1.) Amazing, isn't it? (The lack of reading of the very simple details of the project). Problem is, I'd be willing to bet that the NIMBY kvetchers don't care one bit about the accurate details. All they know is that they don't want this building in any way, any shape, any form, under any circumstances, PERIOD - and nothing about it will satisfy them other than it NOT being built at that location.

2.) Spot on. 

3.   !!! Couldn't agree more.

Now - while you're 100% right that we shouldn't read too much into the response/commentary on the news sites, the article DID state that there is/has been pushback - and it's certainly enough that it's caused the Planning Commission to delay the vote. That's why I'm calling for "all hands on deck" - and for us to gather strength and push back against the NIMBYs just like we did for the Byrd Park sandwich shop. If we believed enough in community activism to help out the business owners who are opening the sandwich shop, then we can certainly believe enough in community activism to push back against the nay-sayers and help get this building approved. Just like you said, @ancientcarpenter-- it will dramatically help with increasing foot traffic - something that part of the Museum District SORELY lacks. What's more - adding (as the one commenter moaned and groaned about) "250 or 500" more people to the neighborhood would only incrementally impact local traffic felt by current residents. Most of the traffic that's of major concern in that neighborhood is transient traffic from folks passing through along that section of Thompson as they are coming from somewhere else and are going to somewhere else. It's not like the developer is looking to build a neighborhood mini-mall on the site (like a Cary Court Shopping Center, for example) that would DRAW additional vehicular traffic.

The trade-off of an incremental increase in vehicle traffic (primarily on the work week) vs a significant uptick in foot traffic and people activity is a no-brainer and a slam-dunk win for the neighborhood. Mind you - it's obvious what some of the folks are saying - "if you allow this one then you'll have to allow the next one and then the next one and so on... and the 'character' of the neighborhood changes, yada yada yada..." (SPARE ME!!)  That's what's called living in a GROWING - THRIVING - CITY.  Cities cannot (and simply WILL not) THRIVE if growth is choked off and progress and development are sacrificed at the altar of maintaining the status quo. Maintaining the status quo leads to stagnation. How much worse is it when stagnation is introduced/forced into the equation as a means of "cementing' the status quo - thereby leading to yet further stagnation!

Friends, lets make our voices heard in support of this project - just like we did for the sandwich shop. I'm going to reach out via email just as I did in support of the sandwich shop. Join me, won't you?

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Flood Zone]

2 hours ago, ancientcarpenter said:

Don't over-think comments on the internet, especially from "news" sites.

Yes. Reading between the lines -- and it's been since this morning that I read the article, so forgive me if I've forgotten the details -- this does not seem like a crushing development. Isn't the reality that the developer said, well, we will look into the comments but any change would significantly alter the project; so, they'll come back and say, sorry, we tried, and, given the planning commission staff has already said OK, the planning commission itself will likely say OK, too? 

[I miss RVA]

19 minutes ago, Flood Zone said:

Yes. Reading between the lines -- and it's been since this morning that I read the article, so forgive me if I've forgotten the details -- this does not seem like a crushing development. Isn't the reality that the developer said, well, we will look into the comments but any change would significantly alter the project; so, they'll come back and say, sorry, we tried, and, given the planning commission staff has already said OK, the planning commission itself will likely say OK, too? 

Maybe - but you know what? I look at it this way - what would have happened with the sandwich shop had folks NOT stood up and fought FOR it? Is this really that much different?

[Shakman]

...and a sandwich shop should go on the ground floor.

Edited March 22, 2023 by Shakman

[I miss RVA]

15 minutes ago, Shakman said:

...and a sandwich shop should go on the ground floor.

You'll get no argument out of me on that one, my friend! There's an old adage - never stand in the way between a fat man and a good sandwich - and just yesterday I went for my 2023 physical (and to address a few other health concerns) and I clocked in at 316 lbs!  So I definitely qualify! 

[BigBobbyG]

I've been keeping an eye on what the planning commission decided with that apartment building on 3600 Grove. I am a bit confused by what I am seeing in the legistar however, it was continued till yesterday and originally it had a record for yesterday but now that has disappeared, and the original record on the 27th has a "continued and referred back" status . Anyone more familiar with how this works able to parse out what actually happened here? Here is a link.

https://richmondva.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6045549&GUID=7FA9D592-6E1D-48BF-AFD8-A91D6FAE6BA6&Options=&Search=

[rjp212]

SUP file for 6 attached Single Family homes in the area below:

[Icetera]

23 minutes ago, rjp212 said:

SUP file for 6 attached Single Family homes in the area below:

I really love seeing these alleys fill in.  It seems so against the American urban norm.

[I miss RVA]

25 minutes ago, rjp212 said:

SUP file for 6 attached Single Family homes in the area below:

This is exciting! I'll be curious as to how they'll be situation on the parcel. Will they front the alley-way or be built around a central courtyard? Cool infill project that incrementally boosts density in this part of the Museum District. I love it!

[Icetera]

30 minutes ago, BigBobbyG said:

I've been keeping an eye on what the planning commission decided with that apartment building on 3600 Grove. I am a bit confused by what I am seeing in the legistar however, it was continued till yesterday and originally it had a record for yesterday but now that has disappeared, and the original record on the 27th has a "continued and referred back" status . Anyone more familiar with how this works able to parse out what actually happened here? Here is a link.

https://richmondva.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6045549&GUID=7FA9D592-6E1D-48BF-AFD8-A91D6FAE6BA6&Options=&Search=

The audio is up now and it sounds like it was continued to the April 17 session by developer request.

[BigBobbyG]

1 minute ago, Icetera said:

The audio is up now and it sounds like it was continued to the April 17 session by developer request.

Ah I see, damn I wish they would just approve it already. I wonder what the implications are of the developer themselves requesting the continuance?

[I miss RVA]

3 minutes ago, Icetera said:

The audio is up now and it sounds like it was continued to the April 17 session by developer request.

They may be trying to work with the residents in the neighborhood to tweak the project without having to gut it or kill it altogether. My only fear is that the NIMBY neighbors are typically never satisfied - and regardless of what requests the developers agree to implement, the NIMBYs will keep moving the goal posts 1.) to further delay the project (a classic and, unfortunately, often successful NIMBY strategy is "run out the clock" - delay delay delay it so long that financing eventually falls apart)  and 2.) because no amount of concessions on the part of the developer will be sufficient because the NIMBYs simply don't want the project built, period.  

[wrldcoupe4]

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/04/18/250-unit-grove-ave-apartment-project-gets-thumbs-up-from-planning-commission/
 

Planning commission approved the large apartment development at the corner of Grove and Thompson. They had to make some minor compromises after discussions with the neighborhood.

Edited April 18, 2023 by wrldcoupe4

[I miss RVA]

47 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/04/18/250-unit-grove-ave-apartment-project-gets-thumbs-up-from-planning-commission/
 

Planning commission approved the large apartment development at the corner of Grove and Thompson. They had to make some minor compromises after discussions with the neighborhood.

YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

Very good news indeed!!!

[eandslee]

1 hour ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/04/18/250-unit-grove-ave-apartment-project-gets-thumbs-up-from-planning-commission/
 

Planning commission approved the large apartment development at the corner of Grove and Thompson. They had to make some minor compromises after discussions with the neighborhood.

Agree - also happy this is going to be built!  The NIMBYs were ridiculous.

[rjp212]

IMO just about everything within a 1 block radius could use some redevelopment/renovation.    Outside of a few, most of the "historical" homes are not well kept or offer any architectural significance.   They're definitely not highest and best use.

[I miss RVA]

55 minutes ago, eandslee said:

The NIMBYs were ridiculous.

They still are. I'm waiting for many of the more obnoxious of them to come out of the woodwork in the RBS comments section (one reader in particular who I have called out directly in the past for ad hominem attacks on other readers & for not sticking to the FACTS of the topic or actually engaging in discussion/debate. This same reader openly embraces the mantle of "I am NIMBY" and is 100% anti-growth but tries to claim otherwise.). I am debating whether or not to go back during the day and read the comments because I know the garbage these folks will spew kvetching about this building will do little but raise my blood pressure 50 points.

Honest to God - I love the man to death but I could absolutely slap Bruce for his comment leading off the section - because his (likely correct) assertion that this building is a precursor of more - very similar - development to come for this part of the city is EXACTLY what the NIMBYs jump on and rail so vehemently against. We don't need more fuel added to their fire. 

Edited April 18, 2023 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, rjp212 said:

IMO just about everything within a 1 block radius could use some redevelopment/renovation.    Outside of a few, most of the "historical" homes are not well kept or offer any architectural significance.   They're definitely not highest and best use.

!!! Well said, @rjp212-- I could not agree more. 

I'll take it one step further - I believe we would be hard pressed to find ANY buildings in that part of the Museum District that are LEGITIMATELY "historic" -- I honestly cannot stomach the way preservationists purposely conflate "historic" with "old/unique" - and base it purely on architectural style. Just because a building is "old" does NOT mean it's "historic". Are there examples of "unique" architecture worthy of saving? Of course! And frankly, the city (as in the city government) has largely done a pretty good job of distinguishing between areas and/or in some cases only individual buildings where protections are warranted and areas where protections not only aren't needed but make no sense whatsoever.

Either way - as one reader (in support of the project) said in RBS - "Museum District residents in opposition of this project and others like it need to look at the bigger picture. In balance, this is a net gain for the area."

Could not have said it better myself. 

Edited April 18, 2023 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

Updated rendering for this project:

The first one is before, the second is the after (notice the sixth floor setback):

 

Edited April 19, 2023 by eandslee

[I miss RVA]

29 minutes ago, eandslee said:

Updated rendering for this project:

The first one is before, the second is the after (notice the sixth floor setback):

 

Honestly, I like them both. And if that's all the developer needed to do in order to get the SUP approved, then I would consider it a HUGE win.

We gotta help get this over the finish line, folks. PLEASE EVERYTHING -- do the survey. Select "approve" and write something in favor of the project. ALSO - reach out to your council representative (those of you who reside IN the city) - and I think there's general contact information for City Hall and even the Mayor's office. We need to launch a writing campaign between now and when it comes up for a vote.

What's the over/under that the council actually votes on it at their next meeting, much less approves it? I've seen City Council table the living hell out of stuff like SUP requests - "kicking the can down the road" so to speak. Praying that does not happen here. Praying like CRAZY they'll approve the SUP.

Not that it matters - but it IS encouraging that the Planning Commission approved the request unanimously.

[wrldcoupe4]

If this was passed unanimously by the planning commission, it will pass city Council.

[I miss RVA]

Just now, wrldcoupe4 said:

If this was passed unanimously by the planning commission, it will pass city Council.

From your keyboard to God's eyes, my friend! 

[skinsfan]

The project on North Hamilton and I-195 is finally moving forward again. The parking deck  has been up for a while now, with no real progress in recent months. But I noticed the other day that the first floor is currently being framed.  I think it was the International Mission Board Project. 

[wrldcoupe4]

Yep have noticed this as well. Would be great to see a little more density between here and Broad. Nearby but on the much smaller side, there is a lot cleared at grove and Hamilton. Anyone recall what’s going there? Was thinking townhomes or a small apartment bldg. 

[whw53]

@wrldcoupe4 6 3 story townhouses. Renderings are back aways but on this thread.

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