Capitol / Financial District / Shockoe Slip

[wrldcoupe4]

Got it thanks. Would love to see it. 

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Got it thanks. Would love to see it. 

Same here - it's pretty much at the top - or in the top 3 -- of my "must have" projects that I REALLLLLLLLLY want to see happen. I think this would crack the ceiling on building height for residential buildings downtown. Maybe at some point the city can be talked into rethinking their 1:4 height restriction ratio and make it something a little more height-friendly like a 1:8 or more. (Or just eliminate the damn thing altogether, quite frankly!!)

Edited July 11, 2021 by I miss RVA

[DowntownCoruscant]

11 hours ago, Brent114 said:

I’m pretty excited about the prospects of a new building on Main Street.  Aside from the 6 story apartment building between 6th and 5th there hasn’t been a new building (or even a significant/appearance changing  renovation)  since 1993.   Main used to be the most impressive street downtown, now it is one of the most dated looking streets. 

I worked at Main Street Center during the Millennial Tower phase and used to pass by the marketing pictures on the way to/from my parking lot. Boy, did those pictures not age well. It’s a long-distant memory, but what could have been.

[I miss RVA]

6 hours ago, DowntownCoruscant said:

I worked at Main Street Center during the Millennial Tower phase and used to pass by the marketing pictures on the way to/from my parking lot. Boy, did those pictures not age well. It’s a long-distant memory, but what could have been.

I worked across 7th street in the 700 Building when I was a reporter for the AP back in the '80s - and I watched the Main Street Center tower get built right outside our bureau windows. It was really neat to see the construction taking place right before our eyes. What a shame the second 'twin' tower never got built (where the parking deck is now at 7th and Franklin).

Oh do I EVER lament the Centennial Tower never being built. An AMAZING design - and it would have been a signature tower on our skyline for certain! The six story building in that same spot is an abysmally poor consolation prize for development there. To say I've been disappointed for quite a few years is an epic understatement.

[wrldcoupe4]

The 4:1 can be surpassed, just need approval. Dominion needed it for a portion of their new tower. No issues. 

[DowntownCoruscant]

6 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

I worked across 7th street in the 700 Building when I was a reporter for the AP back in the '80s - and I watched the Main Street Center tower get built right outside our bureau windows. It was really neat to see the construction taking place right before our eyes. What a shame the second 'twin' tower never got built (where the parking deck is now at 7th and Franklin).

Oh do I EVER lament the Centennial Tower never being built. An AMAZING design - and it would have been a signature tower on our skyline for certain! The six story building in that same spot is an abysmally poor consolation prize for development there. To say I've been disappointed for quite a few years is an epic understatement.

Yes, Centennial. Don’t know why I was calling it Millennial…

[I miss RVA]

3 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

The 4:1 can be surpassed, just need approval. Dominion needed it for a portion of their new tower. No issues. 

Oh, sure - 4:1 can be surpassed via the SUP process - but I honestly think it is an unnecessary step. While there may appear to be no issues on paper (and certainly Dominion's case bore that out) I respectfully submit to you that even having this step in place potentially opens a door for NIMBYism to creep into the approval process when developers are looking to go big. I understand the need for setbacks - Manhattan, downtown Chicago, and other major central cities do have 'concrete jungles' where, as Elton John famously sang in "Mona Lisa & Mad Hatters", -  "...for unless they see the sky, but they can't and that is why... they know not if it's dark outside or light..."  But Richmond isn't New York or Chicago - and aside from about a 2 or 3 block stretch of E. Main in the Financial District, or in the center of the cluster of medical buildings on the MCV/VCU campus, there is little resemblance of a 'concrete jungle' downtown. Why make impositions where - at least right now - there is no need?

My point is - that while in all likelihood an SUP for a taller tower that far-and-away exceeds the city's 4:1 height limitation will be rubber-stamp approved, I suggest that every additional 'review rung' on the approval ladder opens up a project to somehow get, at best, diminished - or at worst, derailed. We ALL know on here that there are far and away too many NIMBYs who object to any and everything that pushes Richmond forward. And while I realize that the likelihood of something like this happening is exceptionally small - I would just as soon quite frankly reduce that chance to zero.

[whw53]

Here it is folks - i promised yal we would see this one before the year was out. The Locks buildings shown on Nahum's portfolio have formally entered the public planning process. A POD dropped today for 1300 E Byrd St. The description being 'Two mixed-use buildings with a total of 258 dwelling' units.
https://energov.richmondgov.com/EnerGov_Prod/selfservice#/plan/79b6706f-2fdf-4039-b693-b8d39f8b4ce2

Edited August 10, 2021 by whw53

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, whw53 said:

Here it is folks - i promised yal we would see this one before the year was out. The Locks buildings shown on Nahum's portfolio are now more than just pretty pictures and the project has formally entered the public planning process. A POD dropped today for 1300 E Byrd St. The description being 'Two mixed-use buildings with a total of 258 dwelling' units.

https://energov.richmondgov.com/EnerGov_Prod/selfservice#/plan/79b6706f-2fdf-4039-b693-b8d39f8b4ce2

Excellent! Given that they've now just filed the POD, how far do you think we might be away from actual groundbreaking?

 

[wrldcoupe4]

Did anyone else notice the note to Urban planet members on his site?

[Icetera]

14 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Did anyone else notice the note to Urban planet members on his site?

Oh, damn.  I noticed several items had vanished but completely missed that.
 

Quote

ON THE BOARDS

Welcome Urban Planet users. As of mid-2021 projects will be posted only after being made public through a city Plan of Development submission. Thanks for your interest in our work and in the future of development in RVA.

 

[whw53]

48 minutes ago, Icetera said:

Oh, damn.  I noticed several items had vanished but completely missed that.
 

 

Yea the Plant Zero development is gone but what's interesting is the project that I assumed to be on Broad St down from the CNB in City Center is still there. It is the last 2 pictures. I'm not sure what to think about that project - maybe I'll search the PODs but if something was filed it would have been picked up by now. Also, as someone commented in that thread it seems odd for that site to be moving through at this time - Gather and some other retailers are occupying the recently renovated site.

[Icetera]

7 minutes ago, whw53 said:

Yea the Plant Zero development is gone but what's interesting is the project that I assumed to be on Broad St down from the CNB in City Center is still there. It is the last 2 pictures. I'm not sure what to think about that project - maybe I'll search the PODs but if something was filed it would have been picked up by now. Also, as someone commented in that thread it seems odd for that site to be moving through at this time - Gather and some other retailers are occupying the recently renovated site.

Probably a dead project, since there was that partial renovation, so no need to remove.

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, Icetera said:

Probably a dead project, since there was that partial renovation, so no need to remove.

I was wondering. That's the 4th and Broad drawing, yes? 

Question: was One Residential Tower (farther west along Broad a few blocks on the other side of the CNB Building - the realllllllllllllly sweet looking 25-story glass residential building - was that originally part of this particular portfolio - or was that from a different architect?

[rjp212]

41 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

I was wondering. That's the 4th and Broad drawing, yes? 

Question: was One Residential Tower (farther west along Broad a few blocks on the other side of the CNB Building - the realllllllllllllly sweet looking 25-story glass residential building - was that originally part of this particular portfolio - or was that from a different architect?

Different architect. 

[blopp1234]

Once again the investigators of urban planet have beaten actual journalists to the punch in finding information on development projects. Here’s the bizsense article for the new locks buildings.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/08/11/developers-plan-to-build-apartments-in-final-two-locks-buildings/

[Icetera]

31 minutes ago, blopp1234 said:

Once again the investigators of urban planet have beaten actual journalists to the punch in finding information on development projects. Here’s the bizsense article for the new locks buildings.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/08/11/developers-plan-to-build-apartments-in-final-two-locks-buildings/

To be fair, they also go out and contact the relevant parties prior to reporting a more in depth story, but it is fun to be ahead of the news.

[ancientcarpenter]

Definitely. In forums like this we can throw around 10 different designs, companies, architects, deals, etc. for one lot of land and we'll eventually get it right... but if RichmondBizSense or any other (real) journalist or newspaper did it they would lose their job as they aren't in the business of speculating and guessing...they are literally called "reporters" because they report what is actually happening. This isn't Fox News, can't just have opinion pieces and disguise it as news. 

[I miss RVA]

On 8/10/2021 at 6:09 PM, rjp212 said:

Different architect. 

Awesome. Thanks! I thought that might be the case but just couldn't remember. I hope we see that project getting underway soon.

[whw53]

Check this out - ownership behind LaDiff anchored bulding on 14th may be exploring partial redevelopment and\or conversion to multifamily. I've noticed a pattern where that Markham Planning consultancy of whom the principal is Lori Markham  is usually brought on when complicated zoning and\or significant plans are in the works. Generally, zoning confirmation letters are filed prior to sale and\or repurposing. I remeber hearing something about LaDiff in the local news but must've scrolled past.
 
http://content.invisioncic.com/x329420/monthly_2021_05/123S14th_statement.thumb.jpg.cc44984e24c6924ddd035a46f78ee3ec.jpg
http://content.invisioncic.com/x329420/monthly_2021_05/123S14th_contacts.thumb.jpg.5e0089885cea05449f7e1af3e0901cf6.jpg

More information on the future of the LaDiff site. SNP to convert to residential mixed use project while LaDiff plans new facility elsewhere in city. Still a lot more detail to come from both actors but glad SNP, Markham is behind this one and that LaDiff will remain in operation. I hope that them staying in the city means more new construction for the urban core and not say filling in a slot at Stony Point.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/08/12/ladiff-plans-new-store-after-shockoe-complex-sells-to-developer-for-10m/

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[whw53]

The Mutual Building renovation has begun - i flipped to orange on the dev map. Reminds me i need to do some editing there due to the  flurry of  projects over last couple weeks - I know somewhere y'all were talking about it being slow . I respectfully disagree!

[urbanlife]

On 7/9/2021 at 12:42 PM, Icetera said:

Heh, I added this to mine yesterday under "Virginia Dept of General Services Building".  Prominence is around 319', placing it slightly taller than the Omni:
 

I am remembering why I moved to the Northwest and not to Richmond when I was looking to move away from Virginia Beach. 90s Richmond had no real development action going on during that time and a city like Seattle was much more alluring to me. Oddly enough, I never ended up in Seattle when I moved to the Northwest, and ended up falling in love with Portland instead. Though had it been now that I was looking to move, the Northwest would have been too expensive, and Richmond would be showing a lot of promise, plus I would have just kept my condo in VB and used it as a rental.

[I miss RVA]

On 8/27/2021 at 1:02 AM, urbanlife said:

I am remembering why I moved to the Northwest and not to Richmond when I was looking to move away from Virginia Beach. 90s Richmond had no real development action going on during that time and a city like Seattle was much more alluring to me. Oddly enough, I never ended up in Seattle when I moved to the Northwest, and ended up falling in love with Portland instead. Though had it been now that I was looking to move, the Northwest would have been too expensive, and Richmond would be showing a lot of promise, plus I would have just kept my condo in VB and used it as a rental.

Okay! Roughly the same height as the Omni isn't THAT bad. Especially since it will be packed in at 7th and Main (and I've been wishing for YEARS that the old 4-story building there would be replaced by something with some height) ... I love that kind of building density in the old Financial District. I wish all of downtown had that kind of density of highrises. Unfortunately, there have been too many cases where single buildings were built on an entire block or part of a block. Here's hoping the trend going forward is to pack as many buildings into a city block as possible. (if it's only two highrises - that's fine - so long as we get rid of this practice of building isolated buildings surrounded by plazas or tons of open space).

Edited August 29, 2021 by I miss RVA

[whw53]

More on Capitol Square From the RTD looks like west tower of Pocahnontas and Supreme Court building are safe according to Joe Damico, director of the Virginia Department of General Services. Big thanks to RTD for taking the time and interviewing the key people - sometimes BizSense jumps the gun. They also included a nice summary of every property mentioned in the lengthy article at the bottom - i've snipped for us here.

Capitol Square: 'every corner under construction,' and more to come with plans for a new state office tower to replace the Monroe Building

https://richmond.com/business/capitol-square-every-corner-under-construction-and-more-to-come-with-plans-for-a-new/article_7c6e4d70-b748-5485-b9aa-121bd40971f0.html

Edited September 17, 2021 by whw53

[Icetera]

5 minutes ago, whw53 said:

More on Capitol Square From the RTD

Capitol Square: 'every corner under construction,' and more to come with plans for a new state office tower to replace the Monroe Building

https://richmond.com/business/capitol-square-every-corner-under-construction-and-more-to-come-with-plans-for-a-new/article_7c6e4d70-b748-5485-b9aa-121bd40971f0.html

Some key takeaways:
 

Quote

preservationists have nothing to fear. The state never considered demolishing either the Supreme Court Building or the 1923 tower at the Pocahontas Building, only the extension of the former bank building constructed in 1962.

Quote

Under the new plan, the courts would remain where they are. Meanwhile, plans call for renovating the 14-story western tower of the Pocahontas Building, tearing down the seven-story eastern part of the building and then constructing a new 233,000-square-foot building in its place.

Quote

The Monroe Building would have cost more to maintain than it's worth, so the state wants to either sell it on the private market - it's currently appraised at $28 million - or demolish it.

No one is rushing to save that building. "I think there is no love for the Monroe Tower," said Calder Loth, retired senior architectural historian at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

The potential demolition also would open opportunities for the state to transform properties on the eastern side of Capitol Hill that he said have been neglected. "The whole backside of Capitol Hill has just been treated as a wasteland," Loth said.

The Monroe Building, originally conceived as twin towers, commands a prominent position in the city skyline overlooking Interstate 95 and facing Church Hill.

"I think the property probably is more of interest than the building itself," Damico said.