Diamond Area / Hermitage Rd Corridor / Ownby District

[123fakestreet]

City and developers owe Hardywood for making that neighborhood. Not even trying to hide it naming it brewers row.

[Icetera]

23 minutes ago, Jordon said:

More renderings of The Outpost at Brewer’s Row condo project 

It is great to see more of this density pushing closer to I-64/95, giving a better display of Richmond's urban nature for approaching traffic.

[I miss RVA]

21 minutes ago, Icetera said:

It is great to see more of this density pushing closer to I-64/95, giving a better display of Richmond's urban nature for approaching traffic.

Fully agreed! Glad to see the increased density here. Hoping this will spur more density in the immediate vicinity down the road.

[whw53]

Great to see all 3 pieces of this in one rendering finally. The stacked row condos along Overbrook rose out of the ground in sync last week and the 5 story apartment topped out not long before that. 

If i had to pick on something here it'd be the width of that 'alley' between the runs of stacked condos parallel to Overbrook - did they really need to max out the space there, looks like a cul-de-sac tbh. Will  sit awkwardly across from Hardywood on the Ownby side -  some frontage would have been preferable there  instead of to the lot on the rear side. Probably why we don't get a rendering from that vantage.

Edit - actually one more thing *cracks another beer* -  Why are developers afraid to jut these new townhome projects right up to the edge of the street - what's with the useless grassy gap between the structures and the sidewalk, and then to encircle the development with this snaking little sidewalk park ringlet thing. It's completely unnecessary none of it is functional greenspace, detracts from the aesthetic, creates an awkward pedestrian experience and just overall disconnect between structure and the the public realm and most importantly it wastes spaces. Between the park ringlet and the alley-sac they could have squeezed another line of rowhomes in here at SE corner of Ownby\Overbrook.

Edited February 22, 2022 by whw53

[I miss RVA]

Yep - I agree with you on the design flaws with that little alley-sac, park ringlet and little grass spaces. It would look a LOT better (and much more urban) if they'd run it right up to the sidewalk - and drop a third building where the alley-sac is.

[Urbs42]

Awesome project. A few related ramblings...

One would imagine the Diamond developers are aware of all these projects in progress... looking at everything planned, literally thousands of new residents who would love a short walk to nice shopping and restaurants. Dream big developers, dream big! 

Also, curious when the city will build a bridge over the tracks on Hermitage. That's gonna be a key piece of infrastructure to support all of this new development. Not to mention the pedestrian experience on the Boulevard bridge could be vastly improved. 

I think one or two new hotels could be successful in the DD. The athletics village in theory should draw a steady stream of college teams coming to play baseball, tennis, soccer,  etc. Then you have pro teams visiting to play the squirrels. On top of this, the area will actually become a popular place for folks coming to RVA for the weekend. They'll have all the amenities at their doorstep, and can easily walk to SA, Brewer's row, etc. It's a nice central location with all other neighborhoods within a short drive.    

[123fakestreet]

https://richmondbizsense.com/2022/03/23/city-cuts-list-of-diamond-district-contenders-down-to-six/

[Shakman]

Hopefully the contractor who is eventually chosen has the best proposal and best qualified, not strictly based off of race and gender.  If the best qualified happens to be minority and /or female owned, then congratulations  to them.    

Edited March 23, 2022 by Shakman

[123fakestreet]

1 hour ago, Shakman said:

Hopefully the contractor who is eventually chosen has the best proposal and best qualified, not strictly based off of race and gender.  If the best qualified happens to be minority and /or female owned, then congratulations  to them.    

Yeah I was not a fan of the Jones quotes in that article.  Building roads, or a new school? Sure, let's give preference to in-state and DMBE contractors.  A massive design -build project that will change the face of the city for the next 50+ years? How about we choose the most qualified and experienced candidate.

Edited March 23, 2022 by 123fakestreet

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, 123fakestreet said:

Yeah I was not a fan of the Jones quotes in that article.  Building roads, or a new school? Sure, let's give preference to in-state and DMBE contractors.  A massive design -build project that will change the face of the city for the next 50+ years? How about we choose the most qualified and experienced candidate.

Well said, all the way around.  Like you, I am not at all thrilled with Jones' comments in the article. Unfortunately, City Council has a long history of placing these kinds of constraints on city redevelopment projects, and the results have not generally been in the economic best interests of the city at large. Witness Project One - the result of which was FAR less than what was originally envisioned and, if I recall, was repeatedly delayed to the point that it almost didn't happen at all - because Council wouldn't back off of these specific provisions.

Make no mistake - I 100% support inclusion across the board.  Period. Let's get that right. But I have often questioned the use of this issue by City Council as a political football - because this has been a constant theme at City Hall since 1977. The detrimental impact that Council's actions regarding this issue have had historically on economic development in the city over the past 45 years has only exacerbated the perception that the city government is either utterly inept and incompetent  -- or politically corrupt -- from the standpoint of actual governance.

Like the draconian, restrictive mindset of the preservationists or the overbearing objections to EVERYTHING by the NIMBYs (and the city's often weak-kneed approach to dealing with them), this is yet another component of what has held Richmond back so severely over the past 50 years.

Edited March 23, 2022 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

Just came here to say that I agree with all of you who have commented thus far.  May the best qualified developer win!  If that’s a minority developer, great!  If not, great!  Just get the best one to do the work!  We can’t (or, better not) fail this time!  Mr. Jones’ comments show that he has little regard to the success of the project and would rather push a political agenda instead.  Personally, he should be fired for such nonsense!  Let’s just make Richmond the best it can be no matter who is working toward that goal!!

[I miss RVA]

11 minutes ago, eandslee said:

Mr. Jones’ comments show that he has little regard to the success of the project and would rather push a political agenda instead.

Bingo!! Well said, @eandslee ... I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, this has been the case with quite a few of the more visible and vocal members of City Council over the past 45 years. And RVA at large has suffered, at least in part, from the standpoint of economic development/growth and -- even worse -- from roughly three-plus decades of population loss, as a result.  All while cities that were/are our competitors were booming, both economically and from the standpoint of explosive population growth.

Edited March 23, 2022 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

Just FYI (in case y’all want to do some research):

The list of finalists:

• Diamond District Gateway Partners

• MAG Partners

• Richmond Community Development Partners

• RVA Diamond Partners

• Vision300 Partners, LLC

• Weller Development Company and LMXD

Good quote from the RTD article:

While specific details of each team's developments plans are still under wraps, the city is seeking to build a new stadium for the Flying Squirrels baseball team and transform the area into an "urban village" that may include apartments, office space, restaurants, retail stores and a signature high-rise building.

Edited March 23, 2022 by eandslee

[I miss RVA]

18 hours ago, eandslee said:

Just FYI (in case y’all want to do some research):

The list of finalists:

• Diamond District Gateway Partners

• MAG Partners

• Richmond Community Development Partners

• RVA Diamond Partners

• Vision300 Partners, LLC

• Weller Development Company and LMXD

Good quote from the RTD article:

While specific details of each team's developments plans are still under wraps, the city is seeking to build a new stadium for the Flying Squirrels baseball team and transform the area into an "urban village" that may include apartments, office space, restaurants, retail stores and a signature high-rise building.

I love the concept of converting the area into an "urban village" - but they HAVE to get it right. Dare I hold my breath for a legitimate signature high-rise building? It was mentioned exactly once in the article - and there was no follow-up detail. Still - would a "signature" high rise in the Diamond District -- hopefully -- spark MORE high rise development in that part of town - giving us an urban village that might be something akin to Midtown in Atlanta? And how would such a building -- if it is to be emblematic of RVA (if planners are describing it as a "signature" building, then they're looking at this tower to be how people recognize RVA) how does that shake out relative to downtown, whose skyline is already becoming recognizable? By "signature" are they meaning - both in terms of design/shape - AND size/height? If so, what's the over/under on height? Could it break 40 floors? (Jesus - could it even break just 30???) Could it break 600 feet? Or even 500 feet? I am very curious to know how they are defining "signature".

Mind you - I'm 100% ALL-IN on a signature tower being built as part of this project - my appetite has been whetted and I hope and pray this absolutely comes to pass in the most amazing and gorgeous way possible. Heck, why stop at one? And believe-you-me - I'm also 100% all in on an urban village built up enough to give RVA a legit "second" skyline. But I'm just throwing this question out there for thought.

As a post-script - let me say this: if they're talking signature, I damn-well hope they put their money where their mouths are and mean something that is LEGIT - "signature". Because I'm sorry - a 15-story building, regardless of how pretty the architecture or how cool the design, just AIN'T GONNA CUT it if they want a REAL signature high rise upon which RVA is supposed to be able to hang her hat. (Or in this case, hang her baseball cap.) And tbh, they'd also better include and really consider how to pull it off a build-out of other tall -- just not AS tall -- buildings as a "supporting cast" to said "signature" tower. Great as he is, TB12 didn't win seven Super Bowls by himself. And even a 40-story "signature" tower isn't going to carry RVA's mail by itself. It'll need some help. And I'm 100% fine with a "second skyline" being developed in this part of town. In fact, I hope that's exactly what happens.

Edited March 24, 2022 by I miss RVA

[Wahoo 07]

https://richmondbizsense.com/2022/04/14/details-emerge-about-diamond-district-contender-led-by-machete-group/

Nice write up on one of the redevelopment contenders.  I like that Machete has lots of major market experience.  Could help nudge Richmond towards a development indicative of a much larger city.

[123fakestreet]

9 minutes ago, Wahoo 07 said:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2022/04/14/details-emerge-about-diamond-district-contender-led-by-machete-group/

Nice write up on one of the redevelopment contenders.  I like that Machete has lots of major market experience.  Could help nudge Richmond towards a development indicative of a much larger city.

Just saw this too. My first thought was a few of those groups sound phenomenal, some of their work includes Barclays Center which is a really impressive development, as well as other big time sports centered projects all over the country.  Really glad they have interest in this project.

My 2nd thought was whatever they propose the city will probably be too cheap to do, or won't get consideration because they aren't local firms. 

[Wahoo 07]

33 minutes ago, 123fakestreet said:

Just saw this too. My first thought was a few of those groups sound phenomenal, some of their work includes Barclays Center which is a really impressive development, as well as other big time sports centered projects all over the country.  Really glad they have interest in this project.

My 2nd thought was whatever they propose the city will probably be too cheap to do, or won't get consideration because they aren't local firms. 

This project, if done properly, has the potential to rehabilitate Richmond's reputation regarding large scale development.  Do it right and Richmond has an unimpeachable example proving that Richmond can get things done and have them done well.  Do it wrong and it's [insert favorite failed RVA development scheme here] for another decade.

[123fakestreet]

12 minutes ago, Wahoo 07 said:

This project, if done properly, has the potential to rehabilitate Richmond's reputation regarding large scale development.  Do it right and Richmond has an unimpeachable example proving that Richmond can get things done and have them done well.  Do it wrong and it's [insert favorite failed RVA development scheme here] for another decade.

My favorite part is it's the same BANANAs who prevent, or get projects downscaled into something smaller and cheaper (often based on lies they themselves have spread about the project - see Navy Hill) that then turn around and complain "see the city can't get anything done, so we shouldn't try to do anything."  Why do these people insist on living in a place and ruining it for everyone else?  This is a CITY, you sound like you just don't like cities, so why do you live in one? 

[I miss RVA]

VERY interesting quote from the RBS article:

"Carlock said he became aware of the Diamond District project in part from Navy Hill, the unsuccessful plan to redevelop the Richmond Coliseum, and after tasking an intern to identify new market opportunities for Machete.

'One of the markets he came back with was Richmond, Virginia, which was just not on our radar screen,” he said. “That was what initially got us focused on what was happening here, and we had a strategic partner who was involved in some of the work that was done around Navy Hill. So, we were kind of following that.'"

While on the one hand we can lament that RVA still isn't big enough to be popping up on the bigger national developers' radar screens for potential project locations, we CAN be heartened by the fact that -- now -- we ARE starting to pop up on those radar screens. Here's where this project being super successful is CRITICAL -- because if it is, and if it's done by one of the big, national heavy-hitters, then RVA likely will start showing up on the radars of a LOT of the big, national, deeper-pocketed development firms - the kinds of firms who have spent decades now planting their flags in cities like Charlotte, Austin, Nashville, among others.

Much as I want to support the local yocals, this is the one time they need to sit down and let the big boys from out of state come in and do this the right way, and help put RVA out there in the minds of other big national developers, which will help push us forward with a bigger, more national reputation for development. WHICH IS WHAT WE SORELY NEED!

Edited April 14, 2022 by I miss RVA

[Urbs42]

Question: who on the RVA evaluation panel has any experience bringing a development of this size and scope to fruition? 

Feels like RVA needs to hire consultants to help guide city planers on this. As everyone has mentioned, this really is one of the few and far between development opportunities to put us on the map. Too much at stake to screw up. 

[Urbs42]

6 hours ago, 123fakestreet said:

My favorite part is it's the same BANANAs who prevent, or get projects downscaled into something smaller and cheaper (often based on lies they themselves have spread about the project - see Navy Hill) that then turn around and complain "see the city can't get anything done, so we shouldn't try to do anything."  Why do these people insist on living in a place and ruining it for everyone else?  This is a CITY, you sound like you just don't like cities, so why do you live in one? 

The financing of Navy Hill and the development team behind it were super shady. That was the biggest contributor to its downfall. Remember Navy Hill had a lone proposal and a convoluted tax scheme to pay for it. 

DD is completely different. We have a huge amount of interest from highly reputable development teams around the country. We have an active professional baseball franchise to save that the community cares about. The surrounding area is growing by leaps and bounds with SA, VCU athletics and more.  

If there ever was a prime opportunity for RVA to actually rise to the occasion, this is it. 

[123fakestreet]

10 minutes ago, Urbs42 said:

The financing of Navy Hill and the development team behind it were super shady. That was the biggest contributor to its downfall. Remember Navy Hill had a lone proposal and a convoluted tax scheme to pay for it. 

 

Were they actually shady? Or is that just what opponents kept repeating over and over with no real basis in order to try to kill the project? The same people over on RVA subreddit that say every new project in the city is purely to enrich "greedy developers."

TIFs aren't that complicated. The same usual suspects in the RVA BANANA crew just made them out to be, and convinced a lot of other people around town by spreading misinformation about them.

 

[Brent114]

It was shady.  I don’t know how anyone can still beat the drum for Navy Hill. The property taxes from second Dominion tower were meant to provide significant funding for the project.  As you may know, that never came to pass.  The TIF would need to have been expanded to cover that lost revenue (robbing the city of revenue).    The office space was unwanted and unneeded (which is why a 20 story building got  scaled back to 6 floors).  It called for tearing down perfectly fine buildings just to rebuild them a block or two away from their current location (and in the most egregious move called for relocating social services to the very edge of the city instead of remaining in its central location).   It called for an arena, as arenas grow more obsolete every passing day.  It had a bunch of retail space that would sit empty like the hundreds of vacant storefronts across downtown.  It added nothing new or meaningful to the city, just redundancy.  Oh yeah, and it put tax payers on the hook if the financing fell through (and again, it already would have) vis-a-vis revenue funneled to the project and a lower bond rating for the city. 
 

NH was tacky and stupid and it died the ugly public death that it deserved.   The whole “plan” was just some very generic renderings of buildings with no purpose and no prospective tenants.   The only loss is the time that we spent talking about it. 

Edited April 14, 2022 by Brent114

[123fakestreet]

1 hour ago, Brent114 said:

 The property taxes from second Dominion tower were meant to provide significant funding for the project.  As you may know, that never came to pass. 

It called for an arena, as arenas grow more obsolete every passing day.  

It had a bunch of retail space that would sit empty like the hundreds of vacant storefront across downtown.  

the most egregious move called for relocating social services to the very edge of the city instead of remaining in its central location

the hook if the financing fell through (and again, it already would have) vis-a-vis revenue funneled to the project and a lower bond rating for the city. 

 

We don't know what would have happened with the 2nd Dominion tower because Navy Hill was killed.

Apparently the arena was such a bad idea as soon as Navy Hill was killed Henrico jumped right on it.

Retail space along with the thousands (repeat: THOUSANDS) of new residential units that were included in the project, which would have helped bring back a vibrant downtown and supported more retail.  

Moving social services freed up highly valuable property that was paying zero property taxes and put it on the tax roles, and relocated them to an area much closer to most of the people that use the services

False. They were non-recourse bonds. This is exactly the misinfo I'm talking about.

 

Somehow I doubt all these developers signed up so they could fail and not lease space out. One would think they know their own business, knew what the demand was, and ran the numbers. But even if they didn't that was their problem. The city would get a refreshed nicer looking downtown and increased property tax revenue.  All the city had to do was build an Arena, which arguably the city needed anyway, and we got a ton of additional development signed on to go with it completely at the risk and expense of the developers.  Again, financially conservative Henrico jumping right on the arena is pretty solid evidence the arena was at the very least viable, if not a profit generating game changer.  And the TIF was a savvy, next to risk free way to generate the payment for it.   Sad but not surprising the city council with no vision caved to BANANAS and threw it out. Mind-blowing people are still attacking it, you'd think they'd take their W and just slink away without drawing more attention to how great a deal we blew.

Edited April 14, 2022 by 123fakestreet

[I miss RVA]

20 hours ago, Urbs42 said:

Navy Hill had a lone proposal. DD is completely different.

We have a huge amount of interest from highly reputable development teams around the country.

We have an active professional baseball franchise to save that the community cares about.

The surrounding area is growing by leaps and bounds with SA, VCU athletics and more.  

If there ever was a prime opportunity for RVA to actually rise to the occasion, this is it. 

Well said, @Urbs42-- if you'll pardon the pun, a grand-slam home run all the way around. A few thoughts:

1.) NH one lone proposal/DD Different - DD is VERY different. At least to this point -- and I'm holding my breath right now waiting for the other shoe to drop - the city seems to have smartened up and at least for now, is allowing the PLANNERS to drive the bus on this one. The governing arm of the city -- so far at least -- has backed off and are letting the professionals run this show. I'm HOPING against hope that takes some of the politics out, which, by extension, takes a lot of the stupid out as well. I'm not saying the politicians are stupid - but they ARE utterly clueless when it comes to urban planning and commercial real estate development.

2.) Huge amount of interest/highly reputable developers from around the country: A HUGE advantage over what was the case with Navy Hill. We already can see how Block D has played out. All we need to know about how THAT is turning out is this phrase: "20 stories chopped down to 7" ... need I say more? Not trying to slam CCP - but as I said previously, for the Diamond District, I honest-to-GOD want the local yocals to sit this one out. Spend some time on the sidelines. Watch and learn. Let the big boys with big pockets and big ideas come in here and do this thing up right. The national developers have proven track records. Any time you can say development histories in Sacramento, San Antonio, Charlotte, Austin, Brooklyn... ummmm... again, need I say more?

3.) Active pro baseball franchise/community interest: If we'd had a hockey club or a G-league basketball team playing in the ruins of the Coliseum, that would've been one thing. But let's get a grip (as Chef Ramsay says) - even VCU had long abandoned the copper-top spaceship years ago for their own cozy, comfy digs on Broad Street. Tournaments haven't been to RVA in ... how long? And when was the last time a puck was dropped on Coliseum ice? Hey - if we get a quality arena of decent size in Green City - we'll have hoops and pucks - and the region will have some sports options. But right now, we have a baseball club that WANTS to be here - and that the FANS want to keep here. There's something to save and to grow with a new ballpark in a new "satellite downtown"... The future was wide open with Navy Hill. Mind you, I supported NH and wanted to see it succeed. But I've moved on past it. 

4.) Surrounding area (Scott's, etc.) growing: That's huge for this kind of project -- and EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY why we need a BIG NATIONAL DEVELOPER to come in here and do this thing right. The Diamond District - if done correctly - has the potential to fit hand-and-glove with a growing, densifying, urbanizing Scott's. The two could balance each other very nicely and create an unbeatable synergy that will make that section of RVA one of THE HOTTEST locations in the city, if not THE hottest. If done correctly, there's no reason this couldn't be our own version of "Uptown Atlanta" in a manner of speaking. The sky is the limit for Scott's and the DD to work together in a transformative way.

Downtown is growing but in fits and starts - which in a way makes sense. Downtown alone is simply too big to put together one, single, cohesive plan that can effectively drive growth. Look at the potential cluster of residential projects set to line a new Grace Street Corridor. Throw in the Admiral in Jackson Ward. CoStar along the riverfront. And what was to be something really spectacular in Block D. In my mind, the city is doing the smart thing in developing a City Center SAP. Just putting together a well designed, cohesive series of intense developments in "City Center" will go a long way, I think, to kicking off more development downtown. Navy Hill certainly would have done the same - and let's not be surprised if City Center ends up copying many of the elements of NH. Block D was supposed to do that. Obviously, the economic situation with inflation, horrific costs of supplies and other factors hitting the construction industry right now did CCP no favors. I can't help but wonder, though, if perhaps a DIFFERENT developer - one that perhaps wasn't spreading itself so thinly between a downtown project and the massive Green City project - would have been hurt as badly. Maybe if CCP handed the Block D development off to a competitor (yes, another land sale - oh well!!) perhaps we'd get our 20-story building back. Perhaps not - but, you never know.

5.) Prime opp for RVA to rise to the occasion: HOME-FREAKING-RUN on this one. Beyond well said! If EVER there is a development that RVA absolutely, positively, without question MUST under ALL CIRCUMSTANCES and damn near AT ALL COSTS MUST MUST MUST NAIL, this is it!! I really do believe that, done right, this project puts RVA on the national map from a development standpoint. All the more reason we need the heavy hitters to come in here and dream big, build big, develop big. Make this development, this part of town and this city really shine! Give their competitors in the national development market reason to want to come here and build something. Get our name out there in the consciousness of businsses. We NEED to do a much better job of marketing this city and recruiting businesses to come here. What better way to do it than by having NATIONAL builders who have a reputation at stake to come here and build something EPIC that will make the city look like a superstar?! The legendary Gene Kranz - the GOAT among NASA's decades-long list of renown flight directors said it best - "Failure is not an option."

 

Edited April 15, 2022 by I miss RVA