Richmond off-topic postings

[Brent]

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2014/02/10/top-chef-alum-fires-up-richmond-venture/

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2014/01/23/startup-bakery-aims-for-the-sweet-spot/

http://wtvr.com/2014/01/31/black-label-capital-richmond-distillery/

So not exclusively vegan and not really sure what the distillery plans are but here is info on the three...

Edited February 14, 2014 by Brent

[eandslee]

TotalLamer - This website looks like a good resource for you as you consider the possibility of moving to Richmond:

 

http://www.lovewhatyoufind.com/

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

That's funny, I always thought Friday Cheers had its last season a few years ago. That or some other concert series downtown....

[Brent]

Fridays at Sunset was the series that was canceled a few years back. Friday Cheers has been going strong all this time. They book much bigger acts and now charge a cover. I liked it better when it was free but the shows appear to be crowd pleasers.

[jbjust]

Your recollection on Friday Cheers is correct. 

[RVA2CLT]

So I'm not sure if this is the place to post something like this... but I'll give it a go!

 

I'm single, 28 and currently living in Charlotte... which I'm surprised to find out actually has one of the more speedy subforums around here.  Didn't expect Richmond's to be so slow!  Anyways, I work for CSX, I'm a Conductor... and right now, deeply furloughed.  Been looking around at places I stand for work... but most of them are pretty much in BFE.  Manchester, GA... Fitzgerald, GA... Waycross, GA.  There's Augusta too but... eww.  Anyways, turns out I stand for a good number of turns on the Richmond to Rocky Mount run.  I could qualify in just 4 or 5 round trips and be ready to work.  Now I have friends from online (WoW... so sue me!) that I could stay with... maybe.  Not sure.  But I'm still interested in what parts of Richmond I should be looking at in case I need to find my own place later on.  I don't like the suburbs... I like urban or non-suburban neighborhoods.  Best examples from Charlotte I can give (if you're familiar with them) are Uptown (because Charlotte refuses to call it "downtown" because we're weirdos), South End, NoDa, Plaza Midwood... those are the kind of places I like.  What would be similar places in Richmond and how are they as far as affordability?

 

Only ever been to Richmond a couple of times before to see shows at The National.

I'm RVA native living in SouthEnd, hit me up if there's anything you want to know or find out more about the area.

I'd be more than happy to share my knowledge and experience of River City with ya.

Just make sure you have a bike, otherwise you'll be driving or cabbing it as transit in RVA is non-existent.

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

The Byrd Theater has been named the Huffington Post's "ONE Thing You Must Do in Each U.S. State" entry for Virginia. (There's also a shoutout to Dixie Donuts).

 

http://rvanews.com/features/huffington-post-picks-byrd-theater-virginia-must/109453?fan-of-the-fan

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

I was working earlier today and all of a sudden out of the blue I began thinking: what would Richmond be like if Motorola had built that semi-conductor plant in the late 1990s?

 

Would Richmond have become recognized more as a information technology industry market now if the plant was built? 

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

The Arthur Ashe statue on Monument is the 3rd Most Unintentionally Horrifying Statue in America.

 

http://mentalfloss.com/article/55343/10-unintentionally-horrifying-statues-famous-people

[eandslee]

LOL!

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Here's something neat:

 

Richmond is the #23 city for Millennials, as voted by Niche Ink.

 

http://ink.niche.com/the-25-best-cities-and-neighborhoods-for-millennials/

[eandslee]

I was browsing the other forums of the south and I gotta say Austin, Texas will be the next major metropolis!  That place probably has 15 - 20 tower cranes currently with as many more projects in the proposal stage!  These aren't small projects either.  We're talking buildings that will be mostly taller than 30 - 40 stories and up to above 50 stories!  Development is unbelievable in that city!  It would be nice to see some of that love come to Richmond!  I think we have a lot of momentum swinging in our direction though (lots of good projects in the under construction and proposal stages).  Hopefully, we can build on that momentum and keep the development going.  I can definitely say that the slowing economy hasn't touch Austin!  Still just amazed by what's going on there.

[Downtowner]

Austin is definitely a city that is on a tear right now. Everytime I go to skyscraperpage.com I see thread after thread on new skyscrapers going up in Austin. I really wish richmond would get its act together and reach for the sky. It still makes me feel bad that the James Monroe Tower is still our tallest and its not even a company building its a state government tower. If only the likes of altria or Capital One came downtown and joined forces to build new skyscrapers. I will have this to say though. If altria built a new HQ downtown I feel like they would be much closer to all their operations in Richmond and Chester with the plant on 95 and then Park 500 in Chester. One can only dream.

[eandslee]

I was reading yesterday where the Mayor of Austin had set a goal to have 25K more residents live downtown.  Obviously, she achieved that goal, but she also had to make the conditions right downtown to attract so many people.  While Richmond is getting better, it's not at the level where people are flocking to come live downtown yet.  People are coming to live downtown (don't get me wrong and this is huge improvement), but if people have a choice between Short Pump area and Downtown Richmond, which are they going to choose?  Sure, there are differences of lifestyles between the two areas, but if downtown is that desirable then businesses will also flock there instead of the suburban parks and people whose lifestyles fit a downtown lifestyle will live there.  If that happens, then I can see 30 - 40 story residential towers going up!  I just hope those conditions exist soon and Richmond gets a Austin-like revival!  I just think we can learn a thing or two from Austin because they certainly have it going on!

[Brent]

I doubt that many Richmonders want to see downtown turn into Austin (which aside from the new towers is pretty dumpy and disjointed).

I'd like to see the pace around here pick up a bit but I'm happy with a more controlled, sustainable growth (Austin has no water, not sustainable for example). I'm also very happy with the type of person downtown is attracting. I have no desire to see babies and small children at restaurants and bars around town. There should be a push to develop the Ginter Park/Highland Park and Southside into family destinations. I'd like to see those neighborhoods grow (Chamberlain and Brook Road should be lined with highrise residential, Jeff Davis too).

There isn't much left downtown. The lots in Monroe Ward are the only place where high density development can really happen. I don't see Richmonders allowing that to happen though. Look for a bunch of stuff in the 5-10 floor range for the foreseeable future. Too much tacky crap can really change a city. 25k boring people that even considered living in Short Pump before moving downtown can really damage the je ne sais pas that makes Richmond desirable right now.

[Brent]

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2014/05/13/neighbors-sue-to-stop-stony-point-apartments/

Sadly we can't even build high density apartment complexes in the suburbs.

[eandslee]

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2014/05/13/neighbors-sue-to-stop-stony-point-apartments/

Sadly we can't even build high density apartment complexes in the suburbs.

 

I know.  How about they just take that project downtown and make it a highrise - I love to see that many apartments in a highrise.  I wonder how many stories that would be? 

[eandslee]

Voting ends on Sunday...Pleases vote Richmond ASAP!  http://www.bellhelmets.com/bellbuilt/'>http://www.bellhelmets.com/bellbuilt/

[Icetera]

Voting ends on Sunday...Pleases vote Richmond ASAP!  http://www.bellhelmets.com/bellbuilt/

 

Richmond won!

[eandslee]

Richmond won!

 

Yes we did!  I've been keeping close tabs on it via Reddit (/r/rva).  So happy about this!

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

I'm in NoVA today for a business trip and heard about the massive storm and supposed flooding in the Fan and Shockoe Bottom! Is everything alright over there??

[blake_p]

So far so good. Lots of rain, flooding on I-95 and hail.

[mikeas]

Visited Richmond for the first time in a bit this past Saturday.  Good to see some of the surface lots around downtown being built out finally and Broad Street seemed much cleaner than I remember.  Restaurants were all slammed with the VCU graduation crowd.

 

I explored the fan area a little more than I had in the past and enjoyed the mixture of businesses that an average visitor would maybe not even realize exist.  Reminded me of some of the neighborhoods of Philadelphia just much nicer and cleaner!

[Brent]

Come visit often. Look for a place to live next time:)

[cltbwimob]

Hello all,

I am being transferred to RVA soon. My wife and I will be renting an apartment in downtown and will both hopefully be attending VCU for our graduate degrees.

First let me say that I am thrilled to be moving to Richmond. I have visited a couple of times in the past year and I am thoroughly impressed with the area. My wife and I try to get involved in the community, so I was wondering what type of organizations/venues would allow us to get involved with RVA happenings, civic or otherwise?

Also where are some places locals go to enjoy the Richmond vibe (I.e. craft breweries/distilleries, good places to eat, late night coffee houses/wine bars, music venues, jazz/swing clubs, etc...)? Is there any shopping in or around downtown aside from Shockoe Denim and Ledbury? I, for the most part, try to avoid areas such as Short Pump, so I would prefer something a little closer to where I live. Any help would be appreciated.

Edited June 18, 2014 by cltbwimob