Tobacco Row Developments

[ric75]

Work is well underway at the old factory at the eastern end of Tobacco Row on Cary St. All windows have been removed, there are two small lifts out front and scafolding has been placed inside. Also, a lot of road work (new sidewalks, brick crosswalks, etc.) is going on outside the front of the Lucky Strike building.

Work is actually being done on the factory? That's great to hear! Last time I rode by the for sale sign was still up. So the last piece of the Tobacco Row puzzle is finally being put in place. Looking forward to seeing what the finished product looks like.

[wrldcoupe4]

The Lucky Strike Power Plant closed last month. I noticed work underway as well which is a refreshing sight! It will likely be mostly office space.

[burt]

The Lucky Strike Power Plant closed last month. I noticed work underway as well which is a refreshing sight! It will likely be mostly office space.

Didn't you tell us recently that it had been sold, Coupe? Is Forest City involved in ownership?

I hope some type of entertainment/retail/restaurant uses can be included in the Power Plant's revival. One of the early promises for The Lucky Strike project included a "theater" -- whether that meant film or performance type wasn't specified.

[wrldcoupe4]

I think it will be mostly office space... and I'm almost certain we won't see any entertainment uses there.

[wrldcoupe4]

Work continues on the Lucky Strike building (apartments), Phase III of the Lofts at Canal Walk (apartments), Haxall View (apartments, office/retail/restaurant), and The Lucky Strike Power Plant (commercial space).

[burt]

I'm not sure if this should be in this thread or in Canal Walk because the latter is part of its name (Canal Walk Lofts Tower), but it is also the westernmost building in the row of tobacco warehouses along East Cary Street. Anyway, someone at RCW posted it. The third floor is ready for occupancy and others are nearly ready. Here's the not-too-informative web site:

http://www.upperlofts.com/

[burt]

http://www.upperlofts.com is a neat web site. I was told almost all the units that were available on the model floor (3rd) and a number on the 4th floor have been rented. Best views are from higher floors.

Does anyone know if there is a site for apartments in the newly completed Lucky Strike Building at the eastern end of Tobacco Row?

[TBurban]

Does anyone know if the last building on Tobacco Row --owned by BAM architects-- plans to refurbish its smokestack and water tower?

On a side note, I wish Tobacco Row/River Lofts would light up their buildings at night. Something to make that section of the 'skyline' an eye catcher when you're coming over 95. The architecture is some of Richmond's best, and all they do is sit in the dimly lit streetlights of Cary.

[wrldcoupe4]

BAM did work on the power plant at the end of Tobacco Row, which I think is owned by Odell Associates. Aren't the smokestack and water tower part of the Lucky Strike building? If so, Forest City owns it. That said, I agree that the water tower could use a coat of paint.

[jonn804]

A side-bar story on page 169 of this month's Richmond Magazine says that the third phase of The Lofts at Canal Walk is nearing completion. "The 300-plus apartments in the eight-story building will have floor-to-ceiling windows with spectacular river views... "

Rents will range from $775 to $1700.

I'm wondering if the 300+ apartment number quoted isn't for the entire project that includes at least two other buildings on the site at Main, Cary, 19th and 20th Streets. I don't believe the former 8-story Phillip Morris warehouse alone is large enough to contain that number of units.

Just for clarification, this was not a Philip Morris warehouse. It is the original PM manufacturing facility that opened in I believe 1919. I use to have an office on the 5th floor. A long climb up the stairs in the pre-elevator days.

I still work at the Manufacturing Center.

[burt]

The streetscape along East Cary Street is well designed and nicely maintained. It's a shame that more beautification efforts have not been successful along East Main which parallels Cary in Tobacco Row.

[burt]

According to John Murden at CHPN, Tract 205 in Richmond, which includes Tobacco Row and Shockoe Bottom has gained significant population since 1990.

1990 - The figure was 1,764.

2000 - The figure was 2,262

2,010 - The figure is - 3,851

[burt]

Most of you have probably seen this advertisement for Tobacco Row, but those of you who do not know about it might find this interesting.

There are eight former tobacco warehouses on East Cary Street plus a row of newly constructed town houses in one block of East Main Street. They stretch from 19th to Pear Street (27th Street.) All but two have been converted to elegant residential uses, totaling more than 1,000 units.

The two block long buildings that are not residential are The Edgeworth, a business headquarters, and The Virginia Holocaust Museum. Also the residential complex covering the entire block bounded by 19th, 20th, East Main and East Cary Streets is not included because it is owned by a different company.

Take a look.

http://www.theriverlofts.com/

[burt]

In the post above I mentioned the full block of apartments at the western end of Tobacco Row between 19th, 20th, Cary and Main Streets.

It is called The Lofts at Canal Walk, and while one of the original warehouses on the Row, it is independent of River Lofts pictured above.

Here is its website:

http://www.loftsatcanalwalk.com/

[georgeglass]

Canal Lofts IV as seen today

[eandslee]

Although I don't hold out a whole lot of hope, this article shows that groundbreaking on this condo project is a real possibility.  While I don't like the design so much, the height would be nice.  Perhaps the developer will modify its design after it gets approval to build it.  It just doesn't look like a lot of time was spent worrying about the design, which is why I think that maybe this is a "test" to see what the residents in that area of town will allow to be built and at what height...then, they should go back and make the design better. 

 

http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/proposed-high-rise-condos-offer-river-views-to-some-will-block-others/Content?oid=2058316'>http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/proposed-high-rise-condos-offer-river-views-to-some-will-block-others/Content?oid=2058316

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Nothing we don't already know about the project at this point, but One Shiplock has started marketing their condos. Yet to receive planning commission approval (the commission will decide it July 18).

New timeline for this:

If approved in July, Peters said construction on One Shiplock would begin after about four months, allowing time for permitting. He said construction would wrap up in less than a year, with units occupied by the last quarter of 2017.

[eandslee]

Looks like one of the E. Main/Pear St developments has been rejuvenated.  Proposed now as just a 5-story building (was once proposed to be a 13- story building).  Nothing fantastic, but good infill.  Here are the details:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/07/16/apartment-project-near-libby-hill-proceeding-new-developer/

[blopp1234]

1 hour ago, eandslee said:

Looks like one of the E. Main/Pear St developments has been rejuvenated.  Proposed now as just a 5-story building (was once proposed to be a 13- story building).  Nothing fantastic, but good infill.  Here are the details:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/07/16/apartment-project-near-libby-hill-proceeding-new-developer/

Nope, this is a whole new site. That site could still be developed as a 13 story tower. This site is next door to that across Pear Street.

[drayrichmond]

This is the old 13 story site. Heights been reduced with input from Church Hill, only five stories allowed at this location as the maximum height. The site across Pear Street is where the ~10 story condo building was to go, but was canceled because of lack of interest. 

I'm glad this has been revived in some way, we need to connect Shockoe with Rocketts through development. It would help make it a connected urban environment. Now if only we could somehow get the old gas works site and the old echo harbor site to be developed, it would really connect the two neighborhoods.

[blopp1234]

25 minutes ago, drayrichmond said:

This is the old 13 story site. Heights been reduced with input from Church Hill, only five stories allowed at this location as the maximum height. The site across Pear Street is where the ~10 story condo building was to go, but was canceled because of lack of interest. 

I'm glad this has been revived in some way, we need to connect Shockoe with Rocketts through development. It would help make it a connected urban environment. Now if only we could somehow get the old gas works site and the old echo harbor site to be developed, it would really connect the two neighborhoods.

My bad, haven’t heard about that tower in forever so I guess I just forgot about it and confused it with the 10 story tower on the neighboring lot. Sorry about that!