Jump to content

Major James Center Expansion

wrldcoupe4

By wrldcoupe4
in Richmond

Recommended Posts


  • Replies 197
  • Created
  • Last Reply
vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

Posted
Posted

Sometimes you just have to dig a little deeper Coupe :thumbsup:James Center Expansion

The dynamics of the area are changing," he said.

His plans for the James Center, which include adding 700,000 to 1 million square feet of space:

# Add 12 stories to the 14-story Three James Center.

"It was built structurally to handle that. It has elevator shafts and everything ready to go," he said.

If a tenant can be found, the addition could be done in two years.

One tenant could be MeadWestvaco Corp., the packaging and paper company that is relocating its corporate headquarters to the area this year. "We have chatted with them and we are chatting with them," Jerome said.

# Turn a surface parking lot between state Route 195 and Canal Street into a 20-story office tower with 300,000 square feet.

# Build an office building of up to a 26 stories on land where there is a pedestrian plaza at 10th and Cary streets, basically in front of 22-story Two James Center. The new building could have 400,000 square feet to 450,000 square feet.

"This is a long term project," he said of his plans. "I would say it would take three to six years to do all of the development."

The 21-story One James Center was completed in 1985. The other buildings opened in 1987.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mclawsdrive Hamlet

mclawsdrive

Posted
Posted

:D Looks like downtown IS still in the running for mead/westvaco. Now all thats needed is high speed rail, from the CEO's house in goochland - right to 10th and Canal St. :silly:

Or maybe just a nice helicopter pad on top of the 26th floor of the James Center.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wrldcoupe4 Metropolitan Area

wrldcoupe4

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hey there... yes it's very good! That's 2 new towers plus one that will be growing to almost double its current height. Not to mention the 2 towers of Centennial Towers, the 18-story Vistas on the James, and the new 15-story critical bed tower at VCU. So that's 6 new highrises downtown, plus the 7 or so planned directly across the river. Plus the probability of 3 more at the Ethyl Site... Renaissance anyone? :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TBurban Town

TBurban

Posted
Posted

Hey there... yes it's very good! That's 2 new towers plus one that will be growing to almost double its current height. Not to mention the 2 towers of Centennial Towers, the 18-story Vistas on the James, and the new 15-story critical bed tower at VCU. So that's 6 new highrises downtown, plus the 7 or so planned directly across the river. Plus the probability of 3 more at the Ethyl Site... Renaissance anyone? :)

I never thought this much could ever happen within the next 5 to 10 years. Its incredible! I mean, 6 definite highrises to be done by around 2010?! Very exciting :yahoo:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cadeho City

Cadeho

Posted
Posted

And here I am...

I'd love to see the city of the future. We had the building boom in the 80s and then we squeezed out the Tyler building in the early 90s and that was it. It seemed like it was over and we'd never have a new skyline. And you know we were stuck with basically the same skyline from the 40s to the early 70s! I thought I'd surely be an old old man by the time the buildings that were just a tad older than I would be replaced and we'd see another neat new building. Well I'm glad that won't be so! I wouldn't call it a renaissance because we didn't go anywhere, but it's definitely a new boom and hopefully one that won't die down for decades to come.

I bet some people will one day include Rocketts, the entire riverfront, and Manchester as downtown. Then people would say we really do have a huge downtown for a city our size! We still need a radical crowning glory that identifies Richmond to the world.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
eandslee City

eandslee

Posted
Posted

This is all really great news and I'm totally excited! I just hope they all come to fruition...and I mean that in a totally optimistic tone. I'd still like to see some kind of rendering though, even if it isn't exact and just a vision. I hope that many suburban and new companies that move to Richmond will locate downtown instead of in the burbs. Just think if all of Innsbrook moved downtown what the skyline would look like! Holy cow! I love that Richmond is going through this renaissance...it's been a long time coming! :yahoo:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cadeho City

Cadeho

Posted
Posted

This is all really great news and I'm totally excited! I just hope they all come to fruition...and I mean that in a totally optimistic tone. I'd still like to see some kind of rendering though, even if it isn't exact and just a vision. I hope that many suburban and new companies that move to Richmond will locate downtown instead of in the burbs. Just think if all of Innsbrook moved downtown what the skyline would look like! Holy cow! I love that Richmond is going through this renaissance...it's been a long time coming! :yahoo:

Oh yeah definitely. Being at Capital One out there, it just amazed me that they have 4 buildings where I am, another building or two further up the road, and West Creek. Then there's the old building (that I miss) in Chester. We could have a massive building here if Capital One wanted. And Tommy and I talked about this, but why did Innsbrook get all the neat geometrically neat buildings and downtown gets giant refrigerator boxes?

Oh and let's dream that Capital One's investment in jackson Ward could be feelers coming downtown from the west.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TBurban Town

TBurban

Posted
Posted

When my pops used to work for Circuit City out in their hq in Innsbrook, he said there was talk about moving downtown. They decided not to due to lack of office space at the time. Keep in mind, this was way before Riverside on the James.

Anyways, I hope they pull buildings out of this old rendering. theyre modern, and fit in well.

Rendering from RCW

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TBurban Town

TBurban

Posted
Posted

Think the new ones will fit the pattern?

I actually hope they will. I dont mind the James Center white facade with the line windows. They look pretty modern to me. I think if they pulled the main designs into these new buildings, it would look pretty good. I know everyone's been waiting for a huge change in architecture including myself, but if they use the same basis as the present James Center complex, I wouldnt mind at all. In this project, i want density to be the main focus, get rid of those darn surface lots! Thats prime skyline areas they wanna build on, make em' look nice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ric75 Hamlet

ric75

Posted
Posted

I actually hope they will. I dont mind the James Center white facade with the line windows. They look pretty modern to me. I think if they pulled the main designs into these new buildings, it would look pretty good. I know everyone's been waiting for a huge change in architecture including myself, but if they use the same basis as the present James Center complex, I wouldnt mind at all. In this project, i want density to be the main focus, get rid of those darn surface lots! Thats prime skyline areas they wanna build on, make em' look nice.

This is awesome news but I have to say I'd be pretty bummed to lose that plaza on Cary St. Where would they put all the Christmas decorations? Build on the surface lot and expand on top of the current building but if I had my choice I'd leave that nice greenspace alone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.