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Richmond: Economy/Business/Real Estate


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What Richmond-area companies come to mind that hire information architects, data analyst, database developers, and system analyst?

With the expansion of Fort Lee, I am sure there will be plenty of defense contractors behind the scenes. Companies such as Northrup Grumman, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, EDS, CSC and many more come mind.

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You and Shakman's posted great employers. Very helpful. Thx!

You are very welcome. I use to work for EDS before HP's buy out. It is a very interesting experience to work behind the scences as a Federal contractor. (We are the ones who actually do the work. :lol: )

The Federal Government as a whole is short of employees due to the retiring "baby-boomer" generation. There maybe opportunities within other departments as well such as the Department of Defense and especially the Department of Army (Fort Lee).

I pray that the best position is found for you.

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Richmond is playing host these days to visiting Mayors. Charleston's Chief Executive recently extolled favorable comparisons between his city and Richmond.

Yesterday, Mayor Richard Vinroot of Charlotte shared an important message about cohesive regional unity and he didn't mince words about how disunity in Metro Richmond has worked to Charlotte's advantage.

From today's R-TD dot com:

http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/loca...-212727/118714/

Edited by burt
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You are very welcome. I use to work for EDS before HP's buy out. It is a very interesting experience to work behind the scences as a Federal contractor. (We are the ones who actually do the work. :lol: )

The Federal Government as a whole is short of employees due to the retiring "baby-boomer" generation. There maybe opportunities within other departments as well such as the Department of Defense and especially the Department of Army (Fort Lee).

I pray that the best position is found for you.

I'm familiar with EDS (Ross Perot). There is also a Little Rock office. The Little Rock operation is centered around state social services. It sounds like HP purchased the EDS business in Richmond?

Little Rock has Acxiom and Alltel, then several smaller employers that hire a significant number of knowledge workers.

Acxiom has undergone a tough decade. They recently were the victim of a failed venture capital buyout. Alltel is being purchased by Verizon. Acxiom has been laying off for a while. The Alltel layoffs are coming.

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On the other hand, he said, Charlotte has grown with a state law that allows annexation automatically as surrounding areas reach a threshold of population density, while Richmond has been denied annexation for 30 years and is forever barred.

"You can't run away from our city," Vinroot said.

Those distinctions make a difference, said Henrico County Manager Virgil R. Hazelett, who attended yesterday's meeting. "You have to realize North Carolina is a different structure."

Sad sad sad. And Hazelett makes no apologies for his hand in helping to destroy regionalism in Richmond. He also acts as if laws can never change.

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I might as well move to charlotte. I have NEVER EVER liked Hazlett. He is the most dream killing son of a gun. I really hope we can one day annex like north carolina can. Im just tired of the way people play politics in this state. Im really hoping next years election gives us the power to do things we have never done before.

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Hold off on that move to Jacksonville!!!

Henrico based title insurer LandAmerica will NOT be absorbed by Fidelity National Financial Inc according to a story in today's R-TD.

"We are disappointed with Fidelity's decision" said LandAmerica CEO Theodore L. Chandler.

While he and shareholders may be disappointed many workers and local business boosters probably are relieved.

From this morning's R-TD dot com:

http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/business/...-212252/119230/

Edited by burt
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This is not necessarily a good thing. LandAmerica is still in trouble and although many would have lost their jobs with the merger, now they could lose them anyway if LandAmerica goes under. Does Blockbuster backing out of buying Circuit City after due diligience ring any bells? Obviously Fidelity's due diligence turned up something that they didn't like.

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^This actually isn't a good thing at all. Fidelity basically did their due dillegence and didn't like what they saw. If you remember they went from losing ~$20 million a year ago to nearly $600 million in this quarter. I talked to a friend of mine that's still there this morning. They are basically scared that the doors may be chained shut when they walk into the office on Monday. Those that were laid off a few weeks ago got very "cheap" severence packages. Those remaining may not get much of anything now. Hopefully they can find another buyer. Maybe Markel can step in as I know they were a rumored buyer a year or so ago.

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Richmond would gain nothing from annexation (perhaps 20 years ago it would have). What surrounds the city now are crumbling inner suburb neighborhoods with plenty of problems of their own. The city still has underutilized and completely undeveloped swaths of land within its political limits. Land is not an issue. To me annexation is like the Fed just printing more money. It is a quick fix in that there is an immediate infusion of cash but you end up with all of the challenges of the original city when the money runs out, which is usually sooner than later and people will still choose to move out of the city, regardless of where the lines are drawn. Richmond is nothing like Charlotte. We don

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^This actually isn't a good thing at all. Fidelity basically did their due dillegence and didn't like what they saw. If you remember they went from losing ~$20 million a year ago to nearly $600 million in this quarter. I talked to a friend of mine that's still there this morning. They are basically scared that the doors may be chained shut when they walk into the office on Monday. Those that were laid off a few weeks ago got very "cheap" severence packages. Those remaining may not get much of anything now. Hopefully they can find another buyer. Maybe Markel can step in as I know they were a rumored buyer a year or so ago.

Markel has been remarkably strong over the decades. Maybe that's because they haven't recklessly saddled themselves with acquisitions. Since Fidelity has done the "due dilligence" routine and uncovered hidden weaknesses with LandAmerica, it's unlikely Markel will show any interest.

Markel, by the way, occupied (maybe still does) the crinkled aluminum building near Willow Lawn on West Broad Street.

There obviously are explanatory reasons but I've never understood why the presence of the Fed Reserve in Richmond has not retained and attracted more financial business despite the Carolina lure. I mean, after all, there are only a dozen of these big boys across the land. Same with 4th Circuit Court. Richmond is a far more impiortant hub than it thinks it is, IMO. Perhaps organizations such as Greater Richmond Partnership need a big fat goose.

As for Regionalism, annexation probably isn't the answer. It failed miserably last it was tried, gaining 50,000 inhabitants overnight and losing 45K of that number within two years. But something like Nashville's and/or Jacksonville's Metropolitan mergers are worthy of careful study.

The growth of Charlotte and Raleigh has been staggering. Both cities lack the qualities of life enjoyed by Richmond, but they sure the hell know a thing or two about skyscrapers, and self-promotion. Perhaps Mayor Vinroot's visit opened some local eyes.

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I think that self-promotion is key. The biggest problems in the Richmond metro aren't political. Perception is the biggest problem. People in Chesterfield and Hanover don't really care for Richmond. That's different than not caring about Richmond. Getting the counties to love Richmond is more important than saving some money by the consolidation of some services. Without the residents on board first, consolidation will feel more like occupation.

As far as I know, until recently (as in the last 6 months or so) the city of Richmond did not have a promoter on the payroll. Perception and branding is everything. This is what Charlotte in particular understands very well. I

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I'm familiar with EDS (Ross Perot). There is also a Little Rock office. The Little Rock operation is centered around state social services. It sounds like HP purchased the EDS business in Richmond?

Little Rock has Acxiom and Alltel, then several smaller employers that hire a significant number of knowledge workers.

Acxiom has undergone a tough decade. They recently were the victim of a failed venture capital buyout. Alltel is being purchased by Verizon. Acxiom has been laying off for a while. The Alltel layoffs are coming.

Ross Perot sold it to God knows who a while back. HP bought the all of EDS.

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Here's today's scant R-TD story about yesterday's Venture Richmond meeting at the National Theatre.

The Miller & Rhoads hotel/condo complex takes up most of the print space and there isn't much revealing info about other projects. No mention of Centennial tower status nor the Williams Mullen tower.

Perhaps some of you who were there can fill us in.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/business/...-211906/140319/

Edited by burt
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There was a brief presentation on Williams Mullen, including a rendering view from the Downtown Expressway looking east. The building appears to have a somewhat triangular shape. The project is fully financed and on schedule.

No word on Centennial because it is likely dead in the water until further notice.

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There was a brief presentation on Williams Mullen, including a rendering view from the Downtown Expressway looking east. The building appears to have a somewhat triangular shape. The project is fully financed and on schedule.

No word on Centennial because it is likely dead in the water until further notice.

Did the architecture firm tweak the facade?

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The R-TD Building Permits Sunday column clearly states that it is a listing of "permits issued in past few months..." but I find it interesting nonetheless.

Two items struck my interest today:

1.) Miller & Rhoads building LLC, owner; Aquatic Structures LLC, contractor; 501 E. Broad St., alterations, $85,000.

2.) 110-114 S. 15th St. LLC, owner; MGT Construction Management, contractor; 110 S. 15th St., alterations $1.07M.

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