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Richmond: Economy/Business/Real Estate


wrldcoupe4

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Eric, do you suppose they will enlarge it? At one time there was talk of adding a 200-room tower along the 6th Street side at Marshall Street.

I'm not quite sure Burt, but knowing Mr. Knight, he will do whatever he needs to do to continue to make the hotel successful and profitable. If that means he can expand the hotel, he'll do it. I'm sure he doesn't even know that answer to that question right now. However, if I find out anything, I'll let you know. ;)

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I had been under the impression that the northwest corner of West Grace and Belvidere Streets was VCU property being reserved for a sort of Gateway parking garage and academic entryway to the University.

Greg Gilligan of the RTD tells us that a privately owned 6-story apartment building is to rise at the corner.

There are also a couple of other business items in Greg's column.

Here's his story from today's inRich:

http://www.inrich.com/content/cva/ric/news...12-10-0047.html

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Neat rendering in the paper version of the RTD as well. Belvidere from Franklin to Broad DEFINITELY needs some sprucing up, and this is a nice and innovative step in the right direction.

But isn't the site described by Gilligan part of VCU's Master Plan? The northwest corner of Belvidere and Grace is on the west side of Belvidere between Grace and Broad where VCU has proposed a parking structure that will bridge West Grace to another building on Belvidere between Grace and Franklin.

I'd feel better if this project were at the northEAST corner of Grace & Belvidere.

If anybody can post the rendering, it would be very much appreciated.

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Burt - here is the picture. I got it from the electronic version of the RT-D. It is a subscription that would be perfect for you. You get to see the real version of the paper, including all images. Also below is a screenshot of what the front page looks like with the subscription. And you can do a full subscription or just buy the paper for the day for $0.50.

RT-D electronic version

2104291786_7978c6aee9_o.gif

2104303732_cc5b7425a0_o.jpg

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Mmmmmm. The Belvidere is very unRichmond -- sorta beachy looking. I would rather see the VCU Master Plan gateway go up there as was originally planned. But, to each his own.

Thanks for the info on RTD subscription, CommRe. I think I'm going to do it, but will probably go for the short-term 7-day a week option. If something should come up and I couldn't have access to my laptop, I wouldn't be stuck with a year's subscription. I suppose they'd let me pick up another 4 weeks when the current one expires.

Guess I can always go to inRich to see the slideshows and videos.

And PS: The headlines in the sample above do not refer to killings in Richmond, but elsewhere in the State. Richmond has had 50 killings as of yesterday -- down at least 30 from this time last year.

Edited by burt
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Burt,

I'm 99% positive we won't have a bleached building like that. BOB architecture does nice work, and pale white buildings aren't included.

For some reason, I just don't lament the loss of another potential VCU parking deck... we have enough parking decks already... let's invest that money in alternative modes of transit downtown (like money towards a new streetcar system which could easily connect the two campuses of VCU with other areas).

Edited by wrldcoupe4
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There's a rumor floating around that the Ross Building at 801 East Main Street may be converted to an 80-room hotel.

If it's true, then it's probably a death knell for hopes of a hotel at the Triangle plot a block south. On the other hand, maybe tenants forced out of the Ross would take up tenancy in the rumored triangle tower. :thumbsup: As they sing in SPAMALOT, "Always look on the bright side of life..."

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I was in Wytestone Plaza for a meeting once -- does that place even count as Class B office space? It also has one of the most depresseing facades/lobbys on Main Street. It is going to take some vision to turn that into a hotel anybody would want to stay in.

jbj, here's a bit of Old Man Burt trivia. :) The Ross building went up in the 1950's and was the first high rise to go up in the city post WW2 (I'm pretty sure the final tower to rise prewar was the present West Hospital at VCU in 1939.) The Ross was considered quite spiffy at the time, but apparently has fallen on hard times.

About a decade ago, there was talk of converting its upper floors to hotel suites, though nothing came of the idea. Maybe a complete re-do of the building into a decent hostelry would redeem it.

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Burt, there is a hotel where I stayed in NY 7-8 years ago that was up near the United Nations and was one of the main hotels that visiting dignitaries would use. Looking back, I can imagine Wytestone Plaza being reshaped into something like that. The UN hotel had a huge office-like glass front but was done quite nicely inside.

I wish I could remember the name. I want to say Intercontinental, but don't really remember.

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Burt, there is a hotel where I stayed in NY 7-8 years ago that was up near the United Nations and was one of the main hotels that visiting dignitaries would use. Looking back, I can imagine Wytestone Plaza being reshaped into something like that. The UN hotel had a huge office-like glass front but was done quite nicely inside.

I wish I could remember the name. I want to say Intercontinental, but don't really remember.

There's a very sleek. very tall all glass skyscraper on 1st Avenue at about 48th that I believe is called the United Nations Hotel. Very expensive. Yul Brynner who died in 1986 lived there with his fourth wife and I recall going to a party in their apartment near the end of his illustrious life.

The only Intercontinental Hotel I can think of is on 48th at Park Avenue.

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I'm thinking of the Millennium U.N. Plaza hotel on 44th. It must have been rennovated since I was last there because it's even grander than I remember on its web site. :offtopic: Sorry for the hijack.

Millennium UN Plaza!!! That's the one I was referring to, but forgot its real name and cross street. It's on 44th at 1st -- not 48th, though I don't think the word "Millennium" was used back in the 80's -- just UN Plaza Hotel.

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Here's a story from today's inRich about the only house in Linden Row that is not part of the Linden Row Inn. It's going up for aution, and while it is assessed at $600,000+, you can start the action by depositing $30,000. Happy bidding! :)

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-co...12-09-0075.html

SOLD! to Douglas Jemal for $415,000 (with 10% buyer's premium the final price was $456,500).

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/busines...12-15-0065.html

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Hahaha when I heard "mystery DC buyer" the first person that came to mind was Douglas Jemal. I think he owns about half of downtown Richmond by now :lol:

He is becoming Richmond's very own Trump. The news article said he would be in town next week to check out his purchase. I wonder if the local poparattzi (spelling?) will be covering the visit. :P

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