Williams Mullen Center

[Shakman]

More details have been released relative to the now a proposed highrise on the RMA Garage lot. The office portion will rise 15-stories, above 3-floors of parking (18-stories total) and will be the new home for Williams Mullen law firm. Construction could start late this year.

Inrich article:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-co...07-16-0165.html

Renderings were mentioned in the article. Does anyone know how to find them?

[wrldcoupe4]

Finally they announce it! I've heard details of the design but haven't seen a rendering yet unfortunately. Can't wait to see it though.

The 15 floors include 1st floor retail and 3 parking levels.

Fantastic news!

[journiyin]

Finally they announce it! I've heard details of the design but haven't seen a rendering yet unfortunately. Can't wait to see it though.

The 15 floors include 1st floor retail and 3 parking levels.

Fantastic news!

Better news is who is doing it, Armada Hoffler. If they are involved this project will go vertical. It is also nice to see them re-involving themselves in the Richmond market. I guess they got the memo that we live in a metro area here that has loads of infrastructure to take advantage of (whereas their Virginia Beach project they had to build it all). They also like to add floors when they get more tenants... so keep your eyes out for that. Or for them to be involved in more buildings

[Shakman]

Finally they announce it! I've heard details of the design but haven't seen a rendering yet unfortunately. Can't wait to see it though.

The 15 floors include 1st floor retail and 3 parking levels.

Fantastic news!

Oh sorry... For some reason I was thinking 15 floors on top of three floors of parking. I wish it were so.

[Downtowner]

I was so glad to wake up to this this morning. I really cant wait to see a rendering of this tower. Its gonna be a nice addition.

[burt]

Rachel Flynn of Richmond Community Development is not thrilled with the design. 15 mundane stories at that particular site is pretty dinky, IMO; nor does the $60 milllion price tag in this day and age promise a showplace structure.

What a pity Dominion Resources did not collude with Wms Mullen and build a monumental skyscraper at the foot of Manchester Bridge. Reports are that Dominion wants to erect a parking deck sans street level activity on the triangle block.

But anything at the seedy looking RMA garage will be an improvement. When envisioned years ago, the garage was to be a "green" building with hanging vines and trees on its roof.

[wrldcoupe4]

Rachel Flynn of Richmond Community Development is not thrilled with the design. 15 mundane stories at that particular site is pretty dinky, IMO; nor does the $60 milllion price tag in this day and age promise a showplace structure.

What a pity Dominion Resources did not collude with Wms Mullen and build a monumental skyscraper at the foot of Manchester Bridge. Reports are that Dominion wants to erect a parking deck sans street level activity on the triangle block.

But anything at the seedy looking RMA garage will be an improvement. When envisioned years ago, the garage was to be a "green" building with hanging vines and trees on its roof.

Unfortunately, Dominion opted instead to acquire the Eighth and Main Building for its space needs. IMO, 15 stories at that somewhat difficult site seems fine to me. It will stagger the skyline towards the river while helping to close the gap caused by the downtown expressway scar. The developer is committed to providing street level retail, which will be welcome in that section of downtown.

[wrldcoupe4]

Better news is who is doing it, Armada Hoffler. If they are involved this project will go vertical. It is also nice to see them re-involving themselves in the Richmond market. I guess they got the memo that we live in a metro area here that has loads of infrastructure to take advantage of (whereas their Virginia Beach project they had to build it all). They also like to add floors when they get more tenants... so keep your eyes out for that. Or for them to be involved in more buildings

Adding onto this, the name of the LLC formed to build the project is AH Richmonds Tower I LLC... Could there be a II, III, etc in the future??

[eandslee]

I want to clarify the height because I read that 15 stories was to include the parking deck, retail on the first level - everything, not 15 stories on top of the parking deck to total 18 stories. Honestly, I'll take it, but I'm not super impressed. I actually thought they were going to building on the "triangle" lot, but if they did that with Dominion, they wouldn't have their own tower with their own name on it - it's a prestige thing I'm sure. Well, at least the triangle lot isn't going to be wasted on a 15 story building - we've got higher hopes (excuse the pun) for that lot!!

[Shakman]

I think 15-stories is a slight disappointment, but the staggering effect of the skyline will definitely look quite well from the south looking north. 15-stories is better than a surface lot.

When I asked around last year about James Center expansion, I was told by a VP for a GC comapany that Armada Hoffler would be the GC for that project as well.

coupe - I wonder about the "I" as well.

[burt]

Excuse me for being a persnickity grump, but I am underwhelmed by Armarda Hoffler towers in other cities. They are not examples of imaginative high rise architecture, IMO.

James Center, on the other hand, is fairly stylish.

[journiyin]

Adding onto this, the name of the LLC formed to build the project is AH Richmonds Tower I LLC... Could there be a II, III, etc in the future??

I noticed the same thing, hence my discussion of who is involved... Armada doesn't just build one building in a locale...

[Shakman]

Excuse me for being a persnickity grump, but I am underwhelmed by Armarda Hoffler towers in other cities. They are not examples of imaginative high rise architecture, IMO.

James Center, on the other hand, is fairly stylish.

I know they are building (and developing???) the Legg Mason Tower (24-stories) and Four Seasons Hotel and Condo Tower (47-stories) in Baltimore's Inner Harbor East. Those look to be some fine looking towers. Lots of glass for both towers. (Should make Rachel happy.)

[TBurban]

So 15 stories on top of an already how tall garage? Like...how tall will it be when completed including the building and existing garage?

Renderings, please!

[Shakman]

So 15 stories on top of an already how tall garage? Like...how tall will it be when completed including the building and existing garage?

Renderings, please!

It will be 15-stories total. The main foot print of the structure will be on a surface lot on the same block as the RMA garage. The building will cantilever over the garage once it rises above the top level of the garage.

[TBurban]

It will be 15-stories total. The main foot print of the structure will be on a surface lot on the same block as the RMA garage. The building will cantilever over the garage once it rises above the top level of the garage.

Ahh, I gotcha. I guess they were going more for density rather than height on this one.. aw well, we'll take it!

..speaking of the James Center..anyone have any info on the expansion plans anymore?

[Shakman]

Ahh, I gotcha. I guess they were going more for density rather than height on this one.. aw well, we'll take it!

..speaking of the James Center..anyone have any info on the expansion plans anymore?

I have not heard of anything else on the Jame Center expansion except that Armada Hoffler maybe the GC who will perform the construction services for Three James Center's verticle expansion. Keep in mind that Two James Center will be losing two tenants, which should vacate a good amount of office space (Willams Mullen and Wachovia Securities). Also Riverfront Plaza will see a large amount of office space become vacant once Wachovia Securities has made the transition to Saint Louis.

It maybe a while when the James Center expansion is heard of again. At least there is the interest of expansion.

Perhaps this new highrise will prove me wrong by injecting more tenant interest into Downtown.

[burt]

I have not heard of anything else on the Jame Center expansion except that Armada Hoffler maybe the GC who will perform the construction services for Three James Center's verticle expansion. Keep in mind that Two James Center will be losing two tenants, which should vacate a good amount of office space (Willams Mullen and Wachovia Securities). Also Riverfront Plaza will see a large amount of office space become vacant once Wachovia Securities has made the transition to Saint Louis.

It maybe a while when the James Center expansion is heard of again. At least there is the interest of expansion.

Perhaps this new highrise will prove me wrong by injecting more tenant interest into Downtown.

Monday's TD Business section had a large ad from Riverfront Plaza saying 220,000 s/f of space is (or soon will be) available. I guess that reflects the loss of Wachovia Securities. The Wms Mullen story reported that the law firm requires about that much square footage. There must be confidence amongst developers that downtown Richmond will quickly absorb vacant space.

A person who was a former executive at The Fed Reserve told me that expiring long-term leases in the Fed tower is the reason personnel will be returning downtown from the former Helig-Myers building in West Creek. Somebody (and I can't recall who it was) also told me that a hotel is planned for a site "across from the Federal Reserve", but that may be mere speculation.

[jbjust]

Although it's hard to get excited about more musical chairs downtown, anything that converts an existing parking garage to an actual office building is great news in my book. It's the blocks and blocks of parking garages on East Cary that stands in the way of the hustle and bustle of the Slip creeping further into downtown.

[Shakman]

Although it's hard to get excited about more musical chairs downtown, anything that converts an existing parking garage to an actual office building is great news in my book. It's the blocks and blocks of parking garages on East Cary that stands in the way of the hustle and bustle of the Slip creeping further into downtown.

This is not going to be a conversion. The garage will remain a garage. This will be more or less be new construction. I guess one could also say an addition to the garage as well since parking will be included in within this development. The current garage will remain the property of RMA. The small lot next to the garage is owned by a different entity. RMA will be giving air rights to this same entity for this proposed structure to cantilever over the current garage.

[wrldcoupe4]

I think the point is that this project would add street level life to an otherwise dull block. Fortunately, Class A space is much easier to fill downtown than Class B. There's been a lot of interest in Wachovia Securities former space and I'm sure there will be interest in a large opening at James Center

[jbjust]

If there was only a way to bridge the gap where the ALCOA plant is, then you could have a nice little loop from the RMA garage, down the Slip, over to Toad's Place, and back up the canal to the restaurant in Riverside.

[Downtowner]

Ta-da look what I found this morning.

[wrldcoupe4]

Haha tadaa

[Shakman]

UH OH... blah!!!

It looks like something from the 70's. Also notice that the tower portion does not take the entire footprint of the lot.

I like the fact that something is being built there, but the facade is horrifying. The curtainwall corner could also use a lot more flair.

Haha tadaa