Richmond Developments

[eandslee]

1 hour ago, Wahoo 07 said:

Looking sharp!  Not to threadjack. but is there information on the rest of the Foundry Park development?  I feel like there hasn't been a mention of it in over five years.

Like the new sign!  Regarding Foundry Park - I've heard nothing.  I know there is a master plan out there, but even that (to me) is underwhelming.  They are not planning for anything tall there - just buildings similar to the WestRock/CoStar building.  I really wish they would have aspired to higher heights on that land (I'm sure others out there are glad that nothing tall is blocking their view), but the this building does not fit downtown...it screams "suburban business park" and just looks out of place to me.

I'm, however, glad CoStar is here!  Good to see a big, out-of-town company come in and immediately choose downtown!  Wish many more would come and do the same! 

[jbjust]

2 hours ago, eandslee said:

Like the new sign!  Regarding Foundry Park - I've heard nothing.  I know there is a master plan out there, but even that (to me) is underwhelming.  They are not planning for anything tall there - just buildings similar to the WestRock/CoStar building.  I really wish they would have aspired to higher heights on that land (I'm sure others out there are glad that nothing tall is blocking their view), but the this building does not fit downtown...it screams "suburban business park" and just looks out of place to me.

I'm, however, glad CoStar is here!  Good to see a big, out-of-town company come in and immediately choose downtown!  Wish many more would come and do the same! 

Listen, I'm the biggest fan of height there is, but I don't think we should be creating an urban canyon down by the river and the Folk Festival grounds.  Furthermore, the access points down there are already stretched pretty thin.

[eandslee]

35 minutes ago, jbjust said:

Listen, I'm the biggest fan of height there is, but I don't think we should be creating an urban canyon down by the river and the Folk Festival grounds.  Furthermore, the access points down there are already stretched pretty thin.

I knew someone out there would disagree with me.  It's okay...I'm thinking so far tall hoping that maybe Richmond will eventually meet me there.  It may not be the best place for extreme height, but gotta push height at every opportunity!  

[Wahoo 07]

35 minutes ago, eandslee said:

I knew someone out there would disagree with me.  It's okay...I'm thinking so far tall hoping that maybe Richmond will eventually meet me there.  It may not be the best place for extreme height, but gotta push height at every opportunity!  

The lot at the corner of 5th and Bragg would be a great spot for a high rise luxury condo tower.  The views would never be obstructed. 

[RiverYuppy]

Work begins on Lidl store at former wagering site on West Broad Street

I'm glad that building won't continue to sit there empty.

[RiverYuppy]

The carytown bus barn is coming along well.

 

[Wahoo 07]

Nice pictures.  Strange that there has not been more buzz about this project.

[drayrichmond]

2 hours ago, hikendesign said:

Wasn't sure where to place this question but thought here was ok.  With Amazon buying WholeFoods - is the new proposed location on Broad at the Sauers location still going to happen or will Amazon change plans?

I'm curious about that too; with the purchase of Whole Foods by Amazon, one of three things will likely happen. First, things will, for the short term, stay as they are, sometimes companies buy other companies not to change a whole lot but to take advantage of what it's already doing. Second, we could see a complete shift toward a reduction of brick and mortar stores (it is amazon after all) and growth in online ordering/delivery of whole foods. Third, we could see a ramp up in development of whole foods as Amazon pumps some capital into the business expanding it faster.

Out of those three, I'm hoping for the third option. But regardless of which scenario plays out, I think for the time being the Sauers location is going to be delayed (again..) until the buyout is finished and amazon will likely do some sort of audit after the purchase to see whats what.

[Wahoo 07]

http://richmondbizsense.com/2017/06/19/monument-ave-office-building-to-make-way-for-apartments/

Small development, but it is good to see the blocks bordering the beltline getting some attention.

[drayrichmond]

36 minutes ago, hikendesign said:

well here's a bit of interesting good news - thought Amazon may change this but it's getting approved.

http://www.richmond.com/business/local/planned-sauer-center-project-including-a-whole-foods-market-store/article_02f15182-27d1-515d-8ecb-dbe6bb2a3979.html

haha lets get it built and done before amazon can change anything

[Icetera]

Haha, I love this man's consistency.  On every article about a project he pops up about solar!

 

Edited June 23, 2017 by Icetera

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

^^ Don't even post Burger on here he annoys the ever living hell out of me. Although I sometimes (maybe around .001% of the time) actually agree with him on things (like solar development and green energy should def. be encouraged), he is one of the largest NIMBYs I've ever seen.

Other things:

Another old office building to apartments conversion at 300 E. Main St. downtown

Construction/site work has begun on that River City Roll bowling alley near the Interbake cookie factory lofts

Going to add some of the small developments posted over the past week over to the development map.

Edited June 24, 2017 by RVA-Is-The-Best

[Icetera]

45 minutes ago, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

^^ Don't even post Burger on here he annoys the ever living hell out of me. Although I sometimes (maybe around .001% of the time) actually agree with him on things (like solar development and green energy should def. be encouraged), he is one of the largest NIMBYs I've ever seen.

Oh, I know.  I recall him from the RCW days.  I especially loved his fight against new towers because they would block views of, well, other towers...

[eandslee]

19 minutes ago, hikendesign said:

After seeing the news about the new Dominion Energy Arena I have renewed enthusiasm for upcoming developments.  These are buildings that are likely going to happen or at least seem highly plausible but we haven't seen much and should expect drawings and concept images, so these are fun to look forward to.   

• Dominion Energy Arena 
  • adjacent buildings surrounding the new arena
• Fountainhead project in Manchester along the riverfront
• Uphoff's highrise at VCU/ICA (may it look better than what we've seen)
• General Assembly Building
• Baseball Stadium
  • adjacent buildings surrounding the new stadium

Hopefully, Fountainhead will also resurrect their 3Twenty One Canal Project too!  This was the tower that was supposed to house Suntrust and over 100 apartments right next to the Riverfront Plaza.  Also, don't forget that the City Center project is not dead...just delayed a bit.  So there's another highrise project that could be a game-changer with respect to the skyline.  Lots of possibilities out there!

[eandslee]

5 minutes ago, hikendesign said:

I come into work everyday and the first thing I do is look at the RTD, Bizsense and Urbanplanet for news on "game changing" developments for RVA, today was a huge smile and can't wait to have more smiles and it sounds like there may be another one, oh, please tell.

Oh sorry...I may have misled you a bit - I meant that they City Center development could be a game-changer with respect to the skyline being that the location is at a very high point in the downtown area and if it is tall enough, would be very prominent in the skyline.  That's all I know....  Sorry it wasn't something "new" per se.

Edited June 27, 2017 by eandslee

[Wahoo 07]

These projects are going to really change the feel of downtown in the next four to five years.  City center, new Dominion HQ, et al will really increase the density and vivacity of the neighborhood.  It feels like Richmond has finally turned a major corner.

[Wahoo 07]

1 hour ago, hikendesign said:

Looking forward to what this will look like for the entry on Cary St. into Carytown and on the Ellwood side, leaving Carytown.  How will this look and change the area, has the potential to be a much better gateway.  Smaller local business are upset, which I get, but this area is prime and a change was necessary 20 years ago.  

 

http://www.richmond.com/business/local/redevelopment-plans-underway-for-richmond-shopping-center-in-carytown/article_5e426780-107a-58df-80b7-3859f2af3782.html

Agreed.  That parking lot feels especially desolate to me.  Looking forward to seeing the plans.

[jbjust]

That lot is so steep that it begs for some sort of underground parking solution so as to bring the grocery store right up to the sidewalk -- like the Harris Teeter in Pentagon Row. 

[drayrichmond]

A few projects have received approval from the Planning Commission, on to city council.

http://richmondbizsense.com/2017/07/18/scotts-addition-shockoe-bottom-developments-get-green-light-from-planning/

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Jims Local Market has pulled out of the mixed use development in Church Hill. The developer backing the project Steve Markel still wants to file a land disturbance permit and begin construction on the grocery store building in August anyway, leaving it open to anyone who wants to open one. Kroger perhaps...?

http://www.richmond.com/business/local/proposed-jim-s-local-market-won-t-open-grocery-store/article_8c12158c-2fd4-5f37-9d13-e21bd248cad2.html

[drayrichmond]

58 minutes ago, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

Jims Local Market has pulled out of the mixed use development in Church Hill. The developer backing the project Steve Markel still wants to file a land disturbance permit and begin construction on the grocery store building in August anyway, leaving it open to anyone who wants to open one. Kroger perhaps...?

http://www.richmond.com/business/local/proposed-jim-s-local-market-won-t-open-grocery-store/article_8c12158c-2fd4-5f37-9d13-e21bd248cad2.html

Yeah a bit of bad news but with some optimism that they are still going to move forward with construction, one thing to remember is that the grocery store plan has an apartment piece with it. I don't think Kroger though, they seem to like bigger stores; honestly I think for a big chain Food Lion might be the best bet.

[wrldcoupe4]

Ellwood Thompson is my bet.

[jbjust]

3 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Ellwood Thompson is my bet.

Is this a joke?  

[wrldcoupe4]

Just saying...

https://chpn.net/2017/07/05/rumor-has-ellwoods-looking-at-spot-on-broad-street/

[jbjust]

16 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Just saying...

https://chpn.net/2017/07/05/rumor-has-ellwoods-looking-at-spot-on-broad-street/

Not exactly priced to resolve the food desert in that section of the city.