Richmond Developments

[CitiWalker]

20 hours ago, eandslee said:

Okay folks, Richmond needs to get serious about this...we are the Capital City of Virginia and we do not have the state's tallest building and it's going to get tougher to build the tallest when a developer in Tyson's Corner builds The View at Tyson's Corner.  Here is a peek at the proposed rendering:

Now, this 48-story tower (615 feet) is not to be taken up by one giant corporation.  No, it will be a mixed use building that will consist of 61% residential space, only 19% office space, 14% hotel, and 5% retail and services space.  In my opinion, this sort of project is totally doable in Richmond (albeit a better looking tower - this one is bland).  An article just came out in the RTD that said that Richmond is lacking Class A space and that there was a new focus on recruiting middle office users.  Also, there is still a high demand for market-rate housing in the city and I'm sure it would not be that hard to find a hotel to take up some space as well.  What do you think...could this work in Richmond?  Share your thoughts.

This could work in Richmond. Perhaps as part of the mixed use proposal in the new arena project.  There is definitely  a need for more urban housing. I could imagine how a building of this height wold look  coming from 64 east.  In addition to the new 18 story hospital that VCU is building, this would really give Richmond a different look as you cross the Shockoe Valley viaduct.  A project on this scale would have to have some major players to  pull this off but not  something that cant be done in my opinion.  I would also agree that the tower itself lacks flavor but I would definitely love to see the height. 

[jbjust]

This is exactly what Millennium Tower was going to be until the 2008 crash destroyed those plans.  

[eandslee]

21 hours ago, jbjust said:

This is exactly what Millennium Tower was going to be until the 2008 crash destroyed those plans.  

You mean Centennial Towers?  I don't think they were proposed to be that tall (I think they were going to be about 30 stories a piece); however, their location might have made it seem they would be taller because of the topography at that location.  Man, that was another opportunity missed for Richmond!  We couldn't control the housing bubble, but I wish Goodstein would have come back and built what they wanted when the market recovered.  I wonder if they wished they were in on the party in Richmond now?!

Edit:  What's funny is that I just checked Goodstein's website and they still have this project on their site!!  Crazy.  Why haven't they moved on already?!

Edited June 27, 2018 by eandslee

[jbjust]

21 hours ago, eandslee said:

You mean Centennial Towers?  I don't think they were proposed to be that tall (I think they were going to be about 30 stories a piece); however, their location might have made it seem they would be taller because of the topography at that location.  Man, that was another opportunity missed for Richmond!  We couldn't control the housing bubble, but I wish the Goodstein would have come back and built what they wanted when the market recovered.  I wonder if they wished they were in on the party in Richmond now?!

 Edit:  What's funny is that I just checked Goodstein's website and they still have this project on their site!!  Crazy.  Why haven't they moved on already?!

You're right.  I almost wrote "Millenial Towers" but I knew that wasn't right... 

[drayrichmond]

A little bizarre if not interesting.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/06/27/deserves-new-place-call-home/

Does anybody know if the capital grounds has a published master plan (much like the VCU master plan), I haven't been able to find anything? I'm curious as to how much green space they're planning on having. 

[Brent114]

I couldn’t tell you where to find it but the plan is quite ambitious.  Underground parking behind the governor’s mansion and nothing but park space where roads are now. 

Edited June 27, 2018 by Brent114

[DowntownCoruscant]

Centennial Tower was supposed to be about 20 stories. The concept is so old now that it’s two jobs later for me (I used to walk by the promo poster affixed to the former Chinese restaurant on site on the way back to my car) and was a hot topic on the Richmond City Watch site.

[drayrichmond]

So reading the Richmond Free Press, it appears that the Jackson Place development in Jackson Ward should break ground here in the next two weeks. I've been looking forward to this one, it'll fill up an entire vacant block!

Here's an old Bizsense article if anyones forgotten this development:  https://richmondbizsense.com/2017/12/05/32m-jackson-ward-project-scaling-back-missing-state-grant/

[tparkerzut]

On 7/1/2018 at 10:35 AM, drayrichmond said:

So reading the Richmond Free Press, it appears that the Jackson Place development in Jackson Ward should break ground here in the next two weeks. I've been looking forward to this one, it'll fill up an entire vacant block!

Here's an old Bizsense article if anyones forgotten this development:  https://richmondbizsense.com/2017/12/05/32m-jackson-ward-project-scaling-back-missing-state-grant/

Great news! love this development. Almost bought a house right across the street on first, didn't work out unfortunately.

[RiverYuppy]

First National Bank just sold for $39.25 million!

Hopefully that will spike the interest of others thinking about investing downtown.

[rjp212]

On 4/12/2018 at 3:12 PM, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

Developers are seeking a rezoning to urban business district from B2 on an empty gravel lot on Forest Hill Ave. If they rezone, they can push parking for a proposed 3 story, 38-unit apartment and commercial space building to the back and push the building up to the street instead of the required 35-foot setback (!) with the existing B2 zoning.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/04/12/3-dozen-apartments-brewery-lined-forest-hill/

More infill for Forest Hill. Add this one to the map, boys 

Noticed today they were out there doing soil sampling.  That area just seems prime for redevelopment. 

[eandslee]

4 minutes ago, rjp212 said:

Noticed today they were out there doing soil sampling.  That area just seems prime for redevelopment. 

Thanks for your update on this.  Based off of your observations, it looks like things are moving forward with this development.  It not only "seems" prime for development, it IS prime for development as the plan for its development came out back in April.  I just sort of wished the structure would be taller than just 3 stories (1 story for retail, 2 for residential).  Seems too short for the 38 units they will put on that small footprint. 

[eandslee]

Love to see the area around the airport be developed.  This article reveals that 4 new industrial warehouses are planned for the Airport Logistics Center (as it will be called) on property that was owned by Ukrops. These will be built speculatively which indicates a very strong market for this type of development in the Richmond area...and indicates that Richmond is doing well economically!  Here’s the article:

https://www.richmond.com/business/local/four-industrial-warehouse-buildings-planned-for-eastern-henrico-on-former/article_c8acb385-2b68-5273-80b3-3b3cfa831627.html

Here’s the location:

 

Edited July 10, 2018 by eandslee

[vaceltic]

It’s pretty encouraging to see all the new speculative industrial warehousing being constructed around town. Richmond is fortunate to have a pretty diverse economy, low cost of living, and attractive jobs market. I hope developments like this continue!  

[drayrichmond]

Yeah we seem to landing industrial gigs lefts and right, which is great. 

But I'm ready to land a big fish for downtown.

[RiverYuppy]

$33 million apartment development underway in Jackson Ward with 154 units planned

A short summary for those who don't have a subscription:

Quote

Work began about two weeks ago on a new development that will provide 72 housing units for low-income senior citizens and 82 units for mixed-income individuals.

Situated on the site of the former St. Joseph's Catholic Church, the units will be housed in three newly-constructed buildings and in a former convent that still stands on the property.

The senior housing will consist of one-bedroom units located in a four-story building along Second Street.

"It's very exciting for them because they're going from a building that is very distressed and isolated to newly constructed or newly rehabbed buildings," said Matt Engel, senior real estate developer at Community Preservation and Development.

Though nearly all of the units will be housed in those buildings, located along First and Second streets, eight units will be in the former convent that will be renovated.

The first phase, completed in December 2016, converted the former Highland Park School building on East Brookland Park Boulevard into 77 one-bedroom senior units.

In combination with the 72 units in Jackson Ward, the three-pronged development plan will provide all 200 replacement units for Fay Towers.

 

[Brent114]

I am surprised by how visible this site is along 95/64 (can see the fences and equipment very clearly so the buildings should really stand out).  Some newness along this stretch will change the feel when entering the city. 

[RiverYuppy]

I haven't looked recently.  Does anybody know if the apartments slated to replace the metal recycling site abut 64 is actually going to come to fruition?

Having it happen on both sides would be amazing!  

As a bonus hopefully the VUU building will be finished soon.  I only wish VCU's Northside facility had a bit more height to it so it could be more prominent on that section of 64 too.

EDIT:  I just remembered the old pet dairy facility is also in play.   I'm super excited to see how that section of 64 transforms now!

Edited July 27, 2018 by RiverYuppy

[wrldcoupe4]

I think the recycling center apartment redevelopment is dead. 

[Brent114]

No time is being wasted on the new Oregon Hill /VCU apartment building at Cary and Laurel. 

 

 

[wrldcoupe4]

I saw some new renderings on the leasing brochure. It’s still hideous. 

[Brent114]

Here’s hoping it looks good at night  

[wrldcoupe4]

Take a look:

document.pdf

[eandslee]

1 hour ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Take a look:

document.pdf

I just don't get it...why did they do the sloped roof on the fourth level?  I heard it was because they didn't want it to seem too tall?  Whatever, it's located in downtown (almost) and there are buildings that are taller than 4 stories in that area.  The design is still so ugly.  Okay, build it and let's just move on....

[wrldcoupe4]

I assume it was to appear in line with buildings on the block but the solution is just ugly. It’s an awful interpretation of a mansard roof or something. A small setback with terraces (anything else, really) would have been such a better fit.