Richmond Developments

[Brent]

Renovate the existing building. If it comes down, it wont be rebuilt downtown. I've always liked the look of the building. The worst thing about it is the dreadful (and unkempt) landscaping around it. Redo the plaza, throw up some funky sculptures, flags, fountains and good lighting and it will be a striking place.

[Brent]

Anyone know what's going on at the 7-11 beside the new apartments going up on Belvidere? They have a zoning change request sign out front now.

[HopHead]

Implode, bulldoze and build new... To me that's the only real answer here. The coliseum has been outdated and falling apart for years. The acoustics are terrible and it's too small. Something like the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK would be a great model to follow. Architecturally it would break the mold for any building currently in downtown. Though, this would have to require regional cooperation to build

Edited December 14, 2009 by dbull75

[wrldcoupe4]

The tough part is how to justify the cost.

[Brent]

That's a great looking building, particularly the interior shot but it cost nearly $200million to build and has an annual operating budget of $6.25 million. No thanks.

Richmond doesn't need a bigger venue. Shut the current one down for a year, gut it and make the necessary upgrades for what it would cost to operate the Tulsa arena for just one year. Richmond can spend that money on more important things (jails, schools, replacing the Public Safety building, sidewalk construction/repair, street lights, street paving, replacing lead pipes, signage, tree planting, public art etc.).

A leaking roof can be fixed, acoustics can be improved, electrical and plumbing systems can be replaced. The current building serves its function. The only real problem people have with it are aesthetics and a desire for a new shiny toy, neither justify the cost to replace it.

[Shakman]

Renovate the existing building. If it comes down, it wont be rebuilt downtown. I've always liked the look of the building. The worst thing about it is the dreadful (and unkempt) landscaping around it. Redo the plaza, throw up some funky sculptures, flags, fountains and good lighting and it will be a striking place.

Renovate it to bring upto safety standards. In the NEAR future, replace the structure at its current location. The current location is excellent due to its vicinity of I-95 and I-64 and its short distance to Broad Street - anticipation of light rail.

[burt]

That's a great looking building, particularly the interior shot but it cost nearly $200million to build and has an annual operating budget of $6.25 million. No thanks.

Richmond doesn't need a bigger venue. Shut the current one down for a year, gut it and make the necessary upgrades for what it would cost to operate the Tulsa arena for just one year. Richmond can spend that money on more important things (jails, schools, replacing the Public Safety building, sidewalk construction/repair, street lights, street paving, replacing lead pipes, signage, tree planting, public art etc.).

A leaking roof can be fixed, acoustics can be improved, electrical and plumbing systems can be replaced. The current building serves its function. The only real problem people have with it are aesthetics and a desire for a new shiny toy, neither justify the cost to replace it.

Richmond isn't the only city that has the needs you list, Brent. In fact, I'm not aware of a city that doesn't. But most progressive metro areas also understand the necessity for quality of life amenities such as arts, transportation, sports, and the infrastructure to support them, IMO.

[Brent]

One of the reasons that I don’t like the idea of replacing it is that there is really no room in that location to create any additional development around it. It's a completely boxed in location with good interstate access but no real street access (5th at that point is essentially an exit ramp of I-95 and 7th is essentially an entrance ramp to I-95. PM is to the north, the south is built out (Marriott and Armory..the rest of 6th Street Market place can come down providing 2-3 spaces along 6th but that‘s about it), the west has the convention center and the east has some parking decks and J Sarg. I don’t see spending that kind of money without the promise of spurred development as a result (see the Arena District in Columbus OH) The district was surface parking and some light industrial space (I used to get my slides produced there in grad school) and now it’s a sea of handsome office buildings, hotels and restaurants. I don’t see how any new buzz can be created in that space and there really isn’t another location in downtown for a new one (perhaps Manchester). All that said, Richmond already has too many entertainment districts that drawl from a limited pool of people, adding another huge project to the mix can’t fair well for Broad Street, Grace Street,(Center Stage area) the Slip, Shockoe Bottom, the Canal Walk, Main Street (the Fan), Jackson Ward (2nd Street area), Carytown and Manchester (Hull Street corridor).

As it is now, the Coliseum is a place where you go to see the circus and some monster trucks. I’m OK with it serving its purpose without being a destination in and of itself.

[Brent]

I agree with you Burt that the city can do multiple things at once. It would be different if we didn't already have an arena . We do. The only problem is that we have an ugly one. Because it is ugly doesn't mean that it isn't or can't be functional and at the fraction of the cost of building a new one. True Progressive cities don’t put arenas above services and safety.

[burt]

GRTC moves into its new facility on Belt Boulevard in South Richmond and sells the old car barns on South Robinson Street to Richmond Housing Authority for $5.4 million. Seems to me the RHA got a bargain.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/grtc_sells_old_bus_headquarters_site_to_rrha/311679/P0/

[burt]

Mark your calendar for an interesting event on December 16th.

Venture Richmond is one of the sponsors of the Annual Downtown Real Estate Review. 20 developers will discuss more than 40 downtown developments. And if you haven't been inside yet, this is a chance to check out Richmond Center Stage.

The morning session in The Carpenter Theatre is on Wednesday December 16th from 7:30am until 9:00am.

A repeat session will be the same day, same place from 5:30pm 'til 7PM

It's FREE, but registration is required.

I don't know how to post the registration form but Venture Richmond, I'm sure, will be able to tell you how to get one. Call 804/788-6466.

Just a reminder to everyone about this Real Estate Review called "Seeing is Believing" tomorrow at The Carpenter Theatre.

So far we know from an entry in the Richmond Center Stage thread that Wrldcoupe4 will be attending the morning session.

I would think that TBurban's VCU professor would urge his or her students to attend.

[JSI]

So far we know from an entry in the Richmond Center Stage thread that Wrldcoupe4 will be attending the morning session.

I would think that TBurban's VCU professor would urge his or her students to attend.

I'm going to try to attend the evening presentation.

[burt]

Here's a Times Dispatch report on the billion dollar development which is underway or completed in downtown Richmond. It was revealed at the "Seeing is Believing" pair of sessions held yesterday at The Carpenter Theatre.

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/business/local/article/B-DOWN17_20091216-220206/312029/

[jbjust]

200 New Apartments coming to Shockoe Bottom.

Cedar Broad Apartments

[Brent]

It is really great to see this moving forward and nice to see new development in the city comming back from the dead.

[Shakman]

I am thrilled abouh the re-juvenation of the Bottom.

[burt]

The City is seeking Stimulus dollars for local projects such as parking decks at 10th and Canal and Manchester on the James.

The 10th and Canal site is across South 10th Street from the new Wiliams Mullen building, but where and what is Manchester on the James?

This is a very interesting read from today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/B4-BOND10_20100109-175802/316465/

[Brent]

Manchester on the James is the proposed development at the southern end of the Lee Bridge.

[burt]

Remember a few years ago when there were renderings all over the place of a proposed high-rise apartment development at the south end of Lee Bridge? Then a Carolina Development groupe called Crosland got involved and reduced the project to 4 stories with 200 rental units.

After all that... silence. Many thought the plan had been abandoned.

It's back in the news as Manchester on the James and has some area residents raising objections to the financing methods being proposed.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/MANC18_20100117-214805/318321/

PS: Isn't Crosland the company involved with Clover Leaf Mall redevelopment? What's the status of that project?

[Brent]

http://www.comarchs.com/portfolio/governmental/dgsdeck.html

here's the rendering for the new parking deck at Main Street Center. looks good, IMO.

[burt]

http://www.comarchs....al/dgsdeck.html

here's the rendering for the new parking deck at Main Street Center. looks good, IMO.

This rendering of the new 1,000-car garage under construction on the south side of East Franklin between 6th and 7th Street looks quite nice, IMO. You can also click on a view of the structure as seen from 7th and East Min Streets.

[wrldcoupe4]

My favorite part is the lack of street level retail!

[Brent]

My favorite part is the lack of street level retail!

Maybe there will be some retail along 7th street ( I'm sure that there wont be).

With so much empty retail space downtown I'm not sure that every building should have retail. I think that it is OK for a parking deck to just be a parking deck sometimes. That said, a Panera (or some other sandwich shop) would be nice on 7th. Main Street Center has a great plaza area perfect for an al fresco lunch but other than Bills there isn't any take-way food place in the area. I guess Subway on Franklin is close too...

Edited January 20, 2010 by Brent

[Cadeho]

Maybe there will be some retail along 7th street ( I'm sure that there wont be).

With so much empty retail space downtown I'm not sure that every building should have retail. I think that it is OK for a parking deck to just be a parking deck sometimes. That said, a Panera (or some other sandwich shop) would be nice on 7th. Main Street Center has a great plaza area perfect for an al fresco lunch but other than Bills there isn't any take-way food place in the area. I guess Subway on Franklin is close too...

I have to agree. I think there has to be retail sectors in downtown, not retail absolutely everywhere in every building.

[burt]

Maybe there will be some retail along 7th street ( I'm sure that there wont be).

With so much empty retail space downtown I'm not sure that every building should have retail. I think that it is OK for a parking deck to just be a parking deck sometimes. That said, a Panera (or some other sandwich shop) would be nice on 7th. Main Street Center has a great plaza area perfect for an al fresco lunch but other than Bills there isn't any take-way food place in the area. I guess Subway on Franklin is close too...

MMMMM. Chocolate cream pie at Bill's Barbeque.

Isn't Cafe Ole nearby? I believe it's on 6th Street across from Main Street Center. There's also Capital Ale House on Main between 6th and 7th, and I think there is a small restaurant on the first level of the high rise at the s/e corner of 7th and Franklin. Incidentally, a large 4-story building called The Dutch Market used to occupy that corner in my youth and had a butcher shop, sold groceries, produce and all kinds of items when there was no such thing as a parking deck. People depended on curb parking or street cars to do their shopping.

Does anybody remember when Main Street Center opened about 20 years ago? It was intended to be one of two identical towers arranged to allow an open-air arcade running southeast from 6th and Franklin to 7th and Main separating the towers. The existing structure remained virtually empty for about four years before filling up with tenants.

I like the row of shops on North 8th between Main and Franklin.

Edited January 20, 2010 by burt