Richmond Developments

[Downtowner]

Since we are discussing new developments pertaining to richmond. I have a good little bit of info on the tri cities area as far as chester is concerned. My aunt owns the old brown and williamson tobacco plant that is off of enon church road and has owned it since 2006-07. Today she informed me that right across the street from her is basically a wooded area and is to be turned into a 400,000 Square foot warehouse that is gonna be right across the road from her but facing meadowville technology parkway and will be lined up right across the road from the entrance into amazon. She has a very reliable source as she knows the person doing this but she won't say whom the person is attracting to this warehouse as far as tenants are concerned. But she has hinted to me that it could be one of amazon's shipping partners such as UPS or Fedex. She showed me a site plan of the plans for the land and the entrance to the new warehouse is directly lined up with amazon's main entrance. I am very curious as if fedex is moving out of there current location on old stage road for meadowville technology park. That is just my assumption though. Also she hinted to me that capital one has plans to expand more so into chester with a phase 2 of there operations in meadowville technology park. She is also very good friends with George Emerson who is a local area developer and he has plans for a big shopping center near meadowville tech park called meadowville town center.

Edited September 14, 2013 by Downtowner

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Since we are discussing new developments pertaining to richmond. I have a good little bit of info on the tri cities area as far as chester is concerned. My aunt owns the old brown and williamson tobacco plant that is off of enon church road and has owned it since 2006-07. Today she informed me that right across the street from her is basically a wooded area and is to be turned into a 400,000 Square foot warehouse that is gonna be right across the road from her but facing meadowville technology parkway and will be lined up right across the road from the entrance into amazon. She has a very reliable source as she knows the person doing this but she won't say whom the person is attracting to this warehouse as far as tenants are concerned. But she has hinted to me that it could be one of amazon's shipping partners such as UPS or Fedex. She showed me a site plan of the plans for the land and the entrance to the new warehouse is directly lined up with amazon's main entrance. I am very curious as if fedex is moving out of there current location on old stage road for meadowville technology park. That is just my assumption though. Also she hinted to me that capital one has plans to expand more so into chester with a phase 2 of there operations in meadowville technology park. She is also very good friends with George Emerson who is a local area developer and he has plans for a big shopping center near meadowville tech park called meadowville town center.

 

That's interesting. Are there any plans for an official statement though (no offense)

[Downtowner]

As a matter of fact there is a big announcement that is supposed to be coming any day now. My dad talked to Chesterfield Economic planner Will Davis and he told my dad that they should have an announcement in the very near future.

[eandslee]

Another apartment complex planned for downtown!  We are now moving into seeing a lot of new construction now that most old buildings have been rehabed downtown.  I predict that we will start seeing a little more height on residences soon too.  This one will be 5-stories high:

 

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2013/09/17/5-story-apartment-project-set-for-downtown/

 

Rendering included with article.

[Icetera]

It is nice to see some development in that area for a change.  I hope more follows.

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Also some news (good or bad depending on your standing )

 

The Planning Commission unanimously approved of the controversial Tredegar Green amphitheater project for the Folk Festival, as well as the possible restoration of the canal.

 

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2013/09/17/concert-venue-strikes-a-chord-with-city/

 

I still think Canal Walk Part Deux: is a better (year round operating) tourist attraction and neat means of transportation from Maymont to the downtown riverfront. I think that should be put on fast track and prioritized instead of a dumb amphitheater that Oregon Hill residents don't even want operating for more than four days year round (the Folk Festival included, which takes up 3 of those 4, wtf)

[eandslee]

I still think Canal Walk Part Deux: is a better (year round operating) tourist attraction and neat means of transportation from Maymont to the downtown riverfront. I think that should be put on fast track and prioritized instead of a dumb amphitheater that Oregon Hill residents don't even want operating for more than four days year round (the Folk Festival included, which takes up 3 of those 4, wtf)

 

Yeah, I hear what you're saying, but the problem is money...there's no money to make this happen, nor is there any earmarked for it yet.  Really, this is just a vision and not really doable in the near future...and maybe not at all!  That's what kills me about all the fussing and fighting over a "canal" which doesn't even have money attached to it to move it forward.  Which will come first:  High speed rail to Richmond or the completion of the canal from downtown to Maymont?!  Neither might happen is probably the correct answer, but both are visions only.  Frustrating, I know.

[Steve_]

Very glad to see the amplitheater moving forward - a nice enhancement to one of the most beautiful parts of the city. Ironically the canal bed will now be a feature instead of being completely neglected.

 

I would love to see the connection to Maymont one day - but I dont understand how it would connect to the existing canal - through Tredegar?MWV?

[wrldcoupe4]

I'm not sure either because they never really connected... the one cutting through the amphitheater site flowed toward the turning basin at what is now the James Center and Gateway Plaza sites.

 

[blake_p]

You could have a series of locks on the west side of 5th St.

[blake_p]

Lots of good stuff in here including new Gateway Plaza renderings:

ftp://ftp.ci.richmond.va.us/PDR/Urban%20Design%20Committee/UDC%20meeting%20packet%2010-10-13.pdf

[wrldcoupe4]

Great link. Good to see some other angles of the building. The parking structure portion looks better than I thought. Disappointed in the height (275'). I'm hoping something neat goes up on that sliver of property between the new tower and Cary Street.

[TBurban]

While I too am disappointed in the height, I am very impressed with the quality of materials and overall street-level appeal/access of the structure.  Perhaps it's not the iconic skyscraper Richmond deserves and so desperately needs, but it is a welcoming, pedestrian-friendly gateway to the core of downtown.

[jbjust]

What page of the report should we be looking at?

[blake_p]

The last 10 or so pages are about the Gateway Plaza, but the report also includes traffic calming and landscaping on Brookland Park Blvd and near St. Christopher's, revamping the pedestrian walking under Broad St. and Phase 2 of the Capital Trail in Richmond.

[wrldcoupe4]

Also looking forward to the upgraded lighting and trees for MacArthur Avenue!

[wrldcoupe4]

Proposed redesign of Kanawha Plaza including a very modern building?

http://www.forumstudio.com/page/projects/on-the-boards/otb-planning/kanawha

[eandslee]

Wow!  That looks great!  The web link; however, contains a description with many typos in it, so it's hard to take it very seriously.  Anyway, if you notice at the bottom of the page in that link, there happens to be a rendering of a building that looks exactly like the Gateway Plaza, but it will be built in Chicago and it will be 32 stories...exactly what the Gateway Plaza should look like and be!!

 

Back to the subject...I wondering if this design will have any "bite" or will it just sit on the shelf and collect dust?  Surely, a private developer would have to come in and make all the changes and therefore would probably change the design too.  BUT it does look nice!  Great find!

[Oaktowntwinz]

Lots of good stuff in here including new Gateway Plaza renderings:

ftp://ftp.ci.richmond.va.us/PDR/Urban%20Design%20Committee/UDC%20meeting%20packet%2010-10-13.pdf

Would it be possible to post this? I couldn't access it, probably because I'm using a tablet and don't have the appropriate app.

[jbjust]

Wow!  That looks great!  The web link; however, contains a description with many typos in it, so it's hard to take it very seriously.  Anyway, if you notice at the bottom of the page in that link, there happens to be a rendering of a building that looks exactly like the Gateway Plaza, but it will be built in Chicago and it will be 32 stories...exactly what the Gateway Plaza should look like and be!!

 

Back to the subject...I wondering if this design will have any "bite" or will it just sit on the shelf and collect dust?  Surely, a private developer would have to come in and make all the changes and therefore would probably change the design too.  BUT it does look nice!  Great find!

 

Maybe we could get Dominion to abandon their river offices and move up there to that awesome building over Kanawha Plaza -- would be much closer and more convenient to the VEPCO tower.

[Wahoo 07]

I like the idea of revamping Kanawha Plaza.  The renderings make it look more like a village green and it could provide for another link to the riverfront/Canal Walk.  Does anyone know if it would be possible to cover up the SE corner?  Sealing off the expressway from street level would make the space more inviting and restore (albeit a small part) of the street grid. If this works, it could lead to more covering of the downtown expressway (like 5th to 3rd/2nd streets) so that the chasm between Monroe Ward and Gamble's Hill could be bridged.  Boston did this and Atlanta has discussed it regarding the downtown connector.  Obscuring the expressway via green space would serve several purposes and increase Richmond's urban appeal.

[540_804]

Would it be possible to post this? I couldn't access it, probably because I'm using a tablet and don't have the appropriate app.

 

Here you go (just in case you weren't able to access it yet):

 

[540_804]

I like the idea of revamping Kanawha Plaza.  The renderings make it look more like a village green and it could provide for another link to the riverfront/Canal Walk.  Does anyone know if it would be possible to cover up the SE corner?  Sealing off the expressway from street level would make the space more inviting and restore (albeit a small part) of the street grid. If this works, it could lead to more covering of the downtown expressway (like 5th to 3rd/2nd streets) so that the chasm between Monroe Ward and Gamble's Hill could be bridged.  Boston did this and Atlanta has discussed it regarding the downtown connector.  Obscuring the expressway via green space would serve several purposes and increase Richmond's urban appeal.

 

I do like the proposed/visionary building that was created in the above-linked Kanawha Plaza, but I'm not sold on it in that location.

I do however, think that the downtown expressway should eventually be capped (though I think that is a pie-in-the-sky dream for now). It should at least be capped from 2nd to 9th Streets.  But I'd also like to see it capped between Laurel St and Sheppard St/Boulevard. It's almost exactly 2.5 miles from Sheppard to 9th.

 

Imagine a 2.5 mile long "Green Belt" or linear "Central Park" cutting through Richmond's core!

[jbjust]

If it's anything like the current Kanawha Plaza, you'd have a "Hobo Highway" instead of a "Green Belt".

[Oaktowntwinz]

Thanks for posting 540_804. That would look really cool. I know that's a fantasy but that area could use something flashy to energize it.