Richmond Developments

[Shakman]

17 hours ago, Blackbird Fly said:

Progress update on the BofA building downtown. 

 

Much better.  Not what I wanted but much better.  I would rather have seen a complete glass and aluminum re-skin.  If structural loads would allow, even a decorative crown, spire or perhaps an eyebrow around the top.  Finally let's add an exterior lighting element.

Edited September 2, 2016 by Shakman

[RiverYuppy]

I was biking back from lunch today and I noticed that the VCU building on the corner of Franklin and Harrison is finally being renovated.  Even if they don't do much of an outside face-lift, removing the window AC units and adding new windows would do wonders.

[tparkerzut]

The Bijou Theater at 3rd and Broad opened this past weekend. I went and saw the Charlie Chaplin film Modern Times and had a great time. Seems like they will be doing a mix of older/classic films as well as new releases. Next week they show Miss Sharon Jones, a new release documentary directed by Barbara Kopple. It's very small and they are already looking to probably move when this lease is up but probably try and stay in the Arts District area. 

[Marcus Squires]

 I didn't take too many pictures from the art district, manchester, and church hill  this time but more projects are underway currently. 

 

These are pictures of the stone bridge development building one and two are finished and building three is emerging. 

Edited September 10, 2016 by Marcus Squires

[blopp1234]

Found this on a architecture website. Does anyone have more info on this?

http://www.ado.design/edge-city

[tparkerzut]

Don't know anything about it, chances are it's completely conceptual but I'd be into it happening!

[RiverYuppy]

I don't get how that area hasn't been developed yet.  It's prime real estate being so close to MCV and downtown.  

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Another article about the recently started construction of A2, the six modern townhouses being squeezed into an alley inside a  built out city block in the Fan. Just west of the large grtc bud barn redevelopment. 

http://richmondbizsense.com/2016/09/20/site-work-starts-on-alleyway-project/

 

[meegwell]

bus barn....

http://www.richmond.com/business/local/article_ba4ac4f6-dca5-54db-a9a9-e5a4742459eb.html

 

 

 

[blopp1234]

As the James Center heads to auction, they mention the price per square foot to rebuild it. What are the possibilities of this happening?

http://richmondbizsense.com/2016/09/28/james-center-hits-the-market/

[tparkerzut]

Doubt it will be rebuilt, but major renovations are highly possible. Which would be good because I feel like that complex is stuck in the past. I wish they would get rid of the "mall" centerpiece, it seems so 80's to me.

[wrldcoupe4]

They would never rebuild. Just trying to demonstrate to value-add investors that the property can be acquired substantially below replacement costs. 

[jbjust]

5 hours ago, tparkerzut said:

Doubt it will be rebuilt, but major renovations are highly possible. Which would be good because I feel like that complex is stuck in the past. I wish they would get rid of the "mall" centerpiece, it seems so 80's to me.

Without the "mall centerpiece", you would need new separate entrances for JC 2 and 3.  In my opinion, it's the failure to integrate JC 1 into the "mall centerpiece" that was the biggest mistake.  The little skywalk is an embarrassment and totally inaccessible unless you can climb three dozen steps. 

[wrldcoupe4]

The atrium doesn't bother me as it serves as the lobby for II and III as jbjust mentioned. It's the dated appearance and finish of the lobby - upgrading the materials and ways of utilizing the space would go a long way to improving it.

[Icetera]

I never even saw anything about this other round of housing in "Sugar Bottom," never-mind construction already underway:

" Tucked in a valley between Libby Hill Park and Chimborazo Park, near the eastern end of the sealed Church Hill Tunnel, the area known as Sugar Bottom is seeing the first new construction in decades: three modern-style row houses near the end of East Franklin Street. "

http://richmondbizsense.com/2016/10/03/developers-warming-up-to-sugar-bottom/

I hope "Sugar RVA" keeps the curbing from where N. 30th St. used to continue over the tunnel.  I also see that their initial housing plan along the alley next to and behind the old town-home must have fallen through.

[jbjust]

I think it's hilarious that "Sugar Bottom" used to be the red light district...

[tparkerzut]

The Maggie L. Walker plaza at Brook, Broad and Adams is will underway. I'll try and take pictures today. The tree everyone was trying to save has been cut down. I really don't mind all that much, although I love trees on urban streets. There are demo crews there tearing up the street already. 

[RiverYuppy]

New boutique hotel, Moxy, planned for downtown Richmond

It would be great to see this help start fill in the gaps in Richmond's downtown nightlife. 

Hopefully Richmond can continue to attract empty nesters so we can stave off a population plateau before the schools finally get fixed.

[wrldcoupe4]

Thanks for posting. Guys, this is a statement that should make folks take notice that goood things are happening in Richmond. This will really help activate that block. 

[Shakman]

Thanks for posting.  It always exciting to read that world renowned companies are willing to try fairly new brands and concepts in Richmond before becoming more common throughout the world.  This is evidence that companies have trust and faith in the Richmond market.

Edited October 8, 2016 by Shakman

[drayrichmond]

This is pretty cool, I've been a little worried about the hospitality market in Richmond becoming saturated with all the new hotels in the city, but the fact that Marriott (now the largest hotel company in the world) still sees room for growth reassures me. Since it is a corporate brand the Moxy hotels should all have similar looks and layouts so this is what the one in New Orleans looks like (quick google search), so I would assume it will end up something like this (of course, give or take based on the current structure layout)

 

Also just thinking, if there's still room for more hotel rooms in the city and I'm thinking we are kind of running out of already existing structures to remodel, might we see new hotel construction in the next couple of years? I'm trying to think of other structures in the city that could be converted to a hotel and I'm coming up with a blank, they're all pretty much taken. So, here's to hoping the next big hotel will be a nice new tower.

Edited October 8, 2016 by drayrichmond

[RiverYuppy]

I had brunch at Pop's Market today and noticed the building across the street is being renovated to be a sandwich shop called the "Secret Sandwich Society." 

The area is really taking off, though I wish they would have picked something other than a sandwich shop since Pop's already has such amazing sandwiches.

[tparkerzut]

On 10/8/2016 at 3:54 PM, RiverYuppy said:

I had brunch at Pop's Market today and noticed the building across the street is being renovated to be a sandwich shop called the "Secret Sandwich Society." 

The area is really taking off, though I wish they would have picked something other than a sandwich shop since Pop's already has such amazing sandwiches.

Yea that corner is crazy. Within the last year/year and a half it has gone from just Pasture to adding Julep's, Pop's Market, Wong Gonzalez soon to be Secret Sandwich shop, just down the street it Tenka Ramen and Lucca Enoteca. In that general area there has also been Greenleaf's Pool Room and K-Town Kitchen and Bar. A lot happening right there I just wish we would see some more people move to the area and some apartment buildings fill in the surface lots.

[cbl1]

... and Champion Brewing going in the old Aurora

[Icetera]

Plus La Grotta moved over there.

As far as the sandwich shop, that was planned a couple years ago (prior to Pops, I believe) so I am surprised it took this long to begin work.