Richmond Developments

[rjp212]

If I’m not mistaken, the park is replacing the parking lot in front of the Children’s Science Museum.  
 

The DMV building is old/dated and surrounded by a sea of parking.  With some of DMV services FINALLY moving to online, and workspace restructuring because of Covid, it just seems like a waste of space.  You could easily reincorporate the entire block to include a large mix of uses that would be more suitable for an urban/transit location. 

Edited June 17, 2020 by rjp212

[eandslee]

55 minutes ago, rjp212 said:

If I’m not mistaken, the park is replacing the parking lot in front of the Children’s Science Museum.  
 

The DMV building is old/dated and surrounded by a sea of parking.  With some of DMV services FINALLY moving to online, and workspace restructuring because of Covid, it just seems like a waste of space.  You could easily reincorporate the entire block to include a large mix of uses that would be more suitable for an urban/transit location. 

You’re right.  My bad.  I was indeed thinking of the Science Museum and not the DMV.  Then, that does make this rezoning a bit more interesting.  Probably, like you said -  just planning for some kind of non-specific future development. 

[wrldcoupe4]

The state had Trane complete a MAJOR energy overhaul of that building 6 years ago. Can't imagine it going anywhere, but it does have a lot of surplus land that seems like a waste.

https://www.trane.com/commercial/north-america/us/en/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/-virginia-dmv-wins-trane-energy-efficiency-leader-award.html

[rjp212]

That makes sense.  Looking at the Richmond 300 plans for that area, the DMV building is still there, but the surrounding parking has been turned into buildings.

 

[Urbs42]

17 hours ago, rjp212 said:

That makes sense.  Looking at the Richmond 300 plans for that area, the DMV building is still there, but the surrounding parking has been turned into buildings.

 

So much potential in this area, and love the city's vision. 

Curious how conceptual this is, or rather how committed the city is to seeing this to fruition. For instance, when soliciting proposals, will the city stipulate that developers must include this crescent-shaped park and the new ballpark will go in this location? Or, will developers have a free hand to completely redesign the city's plots? 

[I miss RVA]

I'm SOOOO loving everything I'm seeing out of the Richmond300 process. There has been NOTHING - and I mean NOTHING -- like this for as long as I can remember. Loving what the plan for the new ballpark area and the area north of Scott's Addition, especially the super dense section of the Boulevard between the Acca bridge and I-95. MAN - hoping I live long enough to see ALL of this come to fruition!

[whw53]

The rezoning signs around the Carver / Newtowne area are not for site specific projects. They refer to zoning actions initiated by city staff related to the Pulse corridor plan passed in 2017. This is the 3rd part of the Pulse related rezonings - Scotts's Addition was rezoned in 2018, Monroe Ward in 2019 and now they are focused on the Newtowne/Carver area extending all the way to the Boulevard - including the DMV site.

link to rezoning program below - lotta good stuff in here, upzoning most of land along Broad to urban B4 and doing away with most of the M1 industrial zone in the area.

http://www.richmondgov.com/PlanningAndDevelopmentReview/documents/PulseCorridorPlan/M-A-V_Summary_20200327.pdf

Edited June 18, 2020 by whw53

[whw53]

Did some more perusing today of the city permit site - looks like 2 previously discussed projects should be breaking ground this summer. One in Scott's Addition and the other in the VA Bio+Tech Park based on the issued dates shown in these. The illustrations are not from the permit application but from what Richmond BizSense released. 

https://richmondbizsense.com/2019/09/17/new-100000-square-foot-building-planned-for-biotech-park/

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/01/13/developer-tweaks-plans-for-scotts-collection-project/

Edited June 19, 2020 by whw53

[eandslee]

Thanks for reminding us about these and keeping us updated on their status. These are actually quite exciting!  No, they’re not major projects, but they’re not small either and will add a lot of goodness to the areas where they will be built.  Thanks again for posting and continue to keep digging for these treasures!  Love it!

[whw53]

Good to hear. Maybe I'll start doing some sort of 'weekly permit roundup' on Fridays and post anything substantial that was issued out that week. There is definitely a media gap from when a project is first announced to when it starts to become visible. Sifting through the permit records and keeping tabs on the agendas for the various planning committees definitely sheds more light on project timelines and status. 

[eandslee]

2 hours ago, whw53 said:

Good to hear. Maybe I'll start doing some sort of 'weekly permit roundup' on Fridays and post anything substantial that was issued out that week. There is definitely a media gap from when a project is first announced to when it starts to become visible. Sifting through the permit records and keeping tabs on the agendas for the various planning committees definitely sheds more light on project timelines and status. 

This would be awesome!  Please do!  Thanks!

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, whw53 said:

Good to hear. Maybe I'll start doing some sort of 'weekly permit roundup' on Fridays and post anything substantial that was issued out that week. There is definitely a media gap from when a project is first announced to when it starts to become visible. Sifting through the permit records and keeping tabs on the agendas for the various planning committees definitely sheds more light on project timelines and status. 

That would be fantastic! Thanks for doing this!

[whw53]

Introducing the 'Outlier'.......This is a new project - it was introduced to City Council on Monday and will now go before the Planning Commission next week. It contains only 29 'units' but each unit contains 5-6 bedrooms in a sort of co-living setup in which the rooms are leased out individually but everyone in each unit shares a single kitchen I think.  Interior detail aside, I think the massing for this building and its location along the Boulevard would be great. This is at 1101 North Arthur Ashe Blvd right beside Starucks Coffee.

 

Edited June 26, 2020 by whw53

[rjp212]

Interesting concept that I'm sure will be popular with the local college population.  I do worry about the materials used though, seems to be brick base (great), but then just generic paneling (which I assume will be grey/beige).  

[I miss RVA]

Nice looking building! Agreed, the massing in that area will be fantastic. Glad to see surface lots being converted into larger residential buildings in that part of town. Hoping the momentum will keep rolling!

[Wahoo 07]

This concept is around in New York, especially Brooklyn.  It's geared towards younger twenty somethings.  It will be interesting to see how it fairs in Richmond.  Another big city amenity comes to Richmond!

[rjp212]

Was going to post this in the Jackson Ward Forum, but seems that was archived.  (Side note: I still think we should have neighborhood specific forums instead of just Richmond Developments)

Now that the developer has finished up the St Luke’s Building conversion into apartments, he is focusing on the surrounding vacant land for new builds.  Ultimately there will be 5 new buildings totaling 120 market rates apartments.  The first will be a 4 story version of his project at 3900 Monument Ave. It will total 24 units.  
 

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/06/29/maggie-walkers-bank-building-converted-to-apartments-developer-plans-dozens-more-next-door/

Edited June 29, 2020 by rjp212

[whw53]

1 hour ago, rjp212 said:

Was going to post this in the Jackson Ward Forum, but seems that was archived.  (Side note: I still think we should have neighborhood specific forums instead of just Richmond Developments)

Now that the developer has finished up the St Luke’s Building conversion into apartments, he is focusing on the surrounding vacant land for new builds.  Ultimately there will be 5 new buildings totaling 120 market rates apartments.  The first will be a 4 story version of his project at 3900 Monument Ave. It will total 24 units.  
 

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/06/29/maggie-walkers-bank-building-converted-to-apartments-developer-plans-dozens-more-next-door/

This is great. I was glad to see work being done on the St. Luke building over the last year but I'm awestruck that those units are renting so high within a stone's throw of Gilpin Court.  Now there will be ground up market rate units on that side of 64 as well?! In my head I thought we were still 10+ years away from seeing anything like that over there..... Wow! We should also be hearing something this year related to the Jackson Place Phase 2 project on this side of 64 which will take up the block between 2nd/3rd NS - Jackson/Duval EW...

[rjp212]

Planned expansion of the VHDA complex has been put on hold.  Originally slated to be 5 stories with 2 stories of underground parking. 
 

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/06/30/vhda-puts-hq-expansion-on-hold/

[I miss RVA]

This popped up on June 26 - didn't see it on here.

Looks like there may be some movement with the CCP offer for the "Block D" - where the Social Services Building currently sits.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/06/26/city-looks-to-start-talks-with-downtown-developer-skirting-rfp-for-social-services-building/

Edited June 30, 2020 by I miss RVA

[rjp212]

On 6/24/2019 at 8:30 AM, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

(dum dum dum)

 

Another lot bites the dust

https://richmondbizsense.com/2019/06/24/developer-interest-surface-parking-lots-picking-steam-downtown/

 

Apartments are planned, height and number of units still unknown. At the NW corner of South 1st and East Canal streets, across from Matrix Midtown.

Didn’t realize they’ve already broken ground on this!

[whw53]

Happy 4th!

A couple updates to the development map I'll add in today:

1. 629 E. Main St. (former DEQ building) - This was supposed to be a dual branded Hyatt Place/Hyatt House hotel concept but it is now slated for almost 200 apartments which is awesome and is being completed by the same folks doing the Stumpf Hotel down the street. This renovation looks like it has begun as fencing is up and workers are on site so I will move this into  the 'orange'. An article about switching gears from the hotel concepts to the residential came out last week: https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/06/22/douglas-development-scraps-hotel-plans-for-former-deq-building-now-opting-for-apartments/

2. I noticed a bunch of new building permits issued out this week for Creek Summit Circle which is the Creek's Edge at Stony Point  development just west of Stony point mall. It looks like they are working to finish up the northern part of this development which lingered for a few years for some reason. There was never an entry on the map for this - I know it is more suburban in nature and a little out of town but it is technically the city and we had an entry for the similar 'James River at Stony Point' complex.

[rjp212]

On 12/2/2019 at 11:21 AM, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

Biggest news of the day is obviously the twin towers proposed for Manchester, but also big news on Broad Street: the UMFS campus redevelopment is underway.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2019/12/02/mixed-use-development-underway-at-umfs-campus/

With a Courtyard Marriott hotel and a 250 unit apartment building + two new additions to the UMFS medical campus.

 

Absolutely loving the fact that the buildings are brought up directly to the street with no setbacks. Will improve the urban streetscape in that area tenfold.

Driving down Broad and they seem to have had to split up the buildings a little because of topography.  Doesn’t seem to be just one LARGE wall.  

[whw53]

On 7/11/2020 at 6:44 PM, rjp212 said:

Driving down Broad and they seem to have had to split up the buildings a little because of topography.  Doesn’t seem to be just one LARGE wall.  

It's great seeing this project by Spy Rock rise and push the urban wall along Broad westward.  Unfortunately, I drove by this weekend as well and it looks like the project directly adjacent to this one - Belmont on Broad (by Kotarides) - may actually be pushed back away from Broad St. in its layout. Hopefully I'm wrong but the foundation seems to be in place and it looks to be set back significantly which will create a disjointed look next to this project. I've never been able to find a comparable streetscape rendering or a diagram of the site layout for the Kotarides site like we have here for the Spy Rock UMFS site. 

Edited July 13, 2020 by whw53

[rjp212]

Oh I forgot this was two separate projects.  Kotarides has some pretty generic suburban products.