jbjust

There will be a new Firebirds going into the new shopping center across Robious from the Great Big Greenhouse (directly across from the Brewster's). The banner just went up this weekend.

I hate it when you guys do the "I know something's coming, but can't tell you" posts. I would rather just not know until I can get details rather than sit here and stew and speculate.

I drive across the bridge to Semmes Ave. on to Forest Hill Avenue every day after work and every day I see signs of folks really rehabilitating those old houses. There was a serious eyesore around 31st street that really looked like it was going to fall down and now I see that rehabilitation has started on it full bore. I was involved in the Rebuilding Together project in the Swansboro neighborhood and was struck that while we were working on cleaning out the back yard of an elderly, disabled widow, there was a white dude across the back alley washing his Mercedes. That area is rapidly transforming (some sections more than others, of course) and I think it has reached a tipping point. Opening the new charter school at Semmes and Forest Hill will accelerate that trend I think. I'm surprised, however, that there aren't more decent restaurants that have sought to be pioneers down there. Apart from Cielito Lindo, Maldini's, and Crossroads Coffee that area is a restaurant wasteland.

I recall that when Alcoa sold the Reynolds business last December, the buyer committed to keep the downtown Richmond facility open for 12 months. It didn't say that it was closing it after that point, but many thought that was implied. All along, I thought they were only referring to the site on the canal and was excited that the closing of that facility would open up a prime area for redevelopment. If they were also talking about the large facility across the river (note, they also have a big facility in Chesterfield), then maybe that would open up some prime accessible river view space that would be great for a ballpark. Go have a beer on the Legend's deck and let me know if you agree.

Is that part of the facility that the buyers of Alcoa have only agreed to keep open for another 12 months?

What is the the industrial site in front of Legend's restaurant being used for? That area would be pretty good for a stadium.

I think MeadWestVaCo will accelerate the development of the Semmes Ave. corridor immensely. Talk about convenience! Too bad there aren't any restaurants at all that I would consider asking my worst enemy to step into until you get to Forest Hill Ave.

Yeah, they were originally down at Dominion's headquarters on the River, but the police made them go back to Kanawha Plaza, where they were permitted to demonstrate.

The Times Dispatch is saying that it was more like 15 people arrested.

I wonder whether the city ever offers incentives to get companies to relocate from the county into downtown.

I would guess that it is currently at its maximum in terms of walking-distance car parking, but that should be bumped up by almost 50% with the addition of the new garage. After that, I wouldn't be surprised if it could handle 450,000 without really showing the strain (assuming, of course, the number of flights likewise increases). I don't know anything about the satellite lots.

If only Circuit City were in better shape, that 30-story tower would be a great headquarters. Any chance that an iconic 30-story tower could lure folks like LandAmerica, Markel, or CapitalOne downtown?

Hey Journiyin -- does Centennial Tower's new 30-story plan have anything to do with the new company you've been hinting at?

That Fresh Market could be very crucial in keeping business around the Chesterfield Town Center area. If Chesterfield Town Center goes the way of Cloverleaf, that would be devastating.

Did your source have any info on when we might see something get started?

There is definitely a shortage of good hotels in that area. The Omni stays full and the Crown Plaza and Jefferson are too far out of the way for some folks.

I would think that it would have to be more than 10 floors to make it worth building on such an expensive little piece of land.

Anything to fill in some of those empty lots is fine with me. I think 10 stories is probably about right for that site. The google street view of that site is great. Google Street View

Could you at least tell us how many cities are in the running and whether Richmond has a serious chance?

All I want to know is whether we're talking about top 100 or somewhere in the 400's. That's not too much to ask.

Feel free to click on the link above and look them up...

I know you can't say much, Journiyin, but would they be big enough to maybe want a signature building on the triangle lot? What quintile of the Fortune 500 are they in?

Can we please let this topic die until we have new news? Every time I log on and see a posting under this topic I get my hopes up unnecessarily.

It is ridiculous how dependent the downtown office buildings are on a half dozen food carts for lunch. Don't get me wrong, I love the carts, but I'm very surprised there isn't something like Pot Belly or Au Bon Pain or Corner Bakery.

My favorite grocery store in the DC area always was the Harris Teeter at Pentagon City because it had clean, safe, and well-lit underground parking with an escalator and elevator going up to the store. I don't know where you would put something like that downtown, though.