RVA-Is-The-Best

“Twelve is a number that is daunting for many people" That's not a sentence you hear very often. And even with context provided.. Oh yeah, when counting I skip 12 sometimes, that number really unsettles me. It may be the fact that it's divisible by so many different numbers, I mean 1,2,3,4,6! Harrowing

Welp, pack it up boys, we had a good run.

And an official RTD article rehashing much of the above. https://richmond.com/news/local/new-buildings-coming-to-vcu-athletics-village-student-commons-high-rise-dorm-arts-lab/article_625834de-0f86-5a93-84b6-e9a272e72e59.html Great stuff. Over $1.2 billion in construction.

Lol we really ended up with the worst case scenario didn't we. A hole in the skyline with an unforeseeable future and distant timeline for redevelopment. Im not blaming Dominion though, the office market is cratered with the pandemic and it was probably cheaper to just tear it down than to try and rehab the building

Ngl, I hope Cordish wins, the Urban One location is so out of the way and does nothing for the non urban environment around it, just will bring people in their cars and then back onto the highway. At least a SA location would encourage people to use the bus and spend tax dollars at some of the restaurants in town if they come in. And the location is already fairly industrial that it's removed from any residential development, and tbh the Urban One proposal is just so underwhelming with its oodles of surface parking and maybe that's the root of my dislike for that one A SA casino would contribute to a critical mass of activity in that area and truly represent the mixed use ethos of that neighborhood, what with a ballpark, movie theater and museums all within a few blocks. Couple that with all the residential west of Arthur Ashe Blvd and the whole stretch of Broad/Leigh becomes denser and livelier

Yes, me likey. I'm liking the critical mass of density these developments would bring. They're maximizing the use potential of these lots. Can't wait for renderings

Neat. Two 3/4 story buildings w/ 122 units planned on an empty plot of land at Government Rd & Glenwood Avenue in Chimborazo. Decent infill, densifying the area. https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/04/07/kleyman-planning-20m-apartment-complex-on-east-end-plot/

5-story, 173 unit building proposed by DC developer in Manchester! 15 W. 7th St. https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/03/30/d-c-developer-plans-5-story-173-unit-apartment-building-in-manchester/ Good addition to all the proposed development in that cluster. According to BizSense: Good stuff. I notice someone had already added it to the development map before the article came out. UP ahead of the curve again lol

I like the cut of that jib

BizSense has officially dropped the news on that 12-story apt building we've been tracking for a few months lol. UP ahead of the curve again https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/03/16/12-story-apartment-building-planned-for-jackson-ward-parking-lot/ 12 stories, 254 units. Love the density this brings. Let's hope all these 12 story buildings going up encourage developers to continue on that route. Richmond should be graduating from that 5-6 story range at this point, especially in places like Jackson and Monroe Wards

From BizSense: https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/02/09/city-reaches-deal-for-redevelopment-of-public-safety-building-site/ "Ordinances and legal documents reflecting the negotiated deal between the city administration and developer Capital City Partners were formally introduced to the City Council at its meeting Monday evening. The deal will be reviewed in committee and brought back to the council for consideration at a future meeting." Looks like we're nearing something here? Bad news is it notes the project's office space sq footage is slightly scaled down (90K vs. 150K originally), but size of everything else proposed remains the same size (Doorways, VCU Health, Ronald McDonald House, ground retail).

I wouldn't think NIMBYs would bother either given it's so far back from Broad or Hermitage and it's pretty much matching the height of the parking deck next to it

The next phase of Sauer Center is a 4 story office building to be built next to the new parking deck behind the Putney building. 53k sq ft of office space. https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/02/08/4-story-office-building-to-be-next-phase-of-whole-foods-anchored-sauer-center/ Just wish that surface lot serving Whole Foods was pushed back from Broad and the building be built there but oh well

6-story, 126 unit building planned by Thalhimer at 1508 Belleville St. Good stuff, more infill. https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/01/27/thalhimer-freeland-plan-126-unit-apartment-building-in-scotts-addition/

That Public Safety Building site looks like it's approaching a sale to the development partner by the city. Proposing around 4 mil tho the site is appraised at more than 15 mil because the developer will assume the costs of demolishing the Public Safety Building. Negotiations are nearing the home stretch it appears. Great news. https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/01/14/negotiations-with-city-for-development-of-public-safety-building-site-in-home-stretch/

Land sale by WVS to real estate investment/management co for that 'Block 8 development' by Rockett's Landing. WVS is still doing the development, ground breaking is evidently imminent and land is being cleared. 6 stories, 199 units. https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/01/12/land-deal-clears-path-for-45m-rocketts-landing-apartment-building/

Kind of think otherwise for half of them, BizSense is pretty pro-development (makes sense, it's a business journal) and most NIMBY-ish comments get pretty heavily downvoted, and the RVA subreddit generally lampoons new developments in a mostly satirical way (see: South Park SoDoSoPa) but are mostly understanding that we need more housing to accelerate growth and services like grocery stores. But yeah, Facebook and RTD, pure hell for people who are pro-development

At 0:25, I got absolutely giddy seeing the impact of the three new towers (GAB, Childrens & Adult Outpatient) in the urban fabric. Really maximizing the use potential of those city blocks compared to what was there before. Love it

BANANAs strike again...

What a surprise. The BANANAs (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody) strike again!

Brilliant! Lowkey wish there was building frontage on Broad too, though I understand they need parking access and the existing lot access point is on the Broad side

Problem with Richmond is that I think event organizers just split it between the three metro areas it's in between (Charlottesville JPJ, DC CapitalOne/JiffyLube, HR Coliseum/Scope/VB Amphitheater) and thus our central location kind of hampers our ability to draw big events. Because then they figure Richmond area residents could just drive to one of the other three areas. JPJ is already a well established draw for top artists.

Yikes...

Gray just released a statement to the effect of conceding to Stoney. In the most respectful way possible, she served Council in the way she thought best, but honestly I'm glad and relieved she won't be anywhere near city government anymore. We need forward-minded movement and growth.

That's Echo Harbour, an infamous proposal that was around right when the recession was hitting. A mix of intense NIMBYism and a collapsing economy destroyed its chances of construction. It was eventually canceled.