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Just some photos of the airport (RIC) this gray, misty morning from a friend of mine who posted these on Facebook. Special thanks and credit to Dereck Tingfah. Enjoy!

That is an awesome photo!! Work is coming along nicely on both projects!

That’s what this lounge is…an Escape Lounge. Agreed - a lounge couldn’t be built until they consolidate all the security into one place. But man, it was nice to sit in there and wait for my flight to board! Definitely a plus for me and my experience at Syracuse! RIC can’t get one fast enough! I’d say where Applebees current is located (or some other new space) would be a great location. Anyway, was just sharing my experience at a small airport to show that RIC has some work to do. If people like the airport (RIC) the way it is now…it’s only going to get even more awesome with the security consolidation and an Escape Lounge! more pics of SYR Airport (a busy little place):

Flew to Syracuse, NY this week for a business trip. Whenever I travel I like to compare airports and I gotta say, for a small town, Syracuse, NY has a NICE airport with all the amenities of a large airport! First, there are 27 gates divided by 2 concourses (A and B) with a central security area so that passengers can wander through both concourses. I was not expecting this, but I’m currently sitting in a priority lounge in the airport! This small airport has a lounge…and it’s NICE! It’s small, but I’ve seen smaller. I took some pics of the lounge (below). RIC, with all its business travelers is LONG over due for a lounge like this one! And this airport only serves about 1.5-2 million passengers a year! Impressive airport to say the least. I think RIC is behind and needs to catch up when I compare the two airports. I know that a lounge is only in the discussion phase for RIC, but that needs to be bumped up in priority! Just my 2 cents. Here’s are some photos of the lounge:

I would love to spend the day with someone from GRP and take a tour like what you did. I want some inside info though. I’ll keep it quiet, I promise! Must have been a cool day. What did they say Richmond has over other areas that were advantages?

I’ll piggyback on that recommendation and add: A visit to the State Capital (free and absolutely beautiful…they do free tours throughout the day as well), Brown’s Island/Canal Walk/T. Potterfield Bridge (some of the best views of downtown from the river), Hollywood Cemetery is really cool (you can drive through and/or walk through…it’s huge though), Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (if you’re into that sort of thing - free and one of the best in the nation), hit up Shockoe Bottom/17th St Market Place/Libby Hill for the views (just a small area of restaurants and shops), Edgar Allen Poe Museum (a fee to enter, if I remember correctly), you already mentioned Carytown, go to a Flying Squirrels game (if you’re okay with baseball and if they’re playing in town when you’re there…and it’s next to Scott’s Addition), and Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens (have to drive there, but not too far - a fee to enter). Others here might be able to recommend some good restaurants in the area. Enjoy your stay and tell your friends back home about Richmond! Welcome!

I think you’re good at that hotel (Courtyard). Technically it’s on the other (west side) of I-195, but still within walking distance of all the amenities and fun things to do in Scott’s Addition. Congrats to your daughter getting into U of R - tough school to get into and man, what a beautiful campus!!

A cool little accolade from Axios Richmond this morning, that Richmond has one of the nation’s hottest job markets! Really?! Who knew? I guess it depends on the job you are looking for. Article says we even beat out Raleigh and DC! What?! See for yourself: https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2024/05/01/richmond-job-market-ranking-affordable-growth Take notice, rest of the world!!

March statistics were just released for RIC. Looks like another record month for the month of March. In March, there were 413,326 passengers served! That’s a 7.32% increase over March last year. While I’d like to see that growth rate higher, it’s not stagnant. However, what we need is more (new) service announcements to fuel increased capacity for more passengers, more frequency (where warranted), as well as a commitment from airlines for more new destinations to attract more travelers. Then there’s the obvious - international service that was promised was coming. Well, it’s not likely to come anytime soon. Any new route announcement right now would be months away, but what’s more, the new FIS is ready - the problem? There’s no identified user (airline) for the facility. Nice to have the facility, but with no user(s), it does no good. It could be that the philosophy of “build it and they will come” is at work here, but only time will tell. Just hope it doesn’t take too long. So, by comparison, ORF drew in 375,065 passengers in the month of March… the major difference is that they’re growing at 12.5% (March was their 14th consecutive month of record passenger numbers). This leaves me concerned and will continue to do so unless RIC is able to draw even more passengers through more routes (international routes?)/destinations, increased frequency and increased capacity soon!

The Chasen Project by Capital Square!

I actually thought I remember the height being 425-6 feet.

Yeah, definitely construction has started, but I have to say, the lot for it is fairly small. A crane, if it will require one, should be installed any day now. I can’t imagine them doing too much more without one…but I’m not an expert. I think this is the red crane base you speak of?

So somewhere in the highlighted area below? Here’s the RBS story in it, but I don’t have access to it anymore. I’m sure it shows where this will sit (https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/04/30/9-story-130-room-hotel-planned-next-to-short-pump-town-center/ ). I was just taking a guess in the map below:

Once CoStar plans to expand its campus by adding at 50-story tower! LOL! All joking aside…I think these are used for really tall towers, right? If so, who knows if we’ll ever see one of these used in Richmond…well, I’ll never say never - I hope to see one, but that will depend on how well Richmond grows; whether or not it is able to draw the need for such a tall tower. Hey, would the City Center proposed 40-story tower use one?

Yeah…whereabouts on the Short Pump Town Center premises is this on being built again? If it abuts up to the interstate, that would be cool as you’ll see it as you are driving in on I-64, giving some of the first sign, driving eastbound, that you just entered Richmond’s urban landscape!

Awesome article! I hope the right people take notice and give Richmond the attention and chance it needs to compete for high tech companies. It only takes one to announce that it’s moving to Richmond and all heads will turn! So much potential Richmond has! Just need more willing to make a commitment to her!

I figured so…living up the road in a huge metropolis, I can say that Richmond still feels small, but it’s is coming into its own - beginning to feel bigger. It’s true what they say - Richmond is a little big city, which has a lot of appeal. I do like the ability to easily drive anywhere without any traffic, but having some big-city amenities is essential to make Richmond more attractive. Love to see growth similar to what’s happened in formally unattractive parts of DC, which now are big-time “happening” places…very similar to Scott’s Addition. Density needs to always be the rule in any new development and will be an important element to change the perception that Richmond is a small, sleepy town. More high-paying jobs need to bring more diversity, which will warrant even more big-city amenities. The economy must boom, which increases the importance of the work that organizations like GRP does. Richmond is my hometown…I have plans to move back to area eventually (in the not too distant future). It’s just becoming more and more attractive to folks like me who live in NoVA…but we need to have big-city amenities - things we’re used to having. Traffic in Richmond is NOTHING and that is a huge “plus” toward its attractiveness. As Richmond grows, it needs to ensure its stays well ahead of the influx of people by increasing public transportation options and efficacy (we like good, efficient, public transportation), but also proper built-out road infrastructure where good public transportation is not. Airport HAS to grow. Finally, love cool destination locations within the metro areas as well - The Lake, GreenCity, the Riverfront Amphitheater, a new Brown’s Island…all of these are awesome additions that make the area unique - love it! Anyway, just some additional thoughts.

I probably should have provided some commentary, but at the time of posting, I was too tired to write anything. I’ll go back and provide my thoughts. Commentary added!

…Continued - Scott’s Addition area: First up is the Hardee’s on AA Blvd, which has a fence around it and definitely had some workers onsite who appeared to be preparing the site for demolition. Looking forward to the new hotel there. Next up, forgot the name, but it’s the tower with the apartments that will have shared common spaces. Next up, The Ace - certainly starting to make a major presence in the area. Once it gains a few more floors, it will really feel urban in that area. This whole area is going to be booming with construction when the DD kicks off (not that there’s not a lot of construction in the area already). I know this might be annoying to those who live in the area, but the whole place will be amazing when it’s all done. It’s like a whole new city being built from the ground up there. Wish there was a bit more height, but I think it will come - the place is such a popular place to be and space is starting to run out. No other way to expand but to build up! I’m very excited for this area. Just wish more change would spill around I-95/I-64. It’s important that passersby see the major changes happening there. Right now, unless you’re looking for it, it’s hard to see that the place is undergoing any change - gotta get rid of the unsightly building that line the Interstate! Other photos here of the Chasen project - which really looks nice and will be awesome once fully built. Thought that the Icon, the Otis, and all other similar buildings height-wise look great! Just imagine the additional building recently announced surrounding the Otis! The feel of the area is just so newly classic! Novel updates to finish off the photos. Lots of empty residences right now (due to construction), but once all of these fill up, this place will be BOOMING with street life - should be people everywhere!

Drove around a little today and took some photos from my car (it was a bit rainy this morning and this was the best way to cover the most ground). Anyway, here goes a photo dump: Springline at District 60 - As I mentioned yesterday, the massing of this project is tremendous and really makes a statement not only from the Midlothian Turnpike point of view, but most importantly (to me anyway), it really steps up the urban feel of Chippenham Parkway - makes you feel like you’re in a city and not on a highway in the middle of a rural countryside…something Route 150 has needed since it was built! Trees on each side of the road blocks all the development around it, but there are fewer trees to block this development, so it shines bright and big! …Continued - downtown and Shockoe - I wanted to capture how downtown looks from the Downtown Expressway (first few photos), however the photos don’t give the view and feel much justice. I do wonder how the new CoStar tower might enhance this. My fear is that the trees on the side of the highway might block some of the view of the campus, but then again, this is a commuter route and not many out-of-towners use this highway. Probably more important that it have an influence from the I-95 perspective, which it should. Then, my focus was on the Bakery lofts in Shockoe Bottom. It definitely makes a statement being the tallest building in the area surrounding it. Just needs others to join it and the area between it and I-95 is just a sea of ugly, run-down parking lots. This area is just begging for development- it is sooo needed! Other various shots of the bottom to include 17th St Marketplace - there were some people walking around there, which was encouraging to see. Views of VCU health from the Bottom. Loved how the Government Center area of Broad looks with the Old City Hall and new GA Building. I noticed that there were at least several people waiting at each Pulse stop and I also saw tourists walking around and crossing the streets. Encouraging to see some life in the streets, but still not enough…needs so much more. Last photos are of the site of the new arts building at Broad and Belvidere - there is a large piece of equipment onsite. Once built, it will help compliment the Contemporary Arts Museum.

Just drove by Springline at District 60 and I have to say, in person you really get a sense of the massing this development brings. Looks awesome! Photos doesn’t do it any justice.

Anyone know what a developer is looking to build at 2201 Mcdonough St in Manchester? It is requiring a SUP. If you want to learn more, I screenshotted the details here:

CoStar plans to buy Matterport, a 3D photo mapping company from California. Matterport products are used to give real estate renters/buyers a 3D perspective of interested properties. Who knows what impact this will have on Richmond, if any, but CoStar plans to share more details tomorrow. Either way, CoStar is over taking the real estate data world! They’re huge and have very deep pockets (as we already knew). https://www.virginiabusiness.com/article/costar-to-acquire-calif-tech-company-in-1-6b-deal/

Every word above taken directly from my heart and mind. In today’s slang - @I miss RVA is spittin’ facts!

$30M for a Brown’s Island overhaul. Looks awesome! Plan is to begin construction in 2026. Here’s the plan (warning - large file): https://venturerichmond.s3.amazonaws.com/Brown's+Island+Improvement+Plan_FULL.pdf