CitiWalker

Is official.... ground has been broken. CoStar Group Breaks Ground on Campus Expansion in Richmond | Business Wire

A reliable source advised that official groundbreaking is November 1 at 1:00pm.

I know there is a lot of traffic in the morning and afternoon on the 5th street rd based on the fact that there is huge parking deck used by the Federal Reserve Bank employees and also Costar has a parking deck connected to their building as well. It is going to take some traffic control. I think they sent out a memo on how to enter and exit the parking facilities during construction.

Hold on!!!......got an update from reliable source that fencing is going up on October 15th per company memo.....

Someone told me groundbreaking is pushed back to January , originally was supposed to be September but it is going to happen.

It appears they are delaying the process for another year. I think they want time to get things figured out first. Richmond is still in play.

If I am not mistaken the smaller building in the Costar Campus is going to be a mass timber building also.

I would definitely push for height rather than land coverage. The density can still be achieved without giving up green space. I like the concept of an open urban feel.

I like the crescent green space. I don't think you have to have every single piece of land occupied by concrete and steel to have an urban feel. In proportion to the amount of buildings being built , I do see a balance. I think you can have an urban feel with a suburban feel of openness getting the best of both worlds. In reviewing the design it really has a functional flow to it. In other words the layout really makes sense. Also connecting with the training camp with a pedestrian bridge ads further to the flow foot traffic wise. It makes sense also to have a more innovative concept practical but well conceived. Having a great design does not mean it has to be over the top or extreme but sensible and functional. This design allows for multiple uses lots of foot traffic. I can see festivals or small concerts on the lawn as well. That open space will allow a lot of versatility within that development from an entertainments standpoint. As someone said why put a park in SA when you can utilize the one nearby and further saturate SA on the other side of AA with a denser collection of apartments. . As far as retail goes, I could see retail on the ground floor of a couple of apartment and office buildings. However any type of big box store would seem out of place , too bulky and awkward unless it was a scaled down version that would fit in with the continuity of the overall design. Just my observation.

I can see two cranes from my point of view.

I am not saying every building needs to be surrounded by green space. However, you have pointed out exactly what I am speaking on in the photos you provided. Who says an urban area have got to have every inch of space occupied by a building. Cities morph and functionality of cities morph as well. I had my cousin come in town this past weekend. She lives in the Dallas Texas area. A comment she made caught me by surprise. She said " I miss the greenery of Richmond. I Dallas everything is mowed down and just gray looking from all of the concrete." I I like the fact that we are growing and would like to have more Skyscrapers in the city. I also think that there is a balance between having built space and functional public space. As I mentioned. Greenery softens the space and keeps it from looking too static. Just my 2 cents.

Some extra long distant pics.

I agree with everything except having public green space being a waste. It is important to have gathering spaces and places where people can get out of the office and experience some sunshine. I also think that is actually ties the building together creating foot traffic and opportunity to increase social opportunities. IMHO green space is very important even in an urban environment. It helps to soften some of the look and makes the area more inviting. Lunch on the lawn to me is an amenity that definitely is a plus.

Working from home today. I will see what I could do on Tuesday after the holiday break.

You have to subscribe to use the link but here is a screen shot

Their Costar site has a September groundbreaking timeframe and delivery in 2024.

Everyone has their opinion. Someone not from here once told me this. "Try something new in Richmond and the most Richmond thing to do is to throw shade on whatever idea it is". Conversely everyone wants to complain about nothing being done. Marketing in and of itself is composed of skill and creativity. Everyone uses the same form acronym for identification, RVA, NYC, ATL for example. People always talk about Richmond stepping out of the box to create its owns identity....well...here you have it. I love the idea. I love the boldness. As far as Michael Paul Williams...he will always have something negative to say about the city. That is just how he rolls. To be different you have to take a chance to do something different. You have to open yourself to a level of innovation and trend setting. I am not a marketing professional and I am not sure how many people commenting on the branding of the city are. What I can say is whatever you do to brand is going to cost money. It is a lot of other things you can do with the money true indeed. However, to move this city forward we have got to market this city based on what this city is and can be. Designing and taking control of our own branding and identity is something this city has need for a long time.

I believe it is good to market the city. Thinking things will just naturally or spontaneously happen is not a good strategy. Now IS the time to move toward reinventing the cities image and rebranding. Riding the momentum of what already is going on make good sense. I like the fact that we are to some degree becoming aggressive. The lack of aggressiveness is something that is always talked about on this board. People have talked about how in the past Richmond leadership dragged their knuckles and missed out on some big opportunities. I applaud what Stoney and his group is attempting to do. Of course no matter what Richmond leadership does, some people will find a reason to be negative only because it's Richmond. Richmond has its own identity and we need to stop worrying about emulating other cities and concentrate on the unique attributes of this city. In short worrying about being the best version of Richmond not Raleigh, Nashville, Austin, ect. Marketing us a Real may not appeal to everyone but I like it. Real people in real places doin g real things. We don't have to be DC we just have to be Richmond. Those people who can appreciate the lifestyle that this area has to offer will come. By the way Lego is going to be bringing over 1,700 jobs this way https://richmondbizsense.com/2022/06/15/breaking-news-lego-to-build-1m-plant-in-chesterfield/. I hope we can continue to think attack mode. Just my two cents.

You have some very valid points. Thus my statement different types of people want different things to do. That is normal. If clubs and bars are not for you don't go but that does not mean others won't enjoy that type of activity. As the saying goes " Variety is the spice of life".

The reality is you have a lot of different type of people therefore, you have to have a variety of things to do which include bars, clubs and if possible a casino. We already have ABC stores , VA lottery, and canibus outlets. The horse is out of the barn on the so called non moral businesses . But that is a topic for another day.

Walking around the office and decided to check on the progress of some projects.

Some additional photos.

As someone who grew up in Jackson Ward...yes... I can speak to black economic empowerment. Whether you are building an apple stand or corporate office the One Casino will still be a black owned entity. Speaking of Jackson Ward, no one is trying to put a casino in that neighborhood makes no logistical sense. There are more pressing social issues within that community.No one seems to want to talk about job creation though. Something that is need within your own community to be honest. I sincerely hope that since you own property there will be some sort of effort to push for affordable housing .You know the history of Jackson Ward so it puzzles me why you would make such an uneducated statement. By the way I am educated and do have a degree in Urban Studies. I have read the proposal and it is more than just gambling. My thought is that you all that talk about gambling and immortality are not attacking the Virginia Lottery as fervently . And here is the notion my friend, whenever Black people do something it is always downplayed as being insignificant or meaningless. The statement you made about black people being dumb because they don't know any better just proves my point about other groups thinking they know what is best for black people. Like we are not educated or we don't know how to do independent research, or we are incapable of analysis or complex thoughts. Look at the neighborhood you are in for example. It was destroyed because everyone thought they know what's best for the city. Forget about the prosperous black community. Forget about what black people thought and cared about. No one attacks THE VIRGINIA LOTTERY....oh yeah black folk don't own that. No one attacks the VIRGINIA ABC...black fold don't own that. No one attacks the new marijuana dispensaries...black folk don't own that. Please dispense with the moral high horse when you have state and private owned entities by many peoples standards promote immorality. If you really read the proposal and understood it in its entirety then I think you would laugh at yourself for making such an il-avdivised statement. I grew up in public housing and was able to educate myself and own my own property and pay my taxes. I have had to deal with people who think like you my entire life. My opinion ( although I am educated) comes from plain ole common sense. I since I did grow up from a perspective of the streets I can smell BS a mile away. I will continue to speak to the social and economic inequities in this city and country. Maybe if people had jobs they would not be as desperate to certain things. Apparently some people don't understand cause and effect.

Here is the thing....I said this once before. From a common sense perspective gambling is already in every corner of Richmond in the form of Virginia Lottery Products. So throw the morality argument out of the window. If it was solely about gambling then why aren't these groups pushing to eradicate the VA Lottery. Unfortunately the elephant in the room is about the suppression of black economic empowerment . For those not familiar with Jackson Ward ( one of the most prolific black economic communities in America during the 1920s thru 1940s) look up the history of it's demise and dismemberment. It is more about the suppression of black economic growth and empowerment. The city has a history of disruption when it comes to this. You essential want to deny an area of the city (which the majority of those who live in the southside want there) the opportunity to provide economic opportunity and to be a catalyst for further development. It boils down to controlling black economics. It is not a pleasant thing to discuss but the only way to improve on conditions is to speak to truth. Richmond citizens have a habit of shooting themselves in the foot then screaming ouch! It is not so much the ineptness of the city council but the ineptness of some of the residents of the city to adapt to change.