Flood Zone

Obviously, best-case, they're both up 12% and everyone is ecstatic. But I still maintain that as long as both are on a growth trajectory, it's a "win" all the way around. Roughly, what, half a million more passengers will come through those two airports combined by the end of the year?

I don't do politics online (or in-person), but as a general matter I don't think anyone should trust any college kid's position on any policy issue, or at least the form of protest, no matter the side said college kid takes. It's just safer that way. (Example: When I was in school up in DC a long time ago, the school announced a tuition hike midyear. This was a time of relative peace and prosperity, so the activists at school really had to reach to find causes. And tuition hikes are hardly ever popular, so it was a pretty good match. But the form of protest? They boycotted the food court in the student center building. This food court was obviously on the school dining plan, which of course is pre-paid, so all this boycott did was deprive themselves of food their parents already paid for and give the overworked employees a much easier day. I doubt anyone was thinking of that latter point, but I suppose to that extent they were right for the wrong reason....)

This is basically the contemporary design for a minor league ballpark. Vast majority lower-level seating with a wrap-around effect down most of both lines, small upper-level club seating and press box access, covered wide concourse with vantage points behind home plate, lots of room for concessions, outfield bar* and lounge area, kids play area, more inviting gate entrances, etc. It's the FredNats park but twice the capacity. I can definitely live with that. Is it a thing of beauty? Not from the renderings, but I've been in dozens upon dozens of ballparks in my lifetime and I don't really know a ballpark until I experience it and get a sense of its "personality" (yes, a ballpark has a personality, lol). A couple more points: (1) You were previously concerned about being big enough for a Triple-A conversion, and 10,000 capacity is comfortably the size of a new-build Triple-A stadium. (2) Although I am one of the few who thinks The Diamond is a perfectly fine place to watch a game, this would absolutely be an upgrade from The Diamond in almost every conceivable way. *That bar near the foul pole looks either interesting or dangerous (especially if the park is more hitter friendly than our current one). Look out!

Perhaps this point belongs more fittingly in the transportation thread, but I have two concerns with running the N/S Pulse straight up/down 8th and 9th. Although that theoretically makes the most sense, given the ultimate destination to and along the Manchester bridge, here's my concerns: (1) 8th Street (southbound) is a pretty bad by Richmond standards during the PM rush hour, especially when the GA is in session, and that won't be cleared up unless and until Dominion gives us back full functionality on its side of 8th Street; and (2) I'm skeptical they'd run the thing up 9th Street (northbound) where it is adjacent and therefore very close to the state capitol complex. But I don't know anything specific to this, so who knows.

I'd be happy if what we see in the rendering is anywhere close to reality, regardless of size. I'm skeptical because the ICA didn't really pan out IMHO.

The article mentions that MLB's deadline now is opening day 2026, so this is confirmation that MLB did, of course, extend its arbitrary deadline.

As someone who went to Midlo High, well, decades ago now, and who may have gotten the thrill of high speed vehicular travel on the stretch of Midlothian Turnpike to the west of the school, I will say that the area is rather unrecognizable to me now. I'm not saying this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I suppose it's an inevitable thing. I haven't been too impressed with much of the development so far; to some degree, it's struck me as a hodge-podge of crap (Westchester Commons, in particular). Short Pump without style, lol. But hopefully these newer developments turn out well.

Believe me, you're not the only one!

E-W Freeway is entirely theoretical, and, according to a commenter here a couple weeks ago, pretty much dead.

I'm not Brent, and I have no interest in a policy discussion regardless, but my limited observation here is that Brent may have been somewhat tongue-in-cheek with his description of NC and TN, as it's kind of within this board's culture to talk smack about areas with which we are perceived to be in competition. Or maybe I'm wrong and he literally believes NC and TN are "crap holes." He'd be wrong. That's actually Alabama. (Just kidding. Sort of.)

They've tapped out of space for big SFH subdivisions in the FWE. Townhome developments don't move the needle as much. Goochland is growing, sort of, although their gains may be spiked by a few notable senior living complexes that have sprouted up. We're talking several hundred residents each. That's big business and results in a net gain because those folks are moving from Henrico and Richmond, generally.

Per Richmond Bizsense, Chesterfield is looking to issue bonds to finance construction of the first phase of the Powhite Parkway extension (to Woolridge Road).

It's essentially clickbait, of course, just something manufactured so that forums like this will complain because that's engagement! Anyway, I'd say I've enjoyed like 75% of the cities I've been to over the years.* Most have something to offer. Charleston is great, IMHO, and so is San Francisco. And lots of places in between. Last summer I took my family to a conference I was attending in Detroit. It was awesome! Consider me surprised. *By contrast, I do NOT enjoy Houston. Too much sprawl and by my recollection the whole place smelled.

GA approved the 2-year budget and adjourned on Saturday. Now it's with the governor. Not a prognosticator, but one could guess we may see a special session.

People’s Drug!!!

Pro tip: Don't go to that Subway. Edited to add: I'm struggling to understand why a developer would want to build 15 stories on the CVS site considering, as noted, it could do so by right up to 12 stories.

That 10,000 sq ft ballroom would suggest they want to compete with The Jefferson and the Omni for primo big wedding reception hotel status.

Will it take us to the Superunknown?

A photo from lunchtime today.

Starting to look pretty good from Chippenham.

Short Pump's population total is amorphous, and its businesses don't necessarily rely on hyper-local population anyway. It's an easy drive from the near west end or the Midlo/Hull areas. Edited to add: I guess the steakhouse thing is emblematic of people who frequent Short Pump rejecting the first waves of chains to land there???

Not sure what's the best thread to report on Short Pump's peculiar accumulation of steakhouses, but I figured this one might be an appropriate place to note today's RBS article saying Fleming's is coming to West Village (not to be confused with West Broad Village). This is on top of Fogo de Chão and Perry’s opening in the area recently. Fleming's going out there is likely a big ol' "L" for Stony Point Fashion Park but who knows. Incidentally, I can't imagine anything less inspiring than that rendering of West Village, but different strokes for different folks.

What's the Fort Lauderdale airport like? Family may be planning a trip to that area this summer. Convenient rental car access, etc.?

Agreed. There's so many N/S trains that pass through Staples Mill every day that it seems intuitive. It's kind of like saying the stretch of 95 between Richmond and DC is heavily trafficked. That said, it's super to be positioned in this way! Also agreed about Norfolk.

The Lock Lane condos were originally apartments. My wife's elderly (now-late) grandmother had to move out of their before the transition, probably 18 years or so ago, and ended up at Malvern Manor. But whatever plan that may have arisen from, it wasn't 10, 20, or 30 years! Maybe 50 years!