Museum Developments in Richmond

[wrldcoupe4]

Burt,

there is no Main Street frontage available. This project will back up to Exchange Alley, so the tallest portions would be set back towards the center of the block. Parking could be handled below ground in at least in part, but perhaps they'll secure an arrangement with a nearby deck?

[burt]

Burt,

there is no Main Street frontage available. This project will back up to Exchange Alley, so the tallest portions would be set back towards the center of the block. Parking could be handled below ground in at least in part, but perhaps they'll secure an arrangement with a nearby deck?

Isn't there a sliver of open space just west of the skinny building on East Main?

[jbjust]

Burt,

there is no Main Street frontage available. This project will back up to Exchange Alley, so the tallest portions would be set back towards the center of the block. Parking could be handled below ground in at least in part, but perhaps they'll secure an arrangement with a nearby deck?

There certainly are plenty of underused nearby decks.

[wrldcoupe4]

Burt, I believe that sliver is owned by Exchange Place and used as a small parking area.

[burt]

A general concensus amongst Shockoe folks is favorable, though some express concern about the 110' height of the hotel(s) set back from Cary.

I don't think this project is going to get as much viewership here as it might elsewhere. This Museum thread is not visited often.

From today's inRich:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-co...10-02-0155.html

Edited October 2, 2008 by burt

[wrldcoupe4]

I'm not sure exactly what they were doing, but the standalone building with the mural on the side had plenty of construction workers hanging around today around lunchtime... going in and out of the building. I think a demo dumpster was sitting in the parking lot.

[CommRE]

The building is now surrounded by construction fencing, eliminating all of the parking places on Exchange Alley across from the apartments.

[burt]

The building is now surrounded by construction fencing, eliminating all of the parking places on Exchange Alley across from the apartments.

I rather like the facade fronting Exchange Alley that was spruced up after restoration of the 14th and Main corner.

The museum/hotel project must be further along than we know if all this activity is taking place at the 14th and Cary corner.

Edited October 6, 2008 by burt

[burt]

Speaking of museums:

Check out the Richmond Monuments/Memorials/Historic District thread to access the great website for Virginia Museum of Fine Arts posted by blake-p.

It has lots of thumbnail photos of construction progress on the World Class Art Museum undergoing major expansion. Scheduled completion is fall of next year.

Edited October 6, 2008 by burt

[wrldcoupe4]

The museum/hotel project must be further along than we know if all this activity is taking place at the 14th and Cary corner.

Demo work has been approved for the building sitting in the middle of the parcel fronting 14th. It's a shame it seems they won't be preserving the facade as it has some pretty interesting detailing.

[Shakman]

I noticed a backhoe, with a claw, onsite yesterday. Since the hotel operators have been announced, I hope to see this project quickly move forward.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Shakman

[CommRE]

The building came down over the weekend. This is just a first step with actual construction well off in the future. I've heard summer of '09 at the earliest for any activity.

[burt]

The building came down over the weekend. This is just a first step with actual construction well off in the future. I've heard summer of '09 at the earliest for any activity.

Is the white building right rear SINE? The brick building next to it on the corner looks different. Something has been done to it and it's not an improvement, IMO.

[CommRE]

That is Sine. You can see the Irish flag flying outside. The building on the corner is a day spa. I'm not sure what if anything has been done to the building recently. I think it looks better up close than the picture gives it credit for.

The plan, if approved, is to close Virgnia St from Cary to Exchange Alley, and possible relocate Virginia Street to the east of the buildings that contain City Dogs, Movable Feast, etc. Of course, that would make it impossible to come north on Virginia St and cross Cary to get to Exchange Alley.

[burt]

That is Sine. You can see the Irish flag flying outside. The building on the corner is a day spa. I'm not sure what if anything has been done to the building recently. I think it looks better up close than the picture gives it credit for.

The plan, if approved, is to close Virgnia St from Cary to Exchange Alley, and possible relocate Virginia Street to the east of the buildings that contain City Dogs, Movable Feast, etc. Of course, that would make it impossible to come north on Virginia St and cross Cary to get to Exchange Alley.

That plan, providing an entry to Virginia Street from Cary alongside City Dogs, would quell fears about a curbside cut to access whatever type of parking will be offered for the project. Cars could simply left turn into the newly aligned Virginia Street to underground and/or garage parking areas on the museum/hotel property.

[CommRE]

My understanding is that the under ground parking will be accessed from 14th Street. The new Virginia Street may be a pedestrian passageway with access for vehicles in emergencies.

[CommRE]

I had no idea that building had a basement. Check out the blocked off windows. I assume it used to have window wells for light. I was thinking this would just be a surface lot until construction started, but I guess not. I wouldn't think the basement would be filled in only to be re-excavated later.

[source]

I had no idea that building had a basement. Check out the blocked off windows. I assume it used to have window wells for light. I was thinking this would just be a surface lot until construction started, but I guess not. I wouldn't think the basement would be filled in only to be re-excavated later.

Look at centennial tower

[CommRE]

You are correct. It was being filled in this afternoon. Oh well, glad I snapped a pic of it before that happened.

[burt]

Daniel Neman of the Richmond Times Dispatch has a very informative piece on expansion at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts at Grove Avenue and The Boulevard in the city's Museum District.

From today's inRich:

http://www.inrich.com/content/cva/ric/news...10-27-0108.html

[Shakman]

Daniel Neman of the Richmond Times Dispatch has a very informative piece on expansion at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts at Grove Avenue and The Boulevard in the city's Museum District.

From today's inRich:

http://www.inrich.com/content/cva/ric/news...10-27-0108.html

Excellent article. I look forward towards the grand opening. See you at bar burt.

[burt]

An updated RTD article:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-co...10-01-0130.html

There is a headline in today's R-TD dot com (Sunday, November 23rd '08) among "News" options that reads:

FIRST FREEDOM CENTER PROPOSAL REVISED

But other than a tantalizing line or two, when you click it the story doesn 't come up.

Grrrrr. I'm beginning to miss the old inRich system!

Can anyone shed some light on this subject?

Edited November 23, 2008 by burt

[JSI]

Can anyone shed some light on this subject?

There was a picture in the RTD today showing a new rendering of the proposal. It looks like 4 to 5 story buildings would line Cary & 14th and 10+ story buildings would be towards the center of the block. It looked good to me.

[evanf]

Summary from the RTD:

First Freedom Center proposal revised

"Based on input from city officials, the project has been redesigned to make it less traditional-looking but still complementary of nearby buildings, said City Councilman Bruce W. Tyler, an architect working on the project."

"I just think it's stronger and bolder, with more of a modern industrial fell to it," said Rachel Flynn, director of the city's Department of Community Development.

Rendering in link below:

First Freedom Center

Edited November 24, 2008 by evanf

[TBurban]

Summary from the RTD:

First Freedom Center proposal revised

"Based on input from city officials, the project has been redesigned to make it less traditional-looking but still complementary of nearby buildings, said City Councilman Bruce W. Tyler, an architect working on the project."

"I just think it's stronger and bolder, with more of a modern industrial fell to it," said Rachel Flynn, director of the city's Department of Community Development.

Rendering in link below:

First Freedom Center

IMHO, I think it looks like it belongs there more-so now than the latter. Thanks for the renderings, evanf.