Richmond's Suburban Developments

[I miss RVA]

The Chesterfield County Planning Commission recommended for approval an 85-lot subdivision to fill a 27-acre site near Chippenham Parkway and Iron Bridge Road. Jack Jacobs has reporting in today's RBS that Cross Creek Development Corp. is planning the subdivision of SFHs on one of the largest remaining undeveloped tract in the county's Ridgedale Special Focus Area, in which the county is encouraging new residential, commercial and recreational development. The district is just inside Chesterfield, on the north side of Chippenham Parkway, near the Richmond city limits. The project goes for final approval next week before the county board of supervisors.

Groundbreaking could some as early as spring of 2025 with construction getting underway later in the year or in 2026.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/04/25/85-lot-subdivision-proposed-at-chippenham-and-iron-bridge-in-chesterfield/

[I miss RVA]

Shamin Hotels broke ground today on their latest project which will place two hotels and two new restaurants immediately adjacent to the new Henrico Sports and Events Center on the site of the former Virginia Center Commons in Glen Allen. On tap are a four-story Residence Inn and a five-story Home2 Suites. Both hotels are planned to be opened in 2026. No details about the restaurants have been published yet.

There will likely be further coverage through our usual outlets.

From today's Henrico Citizen:

https://www.henricocitizen.com/articles/hotels-restaurants-coming-to-henrico-sports-and-events-center-site/

[I miss RVA]

17 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

Shamin Hotels broke ground today on their latest project which will place two hotels and two new restaurants immediately adjacent to the new Henrico Sports and Events Center on the site of the former Virginia Center Commons in Glen Allen. On tap are a four-story Residence Inn and a five-story Home2 Suites. Both hotels are planned to be opened in 2026. No details about the restaurants have been published yet.

There will likely be further coverage through our usual outlets.

From today's Henrico Citizen:

https://www.henricocitizen.com/articles/hotels-restaurants-coming-to-henrico-sports-and-events-center-site/

ADDITIONAL REPORTING:

Here's RBS's reporting (and some new renderings) on Shamin's double-hotel groundbreaking and their outstanding project connected to the Henrico Sports and Events Center.

Jonathan Spiers brings some additional nuggets regarding the overall development underway on the former site of Virginia Center Commons. Construction continues on the initial phase of 275 apartments. A second phase of 115 apartments will break ground in June 2026. The overall redevelopment will include a total of 500 apartments, 325 two-over-two condos, income-based housing, retail and commercial space. Additionally, some 75 townhomes are under construction on the site closer to Brook Road.

In short, this project is REALLY popping, as is this part of the northern suburbs, where other large-scale residential developments are planned within a stone's throw of the VCC site. Amazing to see all of this coming to pass.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/04/26/shamin-breaks-ground-on-pairs-of-hotels-restaurants-beside-events-center-at-vcc/

Edited April 26 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

I snagged this photo from today's RBS' snapshot of the new, huge Ainsworth development on the site of the old Laurel Park Shopping Center and Woodman and Hungary Roads. All I can say is - WOW. It is a complete and amazing transformation and it's bringing some significant density to one of metro Richmond's old, legacy "bedroom" suburbs in Henrico, populated by lots of small, mid-century SFHs. Remembering the ghost town that the Laurel Park Shopping Center was (I lived about 2/3 of a mile east just off Hungary Road in the late '90s) I'm honestly blown away. It's night-and-day different - and really, all I can say is - amazing.

Photo courtesy of Richmond BizSense:

Edited April 26 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

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.

 

[Flood Zone]

Yeah, I tend to drive by it once a week, and the thing is rather massive.

[Child2021]

On a happy note, once the proposed hotel tower by Short Pump Towne Center is finished it reach 9 - 10 stories, and it will officially be known as the first "high-rise" in the Short Pump area. It will stick out too, as the mall sits on a tall hill.  

[I miss RVA]

59 minutes ago, Child2021 said:

On a happy note, once the proposed hotel tower by Short Pump Towne Center is finished it reach 9 - 10 stories, and it will officially be known as the first "high-rise" in the Short Pump area. It will stick out too, as the mall sits on a tall hill.  

Sweet! I don't recall seeing anything about this. Do we have more information about it? Have developers broken ground for it yet?

[eandslee]

7 hours ago, Child2021 said:

On a happy note, once the proposed hotel tower by Short Pump Towne Center is finished it reach 9 - 10 stories, and it will officially be known as the first "high-rise" in the Short Pump area. It will stick out too, as the mall sits on a tall hill.  

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!

Edited April 28 by eandslee

[Child2021]

The site is in the process of being cleared, and its on the mall ring road across the homes hotel.

[eandslee]

58 minutes ago, Child2021 said:

The site is in the process of being cleared, and its on the mall ring road across the homes hotel.

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:

 

Edited April 28 by eandslee

[I miss RVA]

Jonathan Spiers has reporting in Tuesday's RBS that HHHunt Homes is planning to build 57 for-sale townhomes as part of their ever-growing River Mill development on Woodman Road, northeast of I-295. HHHunt has filed for rezoning, and the Henrico Planning Commission will consider the request at their May 9th meeting. The site - which is just over a mile west of the huge redevelopment in the site of the former Virginia Center Commons - sits adjacent to the Fall Line Trail - and a sidewalk is planned to connected to the pedestrian/bike path.

From Tuesday's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/04/30/hhhunt-looks-to-add-57-townhomes-beside-river-mill-development/

[Child2021]

It's on the land next to the body of water. 

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, Child2021 said:

It's on the land next to the body of water. 

Wait... what is? 

[I miss RVA]

The Hanover and Goochland county boards of supervisors have approved rezoning requests for a light industrial park that will straddle the county line near Oilville. Jonathan Spiers has reporting in today's RBS that construction on Pony Farm Industrial Park on Pony Farm Road just north of the I-64 Oilville-Goochland exit is slated to get underway this summer. The 84-acre site is split almost evenly between the two counties with 40 acres in Goochland and 44 in Hanover. The site is a little more than 7 1/2 miles west of 288 and around 7 miles west of the Project Rocky area in eastern Goochland.

Great to see this in northeast-central Goochland. Makes me wonder if down the road Oilville might become a node of economic development and population growth in Goochland. Also very happy to see both counties embracing this development.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/06/new-industrial-park-near-oilville-a-go-after-cross-county-approvals/

[Child2021]

Rode out to Westchester Commons, and it's currently humming with construction in every direction. The Aire has cleared out trees, The Hamlet at Watkins center is building homes now, style craft has begun selling homes in the center of the shopping center, Center west apartments has begun to fill in with people, and lastly the Bella is filling in with people. Marshalls have moved from the  formerly anchored stein mart plaza to Westchester, and five below is opening a new store there.

[I miss RVA]

RVA may be on the verge of becoming a major hub for data centers.

Jack Jacobs has reporting in today's RBS that California-based Province Group is planning a 1.5 million sq ft data center in eastern Powhatan County, just across the Chesterfield County line. The company has applied for zoning approval for the project, to be located at 1318 Page Road in an area as an economic opportunity zone in the county's 2021 future land-use plan. The site is (as the crow flies) roughly  2 1/3 miles west of the 288 "beltway" and the ongoing Westchester Commons development.

This facility would add to the growing number of data centers that have been popping up or are planned around metro Richmond, with several in eastern Henrico, one recently approved in Hanover near Ashland and one to be built in southern Chesterfield in the Meadowville Technology Park. Very much hoping the county approves this development.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/07/data-center-project-proposed-for-120-acre-site-in-powhatan-county/

 

[I miss RVA]

@RVABizSenseMike has reporting in today's RBS that Owens and Minor has sold their Atlee Station headquarters building to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The company will relocate to a new, yet-to-be-disclosed headquarters building somewhere in metro Richmond by the end of the year. The domino effect is interesting because it raises the question of whether or not VDOT will join the exodus of state agencies from downtown RVA. The state is looking to potentially redevelop the eastern portion of the Capitol campus and the old VDOT headquarters (formerly known as the Highway Department Building) at 1401 E. Broad and the Monroe Tower are part of that mix.

Wow... what with the VABC headquarters a few miles south and east of this site, how crazy would it be to have two major state agencies located along I-295.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/08/owens-will-move-elsewhere-in-the-region/

[RiverYuppy]

I'm rather disappointed by this. Not only will VDOT leaving downtown suck a lot of employees (and customers) from downtown, what does it say that the Department of Transportation is in one of the least possibly ideal place for non-car transportation.

We need the government promoting the urban core--not suburban sprawl.

[I miss RVA]

28 minutes ago, RiverYuppy said:

We need the government promoting the urban core--not suburban sprawl.

% 

Could not have said it better.  

[eandslee]

57 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

@RVABizSenseMike has reporting in today's RBS that Owens and Minor has sold their Atlee Station headquarters building to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The company will relocate to a new, yet-to-be-disclosed headquarters building somewhere in metro Richmond by the end of the year. The domino effect is interesting because it raises the question of whether or not VDOT will join the exodus of state agencies from downtown RVA. The state is looking to potentially redevelop the eastern portion of the Capitol campus and the old VDOT headquarters (formerly known as the Highway Department Building) at 1401 E. Broad and the Monroe Tower are part of that mix.

Wow... what with the VABC headquarters a few miles south and east of this site, how crazy would it be to have two major state agencies located along I-295.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/08/owens-will-move-elsewhere-in-the-region/

I’m also interested in knowing where O&M will end up…somewhere in Richmond suburbia (probably likely…and in a smaller building) or somewhere in the City proper (my preference = downtown in a newly developed building)?  Maybe they want to be a part of the momentum CoStar is building downtown!  One can only hope!  We need some positive secondary and third order effects from CoStar’s investment downtown.  Thought we might have seen some movement from other companies by now.  Since we haven’t, seems like CoStar is the “crazy one” who is putting all their eggs in the downtown basket!  Not much of a wave. 

2 hours ago, RiverYuppy said:

I'm rather disappointed by this. Not only will VDOT leaving downtown suck a lot of employees (and customers) from downtown, what does it say that the Department of Transportation is in one of the least possibly ideal place for non-car transportation.

We need the government promoting the urban core--not suburban sprawl.

…and you know it’s not a good sign when state government operations are fleeing local government!  Say what?!  Geez…have we learned anything from our history?

[I miss RVA]

3 hours ago, eandslee said:

I’m also interested in knowing where O&M will end up…somewhere in Richmond suburbia (probably likely…and in a smaller building)

In all likelihood, in the 'burbs and definitely in a smaller building. This from Mike's reporting drives home that point pretty clearly.

The pending move and the Mechanicsville sale were prompted by the company re-evaluating its office footprint “in light of new workplace trends and the preferences of our teammates,” Sheffer said.

3 hours ago, eandslee said:

in the City proper (my preference = downtown in a newly developed building)?  Maybe they want to be a part of the momentum CoStar is building downtown!  One can only hope!

It would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath at all.  What's more, they leased 90K sq ft on four floors of one of the Riverfront Plaza towers, according to Mike's reporting, and jettisoned that space in late 2020.

3 hours ago, eandslee said:

We need some positive secondary and third order effects from CoStar’s investment downtown.  Thought we might have seen some movement from other companies by now.  Since we haven’t, seems like CoStar is the “crazy one” who is putting all their eggs in the downtown basket!  Not much of a wave. 

Yes we do. This dovetails, though, into a lament I've had for quite a while now, recalling that @upzoningisgood has said more than once that downtown RVA needs some kind of "hook" to bring people and businesses back to the CBD. If I remember correctly, I don't think he specified exactly what that "hook" is necessarily. But we're seeing from our competitors that they've figured out what that "it" factor is, because they're having NO problems whatsoever ramping up development in their downtowns. People are moving into the central business districts of those cities in droves... companies are locating and building there in droves... and it goes WAY beyond just having a big skyline, as I've preached previously. I'm not going to rehash all of it, except to say that if we're now starting to see even the STATE begin to exodus downtown RVA - even if only partially -- then there's something bigger at play that NEEDS to be fixed. Three of the usual suspects of competitor cities are state capitals (and I'm not counting Atlanta in this discussion) and their downtowns are BOOMING with development, large employers that bring in a large workforce, and growing residential populations.

But downtown RVA... ???

Yeah... we have CoStar downtown (and yeah, the riverfront amphitheater on the way too) - thank God for that! But we need more... a LOT more... and it's beyond me to figure out how to make that happen... how to create the kind of red-hot demand that will bring businesses and residents downtown in droves. 

Edited May 8 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

24 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

In all likelihood, in the 'burbs and definitely in a smaller building. This from Mike's reporting drives home that point pretty clearly.

The pending move and the Mechanicsville sale were prompted by the company re-evaluating its office footprint “in light of new workplace trends and the preferences of our teammates,” Sheffer said.

sdfsd

It would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath at all.  What's more, they leased 90K sq ft on four floors of one of the Riverfront Plaza towers, according to Mike's reporting, and jettisoned that space in late 2020.

Yes we do. This dovetails, though, into a lament I've had for quite a while now, recalling that @upzoningisgood has said more than once that downtown RVA needs some kind of "hook" to bring people and businesses back to the CBD. If I remember correctly, I don't think he specified exactly what that "hook" is necessarily. But we're seeing from our competitors that they've figured out what that "it" factor is, because they're having NO problems whatsoever ramping up development in their downtowns. People are moving into the central business districts of those cities in droves... companies are locating and building there in droves... and it goes WAY beyond just having a big skyline, as I've preached previously. I'm not going to rehash all of it, except to say that if we're now starting to see even the STATE begin to exodus downtown RVA - even if only partially -- then there's something bigger at play that NEEDS to be fixed. Three of the usual suspects of competitor cities are state capitals (and I'm not counting Atlanta in this discussion) and their downtowns are BOOMING with development, large employers that bring in a large workforce, and growing residential populations.

But downtown RVA... ???

Yeah... we have CoStar downtown (and yeah, the riverfront amphitheater on the way too) - thank God for that! But we need more... a LOT more... and it's beyond me to figure out how to make that happen... how to create the kind of red-hot demand that will bring businesses and residents downtown in droves. 

I’m not sure what the right answer to bringing businesses and people downtown is either.  But what I can do is provide what I’ve observed from other cities:

- There’s usually a district famous for something downtown…tourism!…be it a music scene, a major food scene…something.  Richmond has Carytown, but I would argue that it doesn’t hold any nationwide fame…maybe just state-wide fame?  The Riverfront Amphitheater may change that though for RVA’s CBD.  We’ll have to wait and see. 

- Usually, there is some sort of major industry or employer downtown.  In that realm, what is Richmond known for?  It used to be banking.  Now, it’s probably law firms, government (becoming less so), and commercial real estate research with CoStar coming online.  But even that isn’t well established and hasn’t built a reputation yet. Maybe in time. RVA needs something…something BIG!

- There also has to be some draw to get people to live in the CBD as well. What advantages are there to living downtown that you don’t get living in the burbs?  Right now, I see no major advantage.  Usually, you could say that living downtown, you’re close (even walking distance) to everything. What are you close to if you live downtown Richmond?  Maybe some jobs, but not a lot of those.  What unique amenities does it offer?  You might say that you have more access to things in the burbs.  If we’re struggling to answer that question, there in lies the problem.  However, what comes first?  People or the amenities?  High-paying jobs (maybe so)?  Who’s going to make the first move?  Right now, it’s really expensive to live downtown…and for what?  What are you getting for the amount you pay?  Is it worth whatever you’re getting?  Maybe not for most people right now.

All of this is frustrating to watch, but one thing’s for sure - something has to change. We can’t just sit here doing the same thing and expect a different result (insanity?). Is it the city leaders we have to change?  Is it the policies?  Is it the services?  Is it the schools?  Is it the ability to be downtown and feel safe?  Is it tax rates?  What is keeping people and businesses away from coming downtown?  If we can answer that question, I think that’s half the battle. The other half is that we need to do something about it to effect change. 
 

Okay, nuff said…stepping down now.   

[upzoningisgood]

Realistically, I think the hook is that people from DC can have like 80% of the DC lifestyle at 50% of the cost. Cheap and warm walkability is rare. It's basically Richmond, Savannah, and Charleston, and the latter two are going to get expensive as the coast line swallows them. 

The real problem is that you don't have to work in Downtown because the city is on average a bit over 4 radial miles from the center. Henrico's taxes are cheaper and the schools are better and you can drive 10 minutes into the city. That's not a bad value proposition!

Until CoStar actually completes construction and fills the tower up, there's not a labor pool to tap into. Over time (and especially because of CoStar's notorious employee turnover), you'll have researchers coming in and out and other firms will move to the talent pipeline. It will take time, but it will happen.

The exodus you're seeing from old office buildings is a nation-wide phenomenon. It's also happening in the suburbs to old, terrible office-park type stuff. Business don't want new office space unless it's new and shiny--"trophy". Owens and Minor is dumping that office building because it's 20 years old or whatever and in the middle of nowhere. People don't want that type office space any more, which is going to put a lot of pressure on the 1980s office space that occupies a lot of the CBD. The problem is that the logical place to put trophy office isn't the CBD because the heart of the city isn't Shockoe Bottom or the Governor's Mansion--it's VCU, Scott's Addition*, and the Fan. The actual logical place to put new office, unless you have a once in a lifetime riverfront location, is along Broad Street north and west of VCU, and near Scott's Addition. I think the Sauer Center will be in a good spot, and if they do good master-planning can be a great spot. I think the Diamond District will be in a great spot. Businesses want trophy assets which will need to be in trophy areas. 

If I was in charge, I would lean in really hard to "northeast lifestyle with southern weather/good business climate/universities." Richmond isn't going to beat Nashville at being Nashville.  But, Richmond has dense walkability that is reminiscent of Capitol Hill or the North End. I would make the default zoning resemble the Fan-- basement level, 3 stories, parking in back only--no curb cuts! I would invest heavily in tree foliage throughout the city--good landscaping makes an enormous difference in how people perceive a place. I would upzone the Fan itself with new construction routing parking cars through the alleys instead of street-access parking.  That lets you create an environment that is reminiscent of much more expensive cities for cheaper. Concurrently, I would find businesses that value in-person office oversight that are based in downtown locations in northern and midwestern cities and try to poach them, or at least get regional offices. I guarantee you there are companies in downtown DC or Chicago that think their employees are BSing.their hybrid work time but can't get them in the office because housing is so expensive that the commute is 3 hours round trip. I also guarantee you there are companies that hate paying junior employees big bucks to come into the office twice a week and would rather pay them less to be in a mid-size city. Both are good candidates for a move to Richmond. Right now, the Fan is getting crazy expensive because rich people from NoVa and DC are taking advantage of this value proposition, but it isn't available to large numbers of young workers, so RVA can't take full advantage of it. 

Most importantly, there is no amount of money Nashville or Raleigh or Dallas can spend that can create a built environment like Richmond has. Richmond can win at a different game.

 

*Scott's Addition does nothing for me, but the amount of money people are willing to spend to live there is an indication of value. 

[I miss RVA]

On 3/20/2024 at 9:11 AM, I miss RVA said:

UPDATE:

The Hanover County Planning Commission has unanimously approved Denver-based Blenheim Associates' proposed data center along Hickory Hill Road, northeast of Ashland, according to reporting in last Thursday's (3/14/24) RT-D. The 1,211-acre project will comprise upwards of 46 buildings and create more than 860 new jobs. The county board of supervisors will vote on the measure at its March 27th meeting. This proposed data center - along with the huge center proposed for eastern Henrico - will go a LONG way to establishing metro RVA as an up-and-coming data hub. While we'll still lag behind NOVA in this red-hot booming industry, both the state and local governments have been pushing hard to lure data companies to the Richmond region to build out new facilities, which will create hundreds - if not thousands - of new jobs -- a BIG plus to help fuel metro RVA's continued growth.

Here's hoping the county board gives the green light to this project. My guess is that they will, given that the complex is forecast to ultimately generate around $68 million in annual tax revenue. I can't see the county saying "no" to THAT kind of money.

From last Thursday's (March 14th) Richmond Times-Dispatch:

https://richmond.com/news/local/business/hanover-ashland-data-center-blenheim-associates/article_fbe4a1b4-e147-11ee-a825-17cd9f5638ac.html#tracking-source=mp-in-article

UPDATE (5/9/24)

Tract - the developer of the planned data center in Hanover County - has closed on the land, paying $32.7 million for the property, according to Jack Jacobs' reporting in today's RBS. Tract anticipated spending between $50 million to $100 million on basic infrastructure including  water/sewer utilities, roads and other site work to prepare the property for construction of the data centers. The first data center could be operational by 2028.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/09/after-zoning-approval-data-center-developer-pays-33m-for-1200-acres-in-hanover/