Richmond's Suburban Developments

[I miss RVA]

BIG vote upcoming tonight for the Henrico County Board of Supervisors on Hourigan's request to rezone 622 acres southeast of the I-64-I-295 interchange from agricultural to light industrial for their proposed industrial park that would include multiple data center buildings. According to Jonathan Spiers' reporting in today's RBS, roughly 65% of the land would be built out, and development would be on seven specific areas on either side of Williamsburg Road. Hourigan will purchase the land from Atlantic Crossing LLC, which has previously sought rezoning for industrial development and distribution centers. According to Jonathan's reporting, that development would have represented an investment in the neighborhood of $2 billions. Hourigan's investment, particularly depending on what is built and how many buildings are constructed, is anticipated to greatly exceed that $2 billion figure.

The county planning commission voted 4-1 in favor of this development.

The BOS vote tonight is HUGE - and I'm praying the county approves this request. Getting this development off the ground will be another step in the right direction of metro RVA becoming a legitimate data center hub.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/14/600-acre-data-center-project-in-henrico-up-for-deciding-vote-tonight/

[Child2021]

Henrico understands the benefits of having data centers, I think it's pretty likely they approve this. 

[blopp1234]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

BIG vote upcoming tonight for the Henrico County Board of Supervisors on Hourigan's request to rezone 622 acres southeast of the I-64-I-295 interchange from agricultural to light industrial for their proposed industrial park that would include multiple data center buildings. According to Jonathan Spiers' reporting in today's RBS, roughly 65% of the land would be built out, and development would be on seven specific areas on either side of Williamsburg Road. Hourigan will purchase the land from Atlantic Crossing LLC, which has previously sought rezoning for industrial development and distribution centers. According to Jonathan's reporting, that development would have represented an investment in the neighborhood of $2 billions. Hourigan's investment, particularly depending on what is built and how many buildings are constructed, is anticipated to greatly exceed that $2 billion figure.

The county planning commission voted 4-1 in favor of this development.

The BOS vote tonight is HUGE - and I'm praying the county approves this request. Getting this development off the ground will be another step in the right direction of metro RVA becoming a legitimate data center hub.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/14/600-acre-data-center-project-in-henrico-up-for-deciding-vote-tonight/

I don’t see Henrico denying this, but I Could be surprised.

 

My reasoning is solely the financial benefit that data centers bring to localities. For example, Loudon County receives a check for over $5million straight to the general fund every time a data center is completed. Data centers also don’t require lots of workers, which doesn’t burden existing roads, and produce no school children. They are an absolute cash cow for municipalities and Henrico has expressed lots of interest in attracting data centers, especially to this area of the county. Any vote against this would likely be a complete 180 from the current position that Henrico has had regarding data centers, so I would think this would be a slam dunk proposal.

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, blopp1234 said:

I don’t see Henrico denying this, but I Could be surprised.

 

My reasoning is solely the financial benefit that data centers bring to localities. For example, Loudon County receives a check for over $5million straight to the general fund every time a data center is completed. Data centers also don’t require lots of workers, which doesn’t burden existing roads, and produce no school children. They are an absolute cash cow for municipalities and Henrico has expressed lots of interest in attracting data centers, especially to this area of the county. Any vote against this would likely be a complete 180 from the current position that Henrico has had regarding data centers, so I would think this would be a slam dunk proposal.

Makes sense. Plus - you've gotta figure that if Hanover approved a similar development (which they did), then surely Henrico will as well.

[Shakman]

Part of it is on top of a Civil War battlefield.  Battle of Savage Station   is part of the 1862 Overland Campaign.  The interchange is in the center.

[I miss RVA]

12 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

BIG vote upcoming tonight for the Henrico County Board of Supervisors on Hourigan's request to rezone 622 acres southeast of the I-64-I-295 interchange from agricultural to light industrial for their proposed industrial park that would include multiple data center buildings. According to Jonathan Spiers' reporting in today's RBS, roughly 65% of the land would be built out, and development would be on seven specific areas on either side of Williamsburg Road. Hourigan will purchase the land from Atlantic Crossing LLC, which has previously sought rezoning for industrial development and distribution centers. According to Jonathan's reporting, that development would have represented an investment in the neighborhood of $2 billions. Hourigan's investment, particularly depending on what is built and how many buildings are constructed, is anticipated to greatly exceed that $2 billion figure.

The county planning commission voted 4-1 in favor of this development.

The BOS vote tonight is HUGE - and I'm praying the county approves this request. Getting this development off the ground will be another step in the right direction of metro RVA becoming a legitimate data center hub.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/14/600-acre-data-center-project-in-henrico-up-for-deciding-vote-tonight/

UPDATE

WRIC-TV8 News is reporting that the Henrico County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve the huge data center development east of RIC, at the I-64-I-295 interchange. The overall development potentially would not be limited to just data center buildings as there would be space available for other uses such as office space and "advanced manufacturing" facilities. All-in-all pretty exciting.

And check out (below) the graphic showing just how many data center sites already exist in Henrico. Who knew?

From WRIC-TV8 News:

https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/henrico-county/622-acre-data-center-project-greenlit-by-henrico-board-of-supervisors/

Edited May 15 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

Another development that could potentially include data centers proposed for RVA's northern suburbs. 

Jack Jacobs has reporting in today's RBS that Reston-based developer West Dulles Properties is seeking rezoning for their proposed Iron Horse Business Park, which would be developed on 230 acres that are split roughly 60/40 between Ashland and Hanover County. The development could take two forms: 1.) an industrial complex of 1.9 million sq ft across multiple buildings as well as retail along Route 54 and a 110-room hotel. 2.) A data center campus with 2.5 million to 3 million sq ft spread over 10 to 12 buildings. Additionally, 49 acres southwest of this site would contain 49 single-family homes. Originally, some 150 townhomes had been proposed for this site two years ago.

Both the Ashland and Hanover planning commission will review and vote on the requests in the coming months, as well as the Hanover Board of Supervisors.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/16/large-industrial-proposal-could-feature-data-centers-on-ashland-hanover-line/

[I miss RVA]

Spy Rock and Crescent - who tag-teamed the amazing new Springdale Park apartment development in Laurel on the site of the old Henrico Plaza Shopping Center on Mechanicsville Pike near Laburnum has another huge redevelopment in the works. Jonathan Spiers has reporting in today's RBS that Henrico County is working with the developers to replace the blighted, 70-plus-year-old, 294-unit Glenwood Farms apartment community with a new 800-unit mixed-income, mixed-use development that will include apartments, for-sale homes, senior apartments and commercials space. The county will provide some $11 million through their Economic Development Authority for the new complex, located south of Laburnum Avenue and east of Mechanicsville Pike. 

Indeed, a fantastic development! Density plus a sizeable infusion of affordable housing, which is sorely needed. 

(NOTE - the second photo is from the nearby Springdale Park complex, showing the type of new construction anticipated in the new Glenwood Farms redevelopment.)

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/16/henrico-enlists-developer-for-800-unit-glenwood-farms-transformation/

Edited May 16 by I miss RVA

[Child2021]

Renderings of the proposed grocery store in the Spring line area. 

Shop – Springline at District 60

[I miss RVA]

A rare project rejection in Henrico:  

The Henrico Citizen is reporting that the county board of supervisors last week denied an application for a provisional use permit for Gateway Apartments/Colony Apartment Homes to construct a six-story, 100-unit apartment building on the eastern portion of the Gateway apartments complex fronting 1640-56 Parham Road, south of Fargo Road. The application and proposed development was endorsed in March by the county planning commission and also had the thumbs up of the county planning staff.

The BOS rejected the application, citing concerns that the added density would further increase overcrowding at Douglas Freemen H.S., as well as concerns about additional traffic, building height (because, OF COURSE HEIGHT!!!) being "out of character" with the neighborhood (because, OF COURSE "CHARACTER"), and potential pedestrian problems voiced by the district supervisor and residents of a nearby neighborhood across Parham (a valid issue). The property is currently zoned R-6, which allows for construction of up to five stories. However, Gateway/Colony Apartment Homes say that they requested the PUP to add a sixth floor in order for the economics to "pencil". According to Colony president Steven Alexander, without the sixth floor - and the additional 20 units - the project is not financially feasible and, it appears, will not proceed, even though -- by right -- they can build a five-story building on the site. The plan would remove 20 units currently on the parcel and replace them with the 100-unit building - a net increase of 80 units, vs an increase of 60 units that would be possible without the additional floor.

Gateway/Colony have owned the property since 1968, and the SFH neighborhood on the other size of Parham came into being well after the Gateway complex was built. What's more, it's clear from the map that NONE of the houses in the subdivision east of this site front Parham Road. Rather they face the streets that are a block east of Parham. Three houses in the far southwest corner of the subdivision are close to Parham, with the closest being just over 90 feet to the east. Two of the three houses, however, have a buffer of what appear to be large trees between them and the roadway.

Ugh... admittedly, some of the concerns are quite valid (over capacity at Freeman, pedestrian crossing issues, etc.) - but I feel bad for this developer/owner of the Gateway complex, not to mention potentially losing out on a chance to beef up density there.

From Monday's Henrico Citizen:

https://www.henricocitizen.com/articles/henrico-supervisors-deny-proposed-6-story-apartment-building-on-parham-road/

Edited May 22 by I miss RVA

[Flood Zone]

15 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

Ugh... admittedly, some of the concerns are quite valid (over capacity at Freeman, pedestrian crossing issues, etc.) -

I'm normally a "defer to what the planning commission says" type of armchair quarterback, but this one is a tough case and I think the decision was reasonable. Freeman is overcrowded. The pre-COVID redistricting effort, an enormous can of worms, was shelved because there was no great present solution. I could see the decisionmakers here not wanting to disturb that status quo. This project was not a one-in-a-million opportunity or anything. Oh well.

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, Flood Zone said:

I'm normally a "defer to what the planning commission says" type of armchair quarterback, but this one is a tough case and I think the decision was reasonable. Freeman is overcrowded. The pre-COVID redistricting effort, an enormous can of worms, was shelved because there was no great present solution. I could see the decisionmakers here not wanting to disturb that status quo. This project was not a one-in-a-million opportunity or anything. Oh well.

Yep - I can't argue with those concerns because those are very real and valid. What I find puzzling, however, is that the BOS really can't reject the building itself were the developer to keep it at five stories (without pulling the pavement out from under the developer by suddenly changing the zoning). That building - at five stories - can be constructed by right given the zoning. They're only rejecting the special use permit to add a sixth floor. I realize they're using that as the "vehicle" to prevent the building from being built and potentially adding students to the Freeman feeder system, when -- technically -- one has to question how many additional kids would be added via a 100-unit building vs an 80-unit building.

Obviously they're using the "domino-effect" to keep the building from being built. If the developer could add 20 units (to make the project "pencil") without adding the sixth floor - they'd be able to build by right.

As you said... oh well.

[Flood Zone]

Exactly. They're limiting what they're allowed to limit here.

[I miss RVA]

Charlotte-based Flagship Healthcare Properties is planning to construct a two-story, $19-million office building in Mechanicsville, according to Jack Jacobs' reporting in today's RBS. Construction on the 38K sq ft building at Bell Creek Road and Autumn Park Way is expected to get underway later this year or early 2025 and take about a year to complete. A second building on the site is also planned, and the complex would be called the Bell Creek Medical Pavilion.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/23/charlotte-healthcare-reit-acquires-mechanicsville-site-for-19m-office-project/

[I miss RVA]

Stumbled across an interesting story from WRIC-TV8 News: Goochland County officials have undertaken a variety of studies to see how they can expand the county's function on everything from infrastructure (such as improving electrical capacity)to voting to transportation to accommodate continued robust population growth -- and to encourage economic development -- in the eastern part of the county. And they're looking at pretty much EVERYTHING, including roadways, public utilities, fire and emergency response and schools, according to Deputy County Administrator Josh Gillespie.

This is a very different mindset than we've seen from the outer suburban counties over the years/decades - and it appears that Goochland officials are readily embracing growth and development and appear to want to "get in on the action" in a manner of speaking. The quote from Economic Development Director Sara Worley is VERY encouraging! From the TV8-News reporting:

“The point of the additional infrastructure is to win large economic development projects, which could potentially benefit all citizens of Goochland County by being able to keep our tax rate at the low $0.53 and be able to provide additional services,” Worley explained.

Essentially, this means the county hopes to encourage more high-profile companies to bring their business to the community.

HELLO!!! Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about, folks! GREAT outlook -- expand the revenue base through businesses to keep the property tax rate low for everyone there.

WOW - Didn't see THIS coming! 

From WRIC-TV8 News (from last Friday):

‘Looking forward to the future’: Goochland County focuses on East End expansion and improvements | WRIC ABC 8News

[wrldcoupe4]

With western Henrico getting built out, this makes a lot of sense. 

[I miss RVA]

40 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

With western Henrico getting built out, this makes a lot of sense. 

% -- you know it! There's money to be made, and Goochland may as well get in on the action - and they have the perfect set-up (mainly, proximity to the part of Henrico that's getting built out). Looks like they (the county officials) want more than just spillover - I get the feeling they want to be a primary draw, and I certainly don't blame them. I love this outlook and the approach that they're taking.

Edited Monday at 11:39 PM by I miss RVA

[wrldcoupe4]

Best bet is to look at how they reinvent the vision for west creek. The age of large office campuses without access to amenities and walkability and mix of uses is dead. They have so much infrastructure in place there to get things going for the next 15-20 years. 

[I miss RVA]

The Chesterfield County Planning Commission gave the thumbs up to a proposed development that will bring a 293-home subdivision to Mosely. According to Jonathan Spiers' reporting in today's RBS, the new development called Dogwood Creek would be built in phases over several years. The project was slightly scaled back from an originally-proposed 356 houses - a decrease of 63 houses. It will be built along the south side of Genito Road near the intersection with Bailey Farm Road. Right now it's pretty much out in the middle of nowhere - but this is one of the fastest growing areas of Chesterfield, and a 307-home development on Genito west of Otterdale Road is in the pipeline as well. The county board of supervisors will vote on Dogwood Creek at their June 26th meeting.

I know I beat this drum a LOT - but the corridor for the proposed Powhite Parkway extension to Hull Street Road is slowly starting to shrink as development continues to pop up in central/west-central Chesterfield. If memory serves, the expressway extension is supposed to terminate in Skinquarter, which is just slightly west of due south of this new proposed development. I'm guessing folks have short memories - but recall that 288 got pushed WAY farther west of its original proposed route and as such was unable to directly connect to I-295 because of the slow pace (foot dragging) of its development, which allowed for a tremendous amount of residential development to be built in the corridor. Makes me wonder if this might happen again with the Powhite extension.

We shall see what happens. Either way - very glad this development appears to be about to enter the pipeline.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/29/scaled-down-plan-for-nearly-300-homes-off-genito-road-advances-in-chesterfield/

[rjp212]

Those new cul-de-sacs are worthless. 5 "stumps" that won't pull in enough tax revenue to cover future maintenance.

[Flood Zone]

22 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

Makes me wonder if this might happen again with the Powhite extension.

Speaking of the Powhite extension.....

22 hours ago, rjp212 said:

hose new cul-de-sacs are worthless. 5 "stumps" that won't pull in enough tax revenue to cover future maintenance.

This whole project kind of screams "crapbag" to me. Excuse the technical jargon.

[I miss RVA]

More density on the way for the former Virginia Center Commons site. Jonathan Spiers has reporting in today's RBS that Tennessee-based Bristol Development Group is planning a five-story, 279 unit apartment building on Telegraph Road, adjacent to the southeast corner of the larger VCC redevelopment site. The project was approved last fall by the Henrico Board of Supervisors, and Bristol is under contract for the property. Construction is expected to begin next month with completion anticipated for June of 2026. Bristol has developed several apartment projects around metro Richmond.

Great news as the VCC site continues to densify and evolve into, as Jonathan aptly described, a "mixed-use urban village". Love it!

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/05/30/office-park-site-near-virginia-center-commons-planned-for-279-unit-apartment-building/

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, Flood Zone said:

Speaking of the Powhite extension.....

Glad there's finally movement on this. @Flood Zone - with your permission, I'm going to repost the link over in the regional transportation thread. 

[Flood Zone]

Sure thing. Thanks!

[eandslee]

Have we been tracking this one?  This one sounds new to me:

https://www.12onyourside.com/2024/05/30/ground-broken-solar-powered-henrico-apartments/