VCU Developments

[burt]

VCU will make its second incursion east of Belvidere -- this time in the 400 and 500 blocks of East Grace Street. Two parking garages totaling 750 spaces are planned. VCU owns property in the 400 block as well as 514 and 516 West Grace which was purchased from the homeless place across the street and the University is negotiating for more land.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/VCUU05_20100204-222401/322365/

I hope fund raising is going well for the proposed replacement of The Anderson Gallery which has been announced for the southwest corner of Broad and Belvidere Streets, but have heard nothing lately.

[Shakman]

I am always happy to hear that surface lots are being developed. Even if it is a parking garage. Any hope of ground floor retail or am I asking for too much?

Edited February 6, 2010 by Shakman

[540_804]

I am always happy to hear that surface lots are being developed. Even if it is a parking garage. Any hope of ground floor retail or am I asking for too much?

Given its location, its doubtful that there will be any ground floor retail, unfortunately.

I wish they would consider a multi-purposed/mixed-use approach, though. Perhaps even building a few floors of upperclassman housing. VCU really needs to expand its inventory of student residences, as it can be pretty difficult to get student housing if you aren't a freshman.

VCU has a chance to completely transform that section of Grace St (from Belvidere to the police station area). I'm very confident that putting students in that area could change the entire face of that corridor in a way that a parking structure can't.

On the bright side, however, at least it should be easier to find parking..lol.

[burt]

Demolition and new construction on the horizon for VCU's Monroe Park and Medical campuses.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...-213403/323695/

These new structures are in addition to the parking garages announced for the 400 and 500 blocks of WEST Grace Street discussed two postings above. NOTE that I mistakenly described the parking garage properties as being in the 400 and 500 blocks of east Grace Street.

Mea culpa!

Edited February 12, 2010 by burt

[Brent]

VCU doesn’t seem to be wasting any time on the Grace Street developments (dorm and deck, not the two decks east, haven‘t seen any action at those sites). Last night I saw some heavy equipment on the site and today they were surveying the deck site and digging holes with a large auger along the alley perimeter of both sites (I assume for a construction fence? or maybe they were taking core samples?).

I thought that 2010 was going to be a slow year for Richmond development. Now I have 10 sites to watch. It’s very exciting. While none of these are shiny new towers the impact that they will have is significant. The four structures along Grace will connect downtown with the Fan and the back side of the decks viewed from Broad will make that whole stretch of Broad seem built out (the gas station and old McDonalds will have a nice urban wall behind them to anchor them, when the Anderson Galley gets built that intersection will look quite good and downtown will finally be connected to the Fan on Broad.). While the decks may not have retail in them, having a 1,000 people walking that length of Grace daily should create a market for the vacant storefronts that are all ready there.

[540_804]

VCU doesn’t seem to be wasting any time on the Grace Street developments (dorm and deck, not the two decks east, haven‘t seen any action at those sites). Last night I saw some heavy equipment on the site and today they were surveying the deck site and digging holes with a large auger along the alley perimeter of both sites (I assume for a construction fence? or maybe they were taking core samples?).

I thought that 2010 was going to be a slow year for Richmond development. Now I have 10 sites to watch. It’s very exciting. While none of these are shiny new towers the impact that they will have is significant. The four structures along Grace will connect downtown with the Fan and the back side of the decks viewed from Broad will make that whole stretch of Broad seem built out (the gas station and old McDonalds will have a nice urban wall behind them to anchor them, when the Anderson Galley gets built that intersection will look quite good and downtown will finally be connected to the Fan on Broad.). While the decks may not have retail in them, having a 1,000 people walking that length of Grace daily should create a market for the vacant storefronts that are all ready there.

Do you have any info about Grace St dorm project? I saw the equipment that you were referring to and I saw them drilling in the lot at the corner of Laurel and Grace but had no idea why. I didn't even know there were talks of any dorms a long Grace. Thats good news to me, though I'll have graduated by the time they finish construction.

[burt]

A pair of architecturasl awards go to VCU projects -- both on the Medical campus.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...-220004/337944/

Here's a recent story, photo and video of the Moleculasr Medical Building

from the RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...-220902/263732/

And here's a virtual tour of the Perkinson addition to the School of Dentistry located on East Leigh Street at about 12th Street (across from the new School of Nursing.):

http://www.dentistry...bout/perkinson/

Edited April 17, 2010 by burt

[burt]

Tuition for undergraduates at VCU rises a whopping 24%.

Updated storyFrom the RTD on April 29th:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/VCUU30_20100429-221804/341099/

Edited April 30, 2010 by burt

[TBurban]

Tuition for undergraduates at VCU rises a whopping 24%.

Updated storyFrom the RTD on April 29th:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/VCUU30_20100429-221804/341099/

yeah..NOT a happy student.

[burt]

yeah..NOT a happy student.

VaTech went up, too -- but only by 10%. (see related info box in the RTD story.)

Tommy, will you be in Blacksburg next year pursuing studies in archicture?

[TBurban]

VaTech went up, too -- but only by 10%. (see related info box in the RTD story.)

Tommy, will you be in Blacksburg next year pursuing studies in archicture?

Unfortunately I was denied admission..again. With a 3.8 GPA and more than the minimum amount of credits needed to transfer, I wasn't one of the lucky 1,000 of just over 3,000 to get in. I'll try once more for next fall semester, and then I'm throwing in the towel and will have to wait to get my masters in architecture after I finish my bachelor of science in city planning here.

[burt]

I like this night-time photo. It is at Park Avenue and Schaffer Court on the VCU Monroe Park campus.

The building in the foreground is the dining hall and the dome is of the Sacred Heart Cathedral which is where Park and Floyd Avenues begin at Laurel Street across from Monroe Park.

Great architectural contrasts. It could have been even more so if the minarets of The Landmark Theatre to the right of the cathedral had been included in the shot.

By Matthew McDonald in a collection of pix at RVA:

http://rvanews.com/e...y/go-rams/13379

Edited May 2, 2010 by burt

[Shakman]

VCU doesn’t seem to be wasting any time on the Grace Street developments (dorm and deck, not the two decks east, haven‘t seen any action at those sites). Last night I saw some heavy equipment on the site and today they were surveying the deck site and digging holes with a large auger along the alley perimeter of both sites (I assume for a construction fence? or maybe they were taking core samples?).

I thought that 2010 was going to be a slow year for Richmond development. Now I have 10 sites to watch. It’s very exciting. While none of these are shiny new towers the impact that they will have is significant. The four structures along Grace will connect downtown with the Fan and the back side of the decks viewed from Broad will make that whole stretch of Broad seem built out (the gas station and old McDonalds will have a nice urban wall behind them to anchor them, when the Anderson Galley gets built that intersection will look quite good and downtown will finally be connected to the Fan on Broad.). While the decks may not have retail in them, having a 1,000 people walking that length of Grace daily should create a market for the vacant storefronts that are all ready there.

What you probably saw was soil and soil depth samples being taken in order to properly design the caissons and the building's foundation.

[burt]

Maybe you'll spot somebody you know in this slideshow of VCU graduates, or maybe not.

But there are some nice views of Philip Morris Research Center and surroundings..

I don't understand this, but I read in another newspaper report that about 4,500 degrees in total were granted by VCU, but only about half that number received them in person at The Richmond Coliseum which was packed to the rafters with family and well-wishers.

http://www2.richmond...s-commencement/

Edited May 25, 2010 by burt

[calwinston]

After not heeling too cries from the historical community last year that they might be paving a parking lot over a slave burial ground in Shockoe Bottom. VCU now has conceded and is letting archeologist in to excavate!

http://www.styleweek...BC593CEABC3F45F

Edited May 26, 2010 by calwinston

[calwinston]

Will extreme budget cuts by the state slow VCU's fast pace development to a halt??

Budget cuts to 2001 levels has forced the University to hike tution rates 24%. At the same time in the last 10 years the Univeristy has grown over 8000 students. Somehow the University is suppose to educate 32,000 students with a budget for 24,000 students! Hopefully higher education is put at a grander level by the state (one of the best in the Country) or they risk becoming another California with students graduating in 6-7 years because of classes being full and tuition rates soaring upwards towards 50% in one year!!

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2010/06/09/wapo-vcu-budget-cuts-%e2%80%9cunfolding-disaster%e2%80%9d/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/08/AR2010060804643.html

[Brent]

Construction fences are being erected at the parking deck sites on Grace Street (east of Belvidere).

[burt]

Construction fences are being erected at the parking deck sites on Grace Street (east of Belvidere).

Thanks, Brent. Aren't the planned parking decks on the north side of West Grace in the 400 and 500 blocks between Monroe and Belvidere Streets?

Has any work started on dorms in the 800 block of Grace between Laurel and Shaffer Streets?

And I know this is off topic, but since you live in Jackson Ward, have you noticed any construction activity at The Taylor Mansion and The Hippodrome on North 2nd Street?

[Brent]

No work has begun on the dorms or deck west of Belvidere. I saw somewhere that work on the dorm was scheduled to start in August. The location that you listed of the two decks under construction is correct. I know that it is just a couple of crappy parking decks but I'm really excited about these. I feel like Jackson Ward, Monroe Ward and the Fan just aren't connected at all and this will help, at least visually...

There is work still going on along 2nd street. In addition to the Hippodrome and Taylor Mansion (work appears to be going on there. Looks like the framing has been done at the Taylor Mansion but I only get over there every few weeks so I can't tell how consistent the work is, it seems to be consistent) there is new construction sandwiched between the Taylor Mansion and those condos that were built about two years ago. Looks like it will be 3-4 floors of apartments or condos with first floor retail, they are up to the second floor now. I'm not sure but it looks like this was a vacant lot before construction. This block is going to look really great. It has a nice Adams Morgan feel to it (the scale and relationship to the street). It is just one block but will really change the feel of the whole place. Looks like a breakfast and lunch spot is getting ready to open in this block too, with second floor outdoor seating!

[burt]

VCU receives $20 million grant from the National Institute of Health. It is the largest federal grant the school has ever received.

It also puts VCU into the big league of medical research with Harvard, Yale, Duke and other prestigeous universities.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/2010/jul/15/vcuu15-ar-296477/

[blake_p]

Here's a PDF on the new dorms and parking decks.

http://www.fmd.vcu.edu/wg1.pdf

[calwinston]

Here's a PDF on the new dorms and parking decks.

http://www.fmd.vcu.edu/wg1.pdf

Thanks Blake for posting this! I was dreading seeing the rendering but I like it.

[burt]

Thanks Blake for posting this! I was dreading seeing the rendering but I like it.

Me, too!

[Brent]

I think that they all look great!

[540_804]

Yeah, I was passing by a building on the South side of Broad Street (I would guess the 400 or 300 block) and saw the renderings of the parking deck in a vacant store front. They looked a lot better than I expected.

Also, a bit of a tip I heard from a friend:

Apparently, VCU has purchased the building on West Broad Street that housed the former "Common Groundz" (734 W. Broad Street). This is the building on the north side of Broad Street on the same block as the Broad and Belvidere Student Housing.

My friend (a current tenant) said he and his roommates were offered a few thousand dollars and a full refund of their security deposit to vacate the building by the end of August though their lease expires next March. Apparently whoever purchased the building (presumably the university) has immediate plans for it. Its a fairly narrow lot so I'm not sure what they would put there if they tore it down.

Anyway, if anyone has any more info on it please post it.