VCU Developments

[Brent114]

Hospital in Leigh Street

 

[blopp1234]

Looks like the school of engineering expandsion will finally happen!

https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/01/22/92-addition-slated-vcu-school-engineering/

[Wahoo 07]

53 minutes ago, blopp1234 said:

Looks like the school of engineering expandsion will finally happen!

https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/01/22/92-addition-slated-vcu-school-engineering/

Nice bit of infill!

[drayrichmond]

Awesome, now VCU keep creeping east and the CBD needs to keep creeping west so we can fill in all those lots in Monroe Ward.

[Marcus Squires]

I was hoping that they would have finished the bell tower on the school, but I guess they are going to leave it unfinished.

I was looking for a rendering but I did not find it.

[Brent114]

I saw the rendering this morning.  BizSense maybe?  Or are you looking fir the old one with the clock tower?  That was a nice feature.  It’s a shame they opted fir the cheap and stumpy “tower”. 

Edited January 23, 2018 by Brent114

[Marcus Squires]

I was always under the impression they were going to add it with the conference center in the future. Perhaps not. 

[Brent114]

The new dorm on Main is a (lovely) monster 

The ICA is looking good 

 

 

The ICA is looking good 

 

 

[Icetera]

The dorms are looking rather good, certainly coming out better than I had expected.

[blopp1234]

It adds so much density to that area, hopefully developments like this expand east into Monroe Ward.

[georgeglass]

New apartment building set to rise on Cary St on the edge of VCU campus not too far from Belvidere. This may just be the ugliest proposal I have seen in quite a while. I can’t get over it. Normally I am all in favor of a project like this, but actually think I prefer what is there currently as far as aesthetics.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/02/27/18m-mixed-use-project-set-rise-near-vcu/

[tparkerzut]

23 minutes ago, georgeglass said:

New apartment building set to rise on Cary St on the edge of VCU campus not too far from Belvidere. This may just be the ugliest proposal I have seen in quite a while. I can’t get over it. Normally I am all in favor of a project like this, but actually think I prefer what is there currently as far as aesthetics.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/02/27/18m-mixed-use-project-set-rise-near-vcu/

I was coming here to say pretty much the exact same thing. I REALLY hope they change the design of this building, especially considering how often I go to 821 and would have to see it.  

[Brent114]

I like the aesthetics  of this (the Mansard roof part).   I like that it is so different than anything around it. I like that it’s dark and doesn’t appear to include any red brick   Of course I’d like more height (we’ve got to get serious about increasing population density if we ever want nice things). 

That said, I’m uneasy about loosing  the houses (especially the old pharmacy) there. They are in pretty good shape (occupied as recently as last August) and very nice looking.  Overall, I’m not super excited about this one.

Edited February 27, 2018 by Brent114

[eandslee]

The rendering definitely looks ugly.  Sometimes though, when fully built out, it looks a lot better, so I'm hoping that is the case here.  Agreed with the call-out for more density.  This project needs to be at least 2-3 stories taller!

[Brent114]

I guess the scale and roofline are supposed to compliment the gym? 

Im not sure what’s going on at the street level, it’s kinda looking like the parking structure at VCU Medical Center (the one with the bookstore).  That would be tragic.  I do like the three upper floors though.  

[eandslee]

Just to display this very ugly rendering front and center:

 

[tparkerzut]

24 minutes ago, Brent114 said:

I guess the scale and roofline are supposed to compliment the gym? 

Im not sure what’s going on at the street level, it’s kinda looking like the parking structure at VCU Medical Center (the one with the bookstore).  That would be tragic.  I do like the three upper floors though.  

I'm not sure whats happening on street level either and that's what I'm mostly concerned about. I don't want a boring blank wall especially sense it's right across the street from a parking garage. I'm worried it will make that block very bare and dull. However enough VCU students are walking through that area that it won't be empty at least.

[JSI]

I can't tell you how excited I am about this project. ANYTHING would be better than those blighted structures. I've owned a home at The Overlook for 13 years now and those buildings have sat vacant the entire time looking like sh!t. Also, they are the gateway from Cary to Oregon Hill and first impressions make it look like a DUMP. Tear those suckers down!

[Shakman]

Is this the same architect as 321?  

Edited March 1, 2018 by Shakman

[drayrichmond]

So, I'm a little conflicted on this one, the design is eh ok.., and we'd lose those few buildings on the block, which could look really nice rehabbed. But, the new building is going to take up a vacant lot and parking lot, so its a net win for density? Help me out here guys, I don't know how to feel on this one.

[Icetera]

4 hours ago, eandslee said:

Just to display this very ugly rendering front and center:

 

At first look in the smaller image I hated the design (aside from the roof and overhanging balconies) but now that I see it is a rough rendering I am hopeful.  With some landscaping, the retail frontage is promising and I will be curious to see what the exterior materials will actually be.  The large flat roof offers some untapped potential   Another floor or two would be ideal but then those upper units would lose visual connectivity with the street.  Keeping the existing structures would have been nice but this may have a better presence on the corner.  The dorms across the corner are certainly look much better in person than the initial renderings so we will see how this really looks.

[Brent114]

The parking garage is getting a facelift too.  If I recall they are building out to the sidewalk? Maybe increasing the height? Retail spots? 

It has probably been two years since I’ve seen anything about it but this was the plan. Hopefully it’s still in the works. 

[wrldcoupe4]

I like the scale and massing of the building, but seriously, what in the world is the façade made out of?

[Shakman]

On 2/27/2018 at 3:22 PM, wrldcoupe4 said:

I like the scale and massing of the building, but seriously, what in the world is the façade made out of?

Looks like it's made out of legos.

Edited March 1, 2018 by Shakman

[tparkerzut]

I'm just going to wait to see what the final design comes out to. This is obviously somewhat preliminary so keeping my fingers crossed for something better.