VCU Developments

[ancientcarpenter]

19 hours ago, whw53 said:

The article mentions a project for that block is to begin next year. I know we'eve seen a rendering somewhere, but no itis not that 13 story originally proposed. Note that Richmond 300 dosn't really intersect with VCU master plan at such a site specific level. VCU campus development is guided by the One VCU master plan.

VCU plans to consolidate its arts facilities along North Belvidere Street. Earlier this year, it announced plans for a $181 million arts and innovation building to go up at the southeast corner of West Broad and North Belvidere Streets. The new building will have hybrid classroom-labs, performance space and “creative incubators.” Construction could start between 2022 and 2024.

 

This is great news but that's a different building. I was referring to Belvidere and Leigh st that is in Jackson Ward right next to the highway by Abner Clay Park. VCU has a massive full block of land (actually, come to think of it it's two blocks in one which is better) - you can see in my screenshot below. Looks like "D" is the designation as "Future Arts Facility" which is great but I'd be quite disappointed if the rest of those two blocks were left for parking as we see in the picture. That is a lot of land for parking and I honestly expected VCU to do something more significant with the parking lots since it is a behemoth of a property and seeing as VCU can only work with finite amount of land it would be interesting to see them continue with the parking spaces like that. This property could/should also be used as a significant connector of VCU's main campus to Bio-Tech and MCV. It really is their only major development stake in Jackson Ward (for now) and I feel like it could be used as a significant symbolic piece. Plus, again, that's a A LOT of land in the heart of RVA. 

 

VCU master plan: https://masterplan.vcu.edu/media/master-plan/documents/ONE_VCU_Master_Plan_Report20190322HR_web.pdf

Edited November 2, 2021 by ancientcarpenter

[whw53]

1 hour ago, ancientcarpenter said:

 

This is great news but that's a different building. I was referring to Belvidere and Leigh st that is in Jackson Ward right next to the highway by Abner Clay Park. VCU has a massive full block of land (actually, come to think of it it's two blocks in one which is better) - you can see in my screenshot below. Looks like "D" is the designation as "Future Arts Facility" which is great but I'd be quite disappointed if the rest of those two blocks were left for parking as we see in the picture. That is a lot of land for parking and I honestly expected VCU to do something more significant with the parking lots since it is a behemoth of a property and seeing as VCU can only work with finite amount of land it would be interesting to see them continue with the parking spaces like that. This property could/should also be used as a significant connector of VCU's main campus to Bio-Tech and MCV. It really is their only major development stake in Jackson Ward (for now) and I feel like it could be used as a significant symbolic piece. Plus, again, that's a A LOT of land in the heart of RVA. 

 

VCU master plan: https://masterplan.vcu.edu/media/master-plan/documents/ONE_VCU_Master_Plan_Report20190322HR_web.pdf

Ah yes - I hate that VCU controls this block. I would love to see Henry St cut through here and the grid restored. Pipe dream scenario is  VCU donating the land to the Maggie Walker land trust and them creating a high quality, affordable ownership opportunities. 

[Icetera]

17 minutes ago, whw53 said:

Ah yes - I hate that VCU controls this block. I would love to see Henry St cut through here and the grid restored. Pipe dream scenario is  VCU donating the land to the Maggie Walker land trust and them creating a high quality, affordable ownership opportunities. 

Given the traffic situation at Belvidere/Leigh and how it can back up to Brook, I think this may be the rare case where restoring the grid would actually be problematic.  If Henry flowed the opposite direction it would probably be fine.  A pedestrian right-of-way would be nice though and I also wish this was not in the hands of VCU otherwise it likely would be under development by now.

[ancientcarpenter]

4 hours ago, Icetera said:

Given the traffic situation at Belvidere/Leigh and how it can back up to Brook, I think this may be the rare case where restoring the grid would actually be problematic.  If Henry flowed the opposite direction it would probably be fine.  A pedestrian right-of-way would be nice though and I also wish this was not in the hands of VCU otherwise it likely would be under development by now.

Agreed. If VCU can actually develop on this (spoiler: they can) then they should make it a combo of first floor parking + retail with arts building on top and apartments for students on the other end. This would really engage the block and make that area more alive. It makes sense for VCU too: more apartments, same parking as seen in design map above, and they get the art facility they need along with making this be the first thing parents see when they get off the highway to visit or drop off their kids at VCU. Lots of potential. 

Edited November 2, 2021 by ancientcarpenter

[Icetera]

The remaining tower crane at VCU Children's Hospital is coming down.

[I miss RVA]

Great pic, Ice!  Thanks so much for taking it and posting it.

That was taken from what - about a block north of the site of the Bakery Lofts, right? Man, can you imagine the view from that apartment building once it's built?

[Hike]

On 11/1/2021 at 12:27 PM, whw53 said:

The article mentions a project for that block is to begin next year. I know we've seen a rendering somewhere, but no it is not that 13 story originally proposed. Note that Richmond 300 doesn't really intersect with VCU master plan at such a site specific level. VCU campus development is guided by the One VCU master plan.

VCU plans to consolidate its arts facilities along North Belvidere Street. Earlier this year, it announced plans for a $181 million arts and innovation building to go up at the southeast corner of West Broad and North Belvidere Streets. The new building will have hybrid classroom-labs, performance space and “creative incubators.” Construction could start between 2022 and 2024.

Saw this from VCU, I don't recall seeing these other 2 elevations of the interior and looking south.  Needs General Assembly approval, I assume that will happen this next session.  

William Rawn - architect of record - https://rawnarch.com/

VCU Link - https://news.vcu.edu/article/2021/11/arts-and-innovation-academic-building-would-transform-the-student-experience

 

[wrldcoupe4]

That's attractive but the 2nd and 3rd renderings seems like a completely different building. I wonder if this is updated compared to what was in the master plan doc?

[Hike]

6 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

That's attractive but the 2nd and 3rd renderings seems like a completely different building. I wonder if this is updated compared to what was in the master plan doc?

Agree and not sure, the article is recent and combines them.  My guess is that it has 2 sides with very different looks, somewhat like the ICA, which looks very different depending on which side you view it, that's my guess.  The image is the backside of the ICA, which looks very different than facing broad.

Looked up the architect and no clue from their website.  

Edited November 22, 2021 by Hike

[whw53]

Top view is definitely looking south and we can see the Broad and Belvidere faces in that concept rendering . Given that, not sure how that second caption makes sense -  doesn't add up, I don't think its the same concept.  I doubt the building face in the second illustration would be facing the alley or Henry St. 

Edited November 22, 2021 by whw53

[Hike]

2 minutes ago, whw53 said:

Top view is definitely looking south and we can see the Broad and Belvidere faces in that concept rendering . Given that, not sure how that second caption makes sense -  doesn't add up, I don't think its the same concept.  I doubt the building face in the second illustration would be facing the alley or Henry St. 

Which makes me believe the first image is being used as a reference to the masterplan image only, the other 2 are updates is a good guess.

[Downtowner]

https://richmond.com/news/local/vcu-health-s-new-outpatient-tower-will-expand-massey-cancer-and-consolidate-services/article_61e9688c-ccfa-5dc0-8302-545d6e21d0c4.html
 

also found this has some concerning news regarding the vcu office tower but a lot of it is very positive news regarding vcu health as a whole and I’m very excited for the future of its health system and the entire university. 

[Hike]

Working from home is going to effect office construction,  thinking CoStar may have this problem too.

[Downtowner]

10 minutes ago, Hike said:

Working from home is going to effect office construction,  thinking CoStar may have this problem too.

Yes I’m very concerned about that as well. Sad to think that the future of our city may never a new tallest as an office building. I think sadly our best chance for a new tallest will be a residential tower and that’s very hard to do because those are like ultra luxury towers. 

[DowntownCoruscant]

Sad as that may be, I’m probably not alone in appreciating the increased flexibility (and trust) that comes with being able to see my kids get off the bus and the like that remote work brings.

[wrldcoupe4]

Interesting that it was designed to accommodate 5 additional floors in the future.

[I miss RVA]

52 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Interesting that it was designed to accommodate 5 additional floors in the future.

The article isn't clear. WHICH building can accommodate an additional five floors down the road? They're talking about three buildings in the story - and the reference to the new outpatient hospital seems vague. Is that the building that can expand by five floors on top?

[wrldcoupe4]

I read it to be ambulatory care tower. 

[Hike]

2 hours ago, DowntownCoruscant said:

Sad as that may be, I’m probably not alone in appreciating the increased flexibility (and trust) that comes with being able to see my kids get off the bus and the like that remote work brings.

I worked from home for almost a year,  got vaccinated, then went back to the office in April, rotated days at home and the office, a hybrid approach. This was agreed as no problem, was more than ok. Then the trust thing happened. I was in a sales position and guess what,  my sales were off,  lower than the past years, gee, I wonder why, Covid perhaps?  I was constantly under pressure, what I did on my days at home, who'd I see, where did I go,  what calls I made.  In the past, there was some pressure,  but not like when I was working from home. The discussions were awful, my wife in her office overhearing the calls, answering the "what I'm doing type questions", it was too much, the trust was gone and we had to make a decision, so I left.  Probably never going back to work again and adding to the statistics for employees leaving the workplace. I did like the flexibility and hoped it would last, my sales conversations were free, talked to clients like we were friends,  enjoyed it, felt confident,  but it was numbers, which weren't there unfortunately,  so for me,  it didn't work out,  but ultimately I'm ok and excited about the next chapter and more hikes....

[I miss RVA]

3 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

I read it to be ambulatory care tower. 

That's more-or-less what I thought. Thanks, Coupe! 

[123fakestreet]

https://richmond.com/news/local/education/vcu-is-asking-the-state-to-fund-a-181-million-arts-and-innovation-building-at/article_9c133721-292b-5e84-bf21-b0b1dc1de54c.html

 

So I guess its official, and this answers the question of which rendering they will use

 

Edit: guess not, just noticed the 4th picture they use is still the different rendering 

Edited November 26, 2021 by 123fakestreet

[rjp212]

I love that VCU seems to start a new building everytime one of their other projects is about 3/4 done.  

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, 123fakestreet said:

https://richmond.com/news/local/education/vcu-is-asking-the-state-to-fund-a-181-million-arts-and-innovation-building-at/article_9c133721-292b-5e84-bf21-b0b1dc1de54c.html

 

So I guess its official, and this answers the question of which rendering they will use

 

Edit: guess not, just noticed the 4th picture they use is still the different rendering 

I must be missing something - I'm seeing only three pix in the RTD scroll.

[Downtowner]

16 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

I must be missing something - I'm seeing only three pix in the RTD scroll.

They must of removed the older rendering from the story. I saw it earlier when they first posted the story and it was on there. Must of taken down the old rendering.

[123fakestreet]

1 hour ago, Downtowner said:

They must of removed the older rendering from the story. I saw it earlier when they first posted the story and it was on there. Must of taken down the old rendering.

Yeah it's gone now, interesting. Guess my original comment stands.