Manchester Development

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, Brent114 said:

Legit for sure.  Big yellow one. 

Oh holy moly!! And with the 10-story guy there in the background (and the other buildings to the right of it in the picture) - this has a look and feel or a city really growing and really on the move!

[whw53]

On 8/9/2021 at 3:34 PM, whw53 said:

It looks like the apartment development by Urban Design Associates at 124 W 9th St has been nixed and instead will be developed into for sale duplexes - probably similar to Manchester Green. If you all remember this was the project that was to share a block with the former Triangle Gardens' Manchester Urban Farm -  the site itself situated to the north of that and directly across Porter from the CoHousing project. (see development map)
ORD 2021-197 was adopted at the the City Council meeting on 7\26 and was related to vacating a publicly owned right of way on the block - the alleys of which are no longer servicing any development or appear to be visible. Indeed the one mentioned in the report as an 'unimproved public alley running westerly off W. 9th Street' (see below) runs right through the center of the urban farm.  From the application materials the developer wil be constructing and deeding 2 new alley ways and in doing so, along with the application to vacate the ROW from W 9th, is making me think this new forthcoming project will take over the entire block. I'm not sure the status of the urban farm but Triangle Farms has lost its funding  since the POD was approved for th former project and UDA is in control of the whole block. 
While any loss of the urban farm will be hard to see , i am not as much disheartened to see what was to only be a 3 or 4 story mid rise apartment project get traded in for for-sale duplexes. Plenty of mid-rise and pending high rise structures in this area will provide that stock - good to see more rowhomes\duplexes pushing toward the river. 
Blurb from staff report and sketch showing the block and the ROW in question.
The aerial imagery is somewhat outdated - the structures at 120 & 122 W 9th have been cleared already.
 
 


 

Subdivision plat filed this week aligns with the above - 32 lots are to be created here.

https://energov.richmondgov.com/EnerGov_Prod/selfservice#/plan/c0ec7fdf-1214-40a5-bb68-f3f6b7f84a6d

[CitiWalker]

On 10/8/2021 at 3:26 PM, whw53 said:

Subdivision plat filed this week aligns with the above - 32 lots are to be created here.

https://energov.richmondgov.com/EnerGov_Prod/selfservice#/plan/c0ec7fdf-1214-40a5-bb68-f3f6b7f84a6d

Just wanted to add a few pics from this side of the river 

[I miss RVA]

Thanks for posting! What an amazing view! So you have a window on three of the six tower cranes up over the city. How cool is that! 

Here's hoping we'll see that dirt plot just to the right of River's Edge I converted into the construction site for River's Edge II soon!

[CitiWalker]

36 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Thanks for posting! What an amazing view! So you have a window on three of the six tower cranes up over the city. How cool is that! 

Here's hoping we'll see that dirt plot just to the right of River's Edge I converted into the construction site for River's Edge II soon!

I am hoping so. I have been patiently waiting to see that project break ground. It would definitely  be a game changer as far as shaping up the skyline of the Manchester riverfront area. In addition to Rivers Edge II the twin  11 story apartments with the sky bridge. The combination of those two projects alone would be a show stopper. All we can do and hurry up and wait...lol. It is fun to watch the growth of that area from this vantage point. A lot has transpired in the four  and a half years I have been working downtown.

[I miss RVA]

12 minutes ago, CitiWalker said:

I am hoping so. I have been patiently waiting to see that project break ground. It would definitely  be a game changer as far as shaping up the skyline of the Manchester riverfront area. In addition to Rivers Edge II the twin  11 story apartments with the sky bridge. The combination of those two projects alone would be a show stopper. All we can do and hurry up and wait...lol. It is fun to watch the growth of that area from this vantage point. A lot has transpired in the four  and a half years I have been working downtown.

I think the twin 11-story buildings with the sky bridge is Rivers Edge II.  That's the one I was referencing.

Perhaps you're thinking South Falls II, which has been upgraded to 14 stories?

[CitiWalker]

35 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

I think the twin 11-story buildings with the sky bridge is Rivers Edge II.  That's the one I was referencing.

Perhaps you're thinking South Falls II, which has been upgraded to 14 stories?

Yeah,  I was speaking to both projects. I have been waiting for the office building which is now going to be multi-family and I am waiting on the twin 11 - story buildings. Both in and of themselves would be game changers for the river skyline.  The combination of both of them being build during similar time frames would just move that part of the river front skyline to a whole new level optically.

[wrldcoupe4]

Don’t forget the silo redevelopment site. 

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Don’t forget the silo redevelopment site. 

And also PortRVA II (512 Hull Street - 11 stories)

And (if it gets developed) 201 Commerce Road (16 stories)

[whw53]

 

14 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

And also PortRVA II (512 Hull Street - 11 stories)

And (if it gets developed) 201 Commerce Road (16 stories)

@I miss RVA i really rreallly hate to be the bearer of potential bad news on this - i got a hint of this a few weeks ago on an apartment site  and in a RVA bizsense comment from Bruce.  I went and looked up the POD for the 512 site today and it has been edited to a 5 story- 65 unit building. 

Hint 1: info site notes 5 stories, construction 2022 (however it shows the 12 story Five50 rendering?) - https://www.apartmenthomeliving.com/apartment-finder/Port-RVA-Phase-II-Richmond-VA-23224-15047922

Hint 2: An ever optimistic Bruce comment on the Plant Zero story: "Add to the action, PortRVA II now coming in at 65 units with surface parking a lobby and office and some new outdoor am enities next to the swimming pool. That corridor is redhot." https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/09/15/developers-plan-apartment-building-on-part-of-plant-zero-property/

Hint 3: POD comment 'Build 65 unit mixed use building (5 stories)' - https://energov.richmondgov.com/EnerGov_Prod/selfservice#/plan/708fe447-3cfd-4eb7-be06-4f2464f71ae5

 

This is a real shame - the Box project is set for 7 stories which means we will have a taller building on the 500 block on the back side facing Decatur then we will along Hull..

 

 

Edited October 14, 2021 by whw53

[Icetera]

1 hour ago, whw53 said:

 

@I miss RVA i really rreallly hate to be the bearer of potential bad news on this - i got a hint of this a few weeks ago on an apartment site  and in a RVA bizsense comment from Bruce.  I went and looked up the POD for the 512 site today and it has been edited to a 5 story- 65 unit building. 

Hint 1: info site notes 5 stories, construction 2022 (however it shows the 12 story Five50 rendering?) - https://www.apartmenthomeliving.com/apartment-finder/Port-RVA-Phase-II-Richmond-VA-23224-15047922

Hint 2: An ever optimistic Bruce comment on the Plant Zero story: "Add to the action, PortRVA II now coming in at 65 units with surface parking a lobby and office and some new outdoor am enities next to the swimming pool. That corridor is redhot." https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/09/15/developers-plan-apartment-building-on-part-of-plant-zero-property/

Hint 3: POD comment 'Build 65 unit mixed use building (5 stories)' - https://energov.richmondgov.com/EnerGov_Prod/selfservice#/plan/708fe447-3cfd-4eb7-be06-4f2464f71ae5

 

This is a real shame - the Box project is set for 7 stories which means we will have a taller building on the 500 block on the back side facing Decatur then we will along Hull..

 

 

While I fear you are correct, I do find it odd that Apartments.com still lists the original completion date based on SMBW's project while displaying very new images of the area based on the Current's progress.  Also odd that the Gas request listed the specs for Five50 just 6 days prior to the downsized POD.  The gas request did expired whereas the POD is still Under Review.

https://www.smbw.com/project/five50/

 

https://energov.richmondgov.com/EnerGov_Prod/selfservice#/plan/4c21d799-2642-441b-97ed-672606e9d506

Ah, reading back to the original 2017 article this makes a bit more sense:
 

Quote

https://richmondbizsense.com/2017/05/15/12-story-tower-proposed-for-manchester/

[Icetera]

And that SUP was approved in 2017...

https://energov.richmondgov.com/EnerGov_Prod/selfservice#/plan/c365e3f5-1859-4442-a1f0-405534f606a0

[wrldcoupe4]

I heard this shrunk. I think that’s the case 

[I miss RVA]

Didn't that property change hands within the last year? I seem to recall it being either offered for sale or sold. Given that the POD application is nearly two years old, what are the chances that there might still be a change and the 11 or 12-story building might still be built? 

i'd be curious to know two things:

1.) If it has been scaled down, how much did it being delayed for SO long impact developer's plans? How/why did it get delayed so long? (Couldn't secure financing? Materials cost, etc.?)

2.) Is this an isolated scale-back (if in fact it is actually scaled back) due to circumstances unique to the project and/or developer, or is there a possibility that so many projects are in the pipeline for Manchester that there may be fear of a temporary "overbuild" in the market there? One that, I'm guessing (hoping) would be only a small speed bump and that demand will continue to be off the scale for residential space there. I'm asking because I'm concerned that other projects might be impacted. I'm thinking Rivers Edge II - it's been delayed forever and a day now - and if 512 Hull gets scaled back, I fear that something similar could happen with River's Edge II.

Corollary to #2 - then again, in thinking it through, perhaps overbuild isn't a problem - given that South Fall's II just put in a POD change switching from office to residential and UPGRADING the size of the building from 6 to 14 floors.

[wrldcoupe4]

It didn’t sell last year.  Demand is really strong. Not an indicator of something larger. 

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

It didn’t sell last year.  Demand is really strong. Not an indicator of something larger. 

Thanks, Coupe for easing my mind on this. That's good to know. Much appreciated.

That said, any speculation on what might have caused the lengthy delay and/or the scale-back?

Edited October 14, 2021 by I miss RVA

[whw53]

Ah ok good research @Icetera i didn't realize the POD was a different scope than the SUP. Well i find some consolation in the architect being SMBW. They'll give us an attractive design here. 

[Icetera]

30 minutes ago, whw53 said:

Ah ok good research @Icetera i didn't realize the POD was a different scope than the SUP. Well i find some consolation in the architect being SMBW. They'll give us an attractive design here. 

Their design was the tower, though, so it may not even be the same architect now.

[ancientcarpenter]

https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/10/15/mystery-developer-lining-up-block-in-manchesters-industrial-section/

 

Looks like more land is being primed for development with this rezoning change. Only difference here is a developer is aiming for southern manchester as lots get filled. Great news, clearly the growth is headed in all directions of manchester and this is a sure sign of it. 

Edited October 15, 2021 by ancientcarpenter

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, ancientcarpenter said:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/10/15/mystery-developer-lining-up-block-in-manchesters-industrial-section/

 

Looks like more land is being primed for development with this rezoning change. Only difference here is a developer is aiming for southern manchester as lots get filled. Great news, clearly the growth is headed in all directions of manchester and this is a sure sign of it. 

This is really great news! Glad to see RBS has picked this up. It'll be interesting to see what goes up there, provided the zoning change is approved (which so far has been the case for all of these up-zone requests)

[ancientcarpenter]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

This is really great news! Glad to see RBS has picked this up. It'll be interesting to see what goes up there, provided the zoning change is approved (which so far has been the case for all of these up-zone requests)

What's the highest they can go with a zoning change like this?

[I miss RVA]

10 minutes ago, ancientcarpenter said:

What's the highest they can go with a zoning change like this?

TOD-1 -- up to 12 stories.

If they had gone to B-4 - then anything goes. There have been a couple of requests for upzoning to B-4 in Manchester that I believe were approved earlier this year.   whw53 would know more about that. I recall it being posted,  The city does implement a 4:1 height/setback ratio to "manage" building height relative to the street where a building is being constructed. Dominion easily got an SUP approved to essentially throw that out the window - there are no set-backs on the Canal Street side of the Dominion Tower. Money talks, and the city wasn't going to say no to Dominion.

Back to Manchester: I believe much of the developable Manchester riverfront is zoned B-4. South Falls exceeds a TOD-1 zoning - and if they do build South Falls II at 14 stories, that would be beyond TOD-1 regs. The Silos site has been upzoned to B-4, and while the word on the street has been something along the lines of 17 stories or so, they could go well beyond that if they want. I'd love to see something more than 20 stories rise there.

[Jordon]

5 hours ago, ancientcarpenter said:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2021/10/15/mystery-developer-lining-up-block-in-manchesters-industrial-section/

 

Looks like more land is being primed for development with this rezoning change. Only difference here is a developer is aiming for southern manchester as lots get filled. Great news, clearly the growth is headed in all directions of manchester and this is a sure sign of it. 

I would love for this developer to to maximize its height potential with this zoning, also its great to see this area of Manchester begin to see interest in development. Hopefully within the coming years this would pave the way for more high density development. Also with the city paving sidewalks, and the correct ratio of commercial/retail additives, this area could become a strong, walkable urban core !

[I miss RVA]

5 hours ago, Jordon said:

I would love for this developer to to maximize its height potential with this zoning, also its great to see this area of Manchester begin to see interest in development. Hopefully within the coming years this would pave the way for more high density development. Also with the city paving sidewalks, and the correct ratio of commercial/retail additives, this area could become a strong, walkable urban core !

Spot on, Jordon - and I agree with you 100% on all points. It is so exciting to think about Manchester becoming, as you said, a strong, walkable urban core. There was a realtor/developer forum within the last year or year and a half and it was brought up during the presentation by a couple of the primary participants that Manchester is quickly becoming Richmond's version of Brooklyn - with it's proximity across the river to downtown, particularly as Manchester continues to grow in population and density. And this comment was made before quite a few of the recent projects were announced, especially those in the pipeline along the Hull Street street corridor that promise to transform Hull - and neighboring streets - into exactly what you describe. I am excited to see what Manchester looks like -- and feels like -- in even just 3 to 5 years from now -- a relatively short time span, but at the pace of RVA's development, enough time to be truly transformative.

Edited October 16, 2021 by I miss RVA

[CitiWalker]

On 10/13/2021 at 3:01 PM, CitiWalker said:

Just wanted to add a few pics from this side of the river 

Driving through Manchester this morning and grabbed some more pictures