Your Perception of Richmond- SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE ?

[vdogg]

Richmond is a medium sized city that feels and looks like a large city. The skyline has quite a presence.

 

[vdogg]

That said, these are very subjective terms. To someone from Smithfield, Richmond is New York. To someone from New York, well, pretty much everywhere that's not New York is the country to them.  It's all relative.

[I miss RVA]

22 hours ago, vdogg said:

Richmond is a medium sized city that feels and looks like a large city. The skyline has quite a presence.

 

This right here ^^^^ really hits the nail on the head. Richmond is a medium-size city that has always looked, felt, and in some ways "acted" like a large city. It has long had what was once the domain of only much larger cities: world-class museums, great cultural amenties (symphony, ballet, a fantastic live theater community, eclectic neighborhoods - and yes, I know a lot of similar-size (i.e., other Tier-2) cities have these now and some have had them for a long time but they always seemed to pale in comparison to what RVA has had long established) - much of the city is built on a classic, northeastern-US-style street grid and in most of these old neighborhoods, housing stock is very densely packed in - each parcel is very deep/long and very narrow - and rowhouses are the norm in most of these neighborhoods. Until the '70s and '80s it had a retailing core downtown that was comparable to retailing in much larger cities (especially with two large flagship department stores anchoring everything)... the look and feel of RVA has ALWAYS belied its relatively small population. And I agree, the skyline is quite impressive - even if it is smaller (shorter) than lots of other cities (and please - let's not argue about building sizes again, yeah?) ... I sometimes look at RVA - I look at the old sections of the city - the beefy skyline -- how densely packed certain areas are - and it seems like RVA "resembles" places like NYC, Philly, etc., -- only in "miniature" ... idk if that makes ANY sense at all, but that's something I have felt my whole life about RVA. It has that big city look and feel even though it doesn't have comparable the population or land area to back it up.

Edited November 7, 2021 by I miss RVA

[flaneur]

"I miss RVA" nailed it above. I've always described Richmond as what you'd get if Philly, Baltimore, and Charleston had a threesome that produced an offspring.

Re: that earlier list of banal cities, I would most certainly take Cincinnati off. I went for work before the pandemic and the seriously dense, rich, and unique urban fabric blew my mind. Over the Rhine, the amazing Roebling Bridge (Brooklyn's antecedent), quirky Covington KY just across from downtown (a la our Manchester), and a host of other urban neighborhoods really impressed me. I had a similar feeling when I went to Buffalo.  Meanwhile I found Austin and Nashville to be highly over-rated.  The places that developed and built out in a much earlier era, and prospered for so long before deindustrialization, offer so much that many of our booming, newer growth cities do not from an urbanism perspective (though I wish they had more jobs to get people back). Richmond really sits at a prime intersection in that it benefits from its old growth bones, but is still very much a player in the modern economy and will only get more and more in the game given recent trends, location benefits, and more. 

[I miss RVA]

30 minutes ago, flaneur said:

"I miss RVA" nailed it above. I've always described Richmond as what you'd get if Philly, Baltimore, and Charleston had a threesome that produced an offspring.

Re: that earlier list of banal cities, I would most certainly take Cincinnati off. I went for work before the pandemic and the seriously dense, rich, and unique urban fabric blew my mind. Over the Rhine, the amazing Roebling Bridge (Brooklyn's antecedent), quirky Covington KY just across from downtown (a la our Manchester), and a host of other urban neighborhoods really impressed me. I had a similar feeling when I went to Buffalo.  Meanwhile I found Austin and Nashville to be highly over-rated.  The places that developed and built out in a much earlier era, and prospered for so long before deindustrialization, offer so much that many of our booming, newer growth cities do not from an urbanism perspective (though I wish they had more jobs to get people back). Richmond really sits at a prime intersection in that it benefits from its old growth bones, but is still very much a player in the modern economy and will only get more and more in the game given recent trends, location benefits, and more. 

1.) GREAT analogy! I couldn't agree more. Very well said (and humorous, too!)

2.) AMEN! Preach it, brother! That's the thing that keeps my hope alive regarding RVA taking steps to get to the next level. I only wish I was 35 years younger so I'd presumably have an entire lifetime ahead of me to see what RVA does over the next 40 or 50 years. She has SO much potential to get seriously big, seriously bold and seriously well known. If/when she (finally) cracks through and reaches Tier-1 status - wow - we can only dream of how amazing that will be. I'm very excited about what the future holds for Richmond. 

[KJHburg]

Charlotte population 875,000 has exaclty one Applebees!  Yes some of our suburbs have them but either we have the largest Applebees on planet earth or locals like me are eating elsewhere (which we are).   No culture in Charlotte or Raleigh?  Must have never stepped foot in either city.  Richmond was much larger than both Charlotte and certainly Raleigh for many years until the 1960s or so when both started to take off Charlotte first then the city of Raleigh passed Richmond.  (and that is just Raleigh metro not including Durham which this was once one metro area which is combined over 2 million (Raleigh metro alone is 1.4 Million) , Charlotte metro over 2.6 million)

I have been to Richmond many times as I have friends there.  Be the best Richmond you can be.  You have a huge older housing stock and lots of historical buildings which is great (as I said you were much larger than Charlotte for 100 plus years and even longer for Raleigh)  You have a great mid Atlantic location close to one of the biggest ports in the country.  Unfortunately your closeness to DC area is both a blessing and a curse.  Blessing as you can be seen as a low cost alternative to Northern VA (where I was lived in that dreaded Fairfax County) and a much more manageable and affordable place in which to live. Unfortunately your RIC airport is overshadowed by the larger airports in NoVa.   You have great history.  Great museums.  A river running through the city.  Build on that.  Build on your strengths and be the best midsize city in the country.  I think Richmond has a lot of name recognition being the state capital.  At least you are not confused with Charleston or Charlottesville like Charlotte is.  

Visit our state museums in Raleigh (all free by the way even to you Viriginians) the Natural Sciences, the History and our great NC Museum of Art.   Raleigh, N.C., Official Tourism Site | Hotels, Restaurants, Things to Do and Events (visitraleigh.com)   Plus they have great independent James Beard award winning restaurants too.

Then come on down 85 a little further to the Queen City of Charlotte.  We can explore our breweries, unique neighborhoods, old textile mills renovated all by light rail too.  Explore CLT & Live Like a Local | Charlotte's got a lot (charlottesgotalot.com)  Come down to Charlotte and I will personally buy your lunch at a NON chain unique to Charlotte restaurant.  So head down I-85 south from Petersburg to Durham and Raleigh first then continue down to the QC!  One last point people vote with their feet our 2 largest cities in NC are growing superfast.  

 

 

 

[I miss RVA]

Okay ... WHO let this troll in?

"Be the best Richmond you can be" ... SERIOUSLY???  

All the unsolicited bragging and boasting crap belongs on the Charlotte site. Jesus... That's a LOT of nerve to come onto the RVA UP site with all this condescending and downtalking BS about RVA and all the Charlotte-Raleigh chest-thumping.

Tell ya what... keep your lunch - and I'll add 25 cents to the bill - maybe use it to buy some class.

Just unreal.

Edited November 30, 2021 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

Okay, I Miss RVA, it’s going to be alright. KJHBurg is a friend - he’s just merely defending what people on here have said about Charlotte and Raleigh not having any culture/history, etc. (which has been mentioned many times on this board).  I would venture to say that folks who say this are completely wrong and KJHBurg is just confirming that these cities do have culture and if you don’t believe it, come down for a visit.  Admittedly, he’s not wrong.  I don’t take offense. Richmond could do a lot better - it has so much potential and it’s frustrating that it doesn’t always shoot for the moon.  Richmond has had a lot of misfortunes, that if one little thing had happened differently, then Richmond would have been the economic center of the South (think banks, the airport, etc.). Unfortunately, those things didn’t happen and we are where we are. We cannot do anything more than just improve on our future and try not to let any more misfortunes happen again that would stunt Richmond’s growth or it’s potential.  I’d say Richmond’s future is bright and more and more people and companies are taking notice.  Richmond might end up late to the ball, but in the end I think we’ll be the ones dancing in the spotlight eventually!

Edited November 30, 2021 by eandslee

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

Not gonna lie, we look incredibly Napoleonic when we rant and rave about Raleigh and Charlotte and the like. I keep quiet but think it's not a good look. We're growing and doing well so why constantly compare and complain

[DowntownCoruscant]

{whispers} I mean … he’s right.

[ancientcarpenter]

1 hour ago, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

Not gonna lie, we look incredibly Napoleonic when we rant and rave about Raleigh and Charlotte and the like. I keep quiet but think it's not a good look. We're growing and doing well so why constantly compare and complain

Agreed. I've been quite vocal at how little I care about those two cities and how I (and most of RVA honestly) don't want to be anything like those two cities. We like who we are. If I wanted to live like Raleigh or Charlotte I would move to Raleigh or Charlotte!

[Icetera]

11 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

Okay ... WHO let this troll in?

"Be the best Richmond you can be" ... SERIOUSLY???  

All the unsolicited bragging and boasting crap belongs on the Charlotte site. Jesus... That's a LOT of nerve to come onto the RVA UP site with all this condescending and downtalking BS about RVA and all the Charlotte-Raleigh chest-thumping.

Tell ya what... keep your lunch - and I'll add 25 cents to the bill - maybe use it to buy some class.

Just unreal.

I am generally in agreement with you, but not on this one.  KJHburg's response was appropriate and well done.

[whw53]

a divergence! - *now everyone has long forgotten about my admittedly rash commentary on funding in the vcu thread* - doh! dammit i was thinking out loud again...

Edited November 30, 2021 by whw53

[I miss RVA]

3 hours ago, Icetera said:

I am generally in agreement with you, but not on this one.  KJHburg's response was appropriate and well done.

@Icetera- respectfully, you'll note that I'm not debating facts with him. I don't find fault with some of his analysis -- in fact, I agree that parts of the response are factually correct in terms of discussing some of the logistical problems RVA faces re: proximity to NOVA, their huge airports, etc. But the commentary itself? With all the bragging and attitude and downtalking to us about RVA? No, sir... it's  just a bunch of horse pucky chest-thumping and quite frankly is very insulting to RVA. I cannot accept it, nor will I.

"Be the best RVA you can be" -- can you GET any more insulting? 

That's basically like, say, Michael Jordan telling an up-and-coming basketball player - "be the best Joe Schmoe you can be" - and carries a VERY nasty hidden message - "because you'll never be me." THAT is what's lurking behind "be the best Richmond you can be" - the message of "because you'll NEVER be as great as we (Charlotte and Raleigh) are." Whether or not it was intended, it comes across that way. And it doesn't belong on here.

"Be the best mid-sized city" -- is basically saying to us - "because you have no chance to do anything beyond that - you can't -- and won't ever -- be us (Charlotte/Raleigh)."

WHY would someone come onto the RVA site and say something like that? Perhaps -- since I've been in Chicago for the past 20-plus years -- I should go on the Charlotte site and say - "You think you're all that - but you'll NEVER be where we (Chicago) are. You're a wide spot in the road compared to the Windy City. Get over it. Be the best 'boom town' you can be - because you'll never EVER challenge the Big 3 (New York, L.A., Chicago)... not in this lifetime... not in your kids' lifetime... not in your grandkids' lifetime... not in any lifetime."

How well do you think that would be received by folks on the Charlotte UP site? Even if I said it behind a cloak of "respectfulness" and wasn't so blunt about it?

As Tony Soprano once said - "Those who want respect... give respect."  Regardless whether or not his post contained factually correct analysis about RVA's situation, it was about as disrespectful toward us and toward RVA as it can get - only it was just couched in 'friendly' - 'smiley' analytical turns of phrases.

I will not apologize for standing up for RVA's honor. 

Edited November 30, 2021 by I miss RVA

[Richmonopoly]

I’m sorry I Miss RVA.  I didn’t read it that way at all.  
 

I’m with eandslee on this one.  

[I miss RVA]

6 hours ago, eandslee said:

Okay, I Miss RVA, it’s going to be alright. KJHBurg is a friend - he’s just merely defending what people on here have said about Charlotte and Raleigh not having any culture/history, etc. (which has been mentioned many times on this board).  I would venture to say that folks who say this are completely wrong and KJHBurg is just confirming that these cities do have culture and if you don’t believe it, come down for a visit.  Admittedly, he’s not wrong.  I don’t take offense. Richmond could do a lot better - it has so much potential and it’s frustrating that it doesn’t always shoot for the moon.  Richmond has had a lot of misfortunes, that if one little thing had happened differently, then Richmond would have been the economic center of the South (think banks, the airport, etc.). Unfortunately, those things didn’t happen and we are where we are. We cannot do anything more than just improve on our future and try not to let any more misfortunes happen again that would stunt Richmond’s growth or it’s potential.  I’d say Richmond’s future is bright and more and more people and companies are taking notice.  Richmond might end up late to the ball, but in the end I think we’ll be the ones dancing in the spotlight eventually!

I understand defending Charlotte's/Raleigh regarding their culture/history.  But if he's going to come on here to brag about his hometown, he can leave all the BS rhetoric of "be the best Richmond you can be" back at the state line. I have no problem with vigorously defending one's home town. But are any of us going onto the Charlotte site and dog-dragging their relative "lack" of culture? I somehow doubt it, and if any of us are, shame on us! I don't go on the Charlotte or Raleigh sites simply because I have absolutely no interest in what either city is doing. I couldn't care less about either of them, tbqh. My focus is RVA. Period.

I'm perfectly fine with his thoughtful analysis on specific points (and it's good to get an outside perspective simply because it's not as jaded as we might be with our rose-colored glasses on).

I'm perfectly fine with him defending his home town.

i'm not fine with us & RVA being talked down to.

And again - I will not apologize for standing up for RVA's honor.

Edited November 30, 2021 by I miss RVA

[Shakman]

When someone says "be the best you can be", I take that as complement.  I see that person respecting my individuality as A person.  This is how I interpret KJHburg's comment.  Forumer is respecting Richmond as a city with its own character.  Telling me to be or even compare myself to someone else is saying that I'm not good enough to be me; therefore be like this person instead.  We RVA folks are doing that to ourselves when we get upset that Charlotte's blankey is warmer than ours.  Envy's accomplishment is more envy.  Instead, learning from the past is how we gather our strength towards a better future. 

 

As I have said before Richmond is Richmond and Charlotte is Charlotte.  Why do we want to be like any other city?  Let Richmond be unique, grow, prosper and be the best Richmond can be.

Edited December 2, 2021 by Shakman

[I miss RVA]

7 hours ago, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

Not gonna lie, we look incredibly Napoleonic when we rant and rave about Raleigh and Charlotte and the like. I keep quiet but think it's not a good look. We're growing and doing well so why constantly compare and complain

I agree with this sentiment 100%. 

We are growing and doing well. Let's keep the momentum going.

5 minutes ago, Shakman said:

When someone says "be the best you can be", I take that as complement.  I see that person respecting my individuality as A person.  This is how I interpret KJHburg's comment.  Forumer is respecting Richmond as a city with its own character.  Telling me to be or even compare myself to someone else is saying that I'm not good enough to be me; therefore be like this person instead.  We RVA folks are doing that to ourselves when we get upset that Charlotte's blankey is warmer than ours.  Envy's accomplishment is more envy.  Instead, learning from the past is how we gather our strength towards a better future. 

 

As I have said before Richmond is Richmond and Charlotte is Charlotte.  Why do we want to be like any other city.  Let Richmond be unique, grow, prosper and be the best Richmond can be.

That's saying it a LOT better. And I agree. Let Richmond be the best (city/metro) she can be. That takes off any/all qualifiers & delimiters -- which is much preferable to how it was stated previously.

Thank you, @Shakman-- you said it well.

[Richmonopoly]

6 hours ago, Shakman said:

When someone says "be the best you can be", I take that as complement.  I see that person respecting my individuality as A person.  This is how I interpret KJHburg's comment.  Forumer is respecting Richmond as a city with its own character.  Telling me to be or even compare myself to someone else is saying that I'm not good enough to be me; therefore be like this person instead.  We RVA folks are doing that to ourselves when we get upset that Charlotte's blankey is warmer than ours.  Envy's accomplishment is more envy.  Instead, learning from the past is how we gather our strength towards a better future. 

 

As I have said before Richmond is Richmond and Charlotte is Charlotte.  Why do we want to be like any other city.  Let Richmond be unique, grow, prosper and be the best Richmond can be.

Teacher here and I agree.  
 

Also, I do go to other forums to see how other cities are developing.  I agree with I Miss RVA in the regard that I do not often comment or post in those forums, but it’s nice to gauge, envy (at times), and be motivated (as we should be given all of our development).

I do love I Miss RVA’s passion.  It reminds me of the honorable, former poster Burt.  May he Rest In Peace.  

[Downtowner]

7 hours ago, Richmonopoly said:

Teacher here and I agree.  
 

Also, I do go to other forums to see how other cities are developing.  I agree with I Miss RVA in the regard that I do not often comment or post in those forums, but it’s nice to gauge, envy (at times), and be motivated (as we should be given all of our development).

I do love I Miss RVA’s passion.  It reminds me of the honorable, former poster Burt.  May he Rest In Peace.  

Man I miss Burt so much just think of what he would say nowadays about all of the development. Me and wrldcoupe and eandslee as well as burt were the originals of the Richmond forum on up and to think of what Burt would say would be amazing to hear. He would always mention how he would bet a quarter on something when we talked about things on here. He also really loved posting on the Richmond dining out scene which was one of our biggest threads until he passed. He would always be posting about restaurants and I always enjoyed reading about them. He was truly a once in a lifetime treasure and he would always mention everything that not many of us knew about rva way way long ago. 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Downtowner

[Icetera]

2 hours ago, Downtowner said:

Man I miss Burt so much just think of what he would say nowadays about all of the development. Me and wrldcoupe and eandslee as well as burt were the originals of the Richmond forum on up and to think of what Burt would say would be amazing to hear. He would always mention how he would bet a quarter on something when we talked about things on here. He also really loved posting on the Richmond dining out scene which was one of our biggest threads until he passed. He would always be posting about restaurants and I always enjoyed reading about them. He was truly a once in a lifetime treasure and he would always mention everything that not many of us knew about rva way way long ago. 

Every time I see a restaurant announcement I definitely think of Burt.  I think I remember when you first joined RCW so not sure why it took so long for me to switch over to UP.  What ever happened to TBurban?  I see he stopped updating RCW last December.

[Downtowner]

2 hours ago, Icetera said:

Every time I see a restaurant announcement I definitely think of Burt.  I think I remember when you first joined RCW so not sure why it took so long for me to switch over to UP.  What ever happened to TBurban?  I see he stopped updating RCW last December.

not sure if you have him and Ryan_R mixed up but Ryan ran and operated rcw (richmondcitywatch) and tburban  who I talked to a lot on and off of here was the same age as me. He went to deep run for high school and then vcu for a while but last time I talked to him he was moving back to New York I know he was originally from there. Haven’t heard from either in ages. I was on rcw as well. I started really following development closely wh n riverside on the James was being proposed. I know before any of us ran this forum. There was a guy on up known as cotuit who ran the Richmond forum on up: weird things was he lived in Connecticut not sure what his connection with Richmond was but pretty much nobody was on here much until I and a few others started coming on here and then it really took off. There also a lot of other Richmond members who I don’t think post here anymore as well. 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Downtowner

[Icetera]

32 minutes ago, Downtowner said:

not sure if you have him and Ryan_R mixed up but Ryan ran and operated rcw (richmondcitywatch) and tburban  who I talked to a lot on and off of here was the same age as me. He went to deep run for high school and then vcu for a while but last time I talked to him he was moving back to New York I know he was originally from there. Haven’t heard from either in ages. I was on rcw as well. I started really following development closely wh n riverside on the James was being proposed. I know before any of us ran this forum. There was a guy on up known as cotuit who ran the Richmond forum on up: weird things was he lived in Connecticut not sure what his connection with Richmond was but pretty much nobody was on here much until I and a few others started coming on here and then it really took off. There also a lot of other Richmond members who I don’t think post here anymore as well. 

I am totally mixing them up since I do not recall Ryan ever being involved on UP.  Somehow I completely forgot about Cotuit as well, which is bad considering I am originally from CT.

[eandslee]

Well, I think I can shed a little light as I was the first one to be a part of Ryan R's Richmondcitywatch.com site.  In fact, he consulted with me on a name for the site before it even went public!  That's when all of this started (back in 1999-2000)!  I was at UVA at the time going to school.  Ryan set up RCW to talk economic development in Richmond and even got the site advertised on a few local news sites (I want to say Richmond.com  would advertise his site from time-to-time when that link was NOT the RTD).  Ryan was eventually able to secure a sponsor for his site because he was using his own money to keep it going (if memory serves it was Commonwealth Architects).  Ryan did a good job keeping the site going and growing for a number of years.  Many of us joined the community then.  I don't remember how many contributed to the site on a normal basis, but it was quite a few.  Then, life got in the way I suppose and he couldn't keep the site up as much as he wanted.  I could tell something had changed.  That's when I discovered Urban Planet and joined here.  Some of us who were on RCW crossed over to UP eventually.  Ryan did keep the RCW site up to date with photos every once in a while for many years.  The site still exists...it just hasn't been updated in a very long time (Jan 2020). 

TBurban definitely moved to New York and then he just dropped off the site.  Sometimes life gets in the way; I realize this is a hobby, so sometimes a lot of time cannot be devoted to keeping up with everything.  I kind of make it a priority with my free time to keep up (I love this stuff).  Anyway, Ryan is still around, but he doesn't post here (he never moved over to UP when the rest of us did).  He is doing well, last I checked - we are even Facebook friends! 

We've seen some good people come and go.  Burt was one of those guys who was a legend - I Miss RVA reminds me a lot of him.  Very passionate about Richmond and he loved to post on this site and thought he'd always be around.  Then one day, he just stopped posting.  Couldn't figure out why...a vacation, got sick?  No, turns out a few days later a good friend of his logged on to this site (because he knew Burt had a passion for this site and talking Richmond) and announced that Burt had passed away in his sleep a few days prior.  It was sad and I was heartbroken, but that's why we still have a thread open dedicated to Burt. 

Many of you have become very important personalities to this site and I wouldn't change you guys out for anything!  Downtowner, Wrldcoupe4 (I even know the story behind his screen name) are "old heads" and have been around since very early on.  Many of you who have come on in the past several years are awesome and love what your bring to this community!  I'd even say that we are more aware of development now than we've ever been thanks to a few of you who either have some insider involvement or know how to navigate the city's website (looking at you whw53!).  Icetera, how could we forget you?!  Thanks for being an awesome moderator!  I can rattle off more of you  who are real assets to this site - Brent, JSI, Hike, Richmonopoly, River Yuppy, Shakman (and all his one-liner funnies)...can't ever forget I Miss RVA; even some of you newer guys - 123fakesteet, ancientcarpenter...the list goes on and on.  One thing's for sure:  I love my community here on UP!  You all are part of what makes coming here so great...even if we all don't always see eye-to-eye on everything.  One thing we all agree on is that we love Richmond and love to discuss (and are excited about) its growth and development!

**Sorry if I did not call your username out...I was just going off the top of my head, but just know that just because I didn't mention you, it doesn't mean you aren't important and a worthwhile contributor to this site.  Indeed, I say, thank you to you too!

Edited December 1, 2021 by eandslee

[I miss RVA]

19 hours ago, Richmonopoly said:

Teacher here and I agree.  
 

Also, I do go to other forums to see how other cities are developing.  I agree with I Miss RVA in the regard that I do not often comment or post in those forums, but it’s nice to gauge, envy (at times), and be motivated (as we should be given all of our development).

I do love I Miss RVA’s passion.  It reminds me of the honorable, former poster Burt.  May he Rest In Peace.  

Thank you for your kind words, @Richmondopoly  ... how I wish I had been part of this  community back in the day to have had the opportunity to meet/interact with Burt, may peace and light be upon his soul. I'm sure -- no doubt -- that he must be looking down upon us and upon RVA and smiling at how our community has grown - and at how much RVA has grown as a city and what she is doing now. 

Edited December 1, 2021 by I miss RVA