The Fan / Museum District

[I miss RVA]

56 minutes ago, Rooster said:

yep - theres a post to a RBS story higher up on this page from 4/26  too much to keep up with, good problems to have!

 

Coolness. Thanks, my friend! I thought we'd seen something on this previously. Like you said -having too many projects to keep track of is a VERY good problem to have - and one that, until the last how-ever-many years, was one that RVA didn't have previously (at least not in my lifetime). VERY exciting times.

[ancientcarpenter]

17 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

Hmmm... ... this is what's listed at 2501 Grayland - is this what's being demo'd?

 

Yes, very curious to see what will go here.

[rjp212]

On 10/13/2022 at 10:57 AM, I miss RVA said:

City Council gave the green light to converting the Shenandoah building into a new boutique hotel. VERY cool! We've had this project on here previously - but now there's actual movement and the ball is rolling. What's cool is that the New York-based developer ASH NYC - has done similar hotel projects in New Orleans, Providence, RI, Detroit and Baltimore - with a fifth hotel on the way for Philadelphia. So this project will be the company's sixth nationally, putting Richmond in some VERY exclusive company in terms of cities in which this company has developed its particular brand/style of hotel. Ya GOTTA love that!!

Another win for Richmond!

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2022/10/13/new-boutique-hotel-in-the-fan-gets-council-go-ahead/

Building Permits have been filed for the hotel conversion of the Shenandoah.    Doesn't look to be much exterior work, but there will be outdoor seating added for the Ash Bar and Ash Café.

 

[I miss RVA]

24 minutes ago, rjp212 said:

Building Permits have been filed for the hotel conversion of the Shenandoah.    Doesn't look to be much exterior work, but there will be outdoor seating added for the Ash Bar and Ash Café.

 

Fantastic!!! So glad to see this one finally moving forward. It will be a GREAT additional to the Fan!

[blake_p]

Science Museum

[ancientcarpenter]

8 minutes ago, blake_p said:

Science Museum

Ugh, that Science Museum "park" is such a "non place" place. Reminds me of a corporate "lunch walk" park for employees more than anything actually useful by the community. 

 

They had a chance to build a mini-VMFA style green space for that side of broad st to use as a (desperately needed) public park and completely fumbled. What a waste of money that is. 

[I miss RVA]

11 hours ago, blake_p said:

Science Museum

Great shots, @blake_p!! Thanks so much for taking and posting these. Methinks if I can keep all my lists organized, you're in line for some silver hardware as well.

Love how in the first photo we can see BOTH the Summit (on Broad Street) AND and tower crane at the Soda Flats construction site. LOVE seeing the way Scott's is growing from the vantage point of the grounds of the Science Museum.

[Brent114]

I think the park is fine.  In keeping with the spirt of the science museum of Virginia all of the plantings are native to VA.   It’s great that the plantings are native but it does make it hard to pull off dynamic landscaping…
 

The location isn’t very good for a “hang out for hours” park and neither the science museum nor the children’s museum are very adult.   Think of the park as air conditioning (replacing asphalt with trees) for the immediate surroundings and consider that enough of a victory, besides, the back side of the museum is a large park and the Diamond District promises to have a more dynamic and fun (for adults) park two blocks north of here. 

[ancientcarpenter]

15 hours ago, Brent114 said:

I think the park is fine.  In keeping with the spirt of the science museum of Virginia all of the plantings are native to VA.   It’s great that the plantings are native but it does make it hard to pull off dynamic landscaping…
 

The location isn’t very good for a “hang out for hours” park and neither the science museum nor the children’s museum are very adult.   Think of the park as air conditioning (replacing asphalt with trees) for the immediate surroundings and consider that enough of a victory, besides, the back side of the museum is a large park and the Diamond District promises to have a more dynamic and fun (for adults) park two blocks north of here. 

I think everyone is very happy to get rid of the parking lot but they took a possible mini-park and made it into a non-place in a side of town that is desperate for parks. 

We could have had a park for people to enjoy themselves and relax but instead we got a park for museum employees to power jog around for 15min during their lunch break, 

Edited June 19, 2023 by ancientcarpenter

[Brent114]

Meh, it’s a place for school children to assemble before getting back on the school bus to Mechanicville.  It’s also a tree-lined walk to McDonalds after leaving the Science Museum.   That’s an appropriate use of that space, IMO. 

Edited June 19, 2023 by Brent114

[wrldcoupe4]

Landscaping doesn't always give you instant impact like a new building. Give it 10 years for the landscaping to mature. I imagine more scultures/art and exhibits get added over time as well.

[Flood Zone]

My take is “underwhelming but fine.”

[I miss RVA]

It'll look quite a bit different in a decade once the trees grow, etc. Who knows what else may end up being added there. It's interesting.

@Flood Zone-- good description - underwhelming but fine. It's not bad all in all. Could it be better? Sure. Still, new green space never looks as good the first however many years as it does a decade or so down the road when the trees are bigger and have some real shape and definition to them.

[ancientcarpenter]

Some fun shots as they pour concrete for the new firehouse on Cary in the Fan!

[I miss RVA]

17 minutes ago, ancientcarpenter said:

Some fun shots as they pour concrete for the new firehouse on Cary in the Fan!

Sweet pix, @ancientcarpenter-- and 100% silver-hardware worthy! A new, gleaming, freshly polished silver outhouse will be delivered to you in short order!

Edited July 17, 2023 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

The hits just keep on coming!

@RVABizSenseMikehas reporting in today's RBS about the next step in the redevelopment of former Dominion property on/adjacent to the former GRTC car/bus barn. The former Dominion Energy office building and two warehouses at 2400 Grayland Avenue will be converted into a 126-unit apartment building. City Council already has approved an SUP filing for townhouses to be constructed nearby at 219 S. Stafford Ave.

Love how this small corner of the southern extremity of the Fan - right up against the Downtown Expressway - is densifying.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/08/09/mystery-developer-eyes-apartment-conversion-for-former-dominion-office-complex-in-the-fan/

[Flood Zone]

29 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Love how this small corner of the southern extremity of the Fan - right up against the Downtown Expressway - is densifying.

I've been doing the same drive on the Downtown Expressway for almost 20 years now, and it's really remarkable how the view along its edges has changed.

[ancientcarpenter]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

The hits just keep on coming!

@RVABizSenseMikehas reporting in today's RBS about the next step in the redevelopment of former Dominion property on/adjacent to the former GRTC car/bus barn. The former Dominion Energy office building and two warehouses at 2400 Grayland Avenue will be converted into a 126-unit apartment building. City Council already has approved an SUP filing for townhouses to be constructed nearby at 219 S. Stafford Ave.

Love how this small corner of the southern extremity of the Fan - right up against the Downtown Expressway - is densifying.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/08/09/mystery-developer-eyes-apartment-conversion-for-former-dominion-office-complex-in-the-fan/

 

 

 

 

Is this only for the standing structures or for the demo'd space as well? Would love a Lidl or Aldi in the demo'd space!

[I miss RVA]

24 minutes ago, ancientcarpenter said:

 

Is this only for the standing structures or for the demo'd space as well? Would love a Lidl or Aldi in the demo'd space!

Both. There have yet to be particulars revealed for the demo'd space - but I think Dominion razed that swatch in preparation for development. Indeed - something like a Lidl or Aldi would be nice there - though I'm not sure how folks would like the added traffic such a store would bring. Also - not sure the footprint is big enough (depending on which parcel is the now razed parcel).

QUESTION: Are the big, non discount stores farther west in Carytown too close for something like a discount grocer to succeed there?

[whw53]

Not necessarily but i don't think there is an obvious discount candidate. Lidl is closing stores, Aldi is too close on Blvd, and ehh idk Save-A-Lot maybe is the only other moderate sized discounter in our metro really but not a match for neighborhood. 

Edited August 9, 2023 by whw53

[rjp212]

On 12/19/2022 at 4:04 AM, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

We have BizSense confirmation (and visuals) on this.

It's 26 townhomes. It fills out the plot quite nicely, I find. 

https://richmondbizsense.com/2022/12/19/two-dozen-townhomes-planned-for-dominion-owned-site-near-the-fan/

Updated site plan from the ZCLR.

[ancientcarpenter]

20 hours ago, rjp212 said:

Updated site plan from the ZCLR.

Walk by this emtpy parking lot daily... have been curious when we'll see some action. Looks like sooner rather than later! Exciting edition to the Fan area, great infill. Wish it was taller but at least it's homeownership and not renting!

[I miss RVA]

Pair of sweet infills proposed for vacant lots about five blocks apart on Monument Avenue in the Museum District. Three-story, eight-unit apartment building planned for 2818 Monument Avenue - between Arthur Ashe Boulevard and Sheppard Street. Farther west, six three-story attached single-family homes are proposed for 3317 Monument Ave Rear - in the middle of the block surrounded by Monument, Franklin Street, Roseneath Road and Tilden Street. Developers for both projects have filed for SUPs. The 2818 Monument project received conditional approval from the CAR in January. The project at 3317 Monument does not require CAR approval.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/09/27/residential-infills-planned-for-two-gaps-in-museum-district/

2818 MONUMENT AVENUE

 

3317 MONUMENT AVENUE

Edited September 27, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Rooster]

Wow! got to see some friends play saturday night at Reveler in Carytown. What a unique and freeky cool place - I had no idea. Not sure how widespread this concept is (kind of a mixture of a classy club and a victorian acid trip) but it sure adds more depth to Richmond's nightlife!

https://www.revelerexperiences.com/

 

[rjp212]

I went to an album recording there for a friend's band and it was defintely a cool venue.