Capitol / Financial District / Shockoe Slip

[eandslee]

Also, it appear that plans are still moving forward to get all state workers out of the Monroe tower:

https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/11/03/james-monroe-building-virginia

[wrldcoupe4]

On 10/18/2023 at 3:38 PM, ancientcarpenter said:

I cannot believe I'm seeing this for the first time. Thank you.

 

Axios article: https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/01/24/capitol-square-new-courts-building

The unfortunate thing is that the back of the building faces Main with a pretty depressing sidewalk interaction. Pocahontas bldg at least addresses Main. The state doesn’t care.  Main used to bustle. Will look good from Bank Street. 

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

The unfortunate thing is that the back of the building faces Main with a pretty depressing sidewalk interaction. Pocahontas bldg at least addresses Main. The state doesn’t care.  Main used to bustle. Will look good from Bank Street. 

Agreed, @wrldcoupe4-- it's a sweet looking building. It's a shame that E. Main won't benefit from what could be really good street-level activity (a la Bank Street) - nonetheless, it's an exciting building and I can't wait for it to be constructed.

[I miss RVA]

Nice article in today's RBS. The restoration of Old City Hall and the new General Assembly Building top the Golden Hammer Award winners. VCU's new STEM building, the Model Tobacco redevelopment and The Green in front of the Science Museum also were tapped for awards.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/11/06/old-city-hall-restoration-new-general-assembly-building-lead-golden-hammer-award-winners/

[eandslee]

Drove I-95 through downtown yesterday afternoon (going northbound) and it was amazing to see the number of cranes I noticed in the skyline that whole stretch of I-95 going through downtown until about the Bryan Park interchange.  I counted 3 tower cranes, 4 crawler-type cranes, and one baby tower crane on the west side of Scott’s Addition. One of the most notable crawler cranes was right there in Shockoe Bottom - working the Bakery Lofts. Work appears to be happening in earnest there and the crane is VERY visible from the Interstate.  Below is a photo that I stole off of Reddit that shows the crane I’m talking about (I was driving and couldn’t take any photos, but I’ll be back this weekend):

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by eandslee

[Child2021]

This is rapidly going up, it seems to be near or above the parking deck in terms of height.

[I miss RVA]

49 minutes ago, Child2021 said:

This is rapidly going up, it seems to be near or above the parking deck in terms of height.

You mean the Bakery Lofts?  Any chance for some of the more up-close-and-personal variety? 

Edited November 14, 2023 by I miss RVA

[ancientcarpenter]

[I miss RVA]

18 minutes ago, ancientcarpenter said:

Another great photo, @ancientcarpenter. Combining this with the Soda Flats for your Silver Port-a-Potty for this week. Well done, sir!

And of course... yet ANOTHER open, undeveloped tract of land (only this one will be GREEN) in downtown Richmond. Like we need more. Jesus... 

Edited November 20, 2023 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

This could just as easily go into the RVA business subforum: Jack Jacobs is reporting in today's RBS that Williamsburg-based  custom suit maker Andre Julius has come to Richmond. The company opened its second second showroom - and first outside of the Peninsula - earlier this month at 1309 E. Main Street in downtown. Owner Andre McLaughlin says he eventually plans to open a third location in Washington, D.C.

i say this constantly - anytime an out-of-town or out-of-state company plants a flag of any kind in RVA, it's a definite WIN for the city and/or metro. I'm reminded of my childhood when E. Broad and E. Grace streets were, essentially, the retail hub of the entire Commonwealth (and to an extent, the Virginia/Carolina region) - and I can recall the many different men's clothing shops that were located on both streets. Nice to see this retailer setting up shop on the eastern edge of the Financial District.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/11/20/williamsburg-area-custom-suit-company-finds-its-fit-in-downtown-richmond/

[I miss RVA]

@RVABizSenseMikehas the opening kickoff of 2024 with reporting in today's RBS of the state looking to an outside consultant to develop a master plan for the Capital District in downtown RVA. According to Mike's reporting, the Virginia Department of General Services last summer contracted Dallas-based AECOM - an infrastructure consulting firm - to develop a master plan for the 46-acre Capital Square campus. AECOM is VERY well versed when it comes to Richmond planning - it is the firm that helped the city develop the outstanding Richmond 300 Master Plan as well as the Shockoe Small Area Plan - both of which have been adopted and are on the books. Needless to say, the choice of the firm is a good one in as much as downtown Richmond is not "foreign" to them. AECOM came under contract last August and presented a first-draft version of a master plan to the state in November.

Whatever direction the plan takes, it will largely cover (with a few excluded carve-outs) the stretch from 8th Street on the west to I-95 on the east, and from Broad Street on the north to Main Street on the south. Included will be the entire stretch along 14th Street that includes the VDOT-annex tower (1401 E. Broad) and the Monroe building. INTERESTINGLY - it does NOT cover the parcel at 7th and Main, where the Virginia Employment Commission building is being demo'd.

No idea what will be proposed for any of the existing buildings down the road, or how this will impact development of the gorgeous new courts building fronting Bank Street and taking up all of 10th Street between Bank and Main in the legacy Financial District. An interesting nugget is that the state might be looking at some kind of "mixed-use, public-private" kind of development for the "eastern quadrant" that includes the VDOT and Monroe buildings.

As with anything - I'd tend to think the wheels will turn fairly slowly on this, and that it could be a while before we see any kind of serious movement from an actual development standpoint even once the new plan is adopted.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/01/02/state-government-takes-on-new-master-plan-process-for-capitol-square/

 

[ancientcarpenter]

Picture of the demolition:

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, ancientcarpenter said:

Picture of the demolition:

Great photo, @ancientcarpenter.  And, of course, you know the drill. Mazal Tov!!

[I miss RVA]

TRP and Washington, D.C.-based Nordheimer Cos have completed the purchase of the old Haxall hydro-electric plant on the canal and are planning to move forward with the planned redevelopment into a padel, pickelball and food/beverage venue, according to @RVABizSenseMike's reporting in today's RBS. Work on the project -- to be called Padel Plant -- is expected to begin in the spring with the venue opening by the summer.

I can't help but wonder if this might in any way help get Tom Papa's proposed Locks 7 and 8 developments off the ground in 2024?

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/01/11/developers-ready-to-kick-off-transformation-of-haxall-hydro-plant-into-padel-plant/

Edited January 11 by I miss RVA

[blopp1234]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

TRP and Washington, D.C.-based Nordheimer Cos have completed the purchase of the old Haxall hydro-electric plant on the canal and are planning to move forward with the planned redevelopment into a padel, pickelball and food/beverage venue, according to @RVABizSenseMike's reporting in today's RBS. Work on the project -- to be called Padel Plant -- is expected to begin in the spring with the venue opening by the summer.

I can't help but wonder if this might in any way help get Tom Papa's proposed Locks 7 and 8 developments off the ground in 2024?

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/01/11/developers-ready-to-kick-off-transformation-of-haxall-hydro-plant-into-padel-plant/

I don’t believe it will impact the Locks 7 & 8 buildings. Those are located to the east on what is currently a parking lot.

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, blopp1234 said:

I don’t believe it will impact the Locks 7 & 8 buildings. Those are located to the east on what is currently a parking lot.

Yes - they're in the next block to the east of this site and flank the canal (one north, one south).

What I meant was - I'm curious if positive movement on this project could potentially serve as a catalyst for other development along the canal - particularly the Locks 7 & 8, which are, essentially "adjacent" to this site. Just wondering if ANY kind of progress on the canal might finally break the inertia of additional development -- particularly Locks 7 and 8, the development of which has sat completely dormant now for two (or more?) years now. I realize the lowering of construction costs - and the pullback of interest rates - along with supply-chain improvements will go a long way toward restarting a lot of projects here (and elsewhere). My question is more (somewhat) rhetorical in that I wonder if the needle moves on one project, perhaps the needle might move on adjacent/nearby projects.

 

Edited January 12 by I miss RVA

[ancientcarpenter]

Not sure if this is the right place to put this but there are talks about the (if I read this correctly at 6am) train track that cross over Mayo bridge being turned into a pedestrian/bike bridge:

Per Good Morning Richmond Ross Catrow

 

https://gmrva.com/latest - if you're not signed up for his daily emails you're missing out!

"Despite the snowy(ish) weather, I think both Planning Commission and Council’s Land Use, Housing and Transportation commmittee should still meet today—but keep an eye on the timing as City Hall won’t open until 10:00 AM. At each meting they’ll deal with what I think is creating a new, less irritating way to get from the T. Tyler Potterfield Bridge over to Semmes Avenue by foot or bike without having to mess around in the Trustist parking lot. Planning Commission will consider ORD. 2024–005, which accepts a bunch of money from the Central Virginia Transportation Authority for a project called the “Manchester Connection to James River - Ped/Bike.” While the Land Use, Housing and Transportation committee will look at ORD. 2023–358, which provides funding for the same project to build “a ten-foot shared use path with two-foot shoulders and a new pedestrian bridge over the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks.” Neither of the ordinances or the associated papers includes a map, so my brain can’t really visualize what’s going on here—but I’m pretty sure it sounds like an upgrade. If you’ve got a map or diagram and are willing to share, please send it along!"

Edited January 16 by ancientcarpenter

[I miss RVA]

51 minutes ago, ancientcarpenter said:

Not sure if this is the right place to put this but there are talks about the (if I read this correctly at 6am) train track that cross over Mayo bridge being turned into a pedestrian/bike bridge:

Per Good Morning Richmond Ross Catrow

 

https://gmrva.com/latest - if you're not signed up for his daily emails you're missing out!

"Despite the snowy(ish) weather, I think both Planning Commission and Council’s Land Use, Housing and Transportation commmittee should still meet today—but keep an eye on the timing as City Hall won’t open until 10:00 AM. At each meting they’ll deal with what I think is creating a new, less irritating way to get from the T. Tyler Potterfield Bridge over to Semmes Avenue by foot or bike without having to mess around in the Trustist parking lot. Planning Commission will consider ORD. 2024–005, which accepts a bunch of money from the Central Virginia Transportation Authority for a project called the “Manchester Connection to James River - Ped/Bike.” While the Land Use, Housing and Transportation committee will look at ORD. 2023–358, which provides funding for the same project to build “a ten-foot shared use path with two-foot shoulders and a new pedestrian bridge over the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks.” Neither of the ordinances or the associated papers includes a map, so my brain can’t really visualize what’s going on here—but I’m pretty sure it sounds like an upgrade. If you’ve got a map or diagram and are willing to share, please send it along!"

This is the bridge in question. Now - I'm not sure how exactly building a pedestrian bridge along this trestle would work because it's an active crossing for Norfolk-Southern freight going through Richmond to/from Hampton Roads and southwest Virginia, yes? Has something changed in terms of N-S's freight routing?

Edited January 16 by I miss RVA

[blake_p]

1 hour ago, ancientcarpenter said:

Not sure if this is the right place to put this but there are talks about the (if I read this correctly at 6am) train track that cross over Mayo bridge being turned into a pedestrian/bike bridge:

Per Good Morning Richmond Ross Catrow

 

https://gmrva.com/latest - if you're not signed up for his daily emails you're missing out!

"Despite the snowy(ish) weather, I think both Planning Commission and Council’s Land Use, Housing and Transportation commmittee should still meet today—but keep an eye on the timing as City Hall won’t open until 10:00 AM. At each meting they’ll deal with what I think is creating a new, less irritating way to get from the T. Tyler Potterfield Bridge over to Semmes Avenue by foot or bike without having to mess around in the Trustist parking lot. Planning Commission will consider ORD. 2024–005, which accepts a bunch of money from the Central Virginia Transportation Authority for a project called the “Manchester Connection to James River - Ped/Bike.” While the Land Use, Housing and Transportation committee will look at ORD. 2023–358, which provides funding for the same project to build “a ten-foot shared use path with two-foot shoulders and a new pedestrian bridge over the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks.” Neither of the ordinances or the associated papers includes a map, so my brain can’t really visualize what’s going on here—but I’m pretty sure it sounds like an upgrade. If you’ve got a map or diagram and are willing to share, please send it along!"

I don't think they're talking about a bridge over the river.  I think this is a bridge from some early Fall Line Trail plans that crosses of the Norfolk Southern tracks from building CoStar took over in Manchester to the top of the Manchester Climbing wall.  the current bridge there is not bike or pedestrian friendly - it's too narrow and requires a 270 degree turn to get on it.  I think the bridge will run from close to the parking lot at 7th and Semmes to the north end of the existing bridge.

[I miss RVA]

5 minutes ago, blake_p said:

I don't think they're talking about a bridge over the river.  I think this is a bridge from some early Fall Line Trail plans that crosses of the Norfolk Southern tracks from building CoStar took over in Manchester to the top of the Manchester Climbing wall.  the current bridge there is not bike or pedestrian friendly - it's too narrow and requires a 270 degree turn to get on it.  I think the bridge will run from close to the parking lot at 7th and Semmes to the north end of the existing bridge.

Ahhh - good to know. Thanks! 

[ancientcarpenter]

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, ancientcarpenter said:

Thanks, @ancientcarpenterfor taking and posting. And you know the drill. Perhaps text the Mrs. now & let her know you're bringing home some brand new for 2024  Silver Hardware from your friends at RVA/UP. 

NOW - regarding this block (and many of these blocks: I SOOO wish these blocks were carved up into quarters - and that we could get high-rise buildings on each "quarter". Looking at this block - (the obvious bit about who owns what piece of the block, etc. aside) - I contend that once the old VEC building is cleared - then this block is prime for no fewer than THREE high-rises. One at 7th and Main (SE corner, where the VEC building is/was), one at 7th and Cary (NE corner) and one at 8th and Cary (NW corner).

While we're at it - I'd SO love to see those big parking decks on E. Cary go hasta la bye bye and be replaced with - you guessed it - high-rises. So one of the NE corner of 8th and Cary, one on the NW corner of 9th and Cary and one on the NE corner of 9th and Cary.

I know... dream on, fat boy, right? 

Believe it or not - around the time the James Center was being constructed: a developer had plans for a 22-story building (same kind of white/silver window horizontal striped motif for the building's cladding) that would have been built on either the NE corner of 8th and Cary or the NE corner of 9th and Cary. I think it was 8th and Cary. I distinctly remember seeing the plans in both the Richmond News-Leader (the city's old afternoon daily) and the Times-Dispatch. So this would have been somewhere between 1983 and '85 if I recall. I've never been able to find anything online about it

.

Edited January 16 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

Thanks, @ancientcarpenterfor taking and posting. And you know the drill. Perhaps text the Mrs. now & let her know you're bringing home some brand new for 2024  Silver Hardware from your friends at RVA/UP. 

NOW - regarding this block (and many of these blocks: I SOOO wish these blocks were carved up into quarters - and that we could get high-rise buildings on each "quarter". Looking at this block - (the obvious bit about who owns what piece of the block, etc. aside) - I contend that once the old VEC building is cleared - then this block is prime for no fewer than THREE high-rises. One at 7th and Main (SE corner, where the VEC building is/was), one at 7th and Cary (NE corner) and one at 8th and Cary (NW corner).

While we're at it - I'd SO love to see those big parking decks on E. Cary go hasta la bye bye and be replaced with - you guessed it - high-rises. So one of the NE corner of 8th and Cary, one on the NW corner of 9th and Cary and one on the NE corner of 9th and Cary.

I know... dream on, fat boy, right? 

Believe it or not - around the time the James Center was being constructed: a developer had plans for a 22-story building (same kind of white/silver window horizontal striped motif for the building's cladding) that would have been built on either the NE corner of 8th and Cary or the NE corner of 9th and Cary. I think it was 8th and Cary. I distinctly remember seeing the plans in both the Richmond News-Leader (the city's old afternoon daily) and the Times-Dispatch. So this would have been somewhere between 1983 and '85 if I recall. I've never been able to find anything online about it

.

I completely agree with you, but with the state owning this block (or a portion of it), I bet that it isn’t likely to be developed by anyone but the state. Unless they decide to offload this prime real estate for the money. I also doubt that the state would build separate structures on each “quarter.”  I could be wrong though.  In fact, I hope I’m wrong!

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, eandslee said:

I completely agree with you, but with the state owning this block (or a portion of it), I bet that it isn’t likely to be developed by anyone but the state. Unless they decide to offload this prime real estate for the money. I also doubt that the state would build separate structures on each “quarter.”  I could be wrong though.  In fact, I hope I’m wrong!

Yep - now, I'm not sure if the state owns the ENTIRE stretch of the east side of 8th Street from Main to Cary - or just the portion on which the old VEC building sat. Maybe they do own the whole thing, since they're turning that entire stretch into a parking lot for squirrels and pigeons. Dunno...

That's the one thing that worries me about the Sea of Parking Lots that is the southern two thirds of Monroe Ward from about 6th Street going west toward Belvidere.  If/when came the time for developers to start snapping THOSE bad boys up - I tend to thing they'd likely try to purchase and consolidate an entire square block (if parcels are owned by different folks) - and then build something on the large footprint. Which says to me - something big, flat, squat, short and wide. Six - maybe seven or eight stories - and damn-near the entire block. Like a 6-over-1 similar to the Otis, which takes up the entire city block on which it is built. Nothing epic like gorgeous projects that never - EVER - materialized for one reason or another, such as Centennial Towers, the Belvidere, the Locks at 321, just to name a few.

It's a sad state of affairs that I'm imagining that downtown land values simply aren't enough that developers might only buy a portion of a block and go seriously vertical. As @upzoningisgoodhas pointed out, there's simply no demand there, unlike Nashville (and other our other competitors in Carolina, Austin, etc.) where there IS huge demand to be downtown. It feels like almost no one wants to be downtown in Richmond.  Heck - I was watching the NFL game yesterday in Buffalo, and Mike Tirico made it a point to say: "They've totally revitalized downtown Buffalo over the past 20 years, and now there's SO much to see and do there. It's a LOT of fun and a great place to be."

Wow! HUGE compliment - on NATIONAL television!

So let's be completely frank: could Mike Tirico make anything even remotely close to that kind of comment about downtown RVA? Okay - there's some good stuff coming - the riverfront is getting a big boost with the amphitheater and CoStar. Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd... i'm waiting... anyone? Anything? Oh yeah - a LOT of stuff "in potentia" right now.

Let's review:

• Locks 7 and 8 would help turn the Canal into a pretty amazing, lively center of activity (particularly with the CoStar campus serving as an anchor). But that plan has sat dormant for the last couple of years - obviously interest rates and the other post-pandemic economic travails were a big roadblock.
• City Center (IF - and I'm starting to think that is a HUGE IF) it is actually developed could inject some life north of Broad in the form of residents living there, a huge hotel, an office building and other amenities and public spaces. But City Center's progress has seemingly ground completely to a halt. No movement. I'm not confident that there will actually be ANY forward progress on this initiative anytime soon. And this part - that's been sitting dormant - is Phase 1. If City Center was basically a planned way to get private development to essentially "replace" what would have been built with public money in the failed Navy Hill plan - then the overall plan -- ON PAPER -- looks AWESOME. But we haven't even gotten a DEVELOPMENT TEAM selected for PHASE ONE, much less the "rest" of City Center.
• The Arts District IS coming into its own, with VPM coming, supposedly the apartment building at Madison and Broad coming, development around Foushee and Grace coming.  The amazing VCU/CoStar Arts and Innovation center will anchor the western Broad Street gateway to downtown - and we're fairly certain that's coming. That part of downtown is going to be utterly amazing in five or so years IF - and again IF - everything planned/proposed actually gets built.

I was going to make this point in the "Richmond Off Topic" thread several days ago and got busy. So I want to pose the question to @upzoningisgoodin particular. Based on your astute analysis, WHAT is it that Richmond is missing downtown that other cities (take Nashville where you are) aren't? WHAT exactly is creating SO much demand that folks are clamoring and chomping at the bit to live, work, BE downtown there? WHAT does Richmond need to do to create that same demand for people to be downtown - for downtown to be the "IT" place in Richmond that the downtowns of other up-and-coming boom cities apparently already are? I want to know what the heck we can do to make downtown SO off-the-chain desirable a place to be that if/when a company decided to make a major relo to - or open an HQ2 - in Richmond, they'd just HAVE to do it downtown?

Obviously, there's something akin to that level of energy and demand across the river in Manchester - otherwise WHY would Avery Hall drop the amount of coin on that riverfront parcel on W 6th street with plans to build two towers that - until (again IF) the Hourigan building at the Silos site gets built - will be the tallest buildings in Manchester.

I think if we could ever crack this riddle - we'll finally see a HUGE turnaround downtown. 

Edited January 17 by I miss RVA

[Flood Zone]

Monroe set to become a ghost town. State workers headed to Main Street Center,  among other places.  The article says the renovation cost for Monroe was $900M! Also, to anyone moving to the 22nd floor of MSC, pro tip from years and years ago: if anyone kicks on your window, it’s probably not a swat team but instead window washers.