Diamond Area / Hermitage Rd Corridor / Ownby District

[wrldcoupe4]

Agreed on capacity. This will draw more than the Diamond for sure. 

[ancientcarpenter]

4 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Agreed on capacity. This will draw more than the Diamond for sure. 

 

[I miss RVA]

8 hours ago, eandslee said:

I’m thinking we will too!  I always thought that the 360 design was what they were shooting for originally.  If it’s not in the discussion as part of the new design, I’d have to agree with @BigBobbyG that the team owners will make it so…or come up with something even better since they will have a monetary stake in it!  I’d also like to see capacity of the ballpark increased.  What if we end up with a AAA team again?  We need a big-city design that gives thought to what the future might be!

!!!

We need to be thinking in terms of moving up to AAA. Not saying we want to kick the Squirrels to the curb, but MLB might want to reposition a AAA team in a growing market like RVA. It's definitely something we should shoot for and have in mind regarding this new ballpark and the development closest to the ballpark.

[wrldcoupe4]

Only if the squirrels organization gets AAA. They are too good an operator to lose. 

[I miss RVA]

37 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Only if the squirrels organization gets AAA. They are too good an operator to lose. 

Can't argue with that. Maybe they'll get elevated to AAA at some point.

[Flood Zone]

13 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

We need to be thinking in terms of moving up to AAA. Not saying we want to kick the Squirrels to the curb, but MLB might want to reposition a AAA team in a growing market like RVA.

This is in the works, eventually, and it would be the Squirrels. MLB itself is the matchmaker for the minor leagues now; the old organization/ownership group courtship days are over. It is not as difficult now to see a city move up or move down in classification. Heck, a couple years ago, the St. Paul Saints and Sugar Land Skeeters (now Space Rockets or something) went from the independent leagues to AAA. That was part of a vast reorganization of the minor leagues. About 40 low-minors teams were cut or reassembled into collegiate summer league teams, and AAA was shaken up, too. Anyway, as part of its new minor league regime, MLB awards Player Development Licenses to minor league teams that define their parent organization and classification level. The trick is that the PDL standard now is 10 years. The Flying Squirrels were granted a PDL for Giants AA. I'm not certain if that was for a 10-year term and, if so, whether it can be severed to permit the Squirrels to move up to AAA faster. It is no secret that the Nationals would prefer their AAA team be located in Richmond (once the ballpark stuff is finalized, of course).

[I miss RVA]

54 minutes ago, Flood Zone said:

This is in the works, eventually, and it would be the Squirrels. MLB itself is the matchmaker for the minor leagues now; the old organization/ownership group courtship days are over. It is not as difficult now to see a city move up or move down in classification. Heck, a couple years ago, the St. Paul Saints and Sugar Land Skeeters (now Space Rockets or something) went from the independent leagues to AAA. That was part of a vast reorganization of the minor leagues. About 40 low-minors teams were cut or reassembled into collegiate summer league teams, and AAA was shaken up, too. Anyway, as part of its new minor league regime, MLB awards Player Development Licenses to minor league teams that define their parent organization and classification level. The trick is that the PDL standard now is 10 years. The Flying Squirrels were granted a PDL for Giants AA. I'm not certain if that was for a 10-year term and, if so, whether it can be severed to permit the Squirrels to move up to AAA faster. It is no secret that the Nationals would prefer their AAA team be located in Richmond (once the ballpark stuff is finalized, of course).

Really good information, @Flood Zone! And if the Squirrels could be "re-assigned" from AA affiliation with San Francisco to AAA affiliation with Washington - wow - that would be a BIG win all the way around.

[eandslee]

11 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Really good information, @Flood Zone! And if the Squirrels could be "re-assigned" from AA affiliation with San Francisco to AAA affiliation with Washington - wow - that would be a BIG win all the way around.

I agree!  This would be the bee’s knees!  I just hope the design of this park follows that vision.  We just cannot expect to remain a AA baseball team for the next 10-15 years. We should be AAA…we had it years ago, it’s time we go back to it!

[Flood Zone]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

And if the Squirrels could be "re-assigned" from AA affiliation with San Francisco to AAA affiliation with Washington - wow - that would be a BIG win all the way around.

I agree for a few reasons. For the Nats, it would be more convenient and end a shuffle of AAA affiliates that has existed since they became the Nats (Syracuse, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Rochester, etc.). The trend is to place your AAA affiliate close to the parent club because so many teams game the system on calling up and sending down players, particularly fungible relief pitchers. So, close would be better for them. It would also be better for us because Richmond as a sports market is to some degree merging with the DC sports market. One of the sports radio station already simulcasts 7 hours of DC drive-time sports radio. Solidifying Richmond as a "Nats town" would continue that trend. And I'd have no objection because my family is big into the Nats. I went to NLCS and WS games in 2019, and my wife and kids were with me at the World Series parade, etc.

That said, SFG has been a fabulous parent club since 2010. Many players on their 2010, 2012, and 2014 world champions (particulary, the latter two) spent significant time in Richmond, particularly Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt. The benefit of AA ball is you get to see actual prospects learn to play over the course of the season, as opposed to seeing prospects use AAA as a brief pass-through to the majors or seeing the AAA team occupied by "Quad-A" guys who are available should the big league club have an injury. 

1 hour ago, eandslee said:

We just cannot expect to remain a AA baseball team for the next 10-15 years. We should be AAA…we had it years ago, it’s time we go back to it!

We're a AAA market, for sure. Judging solely by total home attendance, we would've been in the middle of the AAA International League for attendance. That's being "saddled" by The Diamond, with home and away rosters lacking anybody that anyone outside of prospect watchers have really heard of, whereas AAA usually has the big names come through for short injury rehab stints. AND the Eastern League schedule was about 10 games shorter than the International League schedule, so Richmond's total attendance figure is missing an extra 30,000 or so at the gate.

With a new ballpark, and with the Squirrels continuing to operate things as well as they have to this point, we'd be in the top-quarter of the International League in attendance, probably never to drop below the top half.

Edited October 6, 2023 by Flood Zone

[upzoningisgood]

1 hour ago, eandslee said:

I agree!  This would be the bee’s knees!  I just hope the design of this park follows that vision.  We just cannot expect to remain a AA baseball team for the next 10-15 years. We should be AAA…we had it years ago, it’s time we go back to it!

No way, you want to be AA! That’s where all the best prospects are. MLB teams have transitioned AAA to more of a taxi-cab squad of emergency call ups instead of a finishing school for top players. Maybe with the widening gap between MiLB and MLB that will change, but the best guys sometimes skip AAA. They basically never skip AA. 

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, eandslee said:

I agree!  This would be the bee’s knees!  I just hope the design of this park follows that vision.  We just cannot expect to remain a AA baseball team for the next 10-15 years. We should be AAA…we had it years ago, it’s time we go back to it!

This is one of those times where we MUST break out of the rather traditional "thinking small" mindset that has been the RVA standard for so long - and we have to "think big" for once. We absolutely should plan ahead for a re-connect with AAA baseball. RVA's a big enough market to support a AAA club - and connection to the Nationals is a no-brainer. If the Squirrels can be re-assigned, it will be a win all the way around, particularly since the Squirrels are an outstanding club that has become very much a part of the fabric of RVA - something super important.

[Flood Zone]

1 hour ago, upzoningisgood said:

No way, you want to be AA! That’s where all the best prospects are. MLB teams have transitioned AAA to more of a taxi-cab squad of emergency call ups instead of a finishing school for top players. Maybe with the widening gap between MiLB and MLB that will change, but the best guys sometimes skip AAA. They basically never skip AA. 

This part is undeniable.

[I miss RVA]

54 minutes ago, Flood Zone said:

This part is undeniable.

Yeah - it is. However, as you correctly pointed out previously, RVA is undeniably a AAA market. Having those extra games - and the 30K extra gate attendance - is certainly a good thing. With a new ballpark (with enough capacity that is) there's no question that we could be near the top of the IL in attendance.  And much as it's certainly nice to have players stick around for a while like they do in AA, I think I'd rather have the top prospects in the organization hone their skills and make the jump to the Major League level rather than learn the game here. Even if AAA is little more than a "pass-through" - it still has perks. As you said - rehab assignments for major leaguers, PLUS, no question there would be an annual visit from the parent club for an exhibition game. Imagine having the Nats come to Richmond every spring for an exhibition game against the Squirrels - something akin to when the A-Braves came to town to take on the R-Braves, or when the Yankees came to Richmond for an exhibition against the Virginians. 

I see the argument for how good AA baseball is - but RVA is not a AA city. My preference would be for a AAA affiliation - particularly with Washington. It just makes sense and would be good for the Richmond sports scene all the way around.

[Flood Zone]

59 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

PLUS, no question there would be an annual visit from the parent club for an exhibition game.

Sadly, much as I have fond memories of the A-Braves squaring off against the R-Braves, no one does that anymore.

 

[Child2021]

I really hope they find a way to incorporate the CF Sauer sign into the new deployment. 

[HRVA]

10 hours ago, upzoningisgood said:

No way, you want to be AA! That’s where all the best prospects are. MLB teams have transitioned AAA to more of a taxi-cab squad of emergency call ups instead of a finishing school for top players. Maybe with the widening gap between MiLB and MLB that will change, but the best guys sometimes skip AAA. They basically never skip AA. 

Depends on the organization. The Tides used to be this way but the past couple of seasons Norfolk has been spoiled with extended stays by some of top prospects in baseball, including multiple #1s (Rutschman, Henderson and now Holliday).  

[I miss RVA]

Today's Axios Richmond is highlighting the "up-in-the-air" status of the Greyhound bus terminal on North Arthur Ashe Boulevard across from the Diamond District. The five-acre site was purchased last December by Twenty Lake Holding - a subsidiary of  Alden Global Capital, which purchased 33 Greyhound stations around the country. Twenty Lake put the property on the market back in January and, according to Axios, there is no information at this point regarding any actual sale of the land. Twenty Lake is still listed as the owner of the site, and Greyhound still operates from the terminal. RVA-based listing agents have suggested that once the site eventually sells, Greyhound likely will no longer operate from that location.

The Axios Richmond report details the travails of other Greyhound stations that were sold in cities such as Cincinnati, Charlottesville, Louisville and Philadelphia.

Definitely a story we should keep an eye on going forward.

From today's Axios Richmond:

https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/11/20/richmond-greyhound-scotts-addition?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_richmond&stream=top

[wrldcoupe4]

I had heard they were looking for a different, smaller space to operate from, but no idea about the status of the site other than that. 

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

I had heard they were looking for a different, smaller space to operate from, but no idea about the status of the site other than that. 

I hope they do find a location for a new base of operations - if not a new terminal (though that's probably asking for too much) - and hopefully it will remain in the city and not get schlepped out to the suburbs (say, to Staples Mill Road near the Amtrak station, for example). We NEED a functioning Greyhound terminal IN THE CITY - preferably close to downtown. I SO wish the city's long-standing desire to convert Main Street Station into a fully-functional multi-modal hub for train and bus had come to pass. It was on the books (as in, on city master plans) since AT LEAST the 1980s - and I remember when Roy West was mayor, he touted it (converting MSS into a true multi-modal hub) as an important and vital development objective for downtown. To this day, I agree 100% with that view. Unfortunately, I believe it was Amtrak that ultimately kiboshed that idea - saying that if Greyhound was integrated into Main Street Station, then they (meaning, Amtrak) would not run trains through there.

I mean, I get it - not wanting to share space with a chief business competitor - but for the love of all things Miller & Rhoads, Amtrak-Greyhound combos work (or have worked) in other cities such as Boston just fine. No reason it couldn't work in Richmond.

[RiverYuppy]

I could see Henrico not approving Amtrak in Staples Mill.  If it goes in the county, I could see it being closer to the airport. 

I don't see it going in Southside as it would be too close to the Petersburg Greyhound (which is pretty nice).

As a side note, I believe the last functioning pay phones in Richmond are in that Greyhound station. Greyhound moving could be the end of pay phones in RVA.

[RiverYuppy]

Interesting sliver of land for sale in the Diamond District.

 

It's right abut the highway. It's marketed as being a good place for self-storage. I wonder what other things could be done with that land?

[I miss RVA]

12 minutes ago, RiverYuppy said:

Interesting sliver of land for sale in the Diamond District.

 

It's right abut the highway. It's marketed as being a good place for self-storage. I wonder what other things could be done with that land?

Interesting. Wow - long and narrow. Do we know how it's zoned?

[Rooster]

While some here may not like it () thats basically a median strip - lose the billborads and plant some trees!  So many people's only opinion of Richmond is when they drive through on 95 - and its alweays been pretty rough. its come some way in the past decade but some beautification right there in particular would be nice, kind of a gateway/natural wall between the highway and Diamond District (Im willing to be in the minority in this opinion here - being right kind of takes the edge off ) With that said, I dont know if Diamond District Partners would be interested - I wouldnt want the city involved. Maybe a "make RVA awesome" non-profit... 

 

[I miss RVA]

7 hours ago, Rooster said:

While some here may not like it () thats basically a median strip - lose the billborads and plant some trees!  So many people's only opinion of Richmond is when they drive through on 95 - and its alweays been pretty rough. its come some way in the past decade but some beautification right there in particular would be nice, kind of a gateway/natural wall between the highway and Diamond District (Im willing to be in the minority in this opinion here - being right kind of takes the edge off ) With that said, I dont know if Diamond District Partners would be interested - I wouldnt want the city involved. Maybe a "make RVA awesome" non-profit... 

 

You're right - that swath is basically an oversized median strip in the larger scheme of things. Honestly, I can't imagine ANY development where folks would want to be butting up directly against the interstate like that. I'd think that would rule out something residential. Dunno... I couldn't imagine living with I-95 just a couple of feet outside my kitchen window. 

[123fakestreet]

20 hours ago, RiverYuppy said:

Interesting sliver of land for sale in the Diamond District.

 

It's right abut the highway. It's marketed as being a good place for self-storage. I wonder what other things could be done with that land?

I always assumed VCU would snap that up and use it as parking for their athletic development. That's one area where a nicely developed surface lot with a few trees would be a welcome improvement.

Edited November 27, 2023 by 123fakestreet