Diamond Area / Hermitage Rd Corridor / Ownby District

[Brent114]

Self storage, as mentioned in the listing, would be great infill here.  
I couldn’t care less if another tree is ever planted in Richmond.  
 

 

[Virginian11]

2 hours ago, Brent114 said:

Self storage, as mentioned in the listing, would be great infill here.  
I couldn’t care less if another tree is ever planted in Richmond.  
 

 

Now that is a unique take and words i never thought I’d see strung together.  No shade, just a hot take in a direction you don’t see often.  Cheers.

[Brent114]

1) Richmond doesn’t maintain the trees that we have

2) the urban centers of Europe, South America and Asia have very few trees (they are relegated to the lovely parks).  

3) trees don’t make cities and this corridor doesn’t need beautification, it needs urbanization. 

[Rooster]

lol - its fun to see how different people can be.  Another self storage box along the highway instead of some nature? hot ashes for trees? hot air for a cool breeze?  There are lots of urban centers in Asia South America and Europe (and America)  that are are hell holes - poor planning, paved over everything, killing the very land the city is built on - not a good strategy. Trees may not make cities but human beings need nature - trees, grass, etc. Natural spaces literally cool temperatures, filter air pollution, help rainwater runoff, and have psychological benefits for people. Smart design allows for dense urbanization that incorporates nature into it - Richmond can grow into an amazing city that really incorporates itself into the environment in intelligent ways - and it can complement urbanization and growth. The hubris  of last century which didnt understand the value of the natural world led to alot of bleak devestation  - inner cities and its residents have paid a heavy price. 

Not sure I understand your point that that corridor doesnt need beautification - are you suggesting its already beautiful, or that beauty is irrelevant?  And how does a storage facility right there promote urbanization?  Ive really never incountered hostility to trees before and Im facinated...

[I miss RVA]

28 minutes ago, Rooster said:

lol - its fun to see how different people can be.  Another self storage box along the highway instead of some nature? hot ashes for trees? hot air for a cool breeze?  There are lots of urban centers in Asia South America and Europe (and America)  that are are hell holes - poor planning, paved over everything, killing the very land the city is built on - not a good strategy. Trees may not make cities but human beings need nature - trees, grass, etc. Natural spaces literally cool temperatures, filter air pollution, help rainwater runoff, and have psychological benefits for people. Smart design allows for dense urbanization that incorporates nature into it - Richmond can grow into an amazing city that really incorporates itself into the environment in intelligent ways - and it can complement urbanization and growth. The hubris  of last century which didnt understand the value of the natural world led to alot of bleak devestation  - inner cities and its residents have paid a heavy price. 

Not sure I understand your point that that corridor doesnt need beautification - are you suggesting its already beautiful, or that beauty is irrelevant?  And how does a storage facility right there promote urbanization?  Ive really never incountered hostility to trees before and Im facinated...

Very well said, @Rooster!  I can't argue with you here.  

[Child2021]

I don't want to be a downer, but I won't be surprised if the state the buys it.  There seems to be a ongoing  push to alleviate traffic (with axillary lanes, and braided ramps)   in that portion of 95 - 64, since it is very heavily trafficked.  

Take a look below: 

I-95 & 64 Overly study by VDOT 

Or either a saltation plant since the current one is in the future Diamond district. 

 

Take a look at the study yourself: 

Overlap_Final_Report_032713_No_Appendix.pdf (virginiadot.org)

It may impact future developments in key areas.  

[Child2021]

Also, I think trees would be perfect right there .

[I miss RVA]

58 minutes ago, Child2021 said:

I don't want to be a downer, but I won't be surprised if the state the buys it.  There seems to be a ongoing  push to alleviate traffic (with axillary lanes, and braided ramps)   in that portion of 95 - 64, since it is very heavily trafficked.  

Take a look below: 

I-95 & 64 Overly study by VDOT 

Or either a saltation plant since the current one is in the future Diamond district. 

 

Take a look at the study yourself: 

Overlap_Final_Report_032713_No_Appendix.pdf (virginiadot.org)

It may impact future developments in key areas.  

Hmmm... interesting. I wonder if VDOT has updated this to reflect for some not insignificant changes over the course of the past decade? The report is from 2013.

[HRVT]

On 11/27/2023 at 8:16 PM, Virginian11 said:

Now that is a unique take and words i never thought I’d see strung together.  No shade, just a hot take in a direction you don’t see often.  Cheers.

Without trees, there's no shade to throw.

[Brent114]

On 11/30/2023 at 1:57 PM, HRVT said:

Without trees, there's no shade to throw.

A multi-story storage facility casts more shade than a few Bradford pear trees  

[Icetera]

Weird choice to level a bunch of houses just to replace an unnecessary road (the narrow portion of Rosedale).  They adjusted the lanes and rebuilt the South-bound Blvd exit, so I wonder how much of this study is still actually in play.

[Brent114]

Damn!  This plan for the Greyhound site is really “big city” looking to me.   650 units is nothing to sneeze at.  The design, while similar to everything else being built around town, looks more polished and substantial.  It looks like it was plucked from downtown Washington. 
 

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/12/15/greyhound-station-across-from-the-diamond-to-be-razed-for-650-unit-development-with-650-apartments/

[eandslee]

2 hours ago, Brent114 said:

Damn!  This plan for the Greyhound site is really “big city” looking to me.   650 units is nothing to sneeze at.  The design, while similar to everything else being built around town, looks more polished and substantial.  It looks like it was plucked from downtown Washington. 
 

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/12/15/greyhound-station-across-from-the-diamond-to-be-razed-for-650-unit-development-with-650-apartments/

I agree and was super pleasantly surprised to read, yet another article this week announcing another major development!  This week has been great for new project announcements!  When I read 650 units, I thought to myself, “This one should be tall!”  But no, just 7 stories, which I’m grateful for!  I guess I didn’t realize the property was 5 acres!  I thought it was much smaller than that…it seems like it is.  Anyway, where do you suppose the bus station should be relocated?  My suggestion is at MSS.  What do you think?

 

Edited December 15, 2023 by eandslee

[Flood Zone]

1 hour ago, Brent114 said:

It looks like it was plucked from downtown Washington. 

That's a good way to describe it. And yes, the thing is massive.

Interesting that in the rendering the Greyhound sign is still there. Yes I know that's for the frame of reference but it would be kind of funny if they called this development "The Depot" or something hokey like that.

Also, every rendering tells a story, and if you zoom in and focus on the bottom-left of the rendering, I'm afraid to say that the guy looking back at the women seems kind of creepy.

[I miss RVA]

56 minutes ago, Flood Zone said:

Also, every rendering tells a story, and if you zoom in and focus on the bottom-left of the rendering, I'm afraid to say that the guy looking back at the women seems kind of creepy.

Oy vey, good catch, @Flood Zone!! 100% agree with you. Ugh... 

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, eandslee said:

Anyway, where do you suppose the bus station should be relocated?  My suggestion is at MSS.  What do you think?

I've been advocating for Greyhound to relo to MSS for decades - and it was on the city master plans for decades. I believe the Richmond 300 plan was the first master plan that did NOT include moving Greyhound to MSS since the idea was first floated in the 1980s.

Much as it would make ABSOLUTELY the most sense to combine interstate bus with interstate rail, don't hold your breath that this will ever happen. Long before it got converted into a shopping mall after the fire nearly burned down the actual MSS station building) the train shed - was for decades envisioned as a possible location into which the bus terminal could be built. Problem is - it is now proposed to be used as a portion of the slavery heritage museum and park. Only a portion of the trainshed is going to be used - but at this point, that would preclude putting a bus terminal there.

The bigger problem is Amtrak. I believe when the city was working with Amtrak to reopen MSS and re-establish train service there, it was made known that the city desire to convert the station into a full multi-modal transportation hub. From what I've read, Amtrak balked and basically threatened to pull the plug on coming back to MSS if Greyhound were to be located there. I get it from the standpoint of not wanting the competition in the same building - but there are multi-modal terminals in this country where Greyhound and Amtrak essentially share a common terminal building. I believe Boston is or was one such location.

Anyway - to your point - no idea. This problem -- not knowing where to relocate a Greyhound terminal after it was sold to developers to be redev'd into high-end apartments - is something that is happening in other cities such as Philadelphia and I think Syracuse, among others. RVA is not a stand-alone in this by any stretch.

[Shakman]

3 hours ago, Flood Zone said:

Also, every rendering tells a story, and if you zoom in and focus on the bottom-left of the rendering, I'm afraid to say that the guy looking back at the women seems kind of creepy.

She also has her eyes on someone /something and wearing a mask and gloves.  Maybe she's about mug someone and then the guy staring at her will save the day.

Edited December 15, 2023 by Shakman

[Child2021]

Are they teasing something ?

[whw53]

They are teasing that the Diamond District will ever be built, yes. 

[123fakestreet]

5 hours ago, Brent114 said:

Damn!  This plan for the Greyhound site is really “big city” looking to me.   650 units is nothing to sneeze at.  The design, while similar to everything else being built around town, looks more polished and substantial.  It looks like it was plucked from downtown Washington. 
 

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/12/15/greyhound-station-across-from-the-diamond-to-be-razed-for-650-unit-development-with-650-apartments/

This shows there is robust demand for that area NOW, while the city sits on it's hands with the Diamond plans across the street....

[I miss RVA]

32 minutes ago, 123fakestreet said:

This shows there is robust demand for that area NOW, while the city sits on it's hands with the Diamond plans across the street....

 & !!!  EXACTLY.

[Urbs42]

This is a big domino to fall. There are now more than 1,500 units either under construction or announced on this stretch of the Boulevard. 

Let's also recognize the standard being set by the Ace, Novel and now this project. The property values are such that new residential developments are tall and dense. Scott's Walk snuck in at the last minute but it seems surface parking will no longer make economic sense here. 

The foundation for a truly urban Diamond District is getting stronger. 

[I miss RVA]

4 minutes ago, Urbs42 said:

This is a big domino to fall. There are now more than 1,500 units either under construction or announced on this stretch of the Boulevard. 

Let's also recognize the standard being set by the Ace, Novel and now this project. The property values are such that new residential developments are tall and dense. Scott's Walk snuck in at the last minute but it seems surface parking will no longer make economic sense here. 

The foundation for a truly urban Diamond District is getting stronger. 

I soooo wish that Scott's walk hadn't snuck in under the door as it (the door) was closing. They barely got it - man oh man ... the timing... ugh...

[eandslee]

7 hours ago, Brent114 said:

Damn!  This plan for the Greyhound site is really “big city” looking to me.   650 units is nothing to sneeze at.  The design, while similar to everything else being built around town, looks more polished and substantial.  It looks like it was plucked from downtown Washington. 
 

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/12/15/greyhound-station-across-from-the-diamond-to-be-razed-for-650-unit-development-with-650-apartments/

Saw this a few minutes ago and was mentioned on Reddit that the title of this article changed from “…to be razed for…” to “…could be razed for…” Hmmmm, now it doesn’t seem so definite anymore - as if it’s just an idea being discussed. 

[Flood Zone]

I think it's tidying up the headline more than anything. I don't think the article's substance changed from this morning.