Diamond Area / Hermitage Rd Corridor / Ownby District

[Brent114]

Glad to see something happening. 
 

I get why they are tucking the field into  the south west corner but it kinda sucks.  The article about the new bridge on Arther Ashe Blvd mentions that it needs to be built even taller.  This ballpark will be mostly obscured by the bridge (behind a towering mound of dirt that extends farther north than the current berm) when it’s finished. 

[Flood Zone]

1 hour ago, eandslee said:

Does anyone have a rendering of the ballpark under the Machete group at the ready?  I remember that one of them looked pretty good, but can’t remember which one.  

This post has some drawings.

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, eandslee said:

Does anyone have a rendering of the ballpark under the Machete group at the ready?  I remember that one of them looked pretty good, but can’t remember which one.  

Also, it’s just good to see some more positive movement on this.  The quicker they can get this thing going the quicker the City can get to addressing the City Center development which could have a much greater impact on the skyline!

This was the conceptual mockup that RCDP (of which Machete Group is a partner) provided. That I'm aware of, there have been no other detailed renderings. The one drawing from "inside the ballpark" (second photo - below) is about as close as we have at this point.

Edited February 12 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, eandslee said:

The quicker they can get this thing going the quicker the City can get to addressing the City Center development which could have a much greater impact on the skyline!

From your keyboard to God's eyes, my friend! 

Perhaps this change-up and subsequent speed bump with the Diamond District is what has kept the city from actually moving forward with and selecting the developer who will kick off City Center?  Especially as economic conditions continue to improve this year, I'm hoping we'll get some significant movement on City Center as well, though I'm not sure how long it will take to get from "we have a winner" to "we're breaking ground on..."

Edited February 12 by I miss RVA

[georgeglass]

This article came up in my news feed today and it's the first time I've seen a mention of a potential groundbreaking....in this case it says late spring!

 

https://ballparkdigest.com/2024/02/12/new-richmond-ballpark-groundbreaking-expected-this-spring/

[Flood Zone]

28 minutes ago, georgeglass said:

This article came up in my news feed today and it's the first time I've seen a mention of a potential groundbreaking....in this case it says late spring!

 

https://ballparkdigest.com/2024/02/12/new-richmond-ballpark-groundbreaking-expected-this-spring/

Yes, that was noted a couple weeks back or so when the RTD quoted Lincoln Saunders as saying he could see groundbreaking in the April through June range (IIRC).

[Child2021]

Baskerville rendering of Diamond District: 

 

This was one of the proposals. 

[I miss RVA]

11 minutes ago, Child2021 said:

Baskerville rendering of Diamond District: 

 

This was one of the proposals. 

This is what's showing up on their website?

Hmmm... very interesting that Baskervill is showing THIS set of renderings, because this wasn't the proposal that was selected. The only thing I can think of is maybe it's in reference to changes to the ballpark design from the winning group?

Dunno... I'm scratching my head on this one.

[Child2021]

Might be the only one with this opinion, but I feel like they should try to max the stadium seats out about 12,000 and maybe add some more height to it. I'm going to be kind of sad not being able to not pick out the Diamond from a distance away. 

[wrldcoupe4]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

This is what's showing up on their website?

Hmmm... very interesting that Baskervill is showing THIS set of renderings, because this wasn't the proposal that was selected. The only thing I can think of is maybe it's in reference to changes to the ballpark design from the winning group?

Dunno... I'm scratching my head on this one.

Probably just sharing what they had proposed for the project. I don’t think it is an indication of anything new.

[I miss RVA]

15 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Probably just sharing what they had proposed for the project. I don’t think it is an indication of anything new.

Makes sense.

[Brent114]

Yeah.  We’re gonna get a new nicer  stadium but it is going to feel more small town than the Diamond.  Approaching  from the South it will be mostly hidden too   

[RiverYuppy]

3 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

This is what's showing up on their website?

Hmmm... very interesting that Baskervill is showing THIS set of renderings, because this wasn't the proposal that was selected. The only thing I can think of is maybe it's in reference to changes to the ballpark design from the winning group?

Dunno... I'm scratching my head on this one.

Why didn't we go with that proposal? I would much rather have that one.

[HRVT]

2 hours ago, RiverYuppy said:

Why didn't we go with that proposal? I would much rather have that one.

Has a Durham feel to it a little bit. 

[123fakestreet]

lol this is like a high end high school diamond. Cant even see it hidden down between the buildings. Where was the rendering that had the bit "RICHMOND" in red neon lights on the top of the stadium that can be seen from the interstate? Give me that one.

Edited February 24 by 123fakestreet

[wrldcoupe4]

We don’t have a new design yet do we?

[eandslee]

1 hour ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

We don’t have a new design yet do we?

Not that we’ve seen yet. Should be coming from Odell Associates.  This is not the one.  

[eandslee]

The RTD is reporting this morning that the design for the new baseball stadium is complete; however, there are no details yet. The report does indicate that groundbreaking should occur in April. Hoping a rendering is released soon. Also hoping that the stadium is worthy of Triple A baseball in case Richmond lands one again.  Here’s the article with scant details:

https://richmond.com/news/local/business/development/ballpark-richmond-flying-squirrels/article_a0462816-e97e-11ee-a450-bb387d6b4fd7.html?utm_source=richmond.com&utm_campaign=news-alerts&utm_medium=cio&lctg=a2f10707a7b001f8980e&tn_email_eh1=acfd08b7f15a313bf9a8ebc9e2da5b3a02d02bf26e81027cdb1584cec0a3477c

Edited March 25 by eandslee

[Flood Zone]

The article mentions that MLB's deadline now is opening day 2026, so this is confirmation that MLB did, of course, extend its arbitrary deadline.

Edited March 25 by Flood Zone

[HRVT]

36 minutes ago, eandslee said:

The RTD is reporting this morning that the design for the new baseball stadium is complete; however, there are no details yet. The report does indicate that groundbreaking should occur in April. Hoping a rendering is released soon. Also hoping that the stadium is worthy of Triple A baseball in case Richmond lands one again.  Here’s the article with scant details:

https://richmond.com/news/local/business/development/ballpark-richmond-flying-squirrels/article_a0462816-e97e-11ee-a450-bb387d6b4fd7.html?utm_source=richmond.com&utm_campaign=news-alerts&utm_medium=cio&lctg=a2f10707a7b001f8980e&tn_email_eh1=acfd08b7f15a313bf9a8ebc9e2da5b3a02d02bf26e81027cdb1584cec0a3477c

One interesting tidbit from the article:

"The city is working to meet a deadline set by Major League Baseball that requires the stadium open by the beginning of the 2026 season."

Considering that 2025 was supposedly the year that all upgrades needed to be made, it seems to imply an exception has been granted. It seemed understood all along but this appears to indicate there's a one year reprieve that has been given. 

1 minute ago, Flood Zone said:

The article mentions that MLB's deadline now is opening day 2026, so this is confirmation that MLB did, of course, extend its arbitrary deadline.

LOL! You beat me by mere seconds.

[Downtowner]

I will say as a baseball ll fan rob Manfred will be resigning as mlb commissioner I think I heard either 2029 or 2030 thank god I’m glad that bozo is out, never like him he has made me less interested in the one game I used to love the most and played since I was 4. I just really hope aaa returns soon. What I heard would happens is the flying squirrels would be moved up to aaa and a team would be demoted to aa most likely I have heard Rochester red wings is a good possibility if Richmond become a triple a team again. So time will tell on that one but I’m ready for them to get the dirt moving in order to play ball in 2026 at the new ballpark. 

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, Downtowner said:

I just really hope aaa returns soon.

What I heard would happens is the flying squirrels would be moved up to aaa and a team would be demoted to aa most likely I have heard Rochester red wings is a good possibility if Richmond become a triple a team again.

So time will tell on that one but I’m ready for them to get the dirt moving in order to play ball in 2026 at the new ballpark. 

Good stuff, @Downtowner   A couple of thoughts:

1.) AMEN!!! From your keyboard to God's eyes, my friend!! AAA can't come back to RVA soon enough IMNSHO.

2.) Makes sense that a current AAA team would have to be demoted/relegated. However, I'm curious: why Rochester? The Red Wings drew pretty well in 2023. They were 11th in the 20-team International League with an average attendance of 5,994 per game, which was 18th best in the minor leagues, inclusive of all levels -- AAA, AA and A. The IL's two bottom feeders in attendance were Memphis (last in the IL and 75tin in the MiLB - and Gwinnett, GA - 19th in the IL and 72nd overall in the minors.

3.) Amen - me too.

Indeed, the Squirrels would be a great add if they could return to the IL. They had the 15th-best average attendance in the entirety of minor league baseball in 2023 - and were second in the AA Eastern League, behind only Portland, ME. The Squirrels outdrew 11 of the 20 IL teams last season,. With an estimated population now of 1.349 million, metro RVA is larger than 10 of the IL's 20 markets. Add to that Richmond's long history in the IL, and it's a reunion just waiting to happen.

Doubtful the IL would drop Gwinnett - given that they're in the huge metro Atlanta area and their more than 7 million population. But Memphis might be ripe for relegation to AA - making room for the Flying Squirrels to make a triumphant return to AAA in 2026.

just my tarnished two shekels.

 

[HRVT]

11 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Good stuff, @Downtowner   A couple of thoughts:

1.) AMEN!!! From your keyboard to God's eyes, my friend!! AAA can't come back to RVA soon enough IMNSHO.

2.) Makes sense that a current AAA team would have to be demoted/relegated. However, I'm curious: why Rochester? The Red Wings drew pretty well in 2023. They were 11th in the 20-team International League with an average attendance of 5,994 per game, which was 18th best in the minor leagues, inclusive of all levels -- AAA, AA and A. The IL's two bottom feeders in attendance were Memphis (last in the IL and 75tin in the MiLB - and Gwinnett, GA - 19th in the IL and 72nd overall in the minors.

3.) Amen - me too.

Indeed, the Squirrels would be a great add if they could return to the IL. They had the 15th-best average attendance in the entirety of minor league baseball in 2023 - and were second in the AA Eastern League, behind only Portland, ME. The Squirrels outdrew 11 of the 20 IL teams last season,. With an estimated population now of 1.349 million, metro RVA is larger than 10 of the IL's 20 markets. Add to that Richmond's long history in the IL, and it's a reunion just waiting to happen.

Doubtful the IL would drop Gwinnett - given that they're in the huge metro Atlanta area and their more than 7 million population. But Memphis might be ripe for relegation to AA - making room for the Flying Squirrels to make a triumphant return to AAA in 2026.

just my tarnished two shekels.

 

Sometimes it's about affiliations and other factors than pure attendance that drives who stays in what league. Buffalo is less than 2 and a half hours from Syracuse (both AAA markets). Rochester is between the two. Buffalo is affiliated with Toronto which is not far away. Syracuse is with the Mets. Rochester however is affiliated with the Nats.... and Washington just so happens to be the closest major league city to Richmond.

I'm not sure I fully buy that that happens. But when expansion does happen, Richmond will be on the AAA short list. If Charlotte or Nashville get a team, its highly likely Richmond gets the AAA team (or at least the expansion would cause a chain reaction leading to Richmond getting one).

[Downtowner]

3 hours ago, HRVT said:

Sometimes it's about affiliations and other factors than pure attendance that drives who stays in what league. Buffalo is less than 2 and a half hours from Syracuse (both AAA markets). Rochester is between the two. Buffalo is affiliated with Toronto which is not far away. Syracuse is with the Mets. Rochester however is affiliated with the Nats.... and Washington just so happens to be the closest major league city to Richmond.

I'm not sure I fully buy that that happens. But when expansion does happen, Richmond will be on the AAA short list. If Charlotte or Nashville get a team, its highly likely Richmond gets the AAA team (or at least the expansion would cause a chain reaction leading to Richmond getting one).

I have been hoping this with too nhl expansion is still seemingly trying to take place. Richmond will no doubt get a triple a team with expansion. Same with nhl if Atlanta seems to try again with hockey like they are. 

[blopp1234]

First look at the new stadium thanks to Richmond BizSense.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/03/26/city-gets-first-look-at-new-diamond-district-ballpark-design/