Richmond Amphitheater

[eandslee]

I thought this deserved its own thread now that construction started THIS WEEK!  Due to be completed by Spring 2025:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/10/18/riverfront-amphitheater-project-ramping-up-this-week/

 

https://www.rvaamp.com

 

Edited October 18, 2023 by eandslee

[123fakestreet]

As predicted, once the Folk Festival was over. Also, I had always thought this was going on the other side of the Rd, exactly where the stage always is for the Folk Festival, that area has a much more natural "bowl" to it, looks like the area they are building it they will be taking out some historic ruins.

Edited October 18, 2023 by 123fakestreet

[CitiWalker]

2 hours ago, eandslee said:

I thought this deserved its own thread now that construction started THIS WEEK!  Due to be completed by Spring 2025:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/10/18/riverfront-amphitheater-project-ramping-up-this-week/

 

https://www.rvaamp.com

 

This along with the Costar development is really going to kick it up a couple of notches on the riverfront. I love the design. The only thing is it would have been nice to have some sort of well-designed covering over the seating space. But hey, I will take this every day of the week. 

[eandslee]

39 minutes ago, 123fakestreet said:

As predicted, once the Folk Festival was over. Also, I had always thought this was going on the other side of the Rd, exactly where the stage always is for the Folk Festival, that area has a much more natural "bowl" to it, looks like the area they are building it they will be taking out some historic ruins.

I thought I had read that the developer was going to incorporate the historic ruins into the design, so I don’t think those are going away…even better, they will be highlight/put on display by way of the overall design. 
 

@CitiWalker - I, too, think there should be some sort of covering overhead…if only just a mesh-like material to reduce the heat from the sun’s rays just a little.  Maybe they’ll add that feature once they get some complaints about there not being one. 

[123fakestreet]

1 hour ago, CitiWalker said:

This along with the Costar development is really going to kick it up a couple of notches on the riverfront. I love the design. The only thing is it would have been nice to have some sort of well-designed covering over the seating space. But hey, I will take this every day of the week. 

Here's a map of the riverfront, the amphitheater in Purple and Costar in orange. Would love to see a big apartment go in the aqua blue area, mixed use office/retail, maybe condos in yellow, then finish it out in the dark blue area, realistically probably a larger parking lot, with a new access road in green.  Rejuvenate the old canal that runs just north across the blue-purple-yellow areas and make a park/walk along it with some signage noting historical context.

 

 

Edited October 18, 2023 by 123fakestreet

[eandslee]

Found these construction photos on Instagram.  Shared by rvaphotog.  Enjoy!

Edited November 1, 2023 by eandslee

[I miss RVA]

5 hours ago, eandslee said:

Found these construction photos on Instagram.  Shared by rvaphotog.  Enjoy!

Awesome find, @eandslee-- add another piece of RVA/UP silverware to your growing collection, my friend. Very much worthy.

Edited November 1, 2023 by I miss RVA

[ancientcarpenter]

19 hours ago, eandslee said:

Found these construction photos on Instagram.  Shared by rvaphotog.  Enjoy!

I'm confused, what's going on on the construction site there? B/c the amphitheater in the renderings will be about 300ft south...

[eandslee]

5 minutes ago, ancientcarpenter said:

I'm confused, what's going on on the construction site there? B/c the amphitheater in the renderings will be about 300ft south...

To me, it looks like they are building a temporary parking lot for heavy machinery and cars for those working on the project.  You’re right, the actual amphitheater will be located further south, southwest of the clearing area. Here’s a very rough placement of where it will go (in red):

Edited November 2, 2023 by eandslee

[ancientcarpenter]

34 minutes ago, eandslee said:

To me, it looks like they are building a temporary parking lot for heavy machinery and cars for those working on the project.  You’re right, the actual amphitheater will be located further south, southwest of the clearing area. Here’s a very rough placement of where it will go (in red):

Thanks! I wonder what will stop people from standing in the street sidewalk (bottom right of photo) or sitting in the grass and enjoying the music - I assume they can probably see some if not all of the stage from the grass area / sidewalk? I guess security would rope off all of that land on concert days to avoid "freeloaders?"

[wrldcoupe4]

Assume there will be some sort of screening.

[blake_p]

[eandslee]

Huh…I thought ground had already broken and work was ongoing in earnest!  I guess, this is just a formality?

https://www.12onyourside.com/2024/01/24/city-leaders-break-ground-riverfront-amphitheater/

[123fakestreet]

3 minutes ago, eandslee said:

Huh…I thought ground had already broken and work was ongoing in earnest!  I guess, this is just a formality?

https://www.12onyourside.com/2024/01/24/city-leaders-break-ground-riverfront-amphitheater/

Fencing, office trailer and equipment were on site months ago. Another project they are dragging their feet on I guess.

[wrldcoupe4]

Groundbreaking ceremonies happen after stuff starts all the time. Totally normal. 

[Child2021]

Hate to be that person, but where do they expect people to park at? Costar, Manchester entrance to River, Canoe Run, or somewhere else? I know there's some parking now, but I can imagine the people in Oregon Hill is going to have a fit over this once this really pull in big crowds of people (they already do it on days like this). 

[Icetera]

1 hour ago, Child2021 said:

Hate to be that person, but where do they expect people to park at? Costar, Manchester entrance to River, Canoe Run, or somewhere else? I know there's some parking now, but I can imagine the people in Oregon Hill is going to have a fit over this once this really pull in big crowds of people (they already do it on days like this). 

Where do people park now for River Rock, Folk Festival, etc?

[I miss RVA]

36 minutes ago, Child2021 said:

but I can imagine the people in Oregon Hill is going to have a fit over this once this really pull in big crowds of people (they already do it on days like this). 

Namely Scott Burger, for one. 

[123fakestreet]

35 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Namely Scott Burger, for one. 

But think about the birds! Imagine pretending to care about migration patterns to get a popular project killed. Or worse, imagine being relatively well known around your town primarily for being an idiot. 

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, 123fakestreet said:

But think about the birds! Imagine pretending to care about migration patterns to get a popular project killed. Or worse, imagine being relatively well known around your town primarily for being an idiot. 

HELLO!!! I see you read his comments in RBS too.  His "the sky is falling" opposition a couple of years ago (from Oregon Hill) to JUST THE THOUGHT of 20-story buildings possibly being built two or three blocks north of Broad allllllllllllll the way over near Carver/Newtowne West and the Hermitage Road/Leigh Street area claiming those tall buildings will "destroy what little is left of Richmond's 'character'" STILL boggles my mind. A 25-story building on Hermitage Road or Leigh Street is somehow going to turn Oregon Hill into some kind of valueless (or characterless) wasteland... yeahhhhh. 

Man - and folks think I go on some pretty epic rants. (Yes yes yes - I know I do... now now... )

Edited January 25 by I miss RVA

[Rooster]

8 hours ago, Child2021 said:

Hate to be that person, but where do they expect people to park at? Costar, Manchester entrance to River, Canoe Run, or somewhere else? I know there's some parking now, but I can imagine the people in Oregon Hill is going to have a fit over this once this really pull in big crowds of people (they already do it on days like this). 

no sweat - theres more people than that at a typical friday cheers and parking isnt a problem (though you may have to walk a few blocks)

[BigBobbyG]

9 hours ago, Rooster said:

no sweat - theres more people than that at a typical friday cheers and parking isnt a problem (though you may have to walk a few blocks)

I'm not concerned about the parking but I do wish they could make the street crossing at Byrd & 7th safer. I feel like that is going to become more and more important as more apartments continue to open up in the downtown core as well.

[Flood Zone]

12 hours ago, Rooster said:

though you may have to walk a few blocks

UNACCEPTABLE

[I miss RVA]

Jonathan Spiers has reporting in today's RBS about yesterday morning's groundbreaking ceremony. Indeed, all systems are "go".

Of COURSE - right on cue, Scott Burger is warbling against this development (I believe his position truly goes beyond NIMBY and goes all the way to BANANA - "Build Absolutely Nothing At All Near Anything". Unreal. Also out of the woodwork comes another commenter with absurd "concern about gun play" and "homeless will move in" tropes. I'm guessing they wish RVA had never progressed past the first half of the 19th century.   

Aside from the utterly absurd commentary on the part of two exceptionally loud squeaky wheels, an outstanding bit of coverage on Jonathan's part.

NOTE: I'm including the third photo because of the awesome view of the CoStar construction going on in the background.

From today's Richmond BizSense:

https://richmondbizsense.com/2024/01/25/you-can-almost-feel-the-energy-riverfront-amphitheater-project-breaks-ground/

[eandslee]

Thanks for posting!  It is indeed exciting to see this get off the ground!  This will have a huge impact on the quality of life in the Richmond Metro area, not just downtown.  This is an asset to really brag about and could play into the decision matrix of folks and businesses when considering a move to Richmond!  Bravo!

On a side note, will our moderator change the title of this tread to “Riverfront Amphitheater?”  Thanks!