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Broad Street Revitalization

wrldcoupe4

By wrldcoupe4
in Richmond

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wrldcoupe4 Metropolitan Area

wrldcoupe4

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I'd like to check out Marshall Street Cafe soon... I've heard from several places it's worth checking out.

Anyone else noticed the "Vacant Spaces Artful Places" storefronts? It seems they are still in the process of adding artwork to more vacant storefronts, but it's already SUCH an improvement.

Hopefully Douglas Development can add another dimension to Broad's resurgence. I feel it is the best hope for adding some national retailers to the growing local mix of retailers/restaurants/galleries already in place. I love the diversity in the comeback... from the National which will bring Norva-esque shows to CenterStage's project, to the new hotel at Miller and Rhoads to art galleries and new restaurants to apartments and condos to hopefully some national retail as well...

Parking was discussed earlier. While parking downtown isn't as easy as parking at the mall parking lot, it's not that hard to find a free spot even during the day. Plus, let's say it's during the week and you have to park at a metered spot... It's only a quarter for every 30 minutes. I don't disagree that we could benefit from free parking in the decks downtown. Perhaps parking could be validated by restaurants and retailers. Perhaps free RMA decks could be built like those built in Carytown? As for the parking lot (with planned deck) across Grace from the Carpenter Center, isn't that lot owned by the CDA?

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Cadeho City

Cadeho

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May be "affordable" but technically it's not a house. We really do need real afforable houses in the city, but that's another issue. I had passed that building wondering where all the neat figures and statues and sort disappeared. I really liked that setup and wish I had taken a picture.

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journiyin Hamlet

journiyin

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May be "affordable" but technically it's not a house. We really do need real afforable houses in the city, but that's another issue. I had passed that building wondering where all the neat figures and statues and sort disappeared. I really liked that setup and wish I had taken a picture.

i do believe there is a sign in the window stating that company has relocated... if i pass by it soon i will get you an address...

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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i do believe there is a sign in the window stating that company has relocated... if i pass by it soon i will get you an address...

Is this the old "Showplace" at Allen and Broad that sold everything from department store manakins to knick nacks? It was in the Pohlig building at 25th and Franklin for years before that building was converted to residential.

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journiyin Hamlet

journiyin

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Is this the old "Showplace" at Allen and Broad that sold everything from department store manakins to knick nacks? It was in the Pohlig building at 25th and Franklin for years before that building was converted to residential.

I think so...

Changing subjects slightly... here is an article on the closing of 6th St savories...

http://www.timesdispatch.com/cva/ric/news....06-25-0153.html

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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I think the School Board and the soon-to-be-evicted Fire Department personnel in Blues Armory should negotiate a lease with Doug Jemal and move all their operations to the Central National Bank tower on Broad near 3rd. It could be a sort of mini-city hall within sight of Mr. Wilder's palacial suite at the real seat of government. :lol:

Also, it would really speed up reclamation of the area. And, 6th Street Savories could move all their operations to the arcade in CNB running between Broad and Grace.

This is from today's inRich:

http://www.timesdispatch.com/cva/ric/news....06-26-0143.html

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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Not a bad idea Burt... The asking rent for the CNB is probably too high for the School Board or something like that.

Negotiation is the word! :whistling: Considering how much space would be needed, and considering how it would increase the value and prestige of his other properties, I'll bet Jemal and his real estate agent would give it a lot of thought.

I just wish the city and its various agencies would seriously think about what they could accomplish by such a move.

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journiyin Hamlet

journiyin

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Negotiation is the word! :whistling: Considering how much space would be needed, and considering how it would increase the value and prestige of his other properties, I'll bet Jemal and his real estate agent would give it a lot of thought.

I just wish the city and its various agencies would seriously think about what they could accomplish by such a move.

Well its like two 5 year olds in the back seat on a car trip, you draw a line down the middle and separate them. Pretty much is the case with Wilder and the School Board... getting them apart a little bit would be nice. Using the CNB building is a brilliant idea, but instead Wilder is forcing them to move much further than that.

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ric75 Hamlet

ric75

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This thread and inRich story may be a slight mis-match, but I see correlations. I've always known Richmond was a cool cultural city. Not much on sports perhaps but art -- performing, literary and otherwise -- is strong.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/content/cva/r...06-29-0059.html

Great read burt. Those last couple of lines sum up what I really like about Richmond. People who think giant, suburbanesque, box store developments are what's going to save the city would do well to read this article. Let's continue keep the chains to a minimum and build on our already strong identity.

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Cadeho City

Cadeho

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Thalhimer's and Miller & Rhoads weren't big surburban box stores... well they had them, but the ones downtown like they had are what we need. I still want to be able to buy electronics, movies and music downtown. Bring back Ward's TV! Can't get more Richmond than that.

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JSI Whistle-Stop

JSI

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Another article with a similar sentiment as the one posted on page 12. Michael Paul Williams tells Richmond to focus on the creative minds and the unique, not-chain establishments to help bring its downtown back.

Richmond, just look at Asheville

I would argue that Carytown has as much "culture" and places to eat and shop as downtown Asheville. Now if we could only get the independents from Carytown to start investing in downtown...

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Shakman Burg

Shakman

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I would argue that Carytown has as much "culture" and places to eat and shop as downtown Asheville. Now if we could only get the independents from Carytown to start investing in downtown...

Carytown has started to become franchised. As a matter of fact, I drove through Carytown last week and noticed buildings getting redone and combined with adjacent strutures.

Although it may become franchised, it still has its charm that I enjoy... and people /female watching. :shades:

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Cadeho City

Cadeho

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Carytown, big deal.

journiyin I named three of Richmond's own.

Dick's is not one of them.

I'd rather see Broad and downtown become a major retail center than a neighborhood strip with great marketing such as Carytown.

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Cadeho City

Cadeho

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I haven't always done it. It is a neighborhood strip of shops, not unlike Brookland Park Blvd, Hull St, 25th St etc, but location, location, location, away from "those folks" it thrives. Westenders fled downtown and created this such booming success as their downtown closer to where they lived. The real downtown's too scary. Carytown is no shining beacon, it helped stabbed downtown in its back like the suburbs.

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