Richmond: Economy/Business/Real Estate

[I miss RVA]

27 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Lego moving their HQ to Boston by the way....

 

  

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Hike]

43 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Lego moving their HQ to Boston by the way....

This reminds me of what Dave Chapelle said about Nike and how I feel about this, he said that he wants to wear Nike’s, not make them or in this case, we get the blue collar while Boston gets the white collar….we need more HQ’s, not factories.

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/lego-is-moving-its-americas-head-office-from-connecticut-to-boston/2953287/

[I miss RVA]

11 minutes ago, Hike said:

This reminds me of what Dave Chapelle said about Nike and how I feel about this, he said that he wants to wear Nike’s, not make them or in this case, we get the blue collar while Boston gets the white collar….we need more HQ’s, not factories.

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/lego-is-moving-its-americas-head-office-from-connecticut-to-boston/2953287/

Welllllllllllll... we need both, actually. YES - I really wanted the LEGO HQ here.  But between the factory and the HQ - look at one BIG difference that is a WIN for Richmond -- Some 740 jobs would move from metro Hartford to metro Boston - whereas the new factory in metro Richmond will bring 1,800 new jobs. Advantage - RICHMOND.

In truth, it makes sense if they were going to move the HQ - that unless they were leaving the New England region altogether that they'd go to Boston. Hartford isn't much more than an 9-iron away from Boston - AND - according to the story they already have an office presence in Boston (Back Bay) - so much as it sucks for us, Boston was probably their only consideration from the get-go.

It is what it is. Here's where the Greater Richmond Partnership could really make a huge difference in the coming years. Yes - this really sucks - but keep the faith!

[Hike]

15 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Welllllllllllll... we need both, actually. YES - I really wanted the LEGO HQ here.  But between the factory and the HQ - look at one BIG difference that is a WIN for Richmond -- Some 740 jobs would move from metro Hartford to metro Boston - whereas the new factory in metro Richmond will bring 1,800 new jobs. Advantage - RICHMOND.

In truth, it makes sense if they were going to move the HQ - that unless they were leaving the New England region altogether that they'd go to Boston. Hartford isn't much more than an 9-iron away from Boston - AND - according to the story they already have an office presence in Boston (Back Bay) - so much as it sucks for us, Boston was probably their only consideration from the get-go.

It is what it is. Here's where the Greater Richmond Partnership could really make a huge difference in the coming years. Yes - this really sucks - but keep the faith!

Yes, doubted it was coming here and never really heard a play for it, so not too disappointed as I assume it was never really in contention. Thought that with the notice it was moving elsewhere I’d chime in to say it would be good to get more HQ’s. I’ve had the unfortunate opportunities over my career to visit factories and walk the floors, touring them. When looking at the people that work these jobs, it’s hard to explain, they look empty to me,  punch in punch out, I walked away from all these tours depressed. Yes, these jobs are needed and happy to get it, but,  I want and hope for more for everyone. 

[I miss RVA]

21 minutes ago, Hike said:

Yes, doubted it was coming here and never really heard a play for it, so not too disappointed as I assume it was never really in contention. Thought that with the notice it was moving elsewhere I’d chime in to say it would be good to get more HQ’s. I’ve had the unfortunate opportunities over my career to visit factories and walk the floors, touring them. When looking at the people that work these jobs, it’s hard to explain, they look empty to me,  punch in punch out, I walked away from all these tours depressed. Yes, these jobs are needed and happy to get it, but,  I want and hope for more for everyone. 

I'm with you 100% on wanting more HQs here. This is where the GRP can really step up and work with the mayor's and governor's offices, the city's economic development office, other government, civic and business leaders and make hay while the sun's shining. Recall Jennifer Wakefield - who leads the GRP - has said their organization is pursuing more than 100 prospects - and this was at some point last year. This message was echoed recently in a story in RBS (I'll find it and post the quote). There are opportunities and finally we have a real go-getter organization in the GRP that's going pedal-to-the-metal to grab these opportunities and bring them to metro Richmond.

Ditto on hoping and wanting more for everyone.

 

[Hike]

17 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

I'm with you 100% on wanting more HQs here. This is where the GRP can really step up and work with the mayor's and governor's offices, the city's economic development office, other government, civic and business leaders and make hay while the sun's shining. Recall Jennifer Wakefield - who leads the GRP - has said their organization is pursuing more than 100 prospects - and this was at some point last year. This message was echoed recently in a story in RBS (I'll find it and post the quote). There are opportunities and finally we have a real go-getter organization in the GRP that's going pedal-to-the-metal to grab these opportunities and bring them to metro Richmond.

Ditto on hoping and wanting more for everyone.

 

Saw this in the WAPO and found it interesting about what is the number one job that correlates to happiness, the answer was, working in forestry, see the list below of others on the list. 
 

Edited January 24, 2023 by Hike

[Brent114]

Construction is a happy job, I can attest to that  

As for the husks that are factory workers….ever toured an office building? Those droids aren’t exactly brimming with charisma lol. 

[wrldcoupe4]

Based on the chart above it does seem that working in a warehouse brings slightly more happiness than a lot of office jobs 

[Hike]

9 minutes ago, Brent114 said:

Construction is a happy job, I can attest to that  

As for the husks that are factory workers….ever toured an office building? Those droids aren’t exactly brimming with charisma lol. 

Yes, worked in them and visited many, also call centers, wow, call centers, those are horrible.

[I miss RVA]

11 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Based on the chart above it does seem that working in a warehouse brings slightly more happiness than a lot of office jobs 

Unless you work at an Amazon warehouse or fulfillment center 

[Downtowner]

I will say being a new construction electrician I am very happy wi to my job and my field I work in. The door is open in so many different directions I can go with electrical. Once a project is done it’s just nothing but pride knowing I helped build something special. My dad felt the same way when he was a superintendent building 295 and 64 and then parham road. My dad has built a ton of road across va especially here in Richmond and northern Virginia. Just a really good feeling and sense of accomplishment. I will say goijg to different areas and parts of Richmond and the state of va is another fun part about it. The only thing that gets to some of us after a while is if you have to go out far enough to stay in a hotel for long periods of time but it is paid by your employer. Just having to stay in a hotel for so long is never fun and being away from family. That’s why I will never join a union for electrical. They will send you all over the place and im not trying to stay away from my family for long periods of time. Working non union it’s way more flexible and I’m not waiting on someone whose in the port o pottie for two hours to get back on the job. That’s what so many union guys I have seen do. We always crack jokes about union vs non union how lazy the union guys are because they take two hours just to poop with no repercussion’s.  

[eandslee]

Interesting article about City Council amending parts of the Richmond 300 Master Plan.  Bottom Line:  Richmond City Council wants to see faster growth!

https://www.vpm.org/news/2023-01-24/city-council-richmond-300-2025-planning-amendments

[whw53]

CoStar In Talks To Pay $3B For Murdoch's Online Real Estate Business: https://www.bisnow.com/national/news/commercial-real-estate/costar-in-talks-with-rupert-murdochs-news-corp-for-3b-acquisition-play-117355?utm_source=push&utm_campaign=CoStar In $3B Talks With Murdoch

[I miss RVA]

5 hours ago, eandslee said:

Interesting article about City Council amending parts of the Richmond 300 Master Plan.  Bottom Line:  Richmond City Council wants to see faster growth!

https://www.vpm.org/news/2023-01-24/city-council-richmond-300-2025-planning-amendments

Interesting - HOWEVER - there are some VERY troubling takeaways. Did you read the list of requested amendments and Maritza Pechin's responses to them?  I downloaded the list and went through each of them one-by-one. Holy moly... I am just flabbergasted by some of this.

What's more - check this important point from Jahd Khalil's reporting in the VPM Newsletter, quoting Dr. Damien Pitt, an urban planning prof at VCU:

Damian Pitt, an urban planning professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, said the proposed amendments were contradictory.

“There's a lot of stuff scattered throughout here that basically would reduce the allowed building height or allowed density for certain neighborhoods, and which, again, is incongruous with the concept that we're going to be anticipating an even more aggressive growth rate than what's currently envisioned in the plan,” Pitt said.

The suggestions called for projecting aggressive growth that would require about 50,000 new housing units while also changing suggested land use in ways that discourage density.

Unfortunately, this is a CLASSIC case of City Council being City Council and Richmond being Richmond. I've seen this pattern ALL TOO MANY TIMES BEFORE. We FINALLY get something decent in place that looks very promising and looks like it will work - and along comes City Council to MUDDY the waters and MUCK UP THE GEARS. WTELF?????

But wait - THERE'S MORE!!

Andreas Addison, who represents the West End 1st District on City Council, said some of Monday’s proposals came from conversations with neighborhood groups.

“We took those to heart, put those to the process of legislation,” he said. “On some of them, we've made some progress.”

Addison said some of the changes will be worked out through a rewrite of the city’s zoning ordinance. 

OF COURSE this garbage came from neighborhood groups!! God-forbid the NIMBYs not be allowed to screw things up. It's these God-forsaken neighborhood groups who oppose EVERYTHING that would turn Richmond into a Tier-1 city. THEY DON'T WANT GROWTH!!! How many of these NIMBY associations in the Fan - SOUTH OF BROAD STREET were soiling their undergarments over potential B-4 zoning NORTH OF BROAD??? OF COURSE they want stricter height limits and stricter density limits. 

Will these effing clowns on the council just PLEASE sit down and keep their damn mouths shut?  FOR ONCE??? LET THE PROFESSIONALS WHO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING DRIVE THIS!!!  It just CHAPS me that the city pays lip service to wanting "aggressive" growth - saying that the city "can't afford to consider moderate growth or even strong growth" - but then turns around and at the behest of the NIMBY neighborhood associations who want to TAMP DOWN ON THE VERY AGGRESSIVE GROWTH THE CITY CLAIMS TO WANT - and proposes amendments to the outstanding (and award-winning) Richmond 300 plan that act as delimiters on that growth. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!! 

Mind you -  I LOVE the idea of adding 50,000 housing units over the next however-many (20?) years. BUT DON'T ADVOCATE FOR THAT THEN TURN AROUND AND TRY TO IMPOSE DRACONIAN ZONING REGS THAT WILL PUT A CAP ON HOW MUCH CAN BE BUILT BY LIMITING HEIGHT AND DENSITY FFS!!! JESUS!!

The clown-car dumpster fire that is City Council has been burning for the last 50 years and shows no sign of relenting in their sheer inanity. I am just dumbfounded by this.

My only solace is that none of this scheitze is binding pre se  - HOWEVER - I'm VERY concerned by Addison's revelation that "changes will be worked out through a rewrite of the city's zoning ordinance."  JESUS!!!

And guys, respectfully, SPARE me the pushback claiming that I'm "fear-mongering" or that I'm "overblowing" this. READ THE DAMN AMENDMENT PROPOSALS FOR YOURSELVES - and then consider what Dr. Pitt and Councilman Addison said. Consider where these proposals came from. See the bigger picture and understand the implications. While HOPEFULLY very little if anything will come of this - PLEASE GOD - just the mere fact that it is even possible has me fuming. 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - this BS does NOT happen in cities like Austin, Charlotte, Nashville, Raleigh, Portland, Seattle, San Antonio, Atlanta ... just to name a few. But it happens in Richmond. Again and again and again and YET AGAIN.

Edited January 25, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Brent114]

Of course this happens in those cities.  Richmond isn’t the only city where the actual people that live in said cities have mouths. 

[Downtowner]

45 minutes ago, Brent114 said:

Of course this happens in those cities.  Richmond isn’t the only city where the actual people that live in said cities have mouths. 

But sadly Richmond has the most sorry sad big mouth nimbys I have ever seen in my life can’t wait until they are all gone one day the younger people want this. It’s them old people that don’t want it. Man this really upsetting reading this now.

[I miss RVA]

11 hours ago, Brent114 said:

Of course this happens in those cities.  Richmond isn’t the only city where the actual people that live in said cities have mouths. 

No - but Richmond IS the only city where the actual people who live there OPPOSE EVERYTHING and don't want the city to grow.

@DowntownerNAILED it. These NIMBYs are freaking INSUFFERABLE here. Richmond stands out HEADS AND SHOULDERS above ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL these other cities is that the NIMBYs in those OTHER cities DON'T EFFING DERAIL THE PROGRESS AND GROWTH OF THOSE CITIES. They don't have anywhere NEAR the impact in all of these other cities than they have in Richmond.

Who was in our community here who calls them BANANAs?  Nailed it. If I remember isn't it - Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything... or something like that?

I honestly should move back to Richmond and run for city council - but folks wouldn't want my progressive tuchus on the council, that's for DAMN sure. Those old-school NIMBYs would probably try to run me out of town on rail back to Chicago. Folks would hate me because not only would I vote against EVERYTHING the NIMBYs want - I'd go full Sheldon Whitehouse on everyone and come packing charts, graphs, real research, real statistics, actual data, and give a Ph.D.-level lecture at every council vote where there is pushback PROVING why the pushback is pure BS and how Richmond would benefit from whatever development or growth was at issue. I envision getting into heated debates with other council members because they would NOT like my position, believe you me - because most of this would be aimed at them (fellow council members) and not as much at the NIMBYs.

Y'all know how I am on this forum. For what it's worth, I'm relatively reserved on here. 

Edited January 26, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Brent114]

Nah.  Community input effects what gets built pretty much everywhere.  
 

Do you really think the owners of million dollar homes in Austin and Nashville aren’t very vocal about what gets built in their vicinity? 
Richmond may be different, but certainly not unique, in that those lower on the economic ladder are also vocal.   

Edited January 26, 2023 by Brent114

[I miss RVA]

38 minutes ago, Brent114 said:

Nah.  Community input effects what gets built pretty much everywhere.  
 

Do you really think the owners of million dollar homes in Austin and Nashville aren’t very vocal about what gets built in their vicinity? 
Richmond may be different, but certainly not unique, in that those lower on the economic ladder are also vocal.   

Of course they are vocal, as is their right. 

And yes, Richmond is different. VERY different. Contrary to your assertion, what happens in Richmond does NOT happen in cities like Austin, Nashville, Charlotte, Portland. Yes - people speak up and speak out. Yes citizen input is a part of the process in those cities. But the entire mindset is different. As our good friend from Carolina will tell you -- Charlottans have - FOR DECADES - been AGGRESSIVELY BULLISH about the city and pushed HARD for growth. I would hazard to guess the same has been the case in Austin. Certainly Nashville, too.

You're right - there are indeed NIMBYs there, too. But it's on an entirely different stratosphere of NIMBYism in Richmond. I get residents in high-dollar neighborhoods not necessarily wanting high-density apartments built next to their multi-million-dollar mansions. But how many apartment complexes are going up right next door or across the street from million-dollar homes in Austin or Nashville vs other parts of town that -- perhaps like Monroe Ward -- has long-since been a sea of parking lots?

I get tired of having to say this - but FFS - NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT BUILDING THE BURJ-FREAKIN' KHALIFA IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FAN!!! NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT PLUNKING APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN WINDSOR FARMS!! JESUS CHRIST!!  HOW exactly, -- for example -- does a 25-story residential tower two blocks north of Broad Street somehow "harm" the so-called "architectural 'integrity'" (WETF THAT MEANS) of rowhouses on Park Avenue or Hanover Avenue, MULTIPLE blocks to the SOUTH of Broad Street? PLEASE help me understand this - because this level of sheer, unfettered, unabashed, undiluted inanity simply makes my brain overload and short circuit from the abject stupidity of the argument. (And to be clear - not of the people - I'm not calling the people stupid - only the argument.)

WHAT exactly does it take to make folks understand: RVA NIMBYS (for the most part) WANT NO GROWTH AT ALL HERE!!! THEY OPPOSE EVERYTHING!  (Who on here called it "BANANAs" ?? )  And what part of HEALTHY CITIES GROW - HEALTHY CITIES CHANGE - HEALTHY CITIES EVOLVE - HEALTHY CITIES EVOLVE don't they comprehend?

And it's not just the NIMBYs - because - paraphrasing a famous Biblical verse - "The NIMBYs you will always have with you."

It get it.

What irks me the most in this particular case (with the R-300 plan amendments) is how/why city council can pay lip service to "aggressive" growth and "adding 50,000 housing units to the city - even going to the extent of actually CORRECTLY acknowledging the FACT - not the opinion - but the FACT - that the city CANNOT AFFORD only "moderate" or even "strong" growth, but that the city NEEDs "aggressive" growth as pointed out in BUCKETS by the actual PROFESSIONAL PLANNERS who actually KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. WHY pay lip service to this FACT - and then turn around and rampantly scatter land mines that -- as Dr. Pitt pointed out -- likely will act to PREVENT the very growth they claim to be supporting???

WTELF????

My heart goes out to Maritza Pechin, who HAD to be shaking her head and rolling her eyes while she going through -- and responding to -- the list of proposed amendments and, no doubt, being the brilliant urban planning professional that she is, MUST have had dozens of "WTF" moments reading the utter scheitze that was being proposed. If she had even one strand of hair left in her head after that tortuous exercise, I'd be very surprised.

I freely admit to being EXTREMELY touchy about this. ANYTHING that even POTENTIALLY even just truncates (much less stops) development, growth, progress in RVA is a HUGE trigger for me. That's how dug-in I am about growth, development and progress at a stratospheric , turbocharged, afterburner level that other cities - our COMPETITORS in the marketplace of cities - have been enjoying. 

Okay - I need to put the soapbox away because my BP is through the roof. Yes - this mindset infuriates me THAT much!!   And it always has - ever since I was a kid. That's never changed.

 

Edited January 26, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Downtowner]

3 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

Of course they are vocal, as is their right. 

And yes, Richmond is different. VERY different. Contrary to your assertion, what happens in Richmond does NOT happen in cities like Austin, Nashville, Charlotte, Portland. Yes - people speak up and speak out. Yes citizen input is a part of the process in those cities. But the entire mindset is different. As our good friend from Carolina will tell you -- Charlottans have - FOR DECADES - been AGGRESSIVELY BULLISH about the city and pushed HARD for growth. I would hazard to guess the same has been the case in Austin. Certainly Nashville, too.

You're right - there are indeed NIMBYs there, too. But it's on an entirely different stratosphere of NIMBYism in Richmond. I get residents in high-dollar neighborhoods not necessarily wanting high-density apartments built next to their multi-million-dollar mansions. But how many apartment complexes are going up right next door or across the street from million-dollar homes in Austin or Nashville vs other parts of town that -- perhaps like Monroe Ward -- has long-since been a sea of parking lots?

I get tired of having to say this - but FFS - NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT BUILDING THE BURJ-FREAKIN' KHALIFA IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FAN!!! NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT PLUNKING APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN WINDSOR FARMS!! JESUS CHRIST!!  HOW exactly, -- for example -- does a 25-story residential tower two blocks north of Broad Street somehow "harm" the so-called "architectural 'integrity'" (WETF THAT MEANS) of rowhouses on Park Avenue or Hanover Avenue, MULTIPLE blocks to the SOUTH of Broad Street? PLEASE help me understand this - because this level of sheer, unfettered, unabashed, undiluted inanity simply makes my brain overload and short circuit from the abject stupidity of the argument. (And to be clear - not of the people - I'm not calling the people stupid - only the argument.)

WHAT exactly does it take to make folks understand: RVA NIMBYS (for the most part) WANT NO GROWTH AT ALL HERE!!! THEY OPPOSE EVERYTHING!  (Who on here called it "BANANAs" ?? )  And what part of HEALTHY CITIES GROW - HEALTHY CITIES CHANGE - HEALTHY CITIES EVOLVE - HEALTHY CITIES EVOLVE don't they comprehend?

And it's not just the NIMBYs - because - paraphrasing a famous Biblical verse - "The NIMBYs you will always have with you."

It get it.

What irks me the most in this particular case (with the R-300 plan amendments) is how/why city council can pay lip service to "aggressive" growth and "adding 50,000 housing units to the city - even going to the extent of actually CORRECTLY acknowledging the FACT - not the opinion - but the FACT - that the city CANNOT AFFORD only "moderate" or even "strong" growth, but that the city NEEDs "aggressive" growth as pointed out in BUCKETS by the actual PROFESSIONAL PLANNERS who actually KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. WHY pay lip service to this FACT - and then turn around and rampantly scatter land mines that -- as Dr. Pitt pointed out -- likely will act to PREVENT the very growth they claim to be supporting???

WTELF????

I freely admit to being EXTREMELY touchy about this. ANYTHING that even POTENTIALLY even just truncates (much less stops) development, growth, progress in RVA is a HUGE trigger for me. That's how dug-in I am about growth, development and progress at a stratospheric , turbocharged, afterburner level that other cities - our COMPETITORS in the marketplace of cities - have been enjoying. 

Okay - I need to put the soapbox away because my BP is through the roof. Yes - this mindset infuriates me THAT much!!   And it always has - ever since I was a kid. That's never changed.

 

I express the same sentiments you do and the vcu professor mr Pitt does. It’s extremely frustrating and irritating all of these nimbys have this much influence on the heart of downtown. Like how does and why does someone from one of the the single family homes in the pit rings of the city of Richmond have that much influence on midtown and midtown. Need to break up these neighborhood associations all together and make sure they never come back again. I never want to discourage population but those exact people need to be driven out of the city of Richmond. I’m sick of them they have way too much influence on everything in the city. Also why discourage height it’s counterproductive to getting 50k more people here. I’m tired of the counterproductive attitude. I’m mad disgusted and sick to my stomach people think this way in a metro and a city that is creeping up in population in the circle limits with the likes of Norfolk. Yes I may be leaving for Winchester va in the summer but I will always call this home even if I don’t feel as happy living here as I once did. The main reason is my daughter we have zero help here with my daughter. Up there we have all the family help with her. But damn city of Richmond stop appeasing the nimbys and tell them to shut it and deal with it. I’m sick of it. 

[I miss RVA]

22 minutes ago, Downtowner said:

Yes I may be leaving for Winchester va in the summer but I will always call this home even if I don’t feel as happy living here as I once did.

 !!!

I've lived in Chicago for 22 years now and yet I am -- at all times -- a Richmonder before I am a Chicagoan. Even though I love Chicago with all my heart (and I really do love this big, bad, Windy City) - Richmond was, is, and always will be my true home, and I love HER above and beyond all other places -- even my BELOVED New York City (which is probably the only city aside from Richmond I love even more than Chicago).

Regardless of where I lay my head - I was born a Richmonder, I was raised a Richmonder, I came of age a Richmonder, I remain a Richmonder, and I will depart this planet a Richmonder.

Edited January 26, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Downtowner]

11 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

 !!!

I've lived in Chicago for 22 years now and yet I am -- at all times -- a Richmonder before I am a Chicagoan. Even though I love Chicago with all my heart (and I really do love this big, bad, Windy City) - Richmond was, is, and always will be my true home, and I love HER above and beyond all other places -- even my BELOVED New York City (which is probably the only city aside from Richmond I love even more than Chicago).

Regardless of where I lay my head - I was born a Richmonder, I remain a Richmonder, and I will depart this planet a Richmonder.

Exactly 100 percent. I may live on farm land in the Shenandoah valley region up in the Winchester are but I will always be a richmonder and will always be back to visit family and to come take my electrical journeyman’s test down the road. Only two years left to go until I can take it. 

[Brent114]

You chose to live your adult life…not in Richmond.  Those of us that chose (and still choose ) to live here get to decide what our city becomes.
 

 I’m about as pro growth as they come.  I will not celebrate, however, developers running roughshod over the people who actually live here, particularly those in the minority (you know, the neighborhoods that places like Raleigh bulldoze  in the name of “progress”.). And can we stop pretending that the city is actively stopping development?  It’s silly to be upset that a lot that has been vacant for 60 years finally gets a building…but it isn’t tall enough. People haven’t been chomping at the bit to build skyscrapers in Richmond. Henrico, a very pro growth county, has barely grown  at all over the last 10 years and  is underperforming the city at the moment.  There’s more to the equation than people not wanting route 5 expanded. 
 

 Unlike Imiss… I’ve been to Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, Austin… over the  last 5-10 years. 
Richmond is not lacking compared to those places. Maybe you cannot see that from 800 miles away.  Richmond has become a f’ing gem and, as you are quick to say, is growing at unprecedented rates.   The balance seems to be working well at the moment.  Like you, I want those extra 50k  residents (like yesterday!). Maybe they will come, maybe they won’t.  Until then, you’re  in Chicago.  Enjoy that beautiful city with its amazing skyscrapers (I sure do when I visit). 

[I miss RVA]

On 1/26/2023 at 1:37 PM, Brent114 said:

You chose to live your adult life…not in Richmond.  Those of us that chose (and still choose ) to live here get to decide what our city becomes.
 

 I’m about as pro growth as they come.  I will not celebrate, however, developers running roughshod over the people who actually live here, particularly those in the minority (you know, the neighborhoods that places like Raleigh bulldoze  in the name of “progress”.). And can we stop pretending that the city is actively stopping development?  It’s silly to be upset that a lot that has been vacant for 60 years finally gets a building…but it isn’t tall enough. People haven’t been chomping at the bit to build skyscrapers in Richmond. Henrico, a very pro growth county, has barely grown  at all over the last 10 years and  is underperforming the city at the moment.  There’s more to the equation than people not wanting route 5 expanded. 
 

 Unlike Imiss… I’ve been to Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, Austin… over the  last 5-10 years. 
Richmond is not lacking compared to those places. Maybe you cannot see that from 800 miles away.  Richmond has become a f’ing gem and, as you are quick to say, is growing at unprecedented rates.   The balance seems to be working well at the moment.  Like you, I want those extra 50k  residents (like yesterday!). Maybe they will come, maybe they won’t.  Until then, you’re  in Chicago.  Enjoy that beautiful city with its amazing skyscrapers (I sure do when I visit). 

Respectfully, I will NEVER -- EVER -- be silent about what I have wanted for RVA my entire life, whether or not I currently choose to live there. Yeah - I'm in Chicago. SO??  I absolutely WILL continue to advocate loudly and vehemently for Richmond's growth, development, progress, change and evolution, regardless of where I am. And I absolutely will call out the city when I feel it's appropriate. And I SURE AS HELL will call out frankly STUPID arguments when I see them. The Fan neighborhood associations' opposition to B-4 zoning NORTH OF BROAD was frankly STUPID. It made NO sense. It is BEYOND illogical how a high rise two blocks NORTH of Broad Street can somehow "negatively impact" rowhouses 10 or more blocks away to the SOUTH of Broad. THAT simply makes no sense - particularly when the argument was based on architecture and not something TANGIBLE like property values, which I could understand and might be willing give credit for being at least somewhat valid. I'll make NO apologies about calling out such sheer stupidity. EVERY TIME. You'll just have to deal with that, my friend - because I ain't stopping - not until my 300-pound carcass is lowered into the ground, hopefully many decades from now.

As for who "gets to decide" what Richmond becomes - you probably wouldn't want me moving back home, then.  - because as I've stated elsewhere, I'm WAY more reserved on here than I am in person. Believe me - if I ever DID move back to Richmond (which has crossed my mind), you'd feel the earthquake the minute there was a public hearing requesting citizen input on a given proposal that was getting pushback from NIMBYs - because absolutely I would be there, and I'd be ready the drop the gloves in a heartbeat to fight for this city. (Imagine going to a city council meeting and a hockey game breaks out! )

Now to your points - we are in agreement on quite a few of them. However, let's look at where we disagree and get that out of the way: Where did ANYONE (particularly myself!!) suggest that the city is "actively" stopping development? NO one is saying that - because the city isn't doing that. And you know better than to make such an assertion. That's simply a misrepresentation of the point and is incorrect. My point of contention is the very same point Dr. Pitts made in the RBS article - it makes NO sense to supposedly advocate for "aggressive" growth and then turn around and lay down land mines that could potentially sabotage said growth. I humbly invite you to re-read EVERYTHING I've posted on this - and notice how much praise I heap upon CITY planners who are doing a DAMN GOOD JOB at formulating the city's current master plan - which I believe you, and not I, last week called "garbage". Yes - I have a HUGE problem with the city's ELECTED officials who are -- as usual -- running scared of the neighborhood associations who are vociferous in their opposition to EVERYTHING. And you know DAMN WELL that I'm not the only one on this forum who voices that opinion.  I may be the LOUDEST - but I'm not the only one. There are plenty on here who feel exactly the same way.

Second: I actually do agree -- IN PART -- that RVA is NOT "lacking" in a some ways compared to cities like Charlotte, Austin, Raleigh, Nashville. HOWEVER - what I AM pointing out (and somehow I don't think you're seeing this) is that I'm approaching this from the standpoint that these other cities are our COMPETITORS in the marketplace. Cities -- in order to grow and to thrive - compete against one another for jobs, business, amenities such as air service, entertainment such as professional sports, etc., and most importantly, POPULATION. It's PEOPLE who make a city thrive. The more, the better, particularly when the growing population can help fuel the city's economy - which, of course, comes back to jobs. At the end of the day it's numbers. Bigger cities with more people have more things and they get more things and they do more things than smaller cities with fewer people. That's just a reality.

And I will make NO apology for wanting more - A LOT MORE - for Richmond than what she currently has.

QUESTION: Are you SERIOUSLY going to tell me that RVA is on par with ANY of these cities when it comes, for example, to air service? I'm sorry, but it's bloody difficult to NOT point out where RVA "lacks" when RIC's max annual traffic hit 4.3 million pre-pandemic whereas CLT's was 50.4 million (11th busiest airport in the country). You can't tell me it's not easier and likely cheaper for locals of the Queen City of the Carolinas to fly out of CLT to just about any-damn-where they want to go than it is for folks in RVA to fly out of RIC. The difference is BEYOND night and day. RDU is clocking in at about 14.5 million annually. Nashville was at just under 18 million in 2019. And yet - RVA isn't lacking in this particular area, by comparison? Please enlighten me, because I fail to see the logic.

What about amenities like professional sports? Maybe you're not into pro sports, idk - and if not, that's cool. But FFS - we're struggling to build an effing MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STADIUM to keep a bloody AA team from leaving town - a team whose owner LOVES RICHMOND as much as you or I do and would probably trade EVERY limb in his body to keep the team in RVA. PLEASE GOD we get the Diamond District off the ground in time to meet MLB's requirements so there's no issue with the Squirrels potentially leaving. THAT SAID - of the four cities you listed, only Austin does not have a major-league team (which surprises me in a way - and I could see that changing down the road at some point) - but the other three are represented by the NFL (in two of the cities), the NBA (in one) and the NHL (in one). Only MLB hasn't expanded or relocated into any of them - and I'd imagine that Charlotte would be at the top of the list to grab a baseball team if one wanted to relo - or if MLB expanded and didn't hit up a place like Austin.

Mind you - I'm totally okay with minor-league sports in RVA -- but for the love of Benji let's keep the baseball team from leaving and let's get maybe an AHL club to fill the new arena in Green City once it's built. Maybe a G-league basketball team as well.

My kvetch about a four-story building FINALLY filling a downtown surface parking lot that sat vacant for 60 years may appear silly to you - but I'm thinking ahead - down the road - and I'm looking AGAIN at numbers. A 20-story residential building can house (simplistically) five times the number of people that a four-story building can (on the same footprint). I'd rather have 300 people living on a given parcel downtown than 50. Yes - both are good - but it's the LEVEL OF IMPACT that I'm focusing on. I keep saying this - but I'll say it again - it's not that I have some obsessive/compulsive thirst for a dramatic skyline full of tall buildings (YES - I DO want that). My BIGGER concern is how many people can we bring into the central city and how QUICKLY can we do it. It's all about numbers - that's the bottom line. MORE PEOPLE mean MORE AMENITIES which means MORE ACTIVITY which means MORE BUSINESSES which means MORE VITALITY which means a HEALTHIER, BETTER CITY!! I CAN'T STATE IT ANY MORE PLAINLY OR SIMPLY THAN THAT!

So with THAT said - where I see the biggest lack is in raw numbers. We've slipped to now being only the 100th largest city in the country. We're getting passed over left and right by other cities that were mere wide spots in the road not all that long ago. Wanna know what would make me happy on this front? If somehow - SOMEHOW - RVA cracked the top 50. FIFTY. I'm not talking that we should be challenging Tokyo, Moscow, London, New York... I'd just like to get back to where we were 50 or so years ago when we were in the neighborhood of the 50th-largest city in the country. Greedy I know - but is that really too much to ask? But it's not just the city - it's the metro as well. What I'd give to see the RVA metro crack 2 million. These are BENCHMARKS that are often huge drivers from a "market size" perspective relative to what developers feel justified from a cost perspective to built and in how RVA (both city and metro) COMPETE with other same-tier cities/metros. Do you see where I'm coming from?

Where we agree: I acknowledge that you're pro-growth - (and -- just a few posts ago -- I honestly and openly admitted that I take it to the extreme and always have) and I 100% agree with you on the NOT championing the bulldozing of 'certain' neighborhoods (as is done in places like Raleigh and has VERY wrongly been done in our beloved Richmond). I know you've read my stance on what happened to Fulton in 1970 (and I was a witness to that - were you? As I've said on many occasions, don't get me started about Fulton because few things make me as angry as what happened to that neighborhood and the people and the families who lived there.)  Those same feelings apply when it comes to what happened when I-95 and the downtown expressway ripped the guts out of two prominent sections of Richmond -- particularly Jackson Ward and Gilpin -- and caused irreparable harm and unspeakable damage. Unfortunately, this happened to SO many legacy cities across this country and I don't think we can ever qualify or quantify the damage done.

Where we're also in agreement is that Richmond is - in fact - BECOMING A TRUE GEM - and that gemstone will shine even brighter in the coming years. Yes - what we're seeing in terms of her growth and development is utterly unprecedented in my lifetime - and is beyond amazing, exciting, fun to watch (even from 850 (not 800) miles away). Contrary to your assertion, I DO see it. That alone fuels my flame-thrower level of passion for this city and reinvigorates this life-long dream I've had of RVA becoming "big time".  And again - as I've openly and honestly said elsewhere - I take it to an extreme that I doubt ANYONE in our RVA/UP community can match. Which is NOT to diminish ANYONE's fervor regarding RVA's growth. I'm just MILES and MILES OVER THE TOP with it - maybe TOO much so. But I've been that way since I was still in single digits in years old. It's how I'm wired about the city.

The other component that may be lost on you - I think there's a bit of an age difference between us. I just turned 60 and I'm not in tip-top health by any means. I'm hoping and praying I'll live long enough to see all the great things that RVA is working her way toward. But even something that would take "only" 20 years - Jesus - provided I make it that far, I'll be 80 when she gets there. It's not like I'm 35 and can reasonably expect to be around another 40 or 45 years to see where this awesome city REALLY goes. I'm (unrealistically) wanting what most of y'all would see develop over the next 40 years happen in the next 10 - or 15 at the max. Because even by the tricentennial - the big "300" benchmark of 2037 so closely tied to the Richmond 300 plan - I'll by 74 by then. Hopefully still around. Hopefully still in good enough health. Hopefully still cognitively sound. But relative to most of the rest of the folks on here - and I'm being realistic - it's LIKELY (not guaranteed, obviously - hell, I could live to be 100 - who knows?!) - but a decent chance that my clock has maybe 15, maybe 20 (or a little more) years left on it. Relative to most of the rest of you folks - I see myself in some ways as running out of time. And like the Queen song - "I WANT IT ALL... AND IT WANT IT NOW!!" 

Either way, my friend, I think you and I agree on a LOT more than we debate and argue about on here - so much so that frankly I don't really fully understand what your point of contention is on this debate we've been having today EXCEPT for the point that since I don't live in Richmond, in your opinion, I have absolutely no say - with I'm sorry, I do not accept and will not accept. So does that also apply to @eandsleeand @upzoningisgoodwho -- like me -- are currently RVA ex-pats? Will that apply to @Downtownerwhen he moves to Winchester? Does he forfeit his "RVA Card" and turn it in at a checkpoint at the northernmost Hanover County line just because he has to relocate for family reasons? Do some of our ex-pats somehow "get a pass" because they're not nearly as blunt and critical in calling things out as I might happen to be?

And IF -- and that's a huge if -- but IF I ever decided in the next few years to pick up and move back to Richmond and was able to do so, what, suddenly I'd miraculously have a right to say something? Get real, brother. My love for Richmond isn't bound by where I lay my head - nor is my right to speak my mind about the city and about the things that happen there. The only thing that's different at this point is my ability to participate to the level of being a voter or a tax payer. Since for physical/health reasons, I no longer drive and thus don't own a car, and since I'd have to rent some place, I would not own property, (as I stated last week, I qualify as "poor people") the city likely wouldn't get so much as a thin dime from me because I have no property for them to tax. I'm divorced - and my kids would not come with me - so I'd not be making use of the schools. And what - ONE city councilperson would get ONE lousy vote from me every FOUR years? WHOOP-TEE-FREAKIN'-DOO. 

So again, I don't understand your point of contention today - particularly when we DO agree on so damn much across the board on a lot of issues. Is it because I refuse to put on rose-colored glasses about RVA and refuse to refrain from calling out what I see as problematic and where the city is potentially effing up? Idk - I just don't get it.

Either way - for what it's worth - none of this is personal. I hope you know that. (And yes, you're still getting your name engraved on your second RVA/UP YDM OFFICIAL SILVER PORT-A-POTTY trophy of the year!) 

Cheers brother - we'll have to raise a couple of cold ones together at some point in the future! 

 

Edited January 27, 2023 by I miss RVA

[Virginian11]

Charlotte, Raleigh and Nashville also don’t have a metroplex of 7-10 million people (DC/Baltimore) with a myriad of pro teams/multiple huge airports within 2-3 hours.   Factors out of our control like this are the primary headwinds when it comes to massive airport growth/pro sports or lack thereof.      That doesn’t even include our market being fractured more by 1.8 mil in 757.
 Those cities are more spread out from

other population centers and are naturally hubs.  We’re in a pretty populated swath here in central VA.  Raleigh is somewhat immune from the above due to their unique situation of having UNC, Duke, and State right there.
 

And give us credit, we’re the 43/44 largest metro in the US!  You know better than to use city limits population numbers to assess city size!  

Edited January 26, 2023 by Virginian11