Richmond Developments

[wrldcoupe4]

I was Just downtown today and It looks a whole lot better than it does on a computer.I wish I could go down there more often. I saw Riverside and it looks really nice downtown.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Joey glad you got to go downtown. I'm also glad you got to see Riverside in person. Maybe if you head down there sometime soon you can take a few pics of your own.

[wrldcoupe4]

2 alarm fire at Loving's produce warehouse tonight....not sure how much of the 1911 warehouse is left...

[burt]

2 alarm fire at Loving's produce warehouse tonight....not sure how much of the 1911 warehouse is left...

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Conspiracy theories run high, but maybe it's Mother Nature who has it in for Loving. Weren't there damaging lightening storms across the area yesterday? News accounts say that floods over Loving's life span in the Bottom have wreaked havoc on several occasions. Further, I haven't read anything to boost conspiritists' contentions about the fire that destroyed the Loving warehouse on Broad at 18th last year.

[burt]

Our friend, Scottb over on RCW, provides a trove of development information in his thread "City Council Agenda and Issues". Go to it and click on "Planning Commission". You'll be bowled over by the projects being considered - nothing major like skyscrapers, but development possibilities galore! Lots of info on the BioTec area, which may reference the fenced-in block in your pictures, Coupe, as well as residential and commercial possibilities all over downtown.

Edited July 14, 2005 by burt

[wrldcoupe4]

Yea I look at those from time to time.... SOme neat ones are the following:

10. a. Public Hearing - Ordinance No. 2005-186: To rezone the properties, ***, located on East Duval, North 7th, North 6th Streets; and Navy Hill Drive from the RO-3 Residential

[wrldcoupe4]

To visualize the site that I'm talking about, it is the large block between Building F to the left and J Sarge to the right. It appears that Biotech does in fact envision building facilities on the site at some point so we'll just have to see....

[burt]

To visualize the site that I'm talking about, it is the large block between Building F to the left and J Sarge to the right. It appears that Biotech does in fact envision building facilities on the site at some point so we'll just have to see....

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What does light blue signify? Future buildings? The dark blue obviously represents buildings that are already there, but between F and JSarge is the block with the light blue form. Is that the block to which you refer? Wonder how old this map is? It shows all the structures I know of in Biotec Park, but, for instance, does not show 6th street as now open south of Marshall.

Anyway, I should have known that you were accessing the Planning Commission site, you sly fox! I foolishly thought I had found a treasure trove!

Edited July 14, 2005 by burt

[wrldcoupe4]

hahaha you still found a treasure trove, just not first .... That's what I'm referring to. The lightest blue shows the boudaries of the Biotech park. The medium blue shows where potential facilities will/can be built.

This map is probably from 2003-2004.

[wrldcoupe4]

Canal Walk Extension info from the RichmondRegion2007 website:

"This Legacy Project is to extend the Canal Walk from the "triple rail crossing" at 17th and Cary streets to the Great Shiplock Park, a distance of about six-tenths of a mile east. In addition, this project calls for the area surrounding the existing City dock at the Intermediate Terminal be repaired and made ready for RR7 to moor the Godspeed when it sails here from Jamestown for our 400th anniversary on May 24, 2007........"

Wilder said there is sufficient funding in place for this initiative...I wonder when it will begin.

RichmondRegion2007

Edited July 15, 2005 by wrldcoupe4

[burt]

Damn (good damn, that is)! I just found some wonderful pictures on coupe's RichmondRegion2007 site among the Legacy projects. There is an incredible (if grainy) fly over of VMFA's expansion and pictures I have not seen of the reopened canal walk at ROTJ. Not to mention the good news about the canal extension (Norfolk/Southern has to do something to make the draw span operable so there will be water access via Great Ship Lock to the James). Thanks for the tour, coupe.

[wrldcoupe4]

no problem...glad you enjoyed the link

[wrldcoupe4]

Awesome article today about Rockett's Landing...Ground is breaking soon on the $250,000,000+ project. This is probably one of THE most promising projects happening in the Richmond area. This is the kind of smart growth I was talking about in the suburban thread:

Think European. Think high-density living, not single-family homes on half-acre lots, and imagine walking to shops, restaurants and neighbors.

The centerpiece on this 45-acre site straddling Richmond and Henrico County will be a marina and docks.

"Maybe we will even attract a few tall ships," said Burrell Saunders, president of CMSS Architects of Virginia Beach, the designer of Rocketts Landing.

New town houses will take on the character of Richmond's historic Fan District neighborhood, Saunders said. Add in a seven-story riverfront condo complex, luxury apartments and the renovation of historic buildings into condos and offices.

Plans call for 1,400 residential units ranging from 700 square feet to 2,200 square feet. Prices will be from $150,000 to $650,000. Three custom-built penthouses with 3,500 square feet each in the riverfront condo are estimated to sell for $1 million plus.

The first buildings will begin rising from the ground by year's end, Saunders said. People will live in Rocketts Landing by early 2007.

:) read the whole, really good, article

Edited July 17, 2005 by wrldcoupe4

[Downtowner]

wrldcoupe I saw the article today and I also loved the pictures that were in the article.That was an awesome article.I really do think Rocketts Landing is going to be one of the best projects but whos getting more from this project Richmond or Henrico?

[burt]

wrldcoupe I saw the article today and I also loved the pictures that were in the article.That was an awesome article.I really do think Rocketts Landing is going to be one of the best projects but whos getting more from this project Richmond or Henrico?

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Joey: We out-of-towners don't get pictures online. Wish I could see the ones of Rocketts Landing I assume you are referring to.

[wrldcoupe4]

more of it will be built in Henrico. Howeever, I think we all win when it comes to projects like this. High density, grid layout streets, lots of mixed use. As this comes together, I think the gap of development betweeen Rockett's and Tobacco Row will close.

[wrldcoupe4]

do you think we will soon see highrise development in Manchester? Reason I ask is that a property owner recently requested to be left out of a proposed historic district in Manchester because of the lack of history in his land and the possibility of future development (including high rise development). He owns several parcels west of the Suntrust Mortgage HQ/Overnite HQ which would offer stunning views of the CBD from south of the river. Personally, I would'nt mind seeing this type of development in parts of Manchester...

[burt]

do you think we will soon see highrise development in Manchester? Reason I ask is that a property owner recently requested to be left out of a proposed historic district in Manchester because of the lack of history in his land and the possibility of future development (including high rise development). He owns several parcels west of the Suntrust Mortgage HQ/Overnite HQ which would offer stunning views of the CBD from south of the river. Personally, I would'nt mind seeing this type of development in parts of Manchester...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That guy has owned Riverside Tower property for about 40 years. Wonder what he's waiting for. Looks to me like a great site for more towers.

[Downtowner]

wrldcoupe I was Just wondering If Ghazi is going to plan one hundred Million dollars in development and if its going to be downtown what how tall and how many floors do you think he could build for hundred million dollars.

[Downtowner]

Hey I don't know if you all have checked the ghazi companies website but they just realeased one future project but it wasn't for richmond it was St.Louis Missouri. But something tells me their getting closer to prsenting the project in richmond. Oh yeah and they don't have their coming soon list anymore for future projects for the cities.

[wrldcoupe4]

They must be in the midst of updating the site....hopefully we'll know something soon

[wrldcoupe4]

wrldcoupe I was Just wondering If Ghazi is going to plan one hundred Million dollars in development and if its going to be downtown what how tall and how many floors do you think he could build for hundred million dollars.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That St. Louis project they are working on is a mammoth development.That kind of thing could only be dreamed of around here as of right now. However, if they are planning to spend $100 mil+ in Richmond and they want to build tall, we could be looking at something comparable to Granby Tower in Norfolk or the Westin at Town Center in VA Beach...This is total guessing though since we still don't even know what they plan to do.

In other news, The City of Richmond has a new Economic Development Director:

"William J. Jabjiniak has been appointed the new economic development director for the city of Richmond.....

......In New Hampshire, Jabjiniak provided leadership in projects that involved riverfront development, blight reduction and infrastructure-building. He was also involved with several large-scale multi-use projects, including the creation of a downtown baseball stadium with associated condominium, hotel, and retail development."

link

[wrldcoupe4]

Architectural Model of new Philip Morris Research Facility:

According to Hourigan's website, the project will have 6 floors. (I'm assuming the buildings will be much taller than that but it will have just 6 floors). The model also shows what appears to be biuldings on the parking lot I referred to earlier....

link

[burt]

Architectural Model of new Philip Morris Research Facility:

According to Hourigan's website, the project will have 6 floors. (I'm assuming the buildings will be much taller than that but it will have just 6 floors). The model also shows what appears to be biuldings on the parking lot I referred to earlier....

link

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did it say how tall in feet? I count at least 8 levels in the model. And yes, it looks as if something is in the block you mentioned. Could that be parking?

[burt]

Read about it in today's Style Weekly. Apparently Richmond Marriott owner, James A Procaccianti, has expressed interest in buying and, presumably taking over, the Miller & Rhoads project. I don't know how to post the full story, but our erstwhile editor does.

[burt]

There's also another interesting story in Style about Richmond Coliseum manager, Larry Wilson, moving on to manage the new John Paul Jones arena under construction in Charlottesville. The story relates the remarkable turn-around (physically and financially) the Coliseum enjoyed under Wilson's management.

Maybe the City will hire a replacement from Manchester, NH (hahahaha).