Richmond Developments

[eandslee]

What a shame. This was once supposed to be a 25-30 story tower.  So disappointing especially considering the current market conditions. Seems to me that the market is ripe for what they originally proposed in 2007. 

[Shakman]

I wanted to give a down vote but that option has been removed.   Due to politically correct reasons? 

[Icetera]

37 minutes ago, Shakman said:

I wanted to give a down vote but that option has been removed.   Due to politically correct reasons? 

The down-vote had negative impact on the user posting (not that the reputation thing seems to matter) rather than just being about not liking the content.

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

^^^Also noticed that  people were downvoting negative news or whenever a project was announced and it wasn't what we desired, people would downvote. Which seemingly discourages people from posting news on here. Like, when a project was announced to be shrunken in size or an updated rendering came out that was seemingly less attractive than the original, people would downvote.

[wrldcoupe4]

Here is a link to renderings for a new proposed project, Opus at Richmond, at the corner of Lombardy and Broad. It was introduced at the city council hearing last night. 12 story student housing project to replace the Sunoco gas station. 

[eandslee]

2 hours ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Here is a link to renderings for a new proposed project, Opus at Richmond, at the corner of Lombardy and Broad. It was introduced at the city council hearing last night. 12 story student housing project to replace the Sunoco gas station. 

I really like this!  A pleasant surprise!

[Brent114]

This is really interesting.   I love the prospect of some height at this intersection. 

Edited January 29, 2020 by Brent114

[blopp1234]

7 story apartment building going up on the northwest corner of the intersection of canal and first.

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/01/29/2m-deal-clears-way-for-7-story-one-canal-building-downtown/

Edited January 29, 2020 by blopp1234

[Brent114]

It’s nice to see infill finally happening in Monroe Ward.  This particular site is really visible (the crest of a hill) so it should show up nicely from several vantage points.  I don’t know why it’s so difficult for Richmond to get over the 6-7 floor threshold though.  
 

Is the Broad/Lombardy thing real?  I just looked over all the renderings....what an excellent addition to Broad Street (in a location that could definitely use some help). 

[rjp212]

14 minutes ago, Brent114 said:

It’s nice to see infill finally happening in Monroe Ward.  This particular site is really visible (the crest of a hill) so it should show up nicely from several vantage points.  I don’t know why it’s so difficult for Richmond to get over the 6-7 floor threshold though.  
 

Is the Broad/Lombardy thing real?  I just looked over all the renderings....what an excellent addition to Broad Street (in a location that could definitely use some help). 

6-7 stories is usually about the max for wood frame apartments.  It’s fairly common in all cities.
 

  

[wrldcoupe4]

Yes, the Lombardy and Broad deal is real. Will really help visually in that area. 

[Icetera]

4 hours ago, Brent114 said:

It’s nice to see infill finally happening in Monroe Ward.  This particular site is really visible (the crest of a hill) so it should show up nicely from several vantage points.  I don’t know why it’s so difficult for Richmond to get over the 6-7 floor threshold though.  
 

Is the Broad/Lombardy thing real?  I just looked over all the renderings....what an excellent addition to Broad Street (in a location that could definitely use some help). 

In this case I like it as the roof-lines should match up nicely with its neighbors.  Hopefully the block behind (Cary) will start seeing the taller structures.

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

More info on the Opus project in today's BizSense

https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/01/30/12-story-tower-proposed-at-broad-and-lombardy/

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

It's zoned M-1 but they're requesting an SUP reasoning the location on Broad along the Pulse line and encouragement from city planning documents for TOD, so hopefully the city takes this as a sign of momentum and interest from developers and approves it.

[Shakman]

I like the height of the Opus development but don't like the design.  

Edited January 30, 2020 by Shakman

[Icetera]

58 minutes ago, RVA-Is-The-Best said:

It's zoned M-1 but they're requesting an SUP reasoning the location on Broad along the Pulse line and encouragement from city planning documents for TOD, so hopefully the city takes this as a sign of momentum and interest from developers and approves it.

City Council will require 5 more studies.

[Brent114]

How was this parcel ever zoned for a maximum height of 45 feet?!  Gee wiz. 

Edited January 31, 2020 by Brent114

[vaceltic]

14 hours ago, Icetera said:

City Council will require 5 more studies.

Not really. A company who is working with staff in advance of pending zoning regulation changes to meet requirements and not demand a taxpayer handout to make it happen? What a novel idea.

Looks like two typical blocks of Navy Hill’s own development plans we’re just publicly released on two other parcels of the city (one $35M 7-story building and a 12-story of unknown value) in a two day period. Not to mention the 275-room, $350M casino and workforce development project in Manchester last week. 

Man, this city is just doing TERRIBLE.

Edited January 31, 2020 by vaceltic

[Icetera]

10 hours ago, vaceltic said:

Not really. A company who is working with staff in advance of pending zoning regulation changes to meet requirements and not demand a taxpayer handout to make it happen? What a novel idea.

Looks like two typical blocks of Navy Hill’s own development plans we’re just publicly released on two other parcels of the city (one $35M 7-story building and a 12-story of unknown value) in a two day period. Not to mention the 275-room, $350M casino and workforce development project in Manchester last week. 

Man, this city is just doing TERRIBLE.

I am certainly not complaining and I am excited about these housing developments (we need them bad!), but you can see the same thing traveling through every other city right now.   I am definitely looking forward to the casino, as it should spur further development and that will be one less thing to travel for, but that is also more property that will not generate tax money and add costs to infrastructure.  Hopefully we at least still get lodging taxes.

[RiverYuppy]

I like the new development and I like seeing a nice skyline, but walking around Downtown on a Saturday often feels abandoned.  It's completely devoid of life.  I would really like to see a lively downtown area, but I think that would require a lot of new housing there.

 

[Icetera]

27 minutes ago, RiverYuppy said:

I like the new development and I like seeing a nice skyline, but walking around Downtown on a Saturday often feels abandoned.  It's completely devoid of life.  I would really like to see a lively downtown area, but I think that would require a lot of new housing there.

 

A lot of it is.  You have 4 blocks of nearly complete abandon in the center (Coliseum, Blue's Armory) and several blocks of parking decks/lots and underutilized city facilities that are all unused in the evenings, all of which that cannot be developed without city action.   Then there is the giant wall of the Convention Center followed by several blocks just West on Broad that are almost entirely vacant and rotting (Jemal's block between 1st and 2nd especially).  It is such a stark contrast to everything going on elsewhere in the city.

[Brent114]

It’s ok for the civic center of a city to be dead at night and on the weekends though. 
New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Mexico City....the world’s  greatest  cities have places  that aren’t 24/7 neighborhoods and that’s ok.   
 

Downtown doesn’t need to be an entertainment destination for the city to be successful.  I’d rather the effort ($$) be put into the Bottom, Monroe Ward, Brookland Park Blvd and Manchester.  We’re lucky to have a downtown that is a large employment center, we’re luckier to have proper urban neighborhoods that are funky, fun and are beginning to thrive.  Let’s celebrate that and stop trying to force an artificial experience in a part of town that doesn’t need one. 

Edited January 31, 2020 by Brent114

[Icetera]

29 minutes ago, Brent114 said:

It’s ok for the civic center of a city to be dead at night and on the weekends though. 
New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, Mexico City....the world’s  greatest  cities have places  that aren’t 24/7 neighborhoods and that’s ok.   
 

Downtown doesn’t need to be an entertainment destination for the city to be successful.  I’d rather the effort ($$) be put into the Bottom, Monroe Ward, Brookland Park Blvd and Manchester.  We’re lucky to have a downtown that is a large employment center, we’re luckier to have proper urban neighborhoods that are funky, fun and are beginning to thrive.  Let’s celebrate that and stop trying to force an artificial experience in a part of town that doesn’t need one. 

For one, we are not talking about a new artificial experience.  We are talking about replacing and improving upon an area that already served such a purpose.  Also, in all of those examples (not as certain on Mexico City, will hopefully make it there soon), the quiet work-day areas are not at the nexus of the city.  Certainly none of them are half-abandoned.  I agree that Shockoe near Main Street Station would be great for for such uses but that has been shot-down before.  The current site of the Coliseum is at a major transportation hub making it easiest to access for the greatest population.  The Diamond and Casino area are nice for highway access but lack other transportation options and are not sensible locations for a major hub.

In the examples you provided, developments like this exist at major transportation centers.  You have Madison Square Garden next to Penn Station and others around Grand Central.   The centers of London and Paris are full of major entertainment and cultural venues.  The only quiet area in the center of Tokyo is the palace complex, much like Capitol grounds.

[RiverYuppy]

I was more so referring to the section bounded by Broad, Belvidere, i95, and the river.   The the area between the Convention Center and MCV is pretty dead too.

There are pockets of things.  Penny Lane & Green Leaf.  Tobacco & City Dogs.  However, a walk around the area on a Saturday night would make it feel like the entire area is abandoned with the exception of people who commuted to those couple of attractions.

Edited January 31, 2020 by RiverYuppy

[Brent114]

Madison Square Gardens isn’t downtown.  Downtown Manhattan is dead (like really dead) after business hours.  Thanks for the example.