Richmond Developments

[burt]

It is 11:51am as I write this:

Venture Richmond is having another of its "Seeing is Believing" forums this coming Wednesday, March 14th at The Commons at Plant Zero, 3rd and Hull Streets. The forums have become so popular that there will be two sessions on Wednesday -- one at 7:30am to 9:00am and a second beginning at 6:00pm 'til 7:30pm. Both sessions will offer optional tours of Plant Zero's Commons immediately after the discussions.

All of the major projects proposed and underway downtown will be discussed.

I hope Shakman goes.

Edited March 12, 2007 by burt

[Shakman]

It is 11:51am as I write this:

Venture Richmond is having another of its "Seeing is Believing" forums this coming Wednesday, March 14th at The Commons at Plant Zero, 3rd and Hull Streets. The forums have become so popular that there will be two sessions on Wednesday -- one at 7:30am to 9:00am and a second beginning at 6:00pm 'til 7:30pm. Both sessions will offer optional tours of Plant Zero's Commons immediately after the discussions.

All of the major projects proposed and underway downtown will be discussed.

I hope Shakman goes.

POO POO's!!! I will be at Quantico this Wednesday.

[burt]

POO POO's!!! I will be at Quantico this Wednesday.

Rats! I was hoping you could be there and keep them on their toes like you and I did the last time.

[eandslee]

POO POO's!!!

POO POO's???

Now that's a cool expression! I am very disheartened that you won't be there, Shak. Will someone here be there? I'd sure like to get the latest "dirt" on all of the new developments coming up - most especially, the new "rumored" tower and Centennial Tower...and anything else planned that we might not know about already. Somehow I believe that we, on this site, know a heck of a lot more than the average Richmond citizen and heck, some of us don't even live in Richmond!!! Gosh, you've gotta love the Internet. I feel like we are all pals and I've only officially met one of you...Coupe! (seemed like a cool smiley face to post for this moment)

[JSI]

Will someone here be there?

I'll be going to the evening meeting, I'll try to take notes.

[eandslee]

I'll be going to the evening meeting, I'll try to take notes.

SWEET! Thanks JSI! Please update us on anything you find is new! You are the man of the hour!

[Cadeho]

I'd go but I'm nocturnal. due to my schedule... and isn't there an RSVP? Probably too late by now.

[burt]

I'd go but I'm nocturnal. due to my schedule... and isn't there an RSVP? Probably too late by now.

http://[email protected]

Specify which session you plan to attend.

Edited March 13, 2007 by burt

[burt]

JSI and others, please tell us all you learned today at the SEEING IS BELIEVING FORUM.

[Cadeho]

Thanks burt, although definitely too late for me now since I'm just checking at 8:17PM. Thanks for looking out though. There's always next year. I am not as excited as last year. To me, things have really come to a screeching halt.

[JSI]

Thanks burt, although definitely too late for me now since I'm just checking at 8:17PM. Thanks for looking out though. There's always next year. I am not as excited as last year. To me, things have really come to a screeching halt.

I beg to differ...I attended the Venture Richmond Development meeting tonight and heard lots of great news. Hopefully most if not all of it is true. I tried to take notes as fast as I could but there was A LOT of information and they went very fast. Here's what I got:

- MeadWestVaCo & Parking Garage to be delivered in 2009

- The new cathedral walk under the "spaghetti works" will be completed this July and have something like 100 blue lights illuminating the highway pillars. Houston supposedly has something similar.

- Federal Court House - Summer 2008

- M&R - No updates on which Hilton brand but they did mention 240 hotel rooms / 100 condos

- State Capital renovation will be complete in May 2007

- VCU school of nursing opens this week

- Medical Sciences building to be built on Broad (I believe where the old nursing school was) will be finished in December 2008 at a whopping $525 sq/ft. Most expensive in VCU history. Supposedly research space is very expensive to build.

- Critical Care building - Summer 2008

- VCU Monroe Park Campus

- The new Engineering building (between Main & Cary on Belvidere) will be complete December 2007

- The new student housing / parking garage (between Cary & Canal on Belvidere) will be complete August 2008. On the corner of Cary & Belvidere will be a full service Chili's and Starbuck's.

- Belting building - December 2007

- Biotech 8 - 76,000 sq/ft being built on 5th street will be green and have an additional 300 parking spaces. Only 2 more locations left to build on in the Bio-park (not sure if that's the right name).

- CenterStage breaks ground in June 2007

- Capital trailway construction will start in Richmond this summer. They said the Canal Walk will be extended under the train trestle and they will put some type of canopy so any debris falling from the trains will be caught. Seems kind of cheap to me. I don't know why they can't make the canal similar to what's already been built.

- Emrick Flats - first units close next month

- (not sure of spelling) Ecko Flats are the name for the conversion at Brook & I95. It will be 8 apartments targeted for students. I know somebody has mentioned this development before.

- The developers that own the vacant Lucky Strike factory are close (within a week) of "wooing" a Henrico company to relocating.

- Ironhouse Condos at 1333 W. Broad will be 56 condo units with 2 retail units. August 2007

- Ironhouse Aparatments right next door. August 2007

- Eagle Mill Condos on Marshall will have 30 units and be complete August 2007

- Cutter's Ridge units are renting for $2400 - $2550

- Lucky Strike Apartments - Move in will begin September 2007 and finish in January 2008

- Rockett's Landing - 20% of project is under construction - 3 buildings/250 units, 41 townhouse's and 50,000 sq/ft of retail. Breaking ground on another building this spring.

- Southern Railway Deli opens March 20th

- Bistro 104 opened in the old location of Zuppa last week

- The National - SUMMER 2007

- ROTJ - Blackfinn (I've personally seen construction moving along quickly) & Blanc Blue (no sign of construction thus far) are scheduled to open June 1, 2007.

- Toad's Place is booking bands for June 2007. No details on who will officially "open" the joint. Supposedly a Toad's Mascot will begin wandering around Richmond in May to distribute flyers and generate awareness.

- I didn't catch the name but a construction or architecture firm plans to build a two story building at the corner of Hull & Commerce in Manchester across from the McDonald's. This was the first time the public has heard this news. Supposedly, the morning crowd was not given this information.

- Driving to Easy Street to grab a few drinks I noticed a packed HOME TEAM GRILL which I guess has just opened on Main Street in the Trolley Condos project.

Overall, it was a great meeting and I'm sure I missed some things but I tried to write down as much information as possible. If you have any questions feel free to ask, I'll try to answer.

Edited March 15, 2007 by JSI

[Cadeho]

What I mean is, this stuff we already know. Aside from Hull and Commerce... nothing's new. A few years ago, i was cutting out articles on developments it seems almost everyday and now there's not much to me. The UR stadium was all I've seen in a while.

Thanks for sharing what went on. The canal walk under the trestle definitely would need a canopy... rocks and oil falling is not a good thing. I still would like to see shops built up over parking, but hey, you can only take what they give.

[burt]

JSI. Thank you and thank you again for the comprehensive report. I don't know how you managed to record as many revelations as you did. I hope most of our readers and contributors (especially us out-of-towners) were as excited as I while reading your summation.

I'll come back to address all of the projects later, but am curious about two of my pet projects:

deeznatz was told it would be approximately 18 months before opening The Nat; your report says it is scheduled for completion this summer of 2007. What's your gut feeling?

Also, it really sounds like Toads is finally on track to open. So far, all we've found on pollstar is that a less than major group is booked for June 16th. Did you pick up any additional data on actual opening date and acts with whom negotiations are in progress?

Again, a terrific report.

[TBurban]

Thanks again for going, JSI! I found a few examples of what the blue lights along Houston's Bayou look like.

From cybertoad's photos on Flickr.

Edited March 15, 2007 by TBurban

[burt]

I can't wait to see a lit up Spaghetti Works walk. Someone reported that it would be finished by the end of March to coincide with unvailing of the Slave Reconcilliation monument, but I must have mis-read that.

So Mead WestVaco expects to be in a new building in 2009. I wish they would redesign the rather suburban looking design we have seen.

Biotech Park may have a chance of inheriting the site of that ugly building that contains a city lock-up and courts, etc. Does anyone think that is a possibility?

JSI, I am confused about the Lucky Strike factory that is within a week of luring a Henrico company. Is that the same Lucky Strike factory that is under conversion to residential on Tobacco Row?

Frankly, I'm surprised CSX didn't put the kabash on extension of the canal walk underneath their trestle CSX is not noted for its cooperation. I wish the Riverwalk/Canal folks would seriously address "ship shops" and other uses of that navigable stretch of the Kanawa Canal.

Was Centennial Towers mentioned at all? And was there any talk about the tower rumored for the triangle at 8th, 9th, Cary & Canal?

Edited March 15, 2007 by burt

[JSI]

I can't wait to see a lit up Spaghetti Works walk. Someone reported that it would be finished by the end of March to coincide with unvailing of the Slave Reconcilliation monument, but I must have mis-read that.

So Mead WestVaco expects to be in a new building in 2009. I wish they would redesign the rather suburban looking design we have seen.

Biotech Park may have a chance of inheriting the site of that ugly building that contains a city lock-up and courts, etc. Does anyone think that is a possibility?

JSI, I am confused about the Lucky Strike factory that is within a week of luring a Henrico company. Is that the same Lucky Strike factory that is under conversion to residential on Tobacco Row?

Frankly, I'm surprised CSX didn't put the kabash on extension of the canal walk underneath their trestle CSX is not noted for its cooperation. I wish the Riverwalk/Canal folks would seriously address "ship shops" and other uses of that navigable stretch of the Kanawa Canal.

Was Centennial Towers mentioned at all? And was there any talk about the tower rumored for the triangle at 8th, 9th, Cary & Canal?

There is a large almost hollow building directly east of the Lucky Stike building being converted into apartments that has a for sale sign on it (at least it did a few weeks ago). I believe this is the building they are talking about.

I figured somebody would ask, there was no mention of Centennial, James Center, the 3rd/4th/Cary/Main block or the triangle block. They did mention that retailers are chomping at the bit to build things out by the Diamond where the Department of Public Works currently resides.

[burt]

There is a large almost hollow building directly east of the Lucky Stike building being converted into apartments that has a for sale sign on it (at least it did a few weeks ago). I believe this is the building they are talking about.

I figured somebody would ask, there was no mention of Centennial, James Center, the 3rd/4th/Cary/Main block or the triangle block. They did mention that retailers are chomping at the bit to build things out by the Diamond where the Department of Public Works currently resides.

That's the Lucky Strike Power Plant at Cary and Pear Streets, I think. For a while, it was rumored (maybe even reported) that the Power Plant would be converted to an entertainment complex.

Not good news about Centennial!

Did they mention Bowtie's Movietime cineplex on the Boulevard?

[JSI]

That's the Lucky Strike Power Plant at Cary and Pear Streets, I think. For a while, it was rumored (maybe even reported) that the Power Plant would be converted to an entertainment complex.

Not good news about Centennial!

Did they mention Bowtie's Movietime cineplex on the Boulevard?

Nope, no mention of Bowtie's cineplex.

[JSI]

JSI. Thank you and thank you again for the comprehensive report. I don't know how you managed to record as many revelations as you did. I hope most of our readers and contributors (especially us out-of-towners) were as excited as I while reading your summation.

I'll come back to address all of the projects later, but am curious about two of my pet projects:

deeznatz was told it would be approximately 18 months before opening The Nat; your report says it is scheduled for completion this summer of 2007. What's your gut feeling?

Also, it really sounds like Toads is finally on track to open. So far, all we've found on pollstar is that a less than major group is booked for June 16th. Did you pick up any additional data on actual opening date and acts with whom negotiations are in progress?

Again, a terrific report.

Sorry Burt, just re-read your post. You're giving me way too much credit on what you think my opinion is on "The Nat". However, since you asked, I wouldn't be surprised if it was delayed past this summer if you look at all of the delays that Toad's has experienced.

As far as Toad's place goes I have no idea who will be the opening act or with whom negotiations are in progress. I actually met with Jeff Sadler (general manager) about investment opportunities awhile ago. I'm glad I didn't invest, not because I think it will fail but because of the incessant amount of delays.

[Shakman]

According to an NBC12 report, demolition for Centennial Tower is to begin 5 to 10 weeks. Construction on the project is set to begin this summer. I will try to catch the report again at 6pm.

and...

According to sources, work is to begin on MWV's headquarters next month.

[Cadeho]

This should start the salivating! Can they have some last minute updates... like 10 more floors?

[wrldcoupe4]

According to an NBC12 report, demolition for Centennial Tower is to begin 5 to 10 weeks. Construction on the project is set to begin this summer. I will try to catch the report again at 6pm.

and...

According to sources, work is to begin on MWV's headquarters next month.

Good to have you back Shakman. Any idea when the Fed deck work will begin or will it be simultaneous with MWV's HQ construction? Where will all the Fed folks park in the meantime?

Thanks for the Downtown Forum updates. I was pissed I couldn't attend.

[burt]

The Diamond area may get a Natatorium as well as a new ball park. Read the Michael Martz story from today's Times Dispatch:

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satel...mesdispatch.com

[burt]

Renegades President and GM Allan Harvie wants to build a 7000-seat arena for his team in Henrico County near I-64 and Rte. 288.

I think there is no professional hockey in a class below The Southern League, but The Renegades have been drawing an average 3,413 at The Coliseum -- about as well as they did when they were a step up in classification last year.

Harvie says he's not anxious to leave The downtown Coliseum, but pre-set bookings there make it difficult to schedule games.

See the story in today's Times Dispatch.

[wrldcoupe4]

You couldn't put a bigger finger in regionalism's eye....