Two high-profile votes came before Richmond City Council last night — one for a four-story condo/apartment complex in the Springhill historic neighborhood and the other regarding the proposed public marina site beside the Rocketts Landing development.
Manchester on the James – 200 unit residential complex
This has been flying under the radar for quite some time. I remember seeing stories about this proposed development from a couple of years ago, but I haven't heard a peep about it until this vote last night.
Although, this posting from 01/18/08 on River District News explains some of the more up-to-date information that I apparently missed. The original proposal was for a 17-story high rise with "luxury condos". The revision was to a 4-story building with smaller units. The shift in focus to more of a rental use rather than owner-occupied units is what provoked the ire of nearby residents.
From an article in this morning's RTD:
Crosland, a Charlotte, N.C.-based development company, plans the
complex on a 2-acre block bounded by Cowardin, Riverside Drive, West
19th Street and Stonewall Avenue. The company plans to build and market
the complex as condominiums, but it also asked for the ability to offer
apartments to provide market flexibility. The project calls for
ground-level retail along Cowardin and a 320-space parking deck.
Despite the protests of the neighbors, City Council passed the proposal and Crosland LLC should begin construction on the 200-unit complex before too long.
Property beside Echo Harbor to be purchased — but will there be a marina?
City Council voted to back the plan for the City to purchase the Lehigh property, 1.6 acres at 3111 Water Street. The property is located immediately adjacent to the Richmond Intermediate Terminal, where the mayor has proposed the hotly contested public marina.
The Council reserved the right to allow a private developer to develop part of the site, and deliberately stayed silent on their stance regarding the proposed marina. So, the saga continues.
