Richmond council committee debates purpose of stadium vote

City of Richmond:

“A Richmond City Council resolution on the Shockoe Bottom baseball stadium plan cleared another committee Thursday, but a debate that ended without unanimity offered a preview of what may be in store when the full council considers the plan next week. The council’s finance and economic development committee advanced a resolution seeking council support for ‘continued negotiations’ on the Shockoe plan.

The administration of Mayor Dwight C. Jones has said the resolution, which is on the agenda for Monday’s council meeting, will allow it to firm up the details of various agreements among the Richmond Economic Development Authority, the developers and the Richmond Flying Squirrels before bringing the deals back for council approval in late March or early April. Though the three-member panel didn’t forward the measure with an official recommendation, Councilwomen Kathy C. Graziano, 4th District, and Ellen F. Robertson, 6th District, voiced favorable opinions, saying it would give the council the information it needs to make a final decision.”

~Writes Graham Moomaw of the Richmond Times-Dispatch

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High-rise living in Tysons has arrived

Fairfax County:

“Developers of new Tysons Corner apartment high-rises have begun marketing the cool features of their new buildings: soaring views, rooftop pools, floor-to-ceiling windows, quartz counter tops, fire pits, pet grooming services, a bocce court and 24-hour concierge services. They are pitching the buildings as a chance for luxury urban living. And they are charging like it too.

Leasing agents at three of the new buildings are frequently asking $3 per square foot or more per month for the new units, rents on par with new buildings in Clarendon and Ballston, some of the most popular neighborhoods for renters in the region.”

~ Writes Jonathan O'Connell of the Washington Post

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Virginia Beach arena would use only private money

Virginia Beach:

“A team of businesses behind some of the most successful sports complexes in the country - including the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the Pepsi Center in Denver - proposed Monday to build an 18,000-seat arena in Virginia Beach and pay for it themselves. Their plan emphasizes what developers call the need for a major concert venue in Virginia to lure top musical acts, national political conventions and events such as the Ice Capades and NCAA tournament basketball. Project officials said the $200 million arena would be paid for entirely with private money, mostly from a Chinese construction giant, and would require no taxpayer funding.

The ESG Cos. of Virginia Beach is at the center of the plan, presented as a counterproposal to one initiated in November by construction firm W.M. Jordan Co., which involves Beach developer Bruce Thompson as a consultant. Both proposals would build on city-owned land near the Convention Center, and both would need major infrastructure improvements by the city.

Last year, an attempt to lure the NBA's Sacramento Kings to Virginia Beach fizzled when the state legislature refused to spend $150 million of public money to finance the arena. Virginia Beach spent nearly $1 million for consultants and public relations.”

~ Writes John Holland of The Virginian-Pilot

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Developer Seeks to Build 100-Room Hotel Near Water Country

York County:

“The Marquis at Williamsburg in Upper York County could soon have a 100-room hotel. The York County Board of Supervisors will consider Tuesday whether to amend the conditions of a previously approved special-use permit, which would allow the construction of the hotel to move forward. The board originally approved the construction of a 71,000-square-foot hotel at the site in 2007. The new proposal seeks an 85,000-square-foot hotel.

The hotel is the latest development for the once-stalled shopping center, located off Route 199 near Water Country USA. The Marquis is split into two pods — the north pod has five stores already in place and will receive an additional 200,000 square feet of commercial space, while development of 650 residential units in the south pod, which is currently undeveloped, was recently OK’d by the supervisors. Because the hotel would lead to an increase in floor area at the site between 5 percent and 25 percent, a public hearing is not necessary for the proposal. The supervisors will consider it under new business at their Tuesday meeting.”

~Writes Gregory Connolly of the Williamsburg Yorktown Daily

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Chancellorsville battlefield eyed for subdivision

Spotsylvania County:

“The Silver Cos. is proposing a 249-home subdivision on part of the Chancellorsville battlefield in Spotsylvania County. Tonight, the developer plans to hold a community meeting at St. Michael the Archangel High School in Spotsylvania about its project.

Chancellorsville Investment Co. LLC is applying to rezone 1,152 acres that border Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on the north side of State Route 3. The Binns Tract is just east of Black Meadow Road, west of Golden Oaks Drive, and south of Flint Hill Court and Hunting Run Reservoir. The land lies between the reservoir and the park… Some 44 acres of the property lie within the national park’s congressional designated boundary, land that Congress said ought to be incorporated into it if the National Park Service can acquire the property.”

~Writes Clint Schemmer of The Free Lance–Star

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Rezoning granted for new construction slated for Langston Park

City of Hopewell:

“An amendment to the zoning of the Langston Park Public Housing Development was granted by City Council Tuesday, amid questions and hesitations from some councilors about a plan to revitalize the development. Community Housing Partners, plans to demolish the 52-year-old development in favor of building energy efficient mixed-income units. CHP is a nonprofit organization that works with public and private partners to provide energy efficient and quality affordable housing.

The current 30-unit development will be replaced by 56 units, 26 of which will be rented at market rate. Thirty of the units will be under the Section 8 voucher program. Construction of the apartments is slated to cost about $9.5 million. CHP has acquired all of the funding for the project, which includes state and federal tax credits, grants and private investment.

The area is currently zoned R-4, but is slated to become a Planned Unit Development following Tuesday's decision. During a Council work session last month, developers stated that the new designation would allow more open space, and be landscaped into a safer, more well lit environment.”

~Writes Leah Small of Progress-Index

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The Village at Chicago Park is a go

City of Harrisonburg:

“Harrisonburg City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved the project proposed at 1041 and 1049 Chicago Ave., near Mount Clinton Pike. The property owners, Theda and Merle Brunk of Dayton and John Harding of Clemson, S.C., sought to rezone the 2-acre residential parcel to a relatively new residential classification, R-7, that offers more flexibility with zoning regulations and requires a minimum of 15 percent open or green space.

Fifteen single-family and duplex homes are proposed, ranging in size from 1,500 to 2,100 square feet. A new private street, Saturday Drive, will offer access into the development. Councilman Richard Baugh said the project offers a ‘good balance for density,’ as opposed to ‘cramming’ as much as possible on the site. Stacy Turner, the director of the Harrisonburg Department of Planning and Community Development, said city staff endorsed the idea because it’s smaller in scope.

Last year, council approved the same R-7 zoning classification for Collicello North, a 30-unit development planned on the northern part of Collicello Street. Both developments are designed to be environmentally friendly and promote walking and biking.”

~ Writes Preston Knight of DNR Online