Northside apartments, Arthur Ashe Boulevard rezoning move forward

planningcommission1

An aerial view of the Wesco Distribution site, which Thalhimer Realty Partners purchased for $3.7 million in 2019, facing south. Arthur Ashe Boulevard is to the left. (City documents)

Dozens of new income-based apartments near Highland Park and a potential redevelopment site on Arthur Ashe Boulevard both got an initial greenlight at City Hall on Monday.

Richmond’s Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a special-use permit for Commonwealth Catholic Charities’ planned 56-unit residential project at 1031 and 1101 Fourqurean Lane.

The commission also recommended approval of Thalhimer Realty Partners’ rezoning request for 2902 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. from M-2 Heavy Industrial to TOD-1 Transit-Oriented Nodal District.

3.3R Planning Commission CCC

A development with 56 affordable housing units by Commonwealth Catholic Charities is planned for this vacant 3-acre site in Northside. (BizSense file)

CCC’s project, in conjunction with St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, would house 56 apartments across 14 buildings on a 3-acre site that’s currently vacant.

Since CCC and St. Elizabeth’s applied for the SUP in November, they’ve added a community center and playground to the plans, additions that CCC CEO Jay Brown said were a result of community feedback.

Meanwhile, Thalhimer now takes its unspecified plans for the 3-acre plot near The Diamond to the City Council next week.

The company bought the property for $3.7 million in late 2019. The industrial site houses a 36,000-square-foot warehouse for Wesco Distribution. If the rezoning is approved by the council, TRP would be able to build mixed-use projects up to 12 stories by right.

planningcommission2

Thalhimer is planning a restaurant and retail project on a piece of land adjacent to the Wesco site. (Courtesy of Thalhimer)

The application, which was submitted on behalf of Thalhimer by Lory Markham of Markham Planning, does not specify precisely what the developer has in mind for the site, stating only that TRP “wishes to construct a new multi-story development on the property.”

TRP principal Matt Raggi said they should have more specific plans for the site ready to share in the coming months.

“The current zoning of M-2 heavy industrial doesn’t give us much flexibility on redevelopment options and TOD-1 will allow for options that are more suited to how the greater Scott’s Addition area is developing,” Raggi said.

While its plans for the Wesco site remain unclear, TRP already has a project in the works for an adjacent parcel.

planningcommission3

The Idealease property has already been vacated. (Mike Platania photo)

Last month it began marketing its plans for Scott’s Walk, a restaurant and retail project to rise at 3064 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., a site it bought for $4 million in early 2020.

Formerly the home of truck leasing firm Idealease, TRP is planning a two-story, 20,000-square-foot project with the possibility of drive-thrus built-in for tenants. Thalhimer’s Connie Jordan Nielsen and Annie O’Connor have the listing on Scott’s Walk.

Both the CCC and TRP projects are scheduled for a vote before the City Council at its March 8 meeting.

planningcommission1

An aerial view of the Wesco Distribution site, which Thalhimer Realty Partners purchased for $3.7 million in 2019, facing south. Arthur Ashe Boulevard is to the left. (City documents)

Dozens of new income-based apartments near Highland Park and a potential redevelopment site on Arthur Ashe Boulevard both got an initial greenlight at City Hall on Monday.

Richmond’s Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a special-use permit for Commonwealth Catholic Charities’ planned 56-unit residential project at 1031 and 1101 Fourqurean Lane.

The commission also recommended approval of Thalhimer Realty Partners’ rezoning request for 2902 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. from M-2 Heavy Industrial to TOD-1 Transit-Oriented Nodal District.

3.3R Planning Commission CCC

A development with 56 affordable housing units by Commonwealth Catholic Charities is planned for this vacant 3-acre site in Northside. (BizSense file)

CCC’s project, in conjunction with St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, would house 56 apartments across 14 buildings on a 3-acre site that’s currently vacant.

Since CCC and St. Elizabeth’s applied for the SUP in November, they’ve added a community center and playground to the plans, additions that CCC CEO Jay Brown said were a result of community feedback.

Meanwhile, Thalhimer now takes its unspecified plans for the 3-acre plot near The Diamond to the City Council next week.

The company bought the property for $3.7 million in late 2019. The industrial site houses a 36,000-square-foot warehouse for Wesco Distribution. If the rezoning is approved by the council, TRP would be able to build mixed-use projects up to 12 stories by right.

planningcommission2

Thalhimer is planning a restaurant and retail project on a piece of land adjacent to the Wesco site. (Courtesy of Thalhimer)

The application, which was submitted on behalf of Thalhimer by Lory Markham of Markham Planning, does not specify precisely what the developer has in mind for the site, stating only that TRP “wishes to construct a new multi-story development on the property.”

TRP principal Matt Raggi said they should have more specific plans for the site ready to share in the coming months.

“The current zoning of M-2 heavy industrial doesn’t give us much flexibility on redevelopment options and TOD-1 will allow for options that are more suited to how the greater Scott’s Addition area is developing,” Raggi said.

While its plans for the Wesco site remain unclear, TRP already has a project in the works for an adjacent parcel.

planningcommission3

The Idealease property has already been vacated. (Mike Platania photo)

Last month it began marketing its plans for Scott’s Walk, a restaurant and retail project to rise at 3064 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., a site it bought for $4 million in early 2020.

Formerly the home of truck leasing firm Idealease, TRP is planning a two-story, 20,000-square-foot project with the possibility of drive-thrus built-in for tenants. Thalhimer’s Connie Jordan Nielsen and Annie O’Connor have the listing on Scott’s Walk.

Both the CCC and TRP projects are scheduled for a vote before the City Council at its March 8 meeting.

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SA Chaplin
SA Chaplin
3 years ago

Regarding “Fourqurean Lane.” Years and years ago, when I was applying for a permit for a property on Fourqurean Lane, an old timer in the City permit office corrected my pronunciation: he said, “it is pronounced ‘fer-kwin’ lane.”

Justin Reynolds
Justin Reynolds
3 years ago

The progress alone AA Boulevard has been great to watch and I’m looking forward to more retail and housing north of the railroad tracks! Wawa and the Tommy’s car wash are useful but I’m not sure how well they will fit the area long term.

Carl Schwendeman
Carl Schwendeman
3 years ago

I think in the next 12 to 20 years we are going to see a die off of gas stations due to electric cars growing in number. The big ones might last longer but their will be a large number of empty lots relating to gas stations. And I personally wouldn’t invest anything in a new gas station specifically in a area with a lot of residential growth.

Peter James
Peter James
3 years ago

If what is envisioned in the Richmond 300 plan comes to fruition in Scott’s Addition north of the tracks, then we will see that area transform into a fantastic satellite ‘core’ – packed with high-density residential development, retail, entertainment, and perhaps some office/hotel space as well. The renderings of what AA Boulevard near the Diamond could look like over the next 20 or so years (compared with the run-down, undeveloped landscape of today) is stunning – and looks like something you might see in places like NOVA, Boston, or neighborhoods along the lakefront in the North Side of Chicago. I’m… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Peter James
Peter James
Peter James
3 years ago
Reply to  Peter James

As a follow-up to the previous comment: This is the rendering of what AA Boulevard at the current location of the Diamond could look like. I pray this all comes to pass!

ScottsAddition.jpg
Michael Dodson
Michael Dodson
3 years ago
Reply to  Peter James

Go look at the City renderings in the old Downtown Plan and then look at how downtown vacant lots and Manchester are actually developing. Close (vertical for sure) but not as dense as rendering and still lots of set backs off the sidewalks. These look so similar too.