The building had been home to an electrical supply company until late 2021. (Mike Platania photo)
Looking to replicate the success of his redevelopment of the HandCraft building in Scott’s Addition, Jay Nichols is taking on another all-commercial rehab project, this time just over the county line in Henrico’s Westwood area.
Nichols is in the early stages of converting the former Atlantic Electrical Supply Corp. warehouse building at 2117 Westwood Ave. into modern office space.
Located just west of the Carvana car vending machine near Topgolf, the 59-year-old building had been home to Atlantic Electrical for over 20 years until the company sold to Encompass Supply in late 2021. Around that same time, Nichols bought the 30,000-square-foot building from Atlantic Electrical for $3.8 million.
Nichols said he initially tried to lease it out as a warehouse or as an entertainment venue, but those deals didn’t work out.
The interior of the building has been gutted. (Michael Schwartz photos)
“After a while I said, ‘You know, with what’s going on in the neighborhood and how things are getting high in Scott’s Addition, this might be a chance to ride on the cusp of Scott’s Addition and get some pretty cool (office) space,’” Nichols said.
The neighborhood has been drawing increased developer interest in the past several years. Spy Rock Real Estate Group, Fulton Hill Properties and most recently, a mystery group are all working on apartment buildings in the neighborhood.
Nichols, who with his brothers Keith and Jeff previously owned HandCraft Cleaners, will draw on the experience of redeveloping the family business’s former Scott’s Addition headquarters at 1501 Roseneath Road into a commercial space with hospitality and office tenants such as Vasen Brewing Co., Stella’s Grocery, Magnify and Fahrenheit Advisors.
Nichols said he’s put an undisclosed amount of money into the Westwood building. The work done thus far includes repairing the roof, installing new bathrooms and elevators, and repairing roll-up doors to pave the way for outdoor space. It gives him a clean slate to work with.
“It’s been totally gutted right to the four walls,” Nichols said. “There’s not another building built like it in Richmond. It’s solid as a rock.”
A rendering of the building’s planned exterior conversion.
Cheryle Toy with Divaris Real Estate is marketing the space and 510 Architects is the project designer.
Another recently completed nearby redevelopment is Ironwood Automotive’s new location at 2104 N. Hamilton St.
The local car shop had formerly operated on Belleville Street in Scott’s Addition before selling that site and buying into the Westwood area. Developer Bonaventure, meanwhile, has listed Ironwood’s old real estate in Scott’s Addition for sale after initially planning a project on the site.
The Nichols brothers also have been adding to their Scott’s Addition holdings in recent months.
The building had been home to an electrical supply company until late 2021. (Mike Platania photo)
Looking to replicate the success of his redevelopment of the HandCraft building in Scott’s Addition, Jay Nichols is taking on another all-commercial rehab project, this time just over the county line in Henrico’s Westwood area.
Nichols is in the early stages of converting the former Atlantic Electrical Supply Corp. warehouse building at 2117 Westwood Ave. into modern office space.
Located just west of the Carvana car vending machine near Topgolf, the 59-year-old building had been home to Atlantic Electrical for over 20 years until the company sold to Encompass Supply in late 2021. Around that same time, Nichols bought the 30,000-square-foot building from Atlantic Electrical for $3.8 million.
Nichols said he initially tried to lease it out as a warehouse or as an entertainment venue, but those deals didn’t work out.
The interior of the building has been gutted. (Michael Schwartz photos)
“After a while I said, ‘You know, with what’s going on in the neighborhood and how things are getting high in Scott’s Addition, this might be a chance to ride on the cusp of Scott’s Addition and get some pretty cool (office) space,’” Nichols said.
The neighborhood has been drawing increased developer interest in the past several years. Spy Rock Real Estate Group, Fulton Hill Properties and most recently, a mystery group are all working on apartment buildings in the neighborhood.
Nichols, who with his brothers Keith and Jeff previously owned HandCraft Cleaners, will draw on the experience of redeveloping the family business’s former Scott’s Addition headquarters at 1501 Roseneath Road into a commercial space with hospitality and office tenants such as Vasen Brewing Co., Stella’s Grocery, Magnify and Fahrenheit Advisors.
Nichols said he’s put an undisclosed amount of money into the Westwood building. The work done thus far includes repairing the roof, installing new bathrooms and elevators, and repairing roll-up doors to pave the way for outdoor space. It gives him a clean slate to work with.
“It’s been totally gutted right to the four walls,” Nichols said. “There’s not another building built like it in Richmond. It’s solid as a rock.”
A rendering of the building’s planned exterior conversion.
Cheryle Toy with Divaris Real Estate is marketing the space and 510 Architects is the project designer.
Another recently completed nearby redevelopment is Ironwood Automotive’s new location at 2104 N. Hamilton St.
The local car shop had formerly operated on Belleville Street in Scott’s Addition before selling that site and buying into the Westwood area. Developer Bonaventure, meanwhile, has listed Ironwood’s old real estate in Scott’s Addition for sale after initially planning a project on the site.
The Nichols brothers also have been adding to their Scott’s Addition holdings in recent months.
I wish Jay the best of luck and I’m glad to see more investment in the Westwood area. Although it’s a stretch to have this building in the same breath as the Handcraft Cleaners building. Maybe someone seems more to it than I do, but Handcraft is iconic in design whereas this building looks like the Henrico County Gov’t complex along Parham (it’s nice but no head turner),
Agreed 100%. I’m rooting for a bigger exterior conversion. This feels unremarkable. 510 is more than capable if given the green light from Jay.
What about a giant green roof/patio on the one-story portion?
This is near Scott’s Addition as the crow flies, but pretty inconvenient as the car drives thanks to the Railroad.
I’d say it’s as much in Carytown as it is in Scott’s addition… or neither.
I think the big drive to make that area SA is that everyone wants to build in Henrico over the city. But anyone who lives over there is nuts, it’s not that convenient to things they think its convenient to
It is only partly in the County. The County/City line splits the building. In fact, the entire property is more in the City than the County.