Willow Lawn Shopping Center covers around 37 acres near the Richmond-Henrico line. (County documents)
For at least the third time in its history, Willow Lawn is being eyed for a major transformation.
Owner Federal Realty Investment Trust recently unveiled a long-term plan to redevelop the shopping center and its 37 acres into a new mixed-use district, that over time could include over 2,200 residential units and 500,000 square feet of commercial space.
The Maryland-based real estate firm spelled out its plans in a request it filed last month in Henrico, seeking to rezone Willow Lawn to the county’s Urban Mixed-Use Planned Development District designation.
“Changes in the way people live and work, the need for more housing, and the renewed interest in mixed-use areas have led (Federal Realty) to revitalize the area and allow Willow Lawn to be reinvented again,” Federal Realty’s application states.
In a statement sent to BizSense Monday morning, Federal Realty spokespeople said the firm is “taking the first steps to provide a future vision for Willow Lawn to continue its evolution and relevancy for upcoming generation.”
Initially built in 1956 as one of the first major shopping centers outside of downtown, Willow Lawn was bought by Federal Realty in the 1980s and transformed into an enclosed mall. The company reversed course in 2005 and converted the mall back into an open strip center. Another renovation followed in the early 2010s.
Willow Lawn currently has around 620,000 square feet of commercial space spread across a mix of about 10 big-box, in-line and outparcel storefronts. Construction continues at the center today as new restaurant and retail tenants prepare to open.
While Federal Realty’s rezoning request doesn’t explicitly lay out the specs of each new building it’s hoping to build, planning documents show that the firm is looking to replace many of the existing commercial buildings with mixed-use structures, some reaching as high as 175 feet – equal to 16 or 17 stories – in pursuit of building a moderate-to-high density development in a “compact, walkable setting.”
A site plan of the proposed new Willow Lawn.
The document states that most of the new construction is envisioned primarily on the existing surface parking lots.
The Gold’s Gym, Ross Dress For Less and Michaels buildings and surrounding 8 acres would be redeveloped to house 715 residential units and 34,000 square feet of retail space. The Kroger and Dick’s Sporting Goods sites would be transformed to include 120 apartments and 140,000 square feet of commercial space.
The redevelopment would break the property down into 11 mixed-use areas to be built in phases over a stretch of 20 to 30 years.
“Redeveloping Willow Lawn will occur over time as retail tenants move and change and opportunities become available to add residential, retail, and office uses,” the company states in its rezoning materials. “The rezoning request will allow the applicant to respond to the market and continue to improve the property.”
The company states in its application that architecture at the new Willow Lawn would be inspired by the former Miller & Rhoads department store building at 1601 Willow Lawn Drive, which now houses office space for home security firm SimpliSafe as well as restaurant and retail space for tenants like Cava and Lucky Road Run Shop.
The former Miller & Rhoads department store building, pictured, would serve as the inspiration for much of the new construction at Willow Lawn.
Also included in plans are open spaces consisting of recreational areas like pools, plazas, ball courts and rooftops, and Federal Realty states in its application that its plans include streetscape sections with landscaped medians, parking lots and sidewalks. As the redevelopment occurs, new street grid would be built, some with one- and two-way traffic and others with and without on-street parking, per the rezoning application.
A central courtyard is also planned, and a proffered condition calls for building the courtyard before more than 745 residential units could be constructed.
Many of the current surface parking lots at Willow Lawn would be replaced by new buildings and structured parking decks, the latter of which would be required to be wrapped with residential or commercial uses.
A parking study by local engineering firm Timmons Group that was included in Federal Realty’s rezoning request shows the redevelopment would require over 4,600 parking spaces at completion.
Poole & Poole Architecture helped prepare the master plan booklet for the rezoning request.
Federal Realty’s rezoning request is scheduled to be heard by Henrico’s Planning Commission at its Aug. 10 meeting. However, Henrico’s planning staff recommended deferring the matter to give Federal Realty time to clarify some of the project’s proffered conditions.
In its report to the commission, planning staff writes that Federal Realty’s request meets the intent of the Urban Mixed-Use District and that the proposal would, “add residential and additional civic uses to an established commercial development in close proximity to major transportation corridors and public transit.”
Federal Realty held a community meeting regarding the project last month.
Another high-profile employment of the Urban Mixed-Use zoning in Henrico is at Innsbrook, where multiple developers are working on residential projects in the office park .
Other developers have been circling Willow Lawn for residential development in recent years, including Scott Boyers, who’s planning a six-story apartment building on Augusta Avenue. Thalhimer Realty Partners and Crenshaw Realty had also been looking to build a pair of 7-story apartments across Willow Lawn Drive, but shelved plans for one of those last year while the county and GRTC work out how to handle bus and commuter traffic near the Willow Lawn stop on the Pulse bus line.
Willow Lawn Shopping Center covers around 37 acres near the Richmond-Henrico line. (County documents)
For at least the third time in its history, Willow Lawn is being eyed for a major transformation.
Owner Federal Realty Investment Trust recently unveiled a long-term plan to redevelop the shopping center and its 37 acres into a new mixed-use district, that over time could include over 2,200 residential units and 500,000 square feet of commercial space.
The Maryland-based real estate firm spelled out its plans in a request it filed last month in Henrico, seeking to rezone Willow Lawn to the county’s Urban Mixed-Use Planned Development District designation.
“Changes in the way people live and work, the need for more housing, and the renewed interest in mixed-use areas have led (Federal Realty) to revitalize the area and allow Willow Lawn to be reinvented again,” Federal Realty’s application states.
In a statement sent to BizSense Monday morning, Federal Realty spokespeople said the firm is “taking the first steps to provide a future vision for Willow Lawn to continue its evolution and relevancy for upcoming generation.”
Initially built in 1956 as one of the first major shopping centers outside of downtown, Willow Lawn was bought by Federal Realty in the 1980s and transformed into an enclosed mall. The company reversed course in 2005 and converted the mall back into an open strip center. Another renovation followed in the early 2010s.
Willow Lawn currently has around 620,000 square feet of commercial space spread across a mix of about 10 big-box, in-line and outparcel storefronts. Construction continues at the center today as new restaurant and retail tenants prepare to open.
While Federal Realty’s rezoning request doesn’t explicitly lay out the specs of each new building it’s hoping to build, planning documents show that the firm is looking to replace many of the existing commercial buildings with mixed-use structures, some reaching as high as 175 feet – equal to 16 or 17 stories – in pursuit of building a moderate-to-high density development in a “compact, walkable setting.”
A site plan of the proposed new Willow Lawn.
The document states that most of the new construction is envisioned primarily on the existing surface parking lots.
The Gold’s Gym, Ross Dress For Less and Michaels buildings and surrounding 8 acres would be redeveloped to house 715 residential units and 34,000 square feet of retail space. The Kroger and Dick’s Sporting Goods sites would be transformed to include 120 apartments and 140,000 square feet of commercial space.
The redevelopment would break the property down into 11 mixed-use areas to be built in phases over a stretch of 20 to 30 years.
“Redeveloping Willow Lawn will occur over time as retail tenants move and change and opportunities become available to add residential, retail, and office uses,” the company states in its rezoning materials. “The rezoning request will allow the applicant to respond to the market and continue to improve the property.”
The company states in its application that architecture at the new Willow Lawn would be inspired by the former Miller & Rhoads department store building at 1601 Willow Lawn Drive, which now houses office space for home security firm SimpliSafe as well as restaurant and retail space for tenants like Cava and Lucky Road Run Shop.
The former Miller & Rhoads department store building, pictured, would serve as the inspiration for much of the new construction at Willow Lawn.
Also included in plans are open spaces consisting of recreational areas like pools, plazas, ball courts and rooftops, and Federal Realty states in its application that its plans include streetscape sections with landscaped medians, parking lots and sidewalks. As the redevelopment occurs, new street grid would be built, some with one- and two-way traffic and others with and without on-street parking, per the rezoning application.
A central courtyard is also planned, and a proffered condition calls for building the courtyard before more than 745 residential units could be constructed.
Many of the current surface parking lots at Willow Lawn would be replaced by new buildings and structured parking decks, the latter of which would be required to be wrapped with residential or commercial uses.
A parking study by local engineering firm Timmons Group that was included in Federal Realty’s rezoning request shows the redevelopment would require over 4,600 parking spaces at completion.
Poole & Poole Architecture helped prepare the master plan booklet for the rezoning request.
Federal Realty’s rezoning request is scheduled to be heard by Henrico’s Planning Commission at its Aug. 10 meeting. However, Henrico’s planning staff recommended deferring the matter to give Federal Realty time to clarify some of the project’s proffered conditions.
In its report to the commission, planning staff writes that Federal Realty’s request meets the intent of the Urban Mixed-Use District and that the proposal would, “add residential and additional civic uses to an established commercial development in close proximity to major transportation corridors and public transit.”
Federal Realty held a community meeting regarding the project last month.
Another high-profile employment of the Urban Mixed-Use zoning in Henrico is at Innsbrook, where multiple developers are working on residential projects in the office park .
Other developers have been circling Willow Lawn for residential development in recent years, including Scott Boyers, who’s planning a six-story apartment building on Augusta Avenue. Thalhimer Realty Partners and Crenshaw Realty had also been looking to build a pair of 7-story apartments across Willow Lawn Drive, but shelved plans for one of those last year while the county and GRTC work out how to handle bus and commuter traffic near the Willow Lawn stop on the Pulse bus line.
Inevitable. The WBS corridor is about to see a major transformation from Scott’s Addition to I-64.
Fantastic company. Literally, the “gold-bar” standard of REIT’s. Willow Lawn is an ideal location for them to redevelop into a mixed-use site. Simply look at their Bethesda & Santana Row locations as tremendous examples of their capability’s.
Careful no – Don’t cheerlead too much. I will never invest in a commercial REIT – I lost my shirt on one.
Designing the buildings after the old Miller and Rhoads? Double thumbs up for me on not building more boring 5 to 1s.
I would much rather have timeless Miller & Rhoades style architecture than the will-be-outdated-in-15-years modern “architecture” seen in most of these new apartment complexes springing up in Scotts Addition & elsewhere. The 2020’s are going to be remembered for terrible, uninspired cookie cutter styles and I fear will become low-desire areas by the 2040’s because of their quickly-dated aesthetics.
Agreed, ugly and look like they will all blow over in a strong wind storm
I vote Yes. 1st class folks that get it right every time. They are here for the long term. Now let’s figure out the public transit piece as it’s affecting businesses up and down that stretch of road. If you bus thousands of people to one place they need facilities. Together we can get this right!
WWHD!
This is nice I hope they replace the 8 to 10 foot wide classic city sidewalks along Board Street. But I really like how they are going to add lots of apartments to a empty sea of parking lots. I really hope they buy up some of the empty spaces next to Willow Lawn.
This is, at least partially a GRTC Pulse win – and transit-oriented density. Great to read.
With that many people and all the strain they are going to put on the surrounding area, they should go ahead and put a nice big, well covered, well-maintained terminal for the Pulse Bus amidst all this construction. Sheltered, safe, and with built in amenities such as e scooters, bike racks, and an easy way to catch an uber should all be included. This would also seem like a big hub that would be a good reason to extend the pulse out west on Broad to Short Pump. Slightly off topic-but i can’t for the life of me figure out… Read more »
YES!!!! 100% agreed, Ed.
It’s the best idea I’ve heard in quite a while and it’s something that GRTC should make every possible effort to make happen. The kind of PULSE terminal with all applicable amenities you described would be a tremendous asset to this redevelopment and could really enhance PULSE’s West End service. It’s a very forward thinking and fantastic idea that needs to happen, should this huge redevelopment come to pass (which we’re all hoping it will!)
One hundred percent agree. I would use this bus ALL THE TIME to go downtown, but I can’t get to the bus stop. I need to drive and park there.
I would like them to plant at least one willow tree in a prominent location. It’s called Willow Lawn but not a single willow tree to be found!
100%!!!!
Could not agree more, Frank. Outstanding idea! It would be iconic, to be sure. Would love to see it.
It would be beautiful, but Willow trees require tons of water and the large trees have root systems that would crack/ruin the asphalt/sidewalks around it. I’m not anti-tree, but handicapped users of the area may need the area to remain flat. For context, just walk the tree lined sidewalks in the Fan…….
It doesn’t need to be planted next to a sidewalk, It could be in a green area. And they do have lawn sprinklers everywhere How about a small green island at the opening with a magnificent willow tree in the center?. There are other ways around the problems you mentioned.
Or at the very least re-name it to “Willow-less Lawn”?
We’re dismissing how much of the community the Kroger stationed here supports as well as the other retailers.
The golds gym is easy accessible to a lot of the surrounding residential areas. The Kroger supports a multitude of near by neighborhoods as well as most of Scott’s Addition residents. What’s the plan to support the housing trying to be built? Accessibility is vital.
I am not reading that Kroger would go away. It sounds like the residential could be built above it. The commercial space will still be there, the buildings would just rise above too potentially.
I am sorry to hear that the Kroger Grocery Store will be removed. The residents of 5100 Monument depend on the store for their groceries. Many of those citizens are elderly and/or disabled. I hope those residents will have a grocery store close by.
Displaced perhaps and replaced elsewhere. There will be retail on the the very large first floor.
I would hope this also holds true for the Gold’s gym. That’s probably the single busiest gym in the region. (Not necessarily the nicest or largest, but it definitely has the widest range of weightlifting equipment)
Awesome! I’m glad to hear this happening but 20-30 years is quite a long time. Other than that, now let’s please extend GRTC Pulse out to Short Pump and Chesterfield malls to help densify the sea of parking lots surrounding the malls. There’s no reason why surface parking should be taking up that much space over newly built parking garages, housing, offices, green and even more commercial spaces.
I know, Richmond investors need to develop more of a “built it, and they will come” culture.
Finally, some common sense coming into Richmond