From left: Ken Scroggins, Susan Moats, Jordan Scroggins and Galal Beshir. (Mike Platania photos)
A group of first-time real estate developers are bringing new life to a pair of aging buildings in the Fan.
The rehab of 1501 and 1503 W. Cary St. has begun, with plans to renovate the 124-year-old buildings into a modernized mixed-use development with a half-dozen apartments and commercial space.
Leading the project are Richmond locals and friends Jordan Scroggins and Galal Bashir, who are taking it on with Jordan’s father Ken Scroggins and his partner Susan Moats, as well as Galal’s father Ibrahim Bashir. The group bought the two buildings in late January for $1.1 million.
Jordan Scroggins is a residential agent with Exit First Realty and has previously worked for Daniil Kleyman, a local developer who’s particularly active in the Southside and East End. Scroggins said his family has previously owned rental properties but this project is the group’s first foray into mixed-use redevelopment.
“When our families got together, we wanted to do more than just invest; we wanted to be able to make a statement,” Scroggins said.
For decades, the two buildings adjacent to Fifth Baptist Church had been owned by Herman and Eleanor Brown, who at one time operated a clothing shop in the corner spot at 1501 W. Cary St. In recent years that suite has sat vacant and become rundown, while the suite at 1501½ W. Cary had housed a hair salon. The second building at 1503 W. Cary houses three apartments.
The two buildings have been vacant in recent years.
The group recently began gutting the buildings ahead of the overall renovation and expansion. The group’s planning to take the unused second level of 1501 W. Cary and turn it into two or three apartments, and turn the former retail shop and salon spaces into a corner store and community center.
They’re also planning to build an addition onto the rear of 1503 W. Cary to add three more apartments, while converting one of the existing units facing Cary Street into a commercial space. Scroggins said the project is set to cost around $600,000.
“We found out during our feasibility process that we’re going to need to do some restructuring and reinforce the foundation,” Scroggins said. ”Then we’re going to go in and totally refurbish all the apartments. Right now the apartments (at 1503 W. Cary) are not even really livable.”
Scroggins said they’re hoping to have the project complete in the coming months. Allyson Construction and Thompson Builders are leading the buildout and Mark Spangler Architecture is the project designer. Trius Lending Partners was the group’s lender on the building acquisition.
Scroggins and Galal Bashir are planning to own and operate the corner store, which they’ll call Pop’s on Cary. Scroggins said the market will be outfitted with a commercial kitchen and they’re planning to offer hot and prepared foods like fried chicken, samosas and salads.
He said the plan for the community center is to build off the types of social services churches offer like workforce placement, classes and community dinners.
“We want to be able to use Pop’s and our kitchen to be able to prepare some hot plates for people that need it and have it be a place where people can come and learn,” Scroggins said. “We’re really just trying to do some community outreach.”
A few blocks down along Cary Street is a quarter-acre lot at 1904 W. Cary St. owned by Shyndigz’s Nicole and Bryon Jessee. The couple recently received City Council approval to build a four-story, 19-room boutique hotel. Further west from that in the Fan is a 4-acre plot at 2400-2501 Grayland Ave. that Dominion Energy recently sold to a D.C. development firm that’s planning to a 346-unit apartment complex.
From left: Ken Scroggins, Susan Moats, Jordan Scroggins and Galal Beshir. (Mike Platania photos)
A group of first-time real estate developers are bringing new life to a pair of aging buildings in the Fan.
The rehab of 1501 and 1503 W. Cary St. has begun, with plans to renovate the 124-year-old buildings into a modernized mixed-use development with a half-dozen apartments and commercial space.
Leading the project are Richmond locals and friends Jordan Scroggins and Galal Bashir, who are taking it on with Jordan’s father Ken Scroggins and his partner Susan Moats, as well as Galal’s father Ibrahim Bashir. The group bought the two buildings in late January for $1.1 million.
Jordan Scroggins is a residential agent with Exit First Realty and has previously worked for Daniil Kleyman, a local developer who’s particularly active in the Southside and East End. Scroggins said his family has previously owned rental properties but this project is the group’s first foray into mixed-use redevelopment.
“When our families got together, we wanted to do more than just invest; we wanted to be able to make a statement,” Scroggins said.
For decades, the two buildings adjacent to Fifth Baptist Church had been owned by Herman and Eleanor Brown, who at one time operated a clothing shop in the corner spot at 1501 W. Cary St. In recent years that suite has sat vacant and become rundown, while the suite at 1501½ W. Cary had housed a hair salon. The second building at 1503 W. Cary houses three apartments.
The two buildings have been vacant in recent years.
The group recently began gutting the buildings ahead of the overall renovation and expansion. The group’s planning to take the unused second level of 1501 W. Cary and turn it into two or three apartments, and turn the former retail shop and salon spaces into a corner store and community center.
They’re also planning to build an addition onto the rear of 1503 W. Cary to add three more apartments, while converting one of the existing units facing Cary Street into a commercial space. Scroggins said the project is set to cost around $600,000.
“We found out during our feasibility process that we’re going to need to do some restructuring and reinforce the foundation,” Scroggins said. ”Then we’re going to go in and totally refurbish all the apartments. Right now the apartments (at 1503 W. Cary) are not even really livable.”
Scroggins said they’re hoping to have the project complete in the coming months. Allyson Construction and Thompson Builders are leading the buildout and Mark Spangler Architecture is the project designer. Trius Lending Partners was the group’s lender on the building acquisition.
Scroggins and Galal Bashir are planning to own and operate the corner store, which they’ll call Pop’s on Cary. Scroggins said the market will be outfitted with a commercial kitchen and they’re planning to offer hot and prepared foods like fried chicken, samosas and salads.
He said the plan for the community center is to build off the types of social services churches offer like workforce placement, classes and community dinners.
“We want to be able to use Pop’s and our kitchen to be able to prepare some hot plates for people that need it and have it be a place where people can come and learn,” Scroggins said. “We’re really just trying to do some community outreach.”
A few blocks down along Cary Street is a quarter-acre lot at 1904 W. Cary St. owned by Shyndigz’s Nicole and Bryon Jessee. The couple recently received City Council approval to build a four-story, 19-room boutique hotel. Further west from that in the Fan is a 4-acre plot at 2400-2501 Grayland Ave. that Dominion Energy recently sold to a D.C. development firm that’s planning to a 346-unit apartment complex.
Of course the official Fan District does not go south of the alley between Main and Cary so not one of the sites mentioned is in the Fan but hey apparently being “downtown” includes Grace Street on the VCU Monroe Park campus now too.
Looks like a great project. Best of luck to the team.