Local government officials and others take part in the ground-breaking ceremony for the Hanover section of the Fall Line project. (BizSense file photo)
Groundbreaking ceremony held for Hanover section of region-spanning Fall Line Trail
County officials and other local and state representatives gathered last week to mark the start of construction on a 4.8-mile section of the Fall Line Trail slated to run through Hanover.
The 43-mile walking and bike trail will run from Ashland to Petersburg. Hanover’s section is planned to be a 10-foot-wide, shared-use path that’ll run from the Ashland Trolley Line to Woodman Road in Henrico County.
Construction was expected to kick off soon following the groundbreaking ceremony. General contractor Branch and engineering firm Timmons Group were awarded an $11.1 million contract to handle the design and construction of the Hanover section.
The Central Virginia Transportation Authority is the main funder of the overall Fall Line project, which is currently targeting a 2030 completion date and is now anticipated to cost more than $400 million. Local nonprofit Sports Backers is leading the project to build the trail, which will run through Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, Ashland, Petersburg and Colonial Heights.
As of February, the Fall Line has lined up a total of $241 million in funding for the project, CVTA Executive Director Chet Parsons said.
Subdivision planned for Chippenham and Iron Bridge working through county approval process
Benton Woods, a proposed 85-lot subdivision planned near the Chippenham Parkway and Iron Bridge Road interchange. (Courtesy Chesterfield)
Don Balzer’s Cross Creek Development Corp. is seeking zoning approval to build an 85-lot subdivision at 4911 Iron Bridge Road, which is near the Chippenham Parkway and Iron Bridge Road interchange.
The Chesterfield Planning Commission earlier this month voted to recommend approval of the project. The Board of Supervisors will provide a final decision on the proposal at a future meeting.
The proposed development, dubbed, Benton Woods, is planned to fill out a 27-acre site situated within the county’s Ridgedale Special Focus Area. The land-use plan encourages new commercial, residential and recreational development for the 580-acre area at Chippenham and Iron Bridge just inside Chesterfield near the Richmond city limits.
The county’s Special Focus Area plans are used to provide guidance on how to handle development in specific areas considered ripe for transformation or deemed in the midst of change. Benton Woods had been in the works before the Ridgedale plan’s adoption in late 2023.
HHHunt has been brought on to build the homes at Benton Woods. At this time, the homes in the development are expected to be listed in the low- to mid-$300,000s, Balzer said.
Richmond hosts National League of Cities Centennial Roadshow
Richmond was as an official stop on the National League of Cities Centennial Roadshow, marking a century of NLC’s work to advance and advocate for local government. The roadshow includes stops at 100 cities across the country and is aimed at spotlighting “the diversity, resilience, and transformation of America’s local communities,” according to a release.
During the roadshow stop, City of Richmond staff gave NLC members a tour and briefing of The Shockoe Project, a driving tour through historic downtown and a luncheon at Virginia Union University. The roadshow commenced in February in Kansas, where NLC was founded, and will continue through November with a final stop in Tampa, Florida.
City Council approves 15-year lease for DSS office move
The Richmond Times-Dispatch building at 300 E. Franklin St., where the city’s social services department will be moving in. (File image courtesy JLL)
At its meeting last week, Richmond City Council approved a lease agreement between the city and 300 Franklin LLC for 113,000 square feet of office space and 325 parking deck spaces at the Richmond Times-Dispatch building at 300 E. Franklin St. to relocate the Department of Social Services.
The 15-year lease with two five-year renewal options allows DSS to consolidate its offices at 900 E. Marshall St. and in Southside Plaza at 4100 Hull St. It also will free up the Marshall Plaza building for a planned replacement of the John Marshall Courts Building.
The annual rental rate starts at about $4.3 million, with gradual increases through the rest of the lease term. The cost to the city would be significantly less, as reimbursements from the Virginia Department of Social Services would cover nearly 85% of the rent, putting the cost to the city at about $687,000 for the initial lease year.
The LLC, tied to Shamin Hotels, bought the 166,000-square-foot building in late 2019.
Shamin starts work starts on hotels, restaurants next to Henrico events center
Officials shovel dirt to mark the start of construction of the two hotels and two restaurants that Shamin Hotels is developing beside the Henrico Sports & Events Center, visible in the background. (BizSense file photo)
Henrico held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction for a 114-room Home2 Suites and 111-room Residence Inn that Shamin Hotels is developing at the transforming Virginia Center Commons site.
The five- and four-story hotels and single-story restaurants will rise beside the Henrico Sports & Events Center at the eastern end of the former mall site. Users for the restaurants have not been announced.
Construction is scheduled to last 18 months. Tennessee-based Thomas Builders is the general contractor, and Henrico firm NBJ Architecture designed the hotels. Koontz Bryant Johnson Williams handled engineering work.
Henrico breaks ground on $1.5M Lake Overton project
Lake Overton is between the Three Fountains North and Overbrook Park subdivisions near Three Lakes Park. (Henrico County photo)
Henrico County is starting construction on a $1.5 million project to provide a new earthen dam and other improvements at Lake Overton, a residential lake near Three Lakes Park that was damaged 20 years ago during Hurricane Gaston.
The improvements will address longstanding safety concerns and enhance water quality at the lake, which is owned by the Three Fountains North Civic Association. The dam no longer meets state requirements, and the lake’s water level was lowered a a safety precaution until repairs could be made.
About 20 homes back up to the lake in both the Three Fountains North and Overbrook Park subdivisions. Without the planned improvements, the lake could begin to pose a safety hazard to the nearby homes and Three Lakes Park, the county said in an announcement.
The nine-month project is scheduled to begin in May. The project will also address native plants around the lake, erosion protection and the creation of a forebay to manage water flow. The $1.5 million project cost is partially covered by a state grant.
Local government officials and others take part in the ground-breaking ceremony for the Hanover section of the Fall Line project. (BizSense file photo)
Groundbreaking ceremony held for Hanover section of region-spanning Fall Line Trail
County officials and other local and state representatives gathered last week to mark the start of construction on a 4.8-mile section of the Fall Line Trail slated to run through Hanover.
The 43-mile walking and bike trail will run from Ashland to Petersburg. Hanover’s section is planned to be a 10-foot-wide, shared-use path that’ll run from the Ashland Trolley Line to Woodman Road in Henrico County.
Construction was expected to kick off soon following the groundbreaking ceremony. General contractor Branch and engineering firm Timmons Group were awarded an $11.1 million contract to handle the design and construction of the Hanover section.
The Central Virginia Transportation Authority is the main funder of the overall Fall Line project, which is currently targeting a 2030 completion date and is now anticipated to cost more than $400 million. Local nonprofit Sports Backers is leading the project to build the trail, which will run through Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, Ashland, Petersburg and Colonial Heights.
As of February, the Fall Line has lined up a total of $241 million in funding for the project, CVTA Executive Director Chet Parsons said.
Subdivision planned for Chippenham and Iron Bridge working through county approval process
Benton Woods, a proposed 85-lot subdivision planned near the Chippenham Parkway and Iron Bridge Road interchange. (Courtesy Chesterfield)
Don Balzer’s Cross Creek Development Corp. is seeking zoning approval to build an 85-lot subdivision at 4911 Iron Bridge Road, which is near the Chippenham Parkway and Iron Bridge Road interchange.
The Chesterfield Planning Commission earlier this month voted to recommend approval of the project. The Board of Supervisors will provide a final decision on the proposal at a future meeting.
The proposed development, dubbed, Benton Woods, is planned to fill out a 27-acre site situated within the county’s Ridgedale Special Focus Area. The land-use plan encourages new commercial, residential and recreational development for the 580-acre area at Chippenham and Iron Bridge just inside Chesterfield near the Richmond city limits.
The county’s Special Focus Area plans are used to provide guidance on how to handle development in specific areas considered ripe for transformation or deemed in the midst of change. Benton Woods had been in the works before the Ridgedale plan’s adoption in late 2023.
HHHunt has been brought on to build the homes at Benton Woods. At this time, the homes in the development are expected to be listed in the low- to mid-$300,000s, Balzer said.
Richmond hosts National League of Cities Centennial Roadshow
Richmond was as an official stop on the National League of Cities Centennial Roadshow, marking a century of NLC’s work to advance and advocate for local government. The roadshow includes stops at 100 cities across the country and is aimed at spotlighting “the diversity, resilience, and transformation of America’s local communities,” according to a release.
During the roadshow stop, City of Richmond staff gave NLC members a tour and briefing of The Shockoe Project, a driving tour through historic downtown and a luncheon at Virginia Union University. The roadshow commenced in February in Kansas, where NLC was founded, and will continue through November with a final stop in Tampa, Florida.
City Council approves 15-year lease for DSS office move
The Richmond Times-Dispatch building at 300 E. Franklin St., where the city’s social services department will be moving in. (File image courtesy JLL)
At its meeting last week, Richmond City Council approved a lease agreement between the city and 300 Franklin LLC for 113,000 square feet of office space and 325 parking deck spaces at the Richmond Times-Dispatch building at 300 E. Franklin St. to relocate the Department of Social Services.
The 15-year lease with two five-year renewal options allows DSS to consolidate its offices at 900 E. Marshall St. and in Southside Plaza at 4100 Hull St. It also will free up the Marshall Plaza building for a planned replacement of the John Marshall Courts Building.
The annual rental rate starts at about $4.3 million, with gradual increases through the rest of the lease term. The cost to the city would be significantly less, as reimbursements from the Virginia Department of Social Services would cover nearly 85% of the rent, putting the cost to the city at about $687,000 for the initial lease year.
The LLC, tied to Shamin Hotels, bought the 166,000-square-foot building in late 2019.
Shamin starts work starts on hotels, restaurants next to Henrico events center
Officials shovel dirt to mark the start of construction of the two hotels and two restaurants that Shamin Hotels is developing beside the Henrico Sports & Events Center, visible in the background. (BizSense file photo)
Henrico held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction for a 114-room Home2 Suites and 111-room Residence Inn that Shamin Hotels is developing at the transforming Virginia Center Commons site.
The five- and four-story hotels and single-story restaurants will rise beside the Henrico Sports & Events Center at the eastern end of the former mall site. Users for the restaurants have not been announced.
Construction is scheduled to last 18 months. Tennessee-based Thomas Builders is the general contractor, and Henrico firm NBJ Architecture designed the hotels. Koontz Bryant Johnson Williams handled engineering work.
Henrico breaks ground on $1.5M Lake Overton project
Lake Overton is between the Three Fountains North and Overbrook Park subdivisions near Three Lakes Park. (Henrico County photo)
Henrico County is starting construction on a $1.5 million project to provide a new earthen dam and other improvements at Lake Overton, a residential lake near Three Lakes Park that was damaged 20 years ago during Hurricane Gaston.
The improvements will address longstanding safety concerns and enhance water quality at the lake, which is owned by the Three Fountains North Civic Association. The dam no longer meets state requirements, and the lake’s water level was lowered a a safety precaution until repairs could be made.
About 20 homes back up to the lake in both the Three Fountains North and Overbrook Park subdivisions. Without the planned improvements, the lake could begin to pose a safety hazard to the nearby homes and Three Lakes Park, the county said in an announcement.
The nine-month project is scheduled to begin in May. The project will also address native plants around the lake, erosion protection and the creation of a forebay to manage water flow. The $1.5 million project cost is partially covered by a state grant.