A rendering of the planned development. (City documents)
A surface parking lot in the Fan is on the chopping block as a longtime local developer looks to bring new apartments to the neighborhood.
Charlie Diradour’s Lion’s Paw Development is planning to build a three-story mixed-use building at 400 N. Robinson St. The new building, if approved, would include 14 apartments above a ground-floor commercial space on a 0.3-acre plot that’s currently a surface parking lot next to a Starbucks.
Charlie Diradour
Developing restaurant and retail properties in the Fan has long been Diradour’s specialty, as his portfolio counts the buildings housing restaurants like Uliveto and shops like Deep Groove Records. He also has a presence on Arthur Ashe Boulevard with the En Su Boca and BigWife’s Mac n’ Cheese buildings, among others. He picked up 400 N. Robinson St. in 2016 for $1.4 million in a deal that included the Starbucks next door, which remains open and would not be impacted by the development.
Diradour, who keeps Lion’s Paw’s office one block to the south along Robinson, said the idea of developing the parking lot came to him in early 2024, in fact on the earliest day of 2024.
To get a fresh perspective on the neighborhood, Diradour said he’s made a routine of riding around the neighborhood on New Year’s Day every year.
“I was just looking at things while people weren’t there, and the streets are sort of empty on January 1. There are a lot of infill projects going in and a lot of people need housing. So I thought, ‘Let’s start thinking about what might work,’” Diradour said.
“On (January) 3 or 4 when we went back to work, I went to (Lion’s Paw operations manager Sandy Appelman), pointed across the street, and said ‘We’re going to build residential there.’ It seemed to me like a really good idea, and it still does.’”
Lion’s Paw began working with fellow Fan-based firm Johannas Design Group to design the new building. As proposed, the 14 apartments would be one- or two-bedroom units above 1,100 square feet of commercial space. Diradour said it’s too soon to say what type of commercial tenant the building could attract.
Diradour said he wants the new building to fit in with the rest of the Fan. Early designs show it’d sport a brick façade and mansard roofs.
“I want it to offer an up-to-date feel being in the Fan and yet have it be a building that was built in 2024 rather than 1910,” he said. “I’ve never built anything in the city that I don’t like when I look at it. That’s going to be the case here.”
The site is currently a surface parking lot. (Mike Platania photo)
Lion’s Paw and Johannas Design Group have filed for a special-use permit for the project, which would be Diradour’s first venture into ground-up residential development.
Diradour’s project will add to plenty of other residential infill developments in the works throughout the Fan, particularly along West Cary Street.
Work is also underway on a higher-density project in the southwestern corner of the neighborhood, where a D.C. developer is both converting an old Dominion Energy building into 125 apartments and planning to build a pair of new four-story buildings with an additional 221 apartments. A block of new townhomes at 2327 Apple Alley were also recently completed nearby as part WVS Cos.’ Parkline development.
A rendering of the planned development. (City documents)
A surface parking lot in the Fan is on the chopping block as a longtime local developer looks to bring new apartments to the neighborhood.
Charlie Diradour’s Lion’s Paw Development is planning to build a three-story mixed-use building at 400 N. Robinson St. The new building, if approved, would include 14 apartments above a ground-floor commercial space on a 0.3-acre plot that’s currently a surface parking lot next to a Starbucks.
Charlie Diradour
Developing restaurant and retail properties in the Fan has long been Diradour’s specialty, as his portfolio counts the buildings housing restaurants like Uliveto and shops like Deep Groove Records. He also has a presence on Arthur Ashe Boulevard with the En Su Boca and BigWife’s Mac n’ Cheese buildings, among others. He picked up 400 N. Robinson St. in 2016 for $1.4 million in a deal that included the Starbucks next door, which remains open and would not be impacted by the development.
Diradour, who keeps Lion’s Paw’s office one block to the south along Robinson, said the idea of developing the parking lot came to him in early 2024, in fact on the earliest day of 2024.
To get a fresh perspective on the neighborhood, Diradour said he’s made a routine of riding around the neighborhood on New Year’s Day every year.
“I was just looking at things while people weren’t there, and the streets are sort of empty on January 1. There are a lot of infill projects going in and a lot of people need housing. So I thought, ‘Let’s start thinking about what might work,’” Diradour said.
“On (January) 3 or 4 when we went back to work, I went to (Lion’s Paw operations manager Sandy Appelman), pointed across the street, and said ‘We’re going to build residential there.’ It seemed to me like a really good idea, and it still does.’”
Lion’s Paw began working with fellow Fan-based firm Johannas Design Group to design the new building. As proposed, the 14 apartments would be one- or two-bedroom units above 1,100 square feet of commercial space. Diradour said it’s too soon to say what type of commercial tenant the building could attract.
Diradour said he wants the new building to fit in with the rest of the Fan. Early designs show it’d sport a brick façade and mansard roofs.
“I want it to offer an up-to-date feel being in the Fan and yet have it be a building that was built in 2024 rather than 1910,” he said. “I’ve never built anything in the city that I don’t like when I look at it. That’s going to be the case here.”
The site is currently a surface parking lot. (Mike Platania photo)
Lion’s Paw and Johannas Design Group have filed for a special-use permit for the project, which would be Diradour’s first venture into ground-up residential development.
Diradour’s project will add to plenty of other residential infill developments in the works throughout the Fan, particularly along West Cary Street.
Work is also underway on a higher-density project in the southwestern corner of the neighborhood, where a D.C. developer is both converting an old Dominion Energy building into 125 apartments and planning to build a pair of new four-story buildings with an additional 221 apartments. A block of new townhomes at 2327 Apple Alley were also recently completed nearby as part WVS Cos.’ Parkline development.
Hate to be that guy, but where will Starbucks customers park? That parking lot is always full…
There’s plenty of on street parking.
You park at the other Starbucks 4 blocks away where plenty of spaces are available. And then walk 4 blocks if you don’t like that one. Haha
Let them walk.
14 parking spaces will remain. Starbucks has been involved with the planning since inception.
I applaud the creativity of Diradour, but gotta agree with Bill. As someone who worked on Robinson Street for several years, I can attest there is not always street parking. There are other businesses there that use that lot.
Unfortunately there absolutely *is* always on street parking because our country has decided it’s ok to dedicate massive amounts of public space to the storage of people’s privately owned cars.
What you mean is “there is not always street parking directly next to my destination like I think there should be.”
I didn’t even know that starbucks had dedicated parking. It is easier to just street park. Also I imagine a significant portion of that Starbuck’s customers aren’t driving specifically to it.
It’s a walkable neighborhood. People can walk.
I’d like to clarify a couple of things. One; we haven’t made a decision as to whether these will be apartments of condos yet, and two, our offices were vacated earlier this year and Uliveto will be taking over the space for a special events space.
Why should a project like this need a special use permit? Seem like this should be allowed as of right.
Agree, this should absolutely be allowed by right. Good thing Richmond is about to go through a zoning code rewrite/update 👀
absolutely! It’s nuts that buiilding the fan in the fan is illegal
Good for Charlie! He’s got a lot of energy and ideas.
This stretch of Robinson is due for this type of development – there are a lot of underutilized parcels that could easily support mixed-use projects like this.
Charlie – as an armchair observer, I absolutely LOVE this development! Gorgeous design, and a great fit — a real asset for Robinson Street. Would love to see more infill developments like this in the Fan.
Wishing you the very best for great success with this project!
Thanks so much.
Heck yes! Great job Charlie. Great mixed use concept that will benefit the neighborhood both with housing and new commercial.
There are so many parcels that would easily support this type of project. Unfortunately it takes an experienced developer willing to go through the current SUP process. Glad Charlie can make the math work here. But also hoping we move the rezoning along at a good pace to allow easier investment and a cleaner vision of our neighborhoods.
Why is everything SUP
Because our zoning is so outdated you legally cannot build what’s currently existing in a lot of neighborhoods. BUT! You can get involved, learn about the process, and join the effort as a citizen ambassador or commission member: https://www.rva.gov/coderefresh
because zoning is currently ridiculously restrictive
Triangle Salon is neither mentioned in the article, or by anyone in the comments, who seem more concerned about the world’s largest coffee chain having to suffer reduced parking.
This is great. The fact building a Fan building in the Fan requires special permission is insane though. Richmond zonging is absurdly broken
Well, This parking lot may not look pretty , but it services a very busy Coffeeshop and a very busy Hair salon . The salon has 7 stylists , plus at least 5 other import staff , That use the parking as well as there devoted clientele , Some that are elderly or Handicapped and can’t trek 4 to 5 blocks to park to get there hair done , ł How can you say you support small businesses when you’re taking away one of the most important conveniences , Parking . At least a parking deck could have been part… Read more »
Being a mostly residential area, there is generally plenty of parking within a block or 2 at most in that area from ~9-5 when people are at work. I agree it could get a little trickier from 5 until the salon closes at 7. However, the developer does say above that 14 spaces will remain.
So I assume you’d support reserving all of the spots in the lot for folks with mobility issues then?