A recent conceptual rendering of the Diamond District along Arthur Ashe Boulevard. (City data)
Budget Workshop, Diamond District Update on City Council Agenda
Richmond City Council begins Monday with a budget workshop at 12:30 p.m., followed by an informal meeting at 4 p.m. and a regular meeting at 6 p.m. The full agenda can be viewed here.
The consent agenda for the regular meeting includes a special use request from owner Brandon Pearson that would allow live music on Fridays and Saturdays at the Jungle Room nightclub behind Sabai Restaurant, 2727 W. Broad St. Allowing music and dancing to extend until 2 a.m.
Administrators will also update the council regarding the Diamond District project during an informal meeting and plan to introduce related ordinances at the regular meeting.
Construction of new homes underway on transformed Clayton Court
Clayton Court's grounds span 30 acres. (Photo provided by KBS)
Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority officials and co-developer Community Builders last week marked the start of construction on the first phase, which will replace 504 units at Clayton Court with approximately 700 units of mixed-income housing. A ceremony was held.
Vertical construction began in December with the first phase of 68 units, following the closing of construction financing from Bank of America, which is also a Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) investor in the project.
Construction costs for the first phase will be approximately $17 million and will be funded through loans and a 4% LIHTC provided by Virginia Housing. The first 68 units are expected to be completed next March, while the second phase of 72 units is expected to start by this fall and be completed late next year.
The entire redevelopment is expected to cost a total of $300 million and take up to eight years to complete, with construction on the third phase expected to begin in 2026 and be completed the following year, Powell said.
Varina industrial project, Windham subdivision on Henrico agenda
The parcels involved in the Lingerfelt project are located on and between roads in Charles City and Williamsburg. (Google Maps)
Henrico supervisors meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. The full agenda can be found here.
The work includes a rezoning request from Lingerfelt and VOZ724 Park City LLC for office and industrial development on multiple parcels between Williamsburg Road and Charles City Road in Varina. The request relates to plans for five new buildings that Lingerfeld is working with the owners of D1 Moving & Storage and its commercial arm, RCS Moving & Storage.
Also on the agenda is a previously postponed zoning change request for Markel | Eagle's rezoning proposal for an 80-unit subdivision on 46 acres southwest of Pouncey Tract Road and Windham West Drive.
Costco expansion in Henrico plans for 600-acre data center project
Site plan for West Broad Street operations envisioned by Costco. (County data)
The Henrico Planning Commission meets Thursday at 7 p.m. The full agenda can be found here.
A previously postponed request to rezone 622 acres southeast of the Interstate 64-295 interchange in Varina for industrial development, including advanced manufacturing and a data center, has been postponed to an April 11 meeting. . The request builds on an earlier proposal from Atlantic Crossing LLC, a group that includes Texas-based Hillwood Development.
Costco's plans also include expanding the footprint of its warehouse store at 9650 W. Broad St. and moving its gas station to an adjacent lot at 9700-9750 W. Broad St.
Chesterfield releases latest draft of zoning ordinance update
Chesterfield's draft zoning ordinance would feature a new consolidated zoning district and also eliminate the county's conditional use zoning tool.
County officials recently released the second and most recent draft of the new zoning ordinance, which has been in the review and update process for several years. The effort, known as the Zoning Ordinance Modernization Project (ZOMod), aims to create a more modern and user-friendly zoning ordinance that dates back decades.
The new land use designation includes a residential district and a dedicated mixed-use category for large rural homes. It is also proposed to remove from the ordinance the CUPD (Conditional Development Plan) process, which is essentially a zoning tool that creates customized land use districts.
A second draft will be released in March, and county planners plan to produce at least one more draft as part of the project. Final recruitment is expected next year. The Board of Supervisors must approve the zoning ordinance update with a final vote and public hearing scheduled for June or July 2025.
Chesterfield's website for the ordinance update project is here and the second draft is available here.
Goochland hires former Lucia development director as deputy administrator
Josh Gillespie
Goochland County has named Josh Gillespie as its new deputy county administrator. His first day is scheduled for April 29th.
Gillespie most recently served as Louisa's community development director and has more than 20 years of experience in planning, according to a Goochland news release.
In his new role with Goochland, Gillespie will oversee planning, permitting and public works, as well as managing special projects countywide.
Gillespie is a Goochland resident and currently serves on the county's Design Review Board. Prior to Lucia, Gillespie also had a career in Chesterfield County and Orange County. He received his bachelor's degree from Furman University.
