RECENT COMMENTS
Planning to consider mixed-use project for 24th and Marshall
The agenda for the October 20 meeting of the City Planning Commission has an item of specific local interest:
10. ORD.2014-203 To declare surplus and to direct the sale of City-owned real estate located at 313 North 24th Street and 2407 East Marshall Street for $250,000 to Sterling Bilder, LLC, for the purpose of the construction of a mixed-use development including commercial, residential and civic space.
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The property adjoins Patrick Henry Memorial Park and is in close proximity to Saint John’s Episcopal Church. The subject property consists of two parcels: 13-315 North 24th Street which includes an existing brick building estimated at 7,320 square feet on 0.168 acres and 2407 East Marshall which includes a parking lot and contains 0.322 acres with both parcels totaling 0.49 acres.
Sterling Bilder, LLC, the purchaser, has offered $250,000 for the property. The offer is more than the $170,000 appraised fair market value of the property based on an appraisal completed in 2012 by the Purchaser. The two parcels including existing improvements were assessed by the City at $188,000 in 2014; however, in 2015 the assessment increased and the properties are currently assessed at $595,000.
A viable offer has been made to acquire and develop this property. By selling this property the City will stimulate private investment, job creation and economic development in the area. In addition, this property was removed from the Public/Open Space land use designation in the City’s Master Plan in 2010 and included in the Neighborhood Commercial designation, which suggests the proposed type of development is appropriate.
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The Purchaser proposes to develop two floors of row-house style multi-family residences and ground floor commercial space at 2407 East Marshall Street with surface parking at the rear of the buildings. Also as part of the development, the existing Nolde building at 313 -315 N 24th Street would be renovated and receive an addition to incorporate 2 ground floor commercial units fronting 24th Street, a multi-purpose flex/ community room facing Patrick Henry Memorial Park and two floors of residential units at the east end of the building. The multipurpose room may be reserved for private or public events/meetings throughout the year.
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Put this thing up for open bids. It’s not fair to city residents for the city to sell for anything less than it can get.
I think it’s totally inappropriate for Josh Bilder, who sits on CAR, to finagle this project. Put it up for open bid. The Hilds of Anderson’s Neck oysters wanted to develop this property years ago, and Bilder blocked them because he was holding out for parking for the 25th street project. I think the property should be developed, but it needs scrutiny in terms of oversight from CAR and the City Planning Commission. This whole thing needs to be very very transparent.
Agreed, Alex.
I have been eyeing this place for development as well, and was completely caught by surprise in seeing this. I am in full agreement with the posts above, that if it is available for purchase, it needs to be listed as such. The city has a webpage for such properties, and this site has never been on it.
http://www.richmondgov.com/EconomicCommunityDevelopment/CityOwnedSurplusInfo.aspx
As I see it, Josh had his plans in the works before the assessment increase. I am not quite sure what changed so much in or around that area to justify such a jump anyway but Fair Market Value Assessments are also done by the city. He is offering to pay $80k more than the current year assessment and he had his plans in play in 2014.
What is going on between the 2014-2015 assessments anyway? Look at the property on Venable mentioned in another thread… ridiculous!
Didn’t I see something about several council members noting that they weren’t being notified before the city just up and sold something? I think it was some combination of Samuels, Pantele, and/or Baliles. Maybe all three. There was something in the Times Dispatch about how they were asking that this sort of thing NOT happen without the property being listed for bids, and council being notified.
@4 Thomas if I were you, I’d contact those council people.
@CRD – I saw the same article – but if I remember correctly, the issue was that underutilized property was NOT sold because the offer was never presented to the city council. So instead it just sat there. Empty. Not that I disagree that the city should sell on the open market – but selling anything at all is an improvement over letting property sit vacant and off the tax rolls, no?
Didn’t take me any time to find the article I was thinking of on the Times Dispatch. Here’s a link:
http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/local/city-of-richmond/city-adopts-stronger-notification-process-for-land-offers/article_f1940a32-1612-523f-b8b4-1fa678c35a03.html
Thomas, I’d ask you to contact Parker Agelasto about this. And anyone else who has had interest in this project should raise a noise, too. What brewery was looking at it? There was someone who posted here a couple of years ago, had tried to buy it and was told it was reserved for Josh Bilder – anyone remember that posting? It will buttress your comments to Agelasto. Good luck, I’d join in but i don’t think I’d carry much weight as I have not tried to buy it. However, this whole deal really pisses me off.
@crd: this this the article you mean? http://www.timesdispatch.com/local/city-of-richmond/after-seven-offers-city-owned-property-in-scott-s-addition/article_1e61c085-670e-5bb1-b57c-aa6ae2732e11.html
Quote sums up this whole situation:
A person who recently tried to buy a city-owned property described a system slowed by red tape that favors well-connected developers over smaller entrepreneurs.
“I would say trying to buy a property from the city of Richmond is akin to negotiating the Treaty of Versailles,” said the would-be buyer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid alienating city officials. “I feel badly about how broken this process is because I genuinely feel that it’s holding the city back.”
@8, YES! Thanks! But also refer to the link I posted just before you did. There’s a problem here, and it needs to be fixed. BIG time. Thanks so much for finding that article as it was the one I was originally thinking of, but I think both are now appropriate. If I can help, please post. Again, my send is that because I have no legal interest in the property then I don’t have a legal standing, but otherwise I will help. Thanks.
It’s not so much that I have a problem with Josh Bilder, it’s that I have a problem with the entire process. He serves on CAR, and he’s apparently had some sort of priority option on this property for years while others wanted to try to buy it….it all reeks of cronyism, and I think Council should be called out on it.
it was the Anderson’s Neck people, the Hilds, who wanted to buy it, and I think they had put in an offer, but he exercised an option on it that somehow he’d had in his back pocket for years. it’s on a thread on here somewhere. I think Bilder weighed in and commented on it at the time.
Here it is:
/2013/01/30/a-new-plan-for-the-east-end-theater_26091/
For the benefit of the group, my wife Laura/I (owners of Anderson’s Neck Oyster Co) submitted an offer letter to purchase this same property from the City in 2012 and put a brewpub and oyster bar/restaurant in this building. Unfortunately, the City redirected us and asked that we consider a different building in Scott’s Addition. The City told us the 24th & Marshall building and adjoining lot was being held for purchase by Mr. Bilder. This is described in detail at the thread found at the link above in post #13.
Unfortunately, the RTD article link and quote in #9 above is about the Scott’s Addition building the City asked us to buy and locate our brewery/oyster raw bar. We begrudgingly took the City up on their suggestion, despite our desire to do something in Church Hill. We submitted an offer letter to buy that Scott’s Addition building in 2012. After waiting for over two years, the City is now telling us they aren’t sure they will sell us the Scott’s Addition building. This is ironic since the City asked us to purchase and develop the building, not the other way around. Needless to say, this whole process has been an exceedingly frustrating endeavor. We were genuinely trying to help Church Hill with what we thought would be a unique contribution. We were also trying to put money into our own neighborhood that we love dearly and where we have lived for 12 years.
Regardless, please join us this Saturday (10/18) from 4-8 with our neighborhood friends at Union Market for Our “Eat Oysters, Drink Beer” event. We are collaborating with Center of the Universe Brewery for the beer selection, setting up our mobile raw bar (Laura & I will be shucking), and listening to some live music. It should be a fun event for the neighborhood. And yes, city officials are welcome to attend despite all the drama. 🙂
We hope to see you there! Details for the event can be found here for anyone who is interested: http://www.andersonsneck.com/union-market-eat-oysters-drink-beer/
I remember when there was talk about turning this into a commercial space. Wish that had happened–it’s be great to have a little restaurant or theater there or even multiple stalls for different sorts of food suppliers.
A piece of history: The J. Fulmer Bright Foundation had drafted plans to create a visitor center for Church Hill in the old Nolde garage on 24th St. It was designed to have interpretive displays about St. John’s Church, Church Hill, and have a small restaurant and gift shop.
The front door was going to be on the side of the building facing the park, and the other side would have a door leading to the parking lot. Quite a lot of effort and expense was put into the design and it was very well thought out.
Unfortunately there was a lack of funding at that time and, from what I remember, the St. John’s Church Foundation did not support it.
I was part of an ad hoc group that tried to resurrect the plan about ten years ago but it did not fly. Beth Acuff, who died recently, was the head of the JFB Foundation and was the leader in this proposal.
It’s a shame that this could not have been done because it would have been a great service for the Church Hill community and would have brought tourism to the area.
Bill… I do know that at one time that the building was up to become a theater by the Henley Street Theatre Group in 2011.
/2011/12/20/imagine-this-theater-on-24th-street_20567/
I had also spoke with Josh a while back and St. John’s Church had again shown an interest in a possible museum space in the building but not sure where that stands right now? I was hoping for the same with the old 401 N 27th building which is restricted in size and where it is situated (bus stop at their front door – parking issues) to be much more than a office-like business. But it will never happen until the current owners quit playing games and let loose of the property for a realistic price! The city had plenty of opportunities to seize it and sell but never did.
I think everyone needs to step back for a moment and clear their minds of any conspiracy theories concerning the city and Josh Bilder until you gather all of the timeline facts first. And like private owners of a building I am sure the city also reserves the right to sell who they wish to as well since this is their property? I am not sure about “procedures” or “channels” when it comes to sales though.
I listened to the presentation by Josh Bilder’s architects and lawyers (maybe 6-9 months ago) about what they propose to do at this property. It’s a solid plan that doesn’t go crazy in terms of density, fits the neighborhood and creates community space as well.
I’d rather see the property go to a capable developer at a price that makes the numbers work than have the city sell it to someone random, who may overbid, and turn out to not know what they’re doing or just sit on it for years to come, without developing.
Not saying that the open bid process is bad, but it won’t necessarily lead to the desired outcome for the property or the area. Price is not everything.
Lots of good things happening in Church Hill! Get excited about the good rather than see negatives in everything.
Four months left before the opening of Patrick Henry Square according to the sidebar ads here on CHPN. Wonder if Josh Bilder will met the deadline? 🙂