17 Responses to “shockoe center is dead”

1. posted by Omelette at June 23, 2009 2:55 pm :
   

   Epic, epic fail.

   Who were their PR consultants again? Time to look for a new line of work, guys.

2. posted by Scott Burger at June 23, 2009 3:16 pm :
   

   Now Richmond can concentrate on making a new, improved baseball experience for Boulevard, as well as a new future for Shockoe Bottom.

   I am surprised there has not been more discussion of Paul Goldman’s idea- using mass transit/high sped rail and MCV’s proximity to create a world-class hospital/medical center in Shockoe Bottom.

   styleweekly.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&a…

3. posted by Paul at June 23, 2009 4:52 pm :
   

   This is a terrible loss for Shockoe Bottom. $300 million in investment which would have helped add vitality and livability to an already wonderful neighborhood. The city and community really blew it on this one. Next time your wonder why your public schools don’t have more money to provide a solid education, remember that the community and city preferred a parking lot to substantial private investment which (eventually) would have led to significant tax revenue increases in the area, both by this investment in particular and by the other development it would have spurred.

   And seriously, turn the area into a hospital? By public investment? All of the arguments against Shockoe Center also apply such a suggestion, with the added benefit of sacrificing a potentially vibrant neighborhood for something massively out of scale with the immediate community. Nothing could be further from the wishes of the community as expressed in the Master Plan.

   Let’s hope Highwoods is bluffing, or else we should blame ourselves for chasing them out of town.

4. posted by AWms at June 23, 2009 8:00 pm :
   

   Oh goody… we get to look at the eyesoar of an area for another 15 years. Good ‘ole Richmond.

5. posted by FanGuy at June 23, 2009 10:09 pm :
   

   Help select Richmond’s new advertising slogan!

   http://lifeinthe804.blogspot.com/2009/06/help-select-richmonds-new-advertising.html

6. posted by Mark at June 23, 2009 10:11 pm :
   

   I think it’s interesting that, after insisting that the project would be self-financing, Highwoods now says that the project would not be self-financing in the current economic climate. Highwoods seems to have admitted that the self-financing claim was false. If the project went forward, a similar financial crush could have developed later on and cost the city and taxpayers dearly.

   I don’t think Highwoods ever really proved their case, and I think they’ve now admitted that their projections were optimistic as opposed to realistic–otherwise this project would still be in play.

   Why not re-examine the Diamond site? I think the Diamond is a pretty unattractive ballpark, but many other minor league parks are pleasant, friendly places to see a game. Why couldn’t the site be redeveloped into something with some green space, that’s visually appealing, and that is more welcoming?

7. posted by Stuart at June 24, 2009 9:44 am :
   

   Mark you are exactly right. The sour grapes set like FanGuy and Paul still believe the fantasy that someone besides the taxpayer would foot the bill for this beast, despite the fact that nobody ever even said “no” to Highwoods- they killed the deal on their own because the money wasn’t there for them to do it.

   Who are you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?

8. posted by dyw at June 24, 2009 1:19 pm :
   

   and so is this city

9. posted by FanGuy at June 24, 2009 6:36 pm :
   

   I change my mind!!

   We should spend all tax money on improving City schools, because it is clear that if the vocal opposition to the Shockoe Center project is representative of the majority of citizens of Richmond, Richmond has a very serious problem with illiteracy and reading comprehension.

10. posted by Scott Burger at June 25, 2009 10:31 am :
    

    Glad to hear it, fanboy. At least that is a proper use of tax money.

11. posted by FanGuy at June 25, 2009 6:23 pm :
    

    Congrats Scott! You managed an entire post without mentioning “white elephants,” “corporate welfare,” “boondoggles,” or “solar.” I see you still had to work in an insult, but still you are showing signs of improvement.

12. posted by Scott Burger at June 26, 2009 9:55 am :
    

    I am trying to be positive now that I found the Reserve’s key.

    http://www.oregonhill.net/2009/06/25/key-found-on-laurel-street/

    I hope to be able to secure the country’s money supply before the corporate robber barons totally make off with it in Richmond and elsewhere.

    Silver and the rest of my neighbors are also on the case:

    http://www.oregonhill.net/2009/06/23/silver-on-water-rates-1st-district-gets-special-treatment/#comment-24464

13. posted by paul_h at June 27, 2009 8:05 am :
    

    I agree that Richmond has a problem with comprehension.

    Also Paul Goldman’s idea was brilliant, simply brilliant.

14. posted by paul_h at June 27, 2009 11:59 am :
    

    Stuart, don’t put grapes or anything else in my mouth. We don’t know each other that well. I never vouched for Highwoods. I believe baseball is worth paying for. These same critics are willing to spend public money from three counties on a shell of a crumbling stadium that has not produced any ancillary development in 50 years.

    How that is for hypocrisy?

15. posted by Mark at June 27, 2009 8:50 pm :
    

    #14: “willing to spend money from three counties on a shell of a crumbling stadium that has not produced any ancillary development in 50 years.”

    The Highwoods proposal included a vision for redeveloping Boulevard. So why not (if we’re going to spend any $ for baseball) redevelop the area to have a more friendly ballpark and some of the planned development that would have been intended for Shockoe and/or Boulevard under the Highwoods plan? If this really is a good idea, then it would seem to be something to investigate. Imagine the possibilities of a combination of a friendly ballpark, some retail/lodging development, a new movie theater etc bridging Scott’s Addition and Northside.

    Seems like it would have some potential…

16. posted by Scott Burger at June 28, 2009 8:09 am :
    

    Paul_h, your Goldman idea link does not work, at least not for me.

    And as far as comprehension goes…

    Instead of all this gnashing of teeth over an inadequate baseball stadium proposal, how about some conversation on Shockoe Bottom’s future, with high speed rail?

17. posted by paul_h at June 29, 2009 9:12 pm :
    

    http://downtownrichmond.blogspot.com/2009/06/paul-goldman-man-of-ideas.html

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