Short Pump Construction & New Development Round-Up: A Complete Update

A slew of new development and construction is taking place around Short Pump as of late. From new shopping centers and roadways to redevelopment of existing properties and improvements to current thoroughfares, the area is abuzz in activity. Here’s a rundown of the biggest projects in the Far West End. The North Gayton Road extension […]

May 27, 2010; 11:46 AM • by Trevor Dickerson

A slew of new development and construction is taking place around Short Pump as of late. From new shopping centers and roadways to redevelopment of existing properties and improvements to current thoroughfares, the area is abuzz in activity. Here’s a rundown of the biggest projects in the Far West End.

The North Gayton Road extension project is on schedule for a 2011 open date. Crews have already cleared land behind Dominion Chevrolet near Interstate 64 and West Broad Street and are working on clearing near Bacova Drive. Some residents of Bacova and Kain Road have complained that the land acquisition process has been less than ideal and the condemnation process of their land somewhat unfair. Officials say the project is still on track, however.

The North Gayton Road extension, which will connect West Broad Street to Pouncey Tract Road, is projected to carry 9,600 vehicles when it opens to traffic. It will be four lanes wide, with room for future expansion of up to six lanes, as traffic is expected to almost double to 18,000 vehicles by 2032. The project is being designed and built by contractor English Construction, who recently completed the nearby I-295 flyover project. 100% funded by Henrico County, the road project was approved in a 2005 Bond Referendum.

Crews are finishing work on the I-295/Nuckols Road interchange improvement project just north near Innsbrook. Two exits that require vehicles to come to a stop before exiting onto Nuckols Road north and south have been improved to allow highway traffic to merge onto the road in a yield pattern as most other exits currently do. The current pattern often causes major backups during morning and evening rush hours. The Nuckols south ramp has been completed but is not yet open to traffic. The northbound ramp is still under construction, in the grading and fill process.

Construction is now underway to transform the former S&K Menswear warehouse and headquarters into the new Thalhimer Commercial Real Estate headquarters and the Richmond campus of Stratford University. About one-third of the warehouse has been demolished to allow for more parking and a new facade is being constructed to house classrooms and instructional offices.

The Corner at Short Pump, to being built at the corner of West Broad Street and Lauderdale Drive, across from Short Pump Town Center, will feature an 86,000 square foot gourmet Kroger grocery store that is scheduled to open in July. The shopping portion of the center, which will feature 225,000 square feet of mixed use space total in the center when completed, has not been built yet. The stores will face Broad and Lauderdale in front of Kroger.

The current Kroger store in the Brookhollow Shopping Center just to the east will close when the new store opens. No other tenants have yet been named. The shopping complex is being developed by Archon Group, a subsidiary of global investment and banking giant Goldman Sachs. Leasing is being handled by real estate company Thalhimer.

Across the street, surveying and fill work is being started on the second phase of Towne Center West, the mixed use center that adjoins Short Pump Town Center. The development already features the luxury Hilton Richmond Short Pump Hotel, Spa & Conference Center, The Reflections of West Creek apartment complex and two strip retail pads. The new portion of the center will feature an 8,000 square foot Blue Ridge Mountain Sports location, the third for the local outdoor retailer.

May 27, 2010 11:46 AM 0