Planning commission green lights new hi-rise apartments

James at River Bend will be built at E. Main and Pear

April 22, 2014; 9:14 AM • by Richard Hayes

After lengthy debate over whether the height of the building would block views of the James River from Libby and general appropriateness of the height the planning commission voted 6-2 in favor of the necessary special permit request.

Lynn McAteer and Jeffrey Sadler were the dissenting votes. They felt the height of the building is “excessive”and felt the plan was inconsistent with downtown development plans.

Richmond BizSense.com has more details.

After nearly two hours of consideration and public discussion, Richmond’s Planning Commission gave its approval Monday to a proposed 13-story Shockoe Bottom condo building at Main and Pear streets. The project is dubbed the James at River Bend.

Its developer, David White of Shockoe Bottom real estate firm Historic Housing, next must earn Richmond City Council’s final approval of a special use permit application at next week’s meeting.

The proposed condo tower would sit at the eastern end of ~~Cary~~Main Street. Part of the building will rise 16 stories from its lowest point on a down-sloping plot and include three floors of parking. The 13 stories of condos will begin on street level on Main Street. White said the units will begin at about 1,100 square feet with low-end prices of about $300,000 and $350,000.

Image: Google Maps/Richmond BizSense.com