PRESS RELEASE: Times-Dispatch
WRITER: John Reid Blackwell
DATE: December 17, 2008
An abandoned power plant that once provided electricity for Richmond’s trolley cars will become home to a restaurant with views of the James River as part of the ongoing Rocketts Landing development.
Developers of the mixed-use residential and commercial development in East Richmond and Henrico County also announced yesterday that they have received final permits needed to start construction of a private marina on the James. The restaurant and the marina are scheduled to open this summer.
The new restaurant will be operated by Kevin Healy, owner since 1988 of The Boathouse at Sunday Park, a waterside restaurant on Swift Creek Reservoir in Chesterfield County's Brandermill community.
Healy said the new restaurant, The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing, will have “sweeping views of the river and the city skyline” and will serve fare similar to the menu at The Boathouse at Sunday Park, including seafood, steak and napoletana pizza. It will occupy 12,000 square feet on the third and fourth floors of the five-story power plant building.
The building, constructed around 1887, once provided electricity for the city’s trolley car fleet, according to developers.
“All the aspects of the [Rocketts Landing] project, and the idea of bringing an amenity there and opening the riverfront to the greater Richmond community, excites me,” Healy said.
The WVS Cos., the Rocketts Landing project developer, sought Healy to open the restaurant because of his success operating the waterside eatery at Swift Creek for 20 years, said Richard Souter, WVS vice president.
"He is coming in with a proven concept," Souter said. "It couldn't have fit any better with what we are trying to do."
Rocketts Landing is being developed in phases on 45 acres off Old Osborne Turnpike, which is state Route 5. Construction started in 2005, and the first residents moved there in June 2007. Souter said 130 condominium units have been sold at the development, which also features town houses and apartments.
WVS also announced yesterday that it received final permits from the Army Corps of Engineers to start construction on the city's first marina. Work is scheduled to start this week on the first 40 slips of the 88-slip marina, which will accommodate boats up to 60 feet long.
The first and second floors of the restored power plant are below street level and will house the Virginia Boat Club, Souter said. The fifth floor will house the harbormaster office.
"I think this is a very real move forward in making the river more than just something you can look at to something you can interact with in a very real, meaningful, tangible way," Souter said.
Contact: John Reid Blackwell, call (804) 775-8123, or email at jblackwell@timesdispatch.com.
The long boats of the Virginia Boat Club (VBC) and VCU Rowing Crews have been ordered to vacate the current building of Richmond Raft Club after previously emptying the power plant building used by the club for twenty years. Both the Raft Company building and the power plant have been taken over for redevelopment as part of the Rocketts’ Landing site.
The groups have been given until early spring to find a new site to house over 52 boats of varying sizes for singles, doubles and higher crew strengths. This is difficult since the high dollar fiberglass or carbon fiber boats may be over 65 feet in length and require careful handling and storage. Preferably a river front storage site must be found which will provide a protective base of operations.
Picture courtesy of Daniel Bell and the VBC
Mayor Wilder is proposing a public marina just down river from the private marina which hopes to rent space in their new development to the club. The Director of Community Development for the city is to meet with the boat club members in October about a possibility of reestablishing a site in Mayo Island, the original home of the club, which dates to the 1870s.
Shannon Conner, the VBC’s Treasurer indicated to FOJ that the fast growing club had begun investigating this proposed change by creating three groups to study options for replacement of the present quarters as follows: One group is working with Rockets’ Landing which is offering equal space at a price. They have been good about providing the current space, however, they have sped up their request for their moving to different quarters during the buildout. Another VBC group is negotiating with Echo Harbor east of Shiplock Park. The Echo Harbor site featuring condos at the old Silo is opposed by Church Hill groups. Lastly, the City of Richmond is making an effort to site them in a city park. The city focus is “what options could work in an existing site.” Options there would be possibly Ancarrows Landing, or Chapel Isle.
Press Release City of Richmond:
10/4/2007 9:28:44 AM
Mayor announces plan for Richmond’s first public marina
Richmond Mayor L. Douglas Wilder, Robert Dortch of Richmond Region 2007, representatives of the Rocketts Landing development, and other officials are submitting an application to state and federal authorities for approval to build Richmond's first public marina on the James River.
After a year of design reviews and meetings, the City of Richmond takes a milestone step today with the Mayor's application to state and federal authorities to build a public marina on the James River at the Intermediate Terminal, adjacent to the Rocketts Landing development(near Dock Street at Great Ship Lock Park). Much like a building permit, the marina permit represents the City’s first formal step for approval. Once approval is received, there will be a “ground and water breaking” for construction to begin in 2008 with a targeted completion date of the marina in the summer of 2009.
Contact:
Linwood Norman, 646-0434