I was recently forwarded a link to Richmond Foreclosure Lists, “a website dedicated to helping people who are interested in buying up the foreclosed / bank owned property that is driving down property values.” If you go in and sort by price from lowest-highest, this house going for $29,900 at 2005 Williamsburg Road is one of the first to come up.

Eastern Henrico is getting a large recreation center at 1440 N. Laburnum Ave., just south of Harvie Road. The 13 million dollar recreation center will have a full-size gymnasium, a weight room and fitness center, group exercise rooms, classrooms, and administrative offices. The center will offer programs for preschoolers, teenagers, young adults and seniors. The county will also rent the facility for events such as weddings, parties and meetings.

The center is expected to be built during the next 15 months. No opening date is available yet.

For the full article see RTD

The December 2009 issue of the RRHA’s HOPE VI newsletter (PDF) has info on plans for 71 new houses for Fulton:

HOPE VI Project Manager L. Dexter Goode is looking forward to the launch of Phase II in Fulton Village which he expects to begin soon after January 1, 2010. RRHA has enlisted Health-E Community Enterprises LLC to undertake construction at the site. Phase II will add 26 homes to the existing Fulton development, as well as 45 houses that will be sold to market-rate buyers. This new initiative is designed to attract first-time homebuyers — individuals who have not owned a home within the past 18 months or longer.

Olive Garden! Is it too much to ask for a Barnes and Noble? Hopefully that will be coming soon. Either way the growth is certainly a good thing. Is everyone enjoying having White Oaks so close to Fulton?

Read more >

The Richmond Times Dispatch has an interesting article about the fading farm lands of the East End. How would you feel about the East End becoming the next West End?

Change is coming. It’s as clear as the rumble of truck traffic in the distance and the for-sale sign on a soybean field.

How it will affect the rural areas of the Varina District has been one of the hot topics in the 2026 Comprehensive Plan, which is up for final approval Tuesday by the Henrico Board of Supervisors. Envision Henrico and the Partnership for Smarter Growth have asked supporters to attend the meeting to protest redesignation of Varina Farm for Suburban Mixed Use development.

For the entire story, click here

transitional neighborhood lowdown follows Wednesday’s great post on a unique house with a look at three more interesting houses in the area.

The newish blog transitional neighborhood lowdown has a great post about what they call the “most unique house in Richmond”, a style-mixing bungalow in Montrose Heights.

The Union Hill Civic Association voted 25-1 with one abstention to support the Shockoe Ballpark. Residents support the project because of the prospect of jobs and housing. Last month the Church Hill Association voted 62-44 with two abstentions, against the Shockoe Ballpark project.

Shockoe Center is estimated to cost $318 million, excluding $70 million for a bus transfer center planned by GRTC Transit System for the Main Street Station train shed. An earlier $363 million estimate for Shockoe Center was based on a $45 million estimate for the transfer center, which is being targeted for federal stimulus funds.

For the full article go to The Richmond Times Dispatch

The Richmond Times Dispatch is reporting that “The city is spending $100,000 to get its financial advisers to study of the financial feasibility of the Shockoe Center project.” Pete Boisseau, a spokesman for Davenport & Co. who is doing the review says “We

J.C. Penney opened its first stand-alone store at White Oak Village shopping center today off of Laburnum ave. The 105,000-square-foot store, is part of the retailer