Richmond from a different perspective (Short Pump: apartment, rentals, condos)
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Sorry but no. You still have to go to the bottom for "entertainment". People are still planning/wishing for a downtown revival.. In other words you should feel right where you left off 20 years ago.
You will notice how many comapnies have folded more than anything during the last 20 years here. Oh except VCU that pretty much owns downtown now. Roads are still a mess, city budget is still a mess and culture leaves much to be desired.
You don't even have to visit just look at the threads posted here. People asking for something to do are being given the same ol (depressing) run around, no wonder most people here smoke all the time.
If I were you I'd stay as far north as possible and not look back. God help you if you plan to bring kids down here.
Good to know you're still ridiculous. To say Richmond is the same as it was 20 years ago (were you out of diapers yet?) is absurd. Sure schools in the city are still underachieving (but better than 20 years ago), more roads could be repaved (its an OLD city with an OLD infrastructure), downtown can use more vibrancy (it's come a long way) and we have aging sports/entertainment facilities... but seriously? 20 years ago Miller and Rhoads and Thalhimers were on their way out of business. Today, M&R is a hotel/condo redevelopment and portions of Thalhimers are an expansion of the newly renovated Carpenter Theater. Richmond was one of the most dangerous cities around... now our crime rate is at its lowest in 4 decades. The arts scene has expanded considerably, as has the music scene. Events like the Folk Festival wouldn't have happened 20 years ago. The Monument Avenue 10k didn't exist - and it's one of the largest running events in the country.
Short Pump??? Stony Point??? A first rate movie theater in an old locomotive factory on the Boulevard??? I mean these things weren't even imaginable in 1989 Richmond.
Companies have folded EVERYWHERE in the past 20 years. Richmond still has a relatively high number of Fortune 500 and 1000 companies compared to its population. Local budgets are off in MANY localities around the country (remember that whole recession thing and local government reliance on sales and property taxes?). Richmond is faring better than neighbors like Chesterfield...
Richmond isn't DC or NYC and doesn't have the ethnic/cultural diversity of NOVA... that should be a no brainer Anders. But for many it offers a great quality of life, great public schools, great historic neighborhoods, plenty of things to do, and enough cultural/ethnic diversity to keep one going (my favorite festivals are the ethnic ones). When you need your big city fix or your beach getaway or camping trip in the mountains, it's all with 2 hours reach.
To the OP, I say visit for a few days and try to see things through a new pair of lenses (not the 20 year old pair). If you like it, great. If not, there's tons of great places to live.
I agree with richmondpics... a lot has changed just in the 8 years that I've been here. I really like how so many old and historic buildings are seeing new life as hotels, theaters, restaurants, and galleries. This is no NYC but for a town it's size there is a lot going on. For good schools I'd recommend the burbs or private school in the City. The suburbs are also where all the chain store shopping is located. Come to the City for the unique stores of Carytown, good food, festivals, and ironically enough the great outdoors.
RE: Amtrak - Undoubtedly, the next extension of Acela class standards is going to be from DC to Richmond. In fact, unlike the many pie in the sky high speed rail proposals that are complete boondogles popping up left and right around the country, this one is a no brainer and would be maxed out almost immediately.
Would love to hear from the OP of this thread as I am in a similar situation, minus the west coast location. If you are reading this, have you moved back to Richmond? Or others that have done similar.
I am a NoVa resident, have been here about 15 years. Had lived in Richmond for 5 years prior to that as a single 20-something. Grew up and college in NJ prior. Richmond was a huge change for me, loved some of it, but ultimately at the time felt it was not the place for a single professional, looking to advance my social life and career! NoVa was a great move.
Fast forward 15 years.... w/husband, 2 kids, looking at Richmond again. It has changed tremendously since I left, as several of these posts have said. When I lived in Glen Allen in 1989, Innsbrook was so far west, I could never have imagined a Short Pump Mall. Short Pump did exist, and it was just a small country gas station.
We are interested in the Midlothian/Chesterfield Cty area (again that was another planet way back when I was living and partying in the Fan). Love that it accessible by 288 now. Am interested in info on neighborhoods off Robious Rd or around Swift Creek Resevior. Public middle schools and eventually high schools are important. Any travel soccer league recommendations? Irish dance school recommendations?
My husband has some interest in Powhatan, but it still seems too rural for us.
I will keep going through these posts as well. Thanks.
We live off of Robious and we love it - 288 has you in the West End in minutes. We looked a lot around Hull Street (Reservoir) and decided against it and have not regretted that decision once. For us, it is just to far. We are downtown all the time for things and it is much more convenient from here. As far as specific neighborhoods - it depends on price - you have everything from low 300s - 1980s colonials to 1,000,000 new construction. Midlothian Middle and Robious Middle are both great as are the high schools they feed into. We are at Robious and have loved it there. Travel soccer, my son plays for FC Richmond. They practice off of Robious and home games are right here.
Thanks ellieb! BTW our price range will probably be in the mid 400s. I will check out that soccer club you mentioned.
That price range gives you LOTS of great choices - River Downs and Riverton are newer neighborhoods, smaller lots but more of the newer ameneties. Salisbury is the biggest neighborhood around here (I think) - most of it is 80s colonials, very established with large 1 acre+ lots - private and wooded. There are newer houses in there too but I think for the most part they are more expensive. There are several different school feeder patterns but I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. Great schools here.
Did a visit to the area over the weekend and really liked the Robious area. Saw several neighborhoods we liked as well as some of the schools and the park on the river (Robious Pk I think). Do you know anything about Winterfield Station? Small, newer neighborhood, a bit off Robious but we saw a few nice homes there we liked. I saw something online about a Midlothian Town Center slated to be built nearby but I can't see what the status of that is.
Did a visit to the area over the weekend and really liked the Robious area. Saw several neighborhoods we liked as well as some of the schools and the park on the river (Robious Pk I think). Do you know anything about Winterfield Station? Small, newer neighborhood, a bit off Robious but we saw a few nice homes there we liked. I saw something online about a Midlothian Town Center slated to be built nearby but I can't see what the status of that is.
That was supposed to be a mixed up property. Upscale condos, office space, retail etc. The initial drawings looked quite nice. Aside from a road through it and the roundabout nothing was done. I'm pretty sure the initial project has been scrapped. There was talk a bit ago about apartments going up there - neighbors were concerned. I don't know where it stands now. I think part of it is in foreclosure. That would be my only concern about Winterfield Station. It looks like a nice neighborhood with a lot of conveniences close by.
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