The University of Richmond enjoyed great success with its EWaste initiative held on October 11-13. This community event invited all types of old computer and electronics equipment users ranging from consumers to businesses to schools to allow them to drop off their unused gear, at no cost to them, for recycling purposes. (Photo by VCU)

According to Richmond.com:

The Richmond campus hosted an e-waste recycling event Oct. 11-13, collecting about 250,000 pounds of computers, keyboards and other electronics. Organizers hope the event will be the first of many for the university.

If anyone has EWaste they’d like to let go of, St. Christopher’s School, 711 St. Christopher’s Road, also holds an annual event of this nature. We’ll keep our readers apprised of the event dates.

In addition, North Richmond News is reporting an event at the Diamond on November 17th.

The Tabitha Geary Store will open at 506 Libbie Ave., between Grove and Patterson avenues. At first glance, I wasn’t sure what kind of store this was until I thought, maybe, it was a fashion store. I was wrong:

Her growing business takes photos, letters, artwork, slides, cards, and kids’ school work and scans them into a computer. Then those mementos can be preserved on a CD and/or organized into custom scrapbooks, collages and DVDs…

…Geary started her business in 2005 as O.K. Picture This. She changed the name a few months ago after receiving guidance and infusion of a “significant amount” of capital from a handful of local investors. [via]

Hope her store does well, although, the name change might make more than a few potential customers wonder, vaguely, what her store is.

Three buildings at the Reynolds property at the intersections of Glenside Drive, 64 and West Broad Street in the Near West End are due to be complete in the Spring of 2008. Likely, you’ve noticed these projects already, either on your way up Glenside Drive, or from 64. At Glenside and Forest the Bon Secours Building glass is starting to go up, but neighbors are still struggling with how monstrous and unscreened this building is from their back yard. Although the building is 2 stories shorter then originally proposed and set deeper into the hill and farther away from the Charles Glen community houses, it is still way to close for the comfort of those whose property abuts the project. Screening ideas to make the project more tolerable to neighbors include planting bamboo and raising the height of the privacy fence.

Richmonders, what do you think of this project?

The other 2 buildings being constructed currently on the Reynolds Crossing Property include a Westin Hotel, also scheduled for completion in Spring of 2008. It will be closer to the West Broad Street, Philip Morris USA side of the property, close to 64. And an office building that is styled to look similar to the Alcoa office building that is already built on that property and that is currently undergoing a floor-by-floor renovation also scheduled to be complete in Spring of ‘08.

The tenants from the Alcoa building are being moved in to the brand new building to make way for a new tenant who is leasing the entire Alcoa building. One can only guess, but it seems likely to me that Philip Morris USA/Altria is the new tenant for the Alcoa building since it is attached to the historic Reynolds building via an underground tunnel — AND they announce recently (as reported here on NWEN) that Philip Morris USA’s parent company, Altria, will be moving their headquarters here from New York in the near future.

Other parts of the project which have changed considerably since Reynolds proposed putting a 24-hour Wal-mart at the location 3 years ago. A Bookbinders restaurant (not specified if it will be a casual grill style like in Chesterfield, or more formal like the one in Shockoe Bottom), with a patio, and a Max and Erma’s franchise (currently they have a location at at Ridgefield and John Rolfe Parkways) will squeeze in close together near the Westin Hotel and share a parking area. Their opening dates are yet to be determined. The last piece of the puzzle would be a daycare.

Beyond that, there is a large plot of land at the northeast corner of Forest and Glenside drives that is approved for 24 hour use (like a gas station), but Charles Glen neighbors to the development are hoping for more offices rather than a 24-hour anything. And who can blame them. MeadWestvaco was considering this site for their corporate headquarters, but chose downtown instead. (Actually, in the sense of full disclosure, I should mention that I live in Charles Glen, close enough to hear the construction and be directly affected by the development myself).

Again, Richmonders, what do you think of this development?

In the Near West End, we all probably know someone who works for Capital One or used to. Now apparently, there will be more in the “used to” catagory.
Capital One, one of the largest employers in the Richmond area, yesterday told an additional 380 Richmond workers that they will lose their jobs. Yet another stubbling block for the Richmond economy and housing market.
[via]

Just proves to show if you’re a business owner (or not even, of course), no matter what size, always pay your taxes. Uncle Sam WILL catch up to you.

A federal judge yesterday sentenced the publisher of Richmond Parents Monthly and Fifty Plus magazines to five months in jail plus 150 days of home incarceration.

Mark E. Fetter pleaded guilty April 17 in U.S. District Court to failing to account for and pay $64,770.51 in employee taxes and matching employer contributions.

[via]

Picked up from the Buttermilk & Molasses blog and confirmed from a UR press release, UR and VCU have partnered up to provide EDULEAD which:

will offer an expanded number of leadership programs to four groups of public school leaders, aspiring principals, principals of academically struggling schools, first-year principals and principals of highly successful schools. The partnership also will follow up with impact studies.

I’m thinking a few of our city “leaders” should put down their sticks and stones and consider attending this program.

The Times-Dispatch reports three new retailers at Regency Square Mall:

• The Walking Co. shoe store, which sells brands with innovative comfort construction. The chain also has a store at Stony Point Fashion Park.
• For Love 21 accessories store. It is the sister chain to Forever 21.
• River City Body Jewelry, a body-piercing company owned locally by Rob and Jessica Weaver. It is an offshoot of River City Tattoo on North Boulevard.

Well, I guess I’d call it Scott’s Addition, but you can call it the Near West End if you want to!

Summit Corporate Center Fetches $2.3M
French Consulting Acquires 24,000-SF Office Bldg.

French Consulting has acquired the Summit Corporate Center in Richmond, VA, from a group of private investors for $2.34 million, or about $98 per square foot.

The two-story office building is on about a third-of-an-acre at 1707 Summit Ave. in Richmond’s Near West End submarket. It was constructed in 1927 and renovated in 1997, and totals 24,000 square feet.

Birck Turnbull, CCIM of Thalhimer/Cushman & Wakefield represented the sellers, while I. Rowland Williams III of Thalhimer/Cushman & Wakefield represented the buyer.

[via]

It’s very impressive that Richmond attracts many high-powered corporations to our area. That opens up many doors of opportunity not only for our economy but by allowing our schools and universities to benefit from the knowledge and experience of the corporations’ high power executives.

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Over this past summer, business leaders from some of Richmond’s largest corporations provided input over an informal dinner. The Times-Dispatch provides an article about their input and various suggested initiatives relating from retirement plans to spending, etc.

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I’m sure there are a few living in the Near West End that eat Kroger potato salad (myself excluded) so I thought this might be a worthy mention. :)

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The Valentine Richmond History Museum announced 5 Richmond History Makers — folks who really make a difference to the Richmond community. To read more about these exceptional Richmonders, click here.

Here are the latest building permits for our area today from the Times-Dispatch:

Ryan Homes West; 1026 Southwinds Drive, $303,000; 1024 Southwinds Drive, $230,000; 1022 Southwinds Drive, $236,000; 1020 Southwinds Drive, $303,000; 4104 Birch Point Court, $171,000; 4102 Birch Point Court, $167,000; 4100 Birch Point Court, $199,000; 4110 Maple Tree Court, $203,000; 4108 Maple Tree Court, $186,000; 4106 Maple Tree Court, $182,000; 4104 Maple Tree Court, $186,000; 4102 Maple Tree Court, $170,000; 4100 Maple Tree Court, $203,000; 916 Pale Moon Drive, $207,000; 914 Pale Moon Drive, $189,000; 912 Pale Moon Drive, $189,000; 910 Pale Moon Drive, $205,000; 906 Wellston Court, $210,000; 904 Wellston Court, $208,000; 902 Wellston Court, $205,000; 900 Wellston Court, $269,000; 1010 Southwinds Drive, $261,000; 1012 Southwinds Drive, $247,000; 1014 Southwinds Drive, $247,000; 1016 Southwinds Drive, $262,000; 2900 Murano Way, $339,700; 2902 Murano Way, $287,000; 2904 Murano Way, $337,700; 2906 Murano Way, $282,700; 551 Siena Lane, $321,400; 553 Siena Lane, $320,400; 555 Siena Lane, $324,000; 557 Siena Lane, $300,400; 5109 Austin Healey Drive, $528,000; 4900 Austin Healey Place, $513,000; 121 Hawk West Court, $341,000.

Read more >

Altria Group announced today that it intends to spin off Phillip Morris International into a separate company, which could be great news for the Richmond area. The Near West End is already home to Philip Morris USA, the domestic branch of the company.
The Richmond Times Dispatch reports:
Philip Morris USA and its sister company Philip Morris International are planning to split up, and the result could be a new Fortune 500 headquarters for the Richmond area.

How many jobs that might add to the 6,000 already here is up in the air.

The parent company of Henrico’s Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex will not spin-off the small appliance maker as an independent company as previously stated, The Times-Dispatch reports.. In April, NACCO Industries Inc, the parent company, said it planned to spin off Hamilton Beach, which would have provided opportunities for growth.