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200 apartments proposed for Fulton

Fulton Hill Properties is working on bringing 200 market rate apartments to a new development around the former Robert Fulton School.

Presenting on Tuesday night at the Greater Fulton Hill Civic Association meeting, Juliellen Sarver described the design as “in development and changing.” The project will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, with spaces for a gallery and a coffee shop, and underground parking.

One building of the project will cascade down the closed cobblestone street in front of the school. The other will be across Carlisle south of the school building. The proposal calls for reopening Northampton Street between Goddin Street and Carlisle Avenue.

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23 comments

Cadeho 02/12/2015 at 7:05 AM

I hope they reopen the cobblestone street and keep it cobblestone too!

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spacecat 02/12/2015 at 4:28 PM

Fulton is a residential area. These apartments don’t belong here any more than the proposed and now defunct idea for the 20 story Pear St apartment building.
From the above images, the building look like they’ll be 5 stories, which in that vicinity makes them huge and overbearing. If Ms. Freund insists on development in that area how about some classy, iconic and appropriately sized single family homes that suit the neighborhood in style and scale?
To answer my own question, because she seeks high-density to maximize how much money she can make without regard for the aesthetics of the neighborhood and the surrounding buildings.
To add to the negative aspects of this proposed development, where is the parking going to be and what will the many, many added vehicles do to the traffic on Williamsburg Rd. and Government Rd., which is already at a high capacity during the rush hours? Stone brewery will likely also increase traffic, making the intersection of Main St and Williamsburg an even more painful drive every morning, into Shockoe which is also completely unsuited to deal with that volume of cars.
Development at the cost of standard of living is not to the benefit of the neighborhood or the people in it.

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Anti-NIMBY 02/13/2015 at 8:32 AM

um, Spacecat, as usual, you miss the point: “underground parking” was sited in the article. If you were at the meeting or bothered to get some information before flying off the handle, you’d know that there will be a 1:1 parking ratio. Also, Greater Fulton has ASKED for density in housing initiatives and wants market rate apartment communities. There’s an entire movement for this kind of development sparked by community leaders in FULTON. Sheesh

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Clay Street 02/13/2015 at 9:10 AM

I strongly opposed Freund’s development of the Lofty, mainly because of density at the dead-ends of Broad and Marshall, but have to say I don’t see a problem here. It’s my understanding that she lives in the Fulton School complex, which she developed (has artist and studio spaces in addition to residential) so I am sure she is in-tune with what will work and not.
https://www.fultonhillproperties.com/projects/fulton-hill-studios.html

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SPH 02/13/2015 at 12:32 PM

Its also my understanding that Ms. Freund is worried about building and then selling her properties- just like the Lava Lofts.

She builds, ignores CAR, goes to city council promising tax dollars and residents and gets her way, then dips out the picture.

She does not truely care about the area, she just cares about making a profit on the area.

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John M 02/13/2015 at 12:37 PM

I’m weary of posts about Freund projects turning into personal bashing. Critique the project all you want, but can we pull back on that other part? Thanks.

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spacecat 02/13/2015 at 10:33 PM

@#3 One of the reasons Fulton Hill is appealing to me is because of the small neighborhood feel. Large apartment complexes don’t fit nicely into that environment with the density and traffic that ensues. What Ms. Freund has done with the Fulton Hill Studios is the kind of development that is smart and in keeping with the character of the neighborhood. But five story apartment buildings in Fulton? No. In Shockoe? Sure.

You’re right, missed the mention of underground parking, but if the ratio is 1:1, that’s up to 200 cars driving out of there every morning. Seems like a lot to me.

Though community leaders may be for greater density in Fulton, that doesn’t necessarily equate to a better standard of living in the neighborhood. It does mean more money for developers, bigger tax base, spurs infrastructure development, etc. But a purely economic philosophy doesn’t appreciate the character of a neighborhood.

As a part of Greater Fulton, I’M not asking for greater density. If community leaders want to plan development, incentivizing the construction of a real supermarket in the commercial area at Government and Williamsburg, would benefit the Greater Fulton community far more than blocks of high density apartment complexes.

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spacecat 02/14/2015 at 12:50 PM

I’m curious if there is any other online information regarding this development?

Also, whatever happened to the East End Theater apartments plan?

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Fultonian 02/14/2015 at 3:16 PM

I agree with spacecat on his/her ideas about increased density and appreciation of the neighborhood.

Something like this would be better on the other side of Williamsburg. Why? 1. It doesn’t fit the character of the neighborhood but rather fits the Rockett’s Landing mold. 2. The infrastructure of the nearby area currently cannot withstand such a dense apartment community just dropping in and I see changing the infrastructure to be a very difficult proposition. The proposed number of residences would come close to the number of houses in the nearby sixteen blocks. And with so many small streets, one way streets, and stop sign in the neighborhood, this would just congest and jam it up. Goddin Street can’t handle two cars traveling in opposite directions and Northampton is not a good route, either, as it is one way and often full of cars when the community center and park are in use.

With Stone Brewing and the houses being built in Fulton Bottom (i.e. The Villas at Rockett’s Landing), the community already has a lot to look forward to and plan for in regards to catching up with infrastructure. I think it would be best to wait until Stone and the Villas are in place to even consider the above mentioned Fulton School development.

Related to what spacecat said about the Main St/Williamsburg intersection, I think we can improve it. With Stone and the Villas coming in, thus increasing traffic, does anyone else think there should be a divided merge from Williamsburg onto Main, rather than a light/turn signal? The divide could merge going west up Main towards Poe’s to allow people to change lanes. That way, people driving from Route 5 don’t have to worry about people turning onto Main from Williamsburg and the traffic from Fulton will be smooth. The divided lanes could merge 1/3 up the hill to allow drivers to change lanes. To accomplish this, the city would have to cut into the very lower part of Libbie Hill Park/the staircase to accomplish it, but it may ease the traffic congestion. Prohibiting left turns onto Pear St when going west on Main after the merge would be necessary, too.

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