Hull Street Road Revitalization Plan - College of Humanities and ...

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Hull Street Road Revitalization Plan SWOT ANALYSIS Opportunities Despite the aforementioned weaknesses, several development opportunities exist. They include: • Unused right-of-way in the city. This opportunity is particularly applicable to the Richmond portion of the corridor study area. The amount of unused land in the public right-of-way provides the opportunity to widen the road, thereby creating a boulevard design similar to that already existing in Chesterfield County. A continuous landscaped median throughout the entire corridor would establish visual continuity. This would have the added effect of improving traffic circulation via the incorporation of turning lanes, and enhancing pedestrian circulation by providing those crossing the street with a safe stopping point. This would include adding new travel lanes. Planting landscaping along the roadway would make it more aesthetically appealing and provide greater definition of the change between public and private ownership. • “Blank slate” for incorporating design recommendations. The existing conditions of the corridor provide the opportunity for a number of relatively easy design recommendations that could be implemented fairly quickly. The corridor is mature, so very few recommendations can be made for existing buildings. Despite this obstacle, many aesthetic improvements could be made to the roadway or City- and County-owned property that would allow for a more attractive and cohesive appearance that would not involve extended labor or changes to existing policies. These changes could be made within a relatively short period of time and possibly provide the impetus for private investment along the corridor. • Redevelopment on underutilized and/or undeveloped parcels. There are many of these properties along the corridor, especially within the City of Richmond. Vacant structures represent an obvious chance for redevelopment, even on the smaller parcels. In addition, there are a number of large parcels available for development/redevelopment, such as the land at the corner of Hull Street Road and Warwick Road within the City of Richmond. This parcel has been designated a Housing Opportunity Area (HOA) by the City and is zoned for multi-family use. The City believes this parcel is appropriate for the type of higher density residential development seen in the surrounding community. Some objectives for housing on this lot are access to the site without increasing traffic volume along Hull Street Road, creating an objective method of design review, and adequate buffering between new constructions and existing residential development. Figure 10: Pinebrook Estates has redevelopment potential. • Target businesses suggested by market analysis. Several of the above opportunities were identified through surveys of corridor shoppers; a market analysis was performed to examine the viability of these suggestions. This analysis involved examining commercial business that were currently in the convenience trade area and comparing this to the amount of businesses that the trade area could support, as determined by national trends is spending habits of various household income groups. Although these results do not preclude incorporation of the aforementioned commercial proposals, they do highlight some discrepancy between shoppers’ preferences and the corridor’s Page 25
Hull Street Road Revitalization Plan SWOT ANALYSIS ability to support them. This market analysis identified necessary businesses that could form an important foundation for further economic revitalization supporting some of the more ambitious suggestions. The businesses generally include: fast food restaurants, laundry, and tobacco products, as well as minor support for clusters of household furnishings, entertainment goods and services, and specialty apparel such as watches and shoes. 13 • Hispanic business cluster. The aforementioned demographic patterns resulting in the location of a Hispanic business cluster provides the opportunity for growth among specialized businesses that provide Hispanic goods or services. The Hispanic merchants interviewed during the study demonstrated a higher satisfaction with the corridor than other merchants and indicated a desire to continue operating, and possibly expand, in the area. In particular, there are several large parcels, such as those adjacent to the western edge of the Pinebrook Estates property, that would be capable of supporting construction of a Hispanic business cluster. Beyond serving to consolidate the Hispanic commercial uses in a single location, thus engendering locational synergies, the corridor could function as a destination for those interested in Hispanic culture. Encouraging the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, currently located along Midlothian Turnpike, to relocate to the corridor study area would establish a base for commercial revitalization. Other recommendations would include attracting additional cultural anchors, such as the Hispanic Academy & Cultural Center, or encouraging the expansion of institutions such as the Latin Ballet of Virginia, currently operating in Glen Allen on Hull Street Road. • Market demand for entertainment uses. Both shopper-intercept surveys and a quantitative market analysis have revealed unmet demand for entertainment options on the corridor, which in turn would generate more vehicular traffic for businesses. The corridor presently has a good location for this proposed district adjacent to the existing Skateland business. The largely vacant Page 26 parcel on which it is located has the possibility of supporting an independently-owned movie theater catering to the local population, and could show second-run movies, foreign films (especially Spanish-speaking), and older, black-and-white films. In addition, the neighboring Food Lion property has two outparcels located along Hull Street Road that could support the construction of several sit-down restaurants, which were regularly mentioned as a desired business by respondents of the shopperintercept surveys • Creation of senior housing developments. Retention of the area’s substantial senior population through provision of affordable housing and the increased development of entertainment options should be an important goal. The local population’s older demographic indicates that having affordable housing in the area should be an attraction for them to remain near the Hull Street Road corridor study area, thereby increasing the population which is able to support additional businesses. • Flexibility to “upzone” corridor parcels. Many of the residential areas surrounding, and along, Hull Street Road are not completely developed or are underdeveloped, leaving the opportunity for the upzoning of residential parcels. Increased residential density surrounding the corridor could provide a greater population base for stores already in the study area and those considering moving to the Hull Street Road area. • Cloverleaf Mall “spillover effect”. Although redevelopment of Cloverleaf Mall at the nearby intersection of Midlothian Turnpike and Chippenham Parkway to the north would appear to be a threat, it also represents the opportunity for a positive “spillover effect.” In addition to the added traffic that such development could bring to the area, this project could bring renewed attention from developers to the potential that older commercial corridors have for redevelopment. 13 Please see Appendix E for quantitative market analysis resuts
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