RICHMOND, Va. — Where others see alleys, Danny Meyer, Patrick Sullivan and John White see opportunity.
The trio has teamed up to construct six new townhomes just outside of the Fan and Carytown on a one-eighth-acre plot bordered by alleys along South Robinson Street.
The idea came to Sullivan, a broker with One South Realty Group, and White of architecture firm 510_Architects. They thought Richmond could take advantage of its alleys, which crisscross through neighborhoods like the Fan, and utilize that space for some modern architecture.
The idea of tucking homes in between alleys, or into their own little coves, as Sullivan describes it, is frequently seen in other parts of the world, particularly in Europe or Asia, and even in cities like Seattle and Denver.
A former GRTC bus property adjacent to the A2 site is slated for redevelopment. Photo by Michael Thompson.
“All the cities that Richmond wants to be,” Sullivan said. “But we just turn our backs on (alleys).”
Sullivan and White eventually approached Meyer of Dallan Development, who was immediately on board. The undertaking will be the company’s first development, having restricted most of its activities to investments up until this point.
The project, dubbed A2, will consist of six townhomes located at 202 Rear S. Robinson St. behind the Cask Cafe and Market on a parcel bounded by four alleys. It won’t have any street frontage.
“The population is becoming younger and more progressive,” Meyer said. “They want to get away from the old style of buildings.”
That’s where White’s firm comes in. It specializes in modern designs, and Sullivan said he frequently has clients looking for homes that are distinct from the traditional architecture usually found in and around the Fan.
“We have people coming in and asking, ‘Where is the modern architecture?’” Sullivan said.
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