Riverwalk Shops update

Planning away here...we are carving out a project that would entail building out the exterior that is visible from William Ave (main street) and the 3 retail spaces totaling 5,000 square feet. Each space will have an office with a bathroom, a back entrance, glass storefronts with entry vestibules, high ceilings showing the steel beams of the old Shopnsave, rustic cement floors, separately metered gas and electric. The three retail spaces will share a 20ft deep covered veranda that is over 100ft long. We anticipate offering a solar powered option for early-signed tenants, where rent will be higher but electricity bills lowered by net metering (selling generated electricity back). We will also make extensive use of tubular reflective skylights for daylighting the spaces. Handicapped patrons will come up a ramp underneath the cool tower pictured at the corner of the building. The tower will use reclaimed barnwood and naturally oxidizing posts, beams and metal siding.

There is extensive custom metal fabrication in this renovation. Since the storefronts face the brunt of the weather they will be very high quality, but they are designed to open in strategic locations for cross ventilation in summer.

Retail suite 1 is the largest and has a 20ft wide garage door facing William Avenue. There will be a deck behind the garage door that stands a foot higher than the main store floor, allowing a separate display area or a performance stage (or both). Another advantage of this 2,600+ sft space is that it has William frontage as well as frontage along the new Riverwalk Shops pedestrian veranda. The space will house the anchor store of the center, which will be oriented toward the general public and offer dining, shopping and/or entertainment. The goal here is to have a store that is meaningful to a wide variety of customers spanning locals, second home owners and visitors.

Outside, the sidewalk west from Town Hall will be routed along the perimeter of the renovated building and will continue west at the front of the Spa section. BTW the Spa will not be built out in this project but is planned as follow-on to the retail buildout. Exterior materials will be a mix of rustic wood, stone masonry and sheet metal, with a variety of earth tone colors.

The objective is to deliver space that is competitive with local existing rates but that goes further to offer energy-efficient construction meeting WV building codes. We want to accomplish this while striking an aesthetic chord that harmonizes with the existing historic structures and nods to the industrial history of Riverwalk's location. Most of all we want the space to be effective for the intended tenants to maximize their retail success in Davis, and that means attractive, fun and community-oriented spaces for us all to enjoy downtown.

Designing for our next tenant

I am playing with layouts, materials and systems to finish out the other two suites within the Blackwater Overlook building of Davis Riverwalk. Hypno Coffee is doing well in Suite 1, primarily due to the fact that they are well-conceived and well-run business. Additionally, the attractive and high visibility location has helped them add new customers and keep growing right on through the relocation.

For the remaining space in BW Overlook I'm thinking of one small suite, maybe 325-400sft, and one large space of about 1,100sft. Down the road I think Riverwalk would benefit from having its sales and management office in the smaller space, but we can put a starter business in that space for 2009+.

Financing is a major issue in the market we are living with, and will always be a sanity check on future phases of the project.

"Someone" once said something to the effect of, "what does it matter what the tenant business does as long as they pay rent?" Well, it matters bigtime for Riverwalk because the businesses need to attract residents, weekenders and vacation visitors alike. For example, an appliance repair store may be of interest to residents but is of little interest to weekenders here for some fishing. Conversely, a touristy "made in WV" gift shop may be of interest to a tourist but does not interest the weekender, never mind the local. Granted, each business may lean toward one of these demographic spheres, but I want to make sure Riverwalk has a relevant lineup of tenants so that Davis continues to position as a relevant town to all three groups: residents, second home owner/weekenders, and tourists.

Does the business offer something that will be desirable to the present and future population of Davis and the Valley? Does it attract the people who actually spend money on the goods or services it offers? Does the business take a positive step toward defining what downtown Davis is and will become over the next decade?

This winter we're planning this one

While financial planning is underway for this project I am seeking the three retail tenants. Possible categories include handcrafted foods, children's toys or clothing, hobbies such as model trains or puzzles, mountain sports, wildlife and environment-related hobbies, art or photograghy gallery, and community-focused non-profit. I seek businesses that will be of interest to working residents, retirees, weekenders, and tourists. Riverwalk Spa is designed but construction will not start until the 3 retail tenants are moved in and open.

New roofing, new windows

Every clear double hung window in the house has been replaced with Jeldwen insulated windows. All exterior doors have been replaced with woodgrained fiberglass doors. The kitchen and sunporch portions of the house are re-roofed with Certainteed 40-year shingles on repaired sheeting and new membrane, ice guard and underlayment.

Kitchen cabinets to be delivered Friday 5/23.

412 Kent in drywall

412 Kent is in drywall mode, having passed electrical, mechanical, plumbing and framing inspections. Since Tucker County does not inspect its construction, I called our own inspection by a licensed WV inspector and found some deficiencies; the builder has quickly made the required changes.

Work going on right now includes a complete restoration of the stained glass windows you see in the rendering and photos. Also, Reliable Roofing is installing new membrane, drip edges and roofing on the kitchen out back, and on the huge sunporch surrounding the street sides of the house.

Soon we will receive the kitchen cabinets and tile. Cabinets will be honey stained oak and floor tile will be oversized earthtone ceramic tile.

Here is the floorplan!

Lions Club Presentation March 6, 2008

Great evening with the Thomas-Davis Chapter. Lions host charitable events and undertake community-oriented projects, particularly for the handicapped. I can imagine there are many opportunities to contribute in areas related to our Riverfront Park! Here is most of the presentation that was given by myself and architect Michael Mills. Thank you Lions for an inspiring and informative evening of conversation about the great future of Davis and the Valley!

Read this doc on Scribd: Lions Club Pres old version

Environmental Assessment: "no further remediation recommended"

Today I received a really thick document from Thrasher Engineering with one line in it that really mattered: "Based on the results of the tank closure assessment, no further work or onsite remediation is recommended."

Davis Riverwalk's site has an industrial history that includes railroad tracks, train maintenance, and parts of a lumber mill operation. The town's Riverfront Park next door had the bulk of the lumber mill operations on it. As it turns out, a century later these operations pose no environmental threat. On the other hand, Carmen DiBacco owned a gas station there starting in the mid-1980's, and gas stations of that era are infamous for contaminating soil and water.

Last Spring Thrasher Engineering was retained to perform a Phase One Environmental Site Assessment of the Davis Riverwalk tract. At the same time Tri-State Petroleum was hired to do the removal of Underground Storage Tanks and related waste from the old Blackwater Auto Care site. Thrasher Engineering studied the site surface without taking samples and did an in-depth study of the industrial history of the site. Particularly facinating were the old Sanborn Maps snapshotting Davis at various points throughout the lumber boom.

Thrasher reviewed the site and various reports before and after the removal of gas tanks, providing oversight of the removal and remediation work being done by Tri-State Petroleum Services. In addition, the WV Dept of Environmental Protection oversaw the remediation. After Tri-State completed its work and the WVDEP approved its work, then Thrasher completed its study, and thus the big document on my desk. You would think that with all these entities involved, there would have been some incompetence or belligerence, but it seems to have been a model of professional execution all around.

It was risky buying the land with the storage tanks still in the ground and no definitive "bill of health," but the site history suggested there would be no problem. It is great to be able to to assure the community of downtown Davis and those who care for the Blackwater River that the site has been cleaned up in accordance with WVDEP standards and that it warrants no further environmental review or cleanup.

Assuring the future of an old Vic @ 412 Kent Ave

On 4th and Kent is a house that was built in 1883 that sits on an 80 x132 ft corner lot. When the owner needed to sell it last year I could not resist because of the original quality of this house. Few houses in Davis are straight, because they were built quickly on slipshod foundations, often by the lumber companies or their management. This house was an attorney's we believe, and is straight, solid and perhaps 6,000 sft. It has changed little since it's original construction. In its parlor, living room and foyer, it has extensive oak woodwork, including opposed pocket doors, original balisters and newell posts, massive baseboard and door trims, and 2" thick solid oak doors. Its other unique feature is its stained glass windows, probably added after the initial construction, when the front porch was closed in, complete with maple floors. The attic has a huge finished area done completely in pine beadboard.

Our rework of the house includes 3 all new bathrooms, a new kitchen, all regular windows replaced and the stained glass windows reglazed. The east-facing master bedroom will have refinished maple floors and an en suite bath. We are refinishing the oak floors downstairs, adding a new deck, enhancing the heating system, and removing old fencing, overgrown trees and landscaping.