Richmond VA Neighborhoods 101 - South of the James River
Yesterday, I did a blog on the various real estate areas you will find north of the James River (we talk about neighborhoods as either being "North of the James" or "South of the James"). So today, let's take a quick tour of the real estate areas that fall "South of the James".
AREA 50 -This area is in the City of Richmond and is bounded by Hull St, the James River and the Chippenham Parkway. If you are driving on I95 south of the river, and you see the big Marlboro cigarette package statue, you are in Area 50 of the City of Richmond. This area is going through a lot of renovation and new construction - here you will find established neighborhoods with small bungalows and ranchers, as well as newer construction projects including a lot of new apartments and mixed use projects that include restaurants and office space. The floodwall is here and there is a walkway that gives you a great view of the downtown area, especially at night! Dogtown Dance Theater is in this area as well as the Broad Rock Sports Complex for sports, Ancarrow's Landing and Manchester Docks for fishermen and the Richmond Railroad Museum. This is also the area where the Richmond Slave Trail begins, which is rich with history.
AREA 52 - This area is in Chesterfield County, bounded by the Chippenham Parkway, James River and Route 10 to the south and includes the village of Chester. Not only do you have easy access to the James River but you also have easy access to the Appomattox River. The Dutch Gap Conservation Area is here which is great for hikers, boaters and bird watchers. Point of Rocks Park is also in this area. The area has firsts for the country: first hospital and first iron ore forge and furnace. There is also the Chesterfield Museum that has interesting artifacts on the history of Chesterfield County. In this area you will find planned communities such as Chester Village Green as well as older neighborhoods with a variety of housing styles including ranchers, capes and 2 story homes.
AREA 54 - This area is also in Chesterfield County, south of Hull St. (Rt 360). This area has a more rural feel to it. Although most of the commercial is along Rt. 360 and Rt. 10, once you come off those roads, you will find older neighborhoods as well as newer neighborhoods that are going to be on much larger lots and many will have several acres on them. Driving through the area you will find lots of trees and rolling hills. Pocahontas State Park is in this area, which has 7500 acres and 2 lakes as well as yurts for camping. The Ratcliffe Conservation area is another hidden gem in this area of Chesterfield. At the southern end of this area, in Colonial Heights, you will find Virginia State University.
AREAS 55 & 56 - These 2 areas are Colonial Heights and Hopewell, which is along the Appomattox River. Here you will find the Swift Creek Mill Theater which is a professional playhouse as well as the Hopewell Farmers Market. Southpark Mall is the area's mall. This area is also the site of several film and television productions. Housing in the area tends to run the gamut from historic homes in the area to smaller bungalows and ranchers in older neighborhoods.
AREAS 57 & 58 - These 2 areas are Petersburg and Prince George County. Prince George county tends to be a bit more rural, where you will find homes on larger lots or acreage lots. Many homes are older but there is some new construction in the area. Petersburg has a lot of historic significance - it was the site of trench warfare between the Union and Confederacy during the Civil War. Olde Towne Petersburg has seen a lot of renovations over the past number of years, with older buildings and older houses lovingly restored. There are a number of restaurants and boutiques found in Olde Towne. In addition to the historic nature of the area, there is also the James River National Wildlife Refuge in Prince George with numerous bald eagle sites.
AREA 60 - This area is in the southside of the city of Richmond, along the James River. Here you will find older established neighborhoods with larger homes as well as larger lots. The area has a very outdoorsy feel and many people who live in the area love the nearness of the James River to many of the neighborhoods, including Woodland Heights, Westover Hills, Stratford Hills and others. Here you will also find the Forest Hill Park with singletrack mountain bike trails and great hills for sledding in the winter. In this area of the James River Park System, you will find dog walkers, sunbathers, bird watchers and mountain bikers.
AREA 62 - This is the southwestern side of Chesterfield County, between R. 60 (Midlothian Turnpike) and Rt. 360 (Hull St.). This is a very typical suburban area, with many new communities that have sprung up in recent years and continued growth and new construction in this area. Home styles are many: contemporary homes in Brandermill and Woodlake (both planned developments built around Swift Creek Reservoir), as well a planned communities such as Charter Colony where you will find newer homes that are mainly two story homes with garages. Rockwood Park is also in this area, with athletic fields, ball parks, unpaved trails and a Nature Center. Midlo Mines Park is also in this area were you can find remnants of the first commercial coal pits were mined.
AREA 64 - This is in northern Chesterfield County, just south of Area 60 (in the city of Richmond). Here you will find easy access to the James River. Bon Air is found in this area. In Bon Air you will find a number of restored Victorian styled homes as well as lush neighborhoods that are tucked away. Here you will also find the Highland Hills neighborhood, which was built in the 1950's and has mid century modern home styles that were designed by architect Charles Goodman. You will also find several neighborhoods along the Robious Rd. corridor, such as Salisbury which will have large lots, has a golf course and country club. Public links can also be found in the Independence Golf Course. Robious Landing Park offers trails and boating access to the James River.
If you were able to read yesterdays post and are reading today's post, hopefully, at the end, you will have a good idea about the diversity that the Richmond area offers - in terms of housing options, neighborhood options, location options and closeness to some of your favorite activities. But if you have questions or you are thinking of buying a home in the area, don't hesitate to call or email me and let me know how I can help or if there are any questions I can answer. Thanks!