The Urban Design Committee takes up the pedestrian plazas of the proposed Church Hill North Culinary Complex at their Thursday, March 9, 2017 meeting.

The design is way beyond the brick rectangle:

The Markels worked with O’Neill McVoy Architects, who are a part of the design team for the VCU Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), to design the culinary school building. The Markels share the City’s dream for this project being an integral part of the ongoing dynamic growth and expanding vitality of the Church Hill community. They also have a desire that its architecture capture and reflect the excellence of the J. Sargeant Reynolds Culinary Institute, and make it an icon for decades to come of the transformational power of education and healthy dietary choices. At the same time the project must have a human scale, be inviting to the community, and become a part of its fabric. It must have the ability to attract prospective culinary students from Church Hill community as well as the entire Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond; to form a landmark presence on the important urban corner of 25th Street and 9 Mile Road.

The development will include the culinary school, 11,200 SF for private restaurants, 50,796 SF for 49 apartments, and 7,800 SF for retail space. J. Sargent Reynolds Culinary Institute will anchor the culinary complex development.

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