City issues RFP, seeks to preserve long-dormant Intermediate Terminal Building

The future of the Intermediate Terminal Building has been unknown for much of the past decade. (Mike Platania photos)

Stuck in redevelopment limbo for nearly a decade, there may soon be a light at the end of the tunnel for the city-owned Intermediate Terminal Building.

On Monday the Richmond Economic Development Authority issued a formal request for proposals for the 32,000-square-foot, stilted building at 3101 E. Main St. 

As part of the RFP, the city is looking for a development group that will preserve the century-old structure and renovate it into a use that complements some of the neighboring amenities, such as the Virginia Capital Trail and riverfront area. 

“We want something very synergistic with some of those outdoor assets, and that further activates the riverfront and continues to create that sense of place, and is consistent with the Richmond 300 (master plan),” said Matt Welch, acting director of the EDA. “Other than those general guidelines, we didn’t want to be too prescriptive as to any specific uses.… We wanted to give the development community the best chance to come to us with those uses that fit that description.”

The viability of renovating the Terminal Building has been discussed since at least 2014, when its redevelopment was included as part of the incentives package that brought Stone Brewing Co. to Richmond. The California beer maker had initially signed on to convert the building into a Stone World Bistro & Gardens restaurant concept. 

But as time passed and the bistro never came to fruition, the city and Stone in 2018 sought City Council approval to demolish it, citing structural issues and renovation costs. A subsequent study found that the Terminal Building is in better condition than previously thought. 

The Terminal Building dates back to the 1920s and 1930s, and over the years has been used as a storage warehouse for everything from sugar to newsprint to voting machines.

Though it’s not historically protected, Welch said the EDA is not expecting to consider any proposals that would see the building demolished. 

“Though it’s possible that alterations to the building are things that we would certainly consider, any full demo is not something currently we’re expecting to consider,” Welch said. “It’s not a building on the (National Register of Historic Places), but it’s certainly a building that’s been in Richmond for many years. A way to have an adaptive reuse of the building is our strong priority.”

Stone Brewing Co. was once slated to convert it into a brewpub concept, but those plans fell through.

Welch said the Terminal Building is no longer tied to Stone, and that while “there are certainly limitations on what can be done there, but we do believe that there are a variety of uses that can fit within the building.” Stone also never received the $8 million in bond funding that had been earmarked for the bistro concept.  

The EDA will look to sell the Terminal Building property to whomever it selects in the RFP process. It sits on about 1.5 acres and was most recently assessed by the city at $2.1 million. 

Also potentially in play is a 3.1-acre lot across the street at 4301-4319 E. Main St. that the EDA owns. Welch said even though the Terminal Building is in close proximity to multi-modal transit options like the Pulse bus line and Virginia Capital Trail, the EDA is asking respondents to include a parking plan in the RFP.  

“If the respondent believes using a portion of the EDA site across the street would help with their parking plan, we would also consider offers for that site,” Welch said. 

The next step in the process is a July 24 site tour, and all responses are due by August 28. Welch said the EDA is hoping to move quickly once responses come in, with hopes of having a deal in place by the end of the year. 

“We think it’s a great time with everything happening down there at the riverfront,” he said. “We’re excited to be able to get this out and see all the creative proposals come in for a great way to utilize this currently vacant asset.”

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