Developer proposes senior living facility along Richmond Highway

A rendering of the project submitted to the city.

A parking lot in the city’s Bellemeade area could soon turn into a senior living facility.

Tarvaris McCoy from The Real McCoy Companies is proposing to develop five parcels of land on the corner of Richmond Highway and Royall Avenue into Marquez Plaza, according planning documents filed with the city.

The proposed building would be five stories tall and have 96 units for seniors, ages 55 and up in an “amenity rich” facility, documents show.

The project site at 1801, 1805, 1807, 1809 and 1817 Richmond Highway is currently half-vacant, and the other half is a parking lot.

The surrounding area behind the parcels is largely residential, with automotive and wholesale businesses on the other side of Richmond Highway. It would be the sole senior living facility in the neighborhood.

A view of part of the project site in its current state. (Photo by Ianne Salvosa)

McCoy applied for a special use permit for the land in January, which is designated for general business use, and is up for consideration at the Sept. 9 City Council meeting. McCoy did not return a request for comment. 

SilverCore would be the civil engineer and Baskervill is the architect for the project. 

An entity tied to McCoy purchased the project parcels for a combined $77,000 over multiple transactions between 2013 and 2016, according to city records. Combined, the parcels are valued at $310,000, according to a 2024 assessment. 

The first floor of the building would consist of the lobby and amenities including a fitness center, laundry room, mail and package service, a community space and an entertainment space. It would also include three retail spaces, totaling 3,000 square feet.

The second through fifth floors would include the living spaces, with 20 one-bedroom units, three two-bedroom units and a studio unit on each floor. The rooftop would be used for “resident amenity.” 

The LLC tied to McCoy also owns one of the parcels behind the proposed development. 

This isn’t McCoy’s first senior housing project. He proposed a redevelopment of an abandoned Norfolk church into affordable senior housing, which was approved in March, according to the Daily Press. 

It would be the second multifamily development proposed this year in Bellemeade. Earlier this year, Surber Development and Consulting planned for a 50-unit apartment building for lower income housing at 2510 Lynhaven Avenue. 

The post Developer proposes senior living facility along Richmond Highway appeared first on Richmond BizSense.