Overview
Towne Center West is a 43 acre mixed-use development which encompasses apartments, restaurants and small-scale retail. The design separates automobile traffic from foot and bike traffic by using paver crosswalks, signage and well- lit travel ways, giving the Center a predominantly pedestrian feel. Each business is within immediate proximity of an outdoor pedestrian space which provides visitors access to cafes, seating alcoves, bike racks, and paths. This pedestrian connectivity throughout Towne Center allows people to walk from hotels to restaurants to shopping center, ultimately connecting them with the neighboring Short Pump Mall.
This is the first mixed-use project to be constructed in the western portion of the county after the opening of a 1.2 million square foot shopping mall. Towne Center West connects the mall’s loop road to North Gayton road with a new three lane boulevard. The developer was very interested in quantifying their construction cost early in the process and a substantial amount of pre-design and construction pricing services were performed for this project.
The County used this new development to set the tone for future mixed-use facilities with high quality architectural and site design standards. This project was also instrumental in establishing expectations for future transportation improvements required of similar major developments. The developer worked closely with Henrico County to provide a design that would safely accommodate the projected traffic volume while providing a pedestrian friendly environment. Towne Center West also pushed the approval of a new stormwater treatment efficiency rating for underground Best Management Practices in Henrico County.
