Media Coverage

Village People
December 1, 2006
James Doran Co. unveils an urban village in Virginia
By Katherine Fields

In 2009, near one of the most historic cities in the United States, the past and the present will collide -- and the resulting blend of Colonial architecture and revolutionary shopping format will at once evoke memories of yesterday and visions of tomorrow.

In Midlothian, Va., outside Richmond, developer James Doran Co. is launching construction of an urban a project called Midlothian Town Center that combines retail, residential, hotel and office uses in a purposefully interactive layout and a Colonial-inspired design to underscore history and foster small town community spirit.

According lo John Henry, VP of development and legal affairs for Charleston, S.C.-based James Doran Co., the urban village format is designed to bring urban vitality to suburban areas. "An urban village is pedestrian-friendly," described Henry, "with wide sidewalks, neighborhood-inspired amenities and an urban core that includes entertainment mixes, shops, offices and dining destinations to create an urban environment." Neighborhood-inspired amenities at Midlothian Town Center will include a three-acre natural lake, promenades, parks and outdoor plazas, tree-lined streets and a town square. Eight thousand
sq. ft. of 5-ft.-wide sidewalks will connect Midlothian Town Center to the residential component, The Village at Midlothian Town Center.

In keeping with the area's rich history, architects Randall-Paulson of Atlanta and The Housing Studio of Charlotte, N.C. are injecting a decidedly colonial feel into the Town Center. Columns, chimneys, towers and cupolas, gable roofs and dormer windows will create visual, and historical, references; brick, slate and stone siding materials provide a sense of permanence.

Midlothian Town Center's proximity to the thriving city of Richmond will augment the ready-made customer base created by the residential component of the development. According to George Tullos, VP of sales and marketing for James Doran Co., the location of Midlothian Town Center creates a density that is attractive to the developer, future tenants and, of course, the impacted municipalities. "With a mixed-use project like Midlothian, you create density right off the bat that provides excess tax base to the municipality," he said. "Even beyond that, towns such as Midlothian are looking for reinvigorated heartbeat; they're seeking to reposition themselves, perhaps from an old downtown to a vibrant destination." Midlothian Town Center will sit on a site currently occupied by several dilapidated buildings, making it highly desirable to the town and its townspeople.

The mix of uses is desirable, as well. "When you add a residential piece in mixed-use," said Tullos, "you have added permanency. It doesn't just close its doors at 10:00 at night and reopen at 10:00 the next morning; it is 24 hours of interaction and activity."

Midlothian Town Center

Location: Winterfield Road and Midlothian Turnpike, near the intersection of Route 288 in Midlothian, Va., 15 miles west of Richmond

Developer: James Doran Co.

Total acreage: 60 acres (35 acres in Midlothian Town Center and 25 acres in the adjacent residential component The Village at Midlothian Town Center)

Size: 318,000 sq. ft. of retail, 10,000 sq. ft. of office, plus 251 multi-family residential units and 26 single-family home sites and townhomes

Construction status: Construction begins in winter 2006; opening 2009

Major tenants: The developer is in lease negotiations with a major grocer, hotel, restaurants, and lifestyle retailers and boutiques.