Exploring Richmond through Hopewell: are you out there, Virginians?
Nov 8th, 2003, 08:39 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Exploring Richmond through Hopewell: are you out there, Virginians?
We're being relocated: husband to work in Hopewell, but we're probably West End-happy. We're young 50, no kids, progressive.
Here's what we need to know (and we'll treasure any morsel you toss):
1) Neighborhoods between West End and Hopewell with 30 min. or less access to Hopewell; newer, $300K or less. Someone mentioned Chesterfield; anything closer to Richmond?
2) Areas/hotels to stay in while exploring, 3 star pref. Found restaurants already on Fodors.
3) Is there good access to Wash. D.C. via trains, etc. (Smithsonian here we come!)?
BTW, on a one-day trip through Richmond a few years ago, we thought the area had incredibly friendly, polite people. Nice city!
Here's what we need to know (and we'll treasure any morsel you toss):
1) Neighborhoods between West End and Hopewell with 30 min. or less access to Hopewell; newer, $300K or less. Someone mentioned Chesterfield; anything closer to Richmond?
2) Areas/hotels to stay in while exploring, 3 star pref. Found restaurants already on Fodors.
3) Is there good access to Wash. D.C. via trains, etc. (Smithsonian here we come!)?
BTW, on a one-day trip through Richmond a few years ago, we thought the area had incredibly friendly, polite people. Nice city!
Nov 8th, 2003, 09:50 AM
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
WandaLust,
The West End is not very close to Hopewell and would be quite a commute with traffic. Chesterfield is a nice county, and the Chester, VA area of Chesterfield is very quaint. There is a subdivision called River's Bend that is newer and very nice- most homes in the 250-300,000 range. Also in Chester is a subdivision called Stoney Glen, which is a few years older, but very nice sized homes. You could also look into the Varina area. It used to be considered "country", but has become much more built up. Also, check out Brickshire, a new development off route 64 East. It is on a Curtis Strange golf course. IMHO the West end is a nice area, but has gotten very built up- too much for me. When we looked at homes, you could count on the same square footage home (and style) to be 10-15K more in the West End than in other (and just as nice) parts of Richmond's suburbs. Check out the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper if you can on Sunday. www.TimesDispatch.com It has a nice map that shows the areas of real estate. Hope this helps!
The West End is not very close to Hopewell and would be quite a commute with traffic. Chesterfield is a nice county, and the Chester, VA area of Chesterfield is very quaint. There is a subdivision called River's Bend that is newer and very nice- most homes in the 250-300,000 range. Also in Chester is a subdivision called Stoney Glen, which is a few years older, but very nice sized homes. You could also look into the Varina area. It used to be considered "country", but has become much more built up. Also, check out Brickshire, a new development off route 64 East. It is on a Curtis Strange golf course. IMHO the West end is a nice area, but has gotten very built up- too much for me. When we looked at homes, you could count on the same square footage home (and style) to be 10-15K more in the West End than in other (and just as nice) parts of Richmond's suburbs. Check out the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper if you can on Sunday. www.TimesDispatch.com It has a nice map that shows the areas of real estate. Hope this helps!
Nov 9th, 2003, 08:05 AM
#4
Hi WandaLust,
Amtrak has a number of trains that run daily to Union Station in DC so day trips are very doable. Takes about 2 hours. The drive is an hour and a half or so depending on where you're coming from in Richmond.
Amtrak has a number of trains that run daily to Union Station in DC so day trips are very doable. Takes about 2 hours. The drive is an hour and a half or so depending on where you're coming from in Richmond.
Nov 10th, 2003, 10:28 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Richmond downtown to Hopewell is 30 minutes or more by itself. The West End would add 15-20 minutes to that. Between Richmond and Hopewell is mostly industrial. River's Bend is nice and quite close, possibly pushing the top of your price range. The Chester area is a bit too rural for our taste, Varina unimaginably so. Chesterfield County off of Route 288 could be a compromise -- you might push 35 minutes, but you'd be much closer to shops and there are countless neighborhoods in Chesterfield in the 200-300 range.
Downtown Richmond has some cool spots to check out. The Omni is nice and sometimes has good weekend specials. The Berkeley is more 4*, but really nice. If you are an adventurous foodie, check out Millie's. Everyone I take there loves it.
Close to Hopewell, your best bet is chains -- Courtyard & Hampton Inn have quite new properties in the area. Avoid the Comfort Inn in Hopewell -- it is a pit.
DC is anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours by car depending on traffic. Trains are convenient and direct into the heart of the city. The station is near the I-95/I-64 intersection just north of downtown.
Downtown Richmond has some cool spots to check out. The Omni is nice and sometimes has good weekend specials. The Berkeley is more 4*, but really nice. If you are an adventurous foodie, check out Millie's. Everyone I take there loves it.
Close to Hopewell, your best bet is chains -- Courtyard & Hampton Inn have quite new properties in the area. Avoid the Comfort Inn in Hopewell -- it is a pit.
DC is anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours by car depending on traffic. Trains are convenient and direct into the heart of the city. The station is near the I-95/I-64 intersection just north of downtown.
Nov 11th, 2003, 08:26 AM
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mike, You've helped immensely, and confirmed our thoughts re: Chesterfield area. We love 'rural' but don't want to live rural! Husband has to stay in Hopewell next week and will do the Courtyard (thanks!).
Dec 9th, 2003, 06:20 AM
#7
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't know if you're still here, but thought I'd chime in.
The West End is great -- I'd prefer to live there over Chesterfield because I like the neighborhoods better and it's easier to get to the city (non tolls/bridges)
You can live in basically any neighborhood, barring Moreland Farms and some of the really big developments off River Road, for $300K.
Also, they're currently extending Route 288, which will run from the far West End, across the James River, down to Chesterfield and the Hopewell area. Once it's finished, it will be much easier to get from the West End to South Side. The road will cross River Road just as it enters Goochland County, so if you chose a neighborhood near Patterson/River Rd. you'd have a pretty easy commute once the construction is finished.
As far as neighborhoods go, there are some really cute places in Richmond. I personally prefer Westham, which is located between River Road and Patterson near the University of Richmond (in Henrico County). There's also the Malvern area, which is in the city and accessible to 95.
Hope this helps!
The West End is great -- I'd prefer to live there over Chesterfield because I like the neighborhoods better and it's easier to get to the city (non tolls/bridges)
You can live in basically any neighborhood, barring Moreland Farms and some of the really big developments off River Road, for $300K.
Also, they're currently extending Route 288, which will run from the far West End, across the James River, down to Chesterfield and the Hopewell area. Once it's finished, it will be much easier to get from the West End to South Side. The road will cross River Road just as it enters Goochland County, so if you chose a neighborhood near Patterson/River Rd. you'd have a pretty easy commute once the construction is finished.
As far as neighborhoods go, there are some really cute places in Richmond. I personally prefer Westham, which is located between River Road and Patterson near the University of Richmond (in Henrico County). There's also the Malvern area, which is in the city and accessible to 95.
Hope this helps!
Dec 9th, 2003, 01:59 PM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wandalust---
The nicest place to live 30 min to Hopewell IS in Chesterfield..
The 3 good subdivisons are Woodland Pond, The Higlands ( has a golf course) and Chesdin Landing....
All 3 of these subdivisions have NEW homes plus older homes--In the Highlands, you CAN find homes for less than $300K...but in the other 2 neighborhoods, the home START at $300 and go up....A lot of people working for the Chemical Companies live in Chesterfield...Another subdivison on Rt 10 in Chester is Riversbend- it also has a golf course, and the prices are in your budget--ONLY drawback to Riversbend is the "smell in the air" from the CHEMICAL companies.ie Dupont..
One plus- The NEW Stony Point Mall with Saks 5th Ave, Louis Vuitton,Brooks Brothers etc is on the SOUTHSIDE ( ie. closer to the 3 subdivisons I listed...
ON the West End of Richmond , you will find another NEW mall,called the SHORT PUMP MALL...........it is twice as large as Stony Point ( both malls opened within 1 week of each other THIS Sept during the Hurricane...)..
I , personally , like the Stony Point Mall....
If I had my druthers, I would live in the FAR WEST END BUT your husband would have almost 1 hour to drive to get to HOPEWELL...
Hotels to stay in closer to Hopewell, but NOT in Hopewell...are in Chester..
Hampton Inn, Marriot Courtyard, Holiday Inn Express, Amerisuites..ALL on RT 10 in Chester...
In the Far West End, there is an Amerisuites at Innsbrook on Broad St and Cox Rd....That would put you in the vicinty of checking out the West End of Richmond...
Access to DC is on Amtrak or by car-only 2 hr drive..and GREAT shopping in Northern Va in McLean,Va--TYSON'S CORNER-Saks,Neimans,Macys,Bloomingdales,Nordstrom, etc....
Richmond IS a nice city- but extremely conservative....Be prepared...
Have no idea where you are coming FROM, but housing is cheap here...
The nicest place to live 30 min to Hopewell IS in Chesterfield..
The 3 good subdivisons are Woodland Pond, The Higlands ( has a golf course) and Chesdin Landing....
All 3 of these subdivisions have NEW homes plus older homes--In the Highlands, you CAN find homes for less than $300K...but in the other 2 neighborhoods, the home START at $300 and go up....A lot of people working for the Chemical Companies live in Chesterfield...Another subdivison on Rt 10 in Chester is Riversbend- it also has a golf course, and the prices are in your budget--ONLY drawback to Riversbend is the "smell in the air" from the CHEMICAL companies.ie Dupont..
One plus- The NEW Stony Point Mall with Saks 5th Ave, Louis Vuitton,Brooks Brothers etc is on the SOUTHSIDE ( ie. closer to the 3 subdivisons I listed...
ON the West End of Richmond , you will find another NEW mall,called the SHORT PUMP MALL...........it is twice as large as Stony Point ( both malls opened within 1 week of each other THIS Sept during the Hurricane...)..
I , personally , like the Stony Point Mall....
If I had my druthers, I would live in the FAR WEST END BUT your husband would have almost 1 hour to drive to get to HOPEWELL...
Hotels to stay in closer to Hopewell, but NOT in Hopewell...are in Chester..
Hampton Inn, Marriot Courtyard, Holiday Inn Express, Amerisuites..ALL on RT 10 in Chester...
In the Far West End, there is an Amerisuites at Innsbrook on Broad St and Cox Rd....That would put you in the vicinty of checking out the West End of Richmond...
Access to DC is on Amtrak or by car-only 2 hr drive..and GREAT shopping in Northern Va in McLean,Va--TYSON'S CORNER-Saks,Neimans,Macys,Bloomingdales,Nordstrom, etc....
Richmond IS a nice city- but extremely conservative....Be prepared...
Have no idea where you are coming FROM, but housing is cheap here...
Dec 12th, 2003, 04:46 PM
#9
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Do not discount Chesterfield County as completely rural. The northern end is quite nice with all the conveniences within a few minutes drive. With Rt.288 coming through it should be more easily accessible to Hopewell. I am a lifelong resident of Chesterfield Co. and cannot begin to tell you how much it has grown. We live in the Salisbury area and there are many new developments being built all around us with homes around your price range and I feel you may want to look into this area also. We are only about 15 min. from downtown Richmond so you get the best of both worlds I believe.
As said before Richmond is famous for being very conservative so be forewarned. But we also have many transients now so it is changing somewhat.
I believe it would be longer than an hour to get to Hopewell from the West End as it takes me around 40- 45 min to visit my mother just south of Chester. Your husband would definitely need to look into the commute while here before deciding where to purchase a home. Traffic has gotten worse here but I know compared to Atlanta and CA it should be a breeze.
Good luck with your move. Just wanted you to know there are other very nice areas other than the ?West End?. Also if you really do like the "city", you may want to check out the Fan area. (though they are beautiful old homes that are being renovated)
As said before Richmond is famous for being very conservative so be forewarned. But we also have many transients now so it is changing somewhat.
I believe it would be longer than an hour to get to Hopewell from the West End as it takes me around 40- 45 min to visit my mother just south of Chester. Your husband would definitely need to look into the commute while here before deciding where to purchase a home. Traffic has gotten worse here but I know compared to Atlanta and CA it should be a breeze.
Good luck with your move. Just wanted you to know there are other very nice areas other than the ?West End?. Also if you really do like the "city", you may want to check out the Fan area. (though they are beautiful old homes that are being renovated)
Jan 12th, 2004, 04:45 PM
#10
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you are sans kids and consider yourself progressive, I would definitely vote for one of the neighborhoods in the city - the Fan, the Museum District, or one of the new buildings in Shockoe Bottom. Great neighborhoods, lots of restaurants and shops to walk to, theaters, etc. I live in the West End but that's just because we want to have kids and the city schools aren't so hot. We rented in the Museum District before buying our first home, and I would move back to the city in a hot minute! About 15-20 minutes from Hopewell.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
ctroum
United States
4
May 29th, 2003 08:14 PM
