Right Around the River Blog

The end is almost near — for the Virginia Capital Trail (VCT), that is! After years of developing a new 55-mile-long pedestrian trail to link Jamestown and Richmond, the VCT team is officially less than one year way from completion. And once finished, the trail will run right through Rocketts Landing, winding its way through Richmond and the rolling countryside along Route 5.

For the first time in history, the James River is being captured in a 360-degrees view of all its flowing glory! Thanks to local organizations James River Association (a Rocketts Landing–based organization), RichmondOutside.com and Terrain360, the James River is currently being mapped in its entirety — which is a first for any river in the United States. The project traveled right along Rocketts Landing, and intrigued with their story, we had had to find out more!

Combining history with modern appeal is one of the many reasons we appreciate RVA and our riverfront community. Not only can we offer lively contemporary living along the James River at Rocketts Landing, but we get to do so in an area seeped in history — which brings us to our unique Cedar Works building. As our community’s only historic residential building, homeowners enjoy unique charm that blends architecture from its former life as a manufacturing facility with today’s stylish touch. And...

The dog days of summer might be here, but for a few fortunate families, this August marks an exciting milestone: Moving into their new HHHunt townhome at Rocketts Landing! HHHunt is building 22 Rocketts Landing townhomes in their first stage and plans to construct 80 homes in total.

Rocketts Landing is home to a myriad of interesting residents. But individuals and families aren't the only ones who seek out our riverfront lifestyle! From restaurants to law firms and more, 10 businesses also call our community their home. And last year, after months of efforts renovating the historic Cedar Works warehouse, law firm BrownGreer joined our Rocketts Landing family. So, we decided to check in with them and see how their location and office has been serving them.

Pastor Buzz Kell and his wife, Janet, may be relatively new to Rocketts Landing, but they're certainly no newcomers to educating at-risk youth in RVA. Since 1989, the Kell family has operated the Elijah House Academy, a Southside-based nonprofit school with a mission to "provide an accessible choice in education that cultivates the hearts and minds of our city’s children for God’s glory and Richmond’s flourishing."

Paddling the James River all the way to the Chesapeake Bay with 30 high schoolers may seem like a handful of a summer getaway. But for the James River Association at Rocketts Landing, this annual Expedition Program fosters an appreciation for our historic river and engages new generations of James River enthusiasts and guardians. And for their fourth expedition, they brought the students to Rocketts Landing for a night of camping before kicking off their eight-day paddling trip toward the Bay.

There's no doubt that Richmond's mighty James River is one of our city's greatest assets — it's also a beloved feature of our community at Rocketts Landing, providing the background for a plethora of river events, weddings and activities. So, when we found out about a new event series that's striving to increase awareness of the James River as a public asset at our neighboring Intermediate Terminal, we had to find out more! Behold the Sugar Pad Project.

We did it again, folks! Last Saturday, Sports Backers hosted Richmond's annual International Dragon Boat Festival at Rocketts Landing. Though the skies were cloudy, hundreds of people came together for the Chinese cultural festival along the James River. We welcomed families, friends and couples from across RVA (and beyond!) to our riverbanks to cheer on the rowers and celebrate the moment — and what a blast everyone had at our riverbanks.

History truly abounds at Rocketts Landing, and we love learning all the centuries-old stories hiding beneath the seams. Recently, we posted a blog detailing Rocketts Landing as a Land of Opportunity as the first in a two-part series showcasing all the history alive here along the James River. Today, we share the second blog in our series, featuring the historic buildings on our property and how they made this unique community thrive.