// mls zone 10 // eastern jackson ward
Developer Ron Stallings of Walker Row Partnership created a smaller scale project of 12 residential units and 5 commercial spaces in what used to be Southern Aid Life Insurance building in eastern Jackson Ward. The building dates back to 1931. Bert Pinnock of BAM Architects (now part of Baskervill) acted as architect on the project.
The building departs from the recent design trends of open loft/flat living with an industrial feel and instead defines public and private spaces fully and adorns them in a more traditional manner. Located at the corner of 3rd and Clay and adjacent to the Convention Center, The 212 has become a favorite of the medical crowd (medical students, residents or those destined for one of the medical programs once they graduate from VCU) as it is affordable, quiet and other than Miller and Rhoads (which is sort of ‘for sale’), the closest ownership opportunity to the Medical Campus.
The emergence of 2nd Street took a big step forward recently with the completion of the Hippodrome Theater. As the development momentum returns to eastern JW, The 212, The 2C Condos, Studio 516, The Sanctuary Condos as well as the remainder of ‘un-renewed’ Historic Broad should benefit. Likewise, the BioTechnology Park that surrounds the Convention Center, Coliseum and the City Hall Complex is also a great neighbor to have. The Bio Tech park has done extremely well in attracting several high profile R&D organizations but the surrounding areas have not really enjoyed the same residential bump in value as of yet. This trend should change as the last several blocks of Broad Street improve and places like the Hippodrome begin enjoy success.
