Developer proposes apartment project in Mechanicsville | Hanover County

Before Larry Shaia finished developing Charleston Ridge Apartments last year, there hadn’t been an apartment community built in Hanover County in nearly 20 years.

Shaia hopes Hanover won’t have to wait that long for its next batch of apartments.

Shaia has proposed to build a five-building, 207-unit apartment community in Mechanicsville behind the Goodwill and Food Lion off Mechanicsville Turnpike. Shaia has requested that 20 acres in the area be rezoned to allow the project to move forward.

The project has been dubbed Cambridge Square Apartments and will sit on a roughly 22-acre site that has wetlands that will be used for green space, Shaia said.

Charleston Ridge wrapped up construction in 2016. Shaia is a developer with Charter Realty and Development Co., which developed Charter Creek Apartments in 1997.

Shaia said that after Charleston Ridge finished, he knew he wanted to do another high-end apartment project in Mechanicsville where he saw a need for Class A apartments.

“Charleston Ridge is the model of what we’re going to use,” Shaia said. “In the West End (of Henrico County) you can find C, B, A class apartments, but you don’t really find that in Mechanicsville.”

Shaia liked the site for Cambridge Square Apartments because of its proximity to the Food Lion, which he expects residents will walk to.

Shaia said he has offered to build a public road that would connect Brandy Run Drive to Brandy Hill Drive, which would link Mechanicsville Turnpike to Lee Davis Road.

Cambridge Square Apartments is planned to have 47 one-bedroom apartments, 114 two-bedroom apartments and 46 three-bedroom apartments, Shaia said.

Rents are still being finalized but are estimated to range between $1,000 and $1,600 per month. There will not be subsidized units or income-restricted rates.

“There was big demand for three-bedroom units,” Shaia said.

Plans call for 414 surface parking spaces along with a number of garages for residents.

Shaia estimated construction on the project would cost about $36 million. If all goes smoothly with his rezoning request, Shaia expects construction to begin in 2018 and take 18 months.

Supervisor W. Canova Peterson said he has not gotten any feedback from residents in the Mechanicsville District that he represents. Peterson said he and Planning Commissioner Randy Whittaker have met with people involved with Cambridge Square Apartments.

“I have to reserve judgment on whether it’s a proper fit,” Peterson said.

Peterson said that if the project is deemed appropriate, then the location where it is proposed would be better suited for apartments than other locations in Mechanicsville. Peterson said Mechanicsville already has quite a few apartment communities and that it takes all types of housing to serve a community.

A community meeting presenting information on Shaia’s plans is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. July 12 at Lee-Davis High School.