It’s 9 a.m. on a Saturday.
The first thing you do is open your curtains to a view of the James River. Good morning, Manchester. A few birds chase each other under the rolling clouds, chirping a salutation, while the ducks below swim downstream in a huddled flock. This is life at Eddy on the James.
You walk down the street to Café Zata for coffee and a pastry. Your favorite table on the patio is open and waiting for you. The umbrella perfectly shades your seat from the sun’s persistent rays, but the ambient glow is just right to crack open your book for a couple of chapters.
It’s time to head back to your apartment, change, and get a quick workout in at the Eddy’s extensive fitness center. Ellipticals, free weights, maybe even yoga, and then upstairs for a shower and some downtime before meeting up with friends.
No doubt, Ironclad Sportsbar & Grill is the spot. You pull out your earbuds as you walk in the door and lock eyes with your table of pals. Many titles for movie night are thrown out, but that new one just premiered on streaming, and it seems to be everyone’s top pick. It’s a done deal. The group hightails it to Manchester Market to pick out their snacks.
Now back home, everyone’s cozying up in the building’s social lounge, ready to press play, but not before many conversational tangents detailing the drama at work or what you bought at this month’s Richmond Maker’s Market, hosted by Basic City Beer Co.
The credits roll, and the gang goes home, plans already set for brunch tomorrow at Gold Lion Community Cafe. Up in your apartment, you stare out at the Richmond skyline across the river before closing your curtains. Life couldn’t be any better. Goodnight, Manchester.
“It’s definitely changing into one of the heartbeats of the city.”
CEO of the Underground Kitchen and director of Underground Kitchen Community First, Micheal Sparks, can’t praise Manchester enough. He’s been living in the neighborhood for three years, but he’s been working here for over a decade.
“It’s an easy place to get to every part of the city. So you’re like five to ten minutes away from anything, all the happenings, so to speak.”
Micheal Sparks
Micheal owns a condo in Manchester and endlessly expresses the benefits of living here full-time, but there is also an abundance of opportunities to rent.
Eddy on the James is just one example of the many great apartment complexes or condos you’ll find in Manchester, Richmond. This downtown neighborhood is packed with excellent high-rise housing that’s easily commutable to downtown’s Financial District and Shockoe neighborhoods. Within walking distance of restaurants, breweries, hiking trails, dog parks, and more, Manchester should not go unchecked on your next apartment hunt.
Moving is arduous work, but it’s all worth it when you start making lasting memories in your new home with your new community. And it’s always better with a buddy to help you through it. Sure, friends with trucks are great, but I’m talking about your animal buddies. Luckily, much of the housing in Manchester is pet-friendly, with dog parks or outdoor spaces nearby for them to get their energy out. The Terraces at Manchester has a rooftop dog park, and Eddy on the James has – get this – a pet spa! There’s even a vet in the form of Kinship Animal Hospital right down the street. So worry not, you and your little loved ones are in good hands.
Some of the most important aspects of choosing an apartment can involve the less-than-glamorous budgeting decisions. However, many apartments include or bundle expenses. For example, the Terraces at Manchester include water, sewer, trash, and Wi-Fi in your monthly rent, making it easy to focus on more important things like tonight’s barbecue on the sundeck.
Meeting your neighbors is a piece of cake when you have this many opportunities to kick back, hang out, and shoot the breeze. Maybe you want to set up a puppy playdate with that nice guy on the third floor, or ask Melissa next door to spot you next time you’re both in the gym. Then again, having dinner and drinks on the roof is always a main character moment.
Many apartments in Manchester share similar amenities, but what makes them unique is each building’s personality. City View Lofts (another high-end riverside complex) has a pool, gym, clubhouse, dog parks, firepits, and more, but as the name would suggest, you’ll primarily find lofts in their floorplans. Converted from a factory in 2011, City View Lofts has a playful layout that gives each resident their own sense of home. Some front doors are found on the inside, imitating classic apartment living, but other units open to the outside, allowing for a few pieces of porch furniture that make those warm weather days a delight.
No matter what you’re looking for in a home, Manchester has it. The range of options the area provides would take too long to list. For anyone looking to own or rent, this neighborhood should be the first stop on your search. There are some things you just can’t get in any other part of the city.
“The Flood Wall walk, right when you're walking up the stairs, and start to hear the water flow, and then you see the view, yeah, it's the best.” One resident blissfully daydreams about their next Flood Wall outing. Many, including Micheal, share an appreciation for Manchester's proximity to the river.
“It's really interesting to live in an ex-warehouse district and to be so close to nature.”
But besides its access to the James and its surrounding forests, Manchester itself has an abundance of amenities.
“The restaurants down here are really great. Love going to Cafe Zata for breakfast in the morning. Have lunch at least three or four times a week at The Continental or Stella’s. You know, it’s just perfect.”
There are a variety of salons and barber shops, like Cece African Hair Braiding, LaFox Hair Designs, PRISM HAIR, and RVA Cutz for your styling pleasure. You can also hit the spa at Posh Skin Bar, just at the end of Hull Street. Attend a yoga class at Mindfulness Inc., then get a mani-pedi at X.O. Beauty Lab or Lyoness Nailz; the possibilities go on. Manchester balances work, life, and play so that each and every person is proud to call it home.
To learn more about a specific apartment building or to schedule a tour, follow the assigned link to the amenities page on their website.
Commodore – Contemporary Urban Apartments
*Photos by Tj Ponds