Planners accept design change for The Crossings

A “high-end” movie theater and grocery store are among the prospects developer Jerry Bowman is courting for the commercial phase of The Crossings.

The residential phase of the development, which will include up to 240 condominium units, began last year at the intersection of Carrollton Boulevard and Brewer’s Neck. But Bowman’s plans for his commercial phase, he argues, depend on the county of the Isle of Wight, allowing him to abandon circa 2002 plans for a shopping center and instead subdivide the land into several smaller commercial sites.

The Isle of Wight Planning Commission is on board, having voted unanimously at its March 22 meeting to approve Bowman’s proposed design change. The case will head to the Isle of Wight Board of Supervisors in April for a final decision.

“What we’re seeing today is a lot of retailers wanting to own their own property,” Bowman told the commissioners.

Shopping malls, by comparison, are generally owned by a single entity and lease space to tenants.

The Crossings developers had presented a revised concept plan to the county in February, showing a smaller shopping center and parking lot – and four free-standing buildings, each with its own parking lot. But Bowman is not tied to that particular provision, according to Amy Ring, the county’s director of community development.

Under the requested changes, the retail phase density would still total no more than 202,100 square feet – the same as originally approved for the mall. But a letter from the Virginia Department of Transportation warns that traffic generated by the development could potentially increase from what was previously expected if individual buildings move from retail to higher-intensity uses. According to Ring, the developer is not required to perform a traffic impact analysis since the density does not change.

The grocery store, Bowman said, would total 46,000 to 48,000 square feet. He declined to specify the name of the store, citing a nondisclosure agreement, but said it would be a large national grocery chain.

He is also in talks with an arts and crafts store and a dollar store.

There could also be a market for “a nice office building”, he said.

The commercial phase will be buffered by several parcels along Carrollton Boulevard. According to Ring, the county has received three applications so far: one for a Royal Farms, one for a Hardee’s and one for a medical office building.