Guest Opinion: Mistakes are the best teacher

Recently an old friend I had not seen for a couple of decades told me about some troubles she had and how she had overcome them.

Later I thought about how much more useful her story was than all those holiday letters I get every year chronicling the new house, junior’s new doctorate degree or the round-the-world trip my friends just finished.

The same is true in business.

Party-goers get onboard free bus

Jim Porter is the designated driver of 2,000 Richmonders each weekend.

His service, “To the Bottom and Back,” shuttles riders from downtown Richmond to Carytown and back, three nights a week for 10 hours a night.

The buses, one painted a near radioactive green, and both out-of-commission school buses bought at auction, have been running since August 12th in an effort to combat drunk driving and connect two busy nightlife districts in the city.

Today’s lesson: How to heat water on the roof

A new community center in the Northside section of Richmond will feature three kinds of solar roof panels that will heat 85 percent of the building’s hot water and generate 15 percent of its electricity. It will also have heat radiant flooring.

The building will be certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

The Northside Family Learning Center, a 20,600-square-foot building for preschool-aged children, is aiming for the second-highest LEED rating. The rating system is based on six categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design. A gold rating signifies that the building received a total of 39 to 51 credits in these areas.

NewsFeeds 1.29.10

Atlanta developer in talks to buy Norfolk Ford plant (Virginian-Pilot) Ford Motor Co. is in discussions with an Atlanta developer who wants to buy the automaker's shuttered Norfolk pick up plant and redevelop it as a mixed-use industrial project, a Ford spokeswoman said Thursday. $5,000 tax credit for each new job a big part of Obama's plan (USA Today) President Obama will promote tax cuts for small businesses Friday as he continues his renewed focus on job creation, but some of the nation's job creators are dubious. One sentence from his State of the Union address Wednesday night will become the focus of his visit to Baltimore: a $5,000 tax credit for each job created on a net basis in 2010, up to $500,000 per company. The Best and Worst Industries of the Next Decade (Inc.) A new analysis predicts which industries will experience the best and worst revenue ...

The Pipeline: Commercial Real Estate Round Up for 1.28.10

Thalhimer reports the following deal: Stratford University leased 52,020 square feet in the former S&K headquarters property at 11100 West Broad Street in Henrico. Grubb & Ellis | Harrison & Bates reports the following deals: Triple Play Services leased 85,420 square feet at 4810 Eubank Road in Henrico. French Development LLC leased 15,000 square feet at 1519 Summit Avenue in Richmond. Plato's Closet, a second hand clothing store, leased 3,600 square feet at Southgate Square in Colonial Heights. RSG Landscaping & Lawn Care Inc leased 3,000 square feet at 10423 Dow Gil oad in Hanover. Pepper's Restaurant leased 2,400 square feet at 1390 Broad Street in Goochland. King William Wireless leased 1,200 square feet at 4917 Richmond Tappahannock Highway in King William. Express Tax Returns leased 1,125 square feet at Emporia Shopping Center in Emporia. Choice Entertainment LLC leased 860 square feet at 10035 Sliding Hill Road in Hanover. Liberty ...

Media General stops the bleeding

Media General, the Richmond-based parent of the Times-Dispatch, is no longer losing money, but that’s mostly because of deep cuts including more than a week of mandatory furloughs for employees. The company reported earning $27.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2009.  That’s better than last year, when the company lost $85 million on a special impairment. Revenue in the fourth quarter fell 14 percent from last year, but the company cut expenses 22 percent. Shares of Media General are trading at around $9.45, up more than 17 percent from Wednesday close of $8.31.

Shockoe apartments heading to auction

A Shockoe Bottom apartment complex is scheduled to be auctioned on the courthouse steps Feb. 9.

Shockoe Place Apartments, a 42-unit complex at 19th and Franklin streets, was built in 1853 and was heavily renovated in 2000. Renovations cost at least $1.6 million, according to city permit data. The property is owned by Shockoe Place Apartments LLC.

NewsFeeds 1.28.10

S-A-T-I-R-E Report: Second Floor In Shockoe McDonald’s A Fake (Tobacco Avenue) The cover story investigation found “no internal stairwell leading to a second story” at the popular Richmond McDonald’s location, while hidden cameras in the kitchen area – placed by McDonald’s employees – similarly found no access to the restaurant’s purported upper floor. Richmond-area foreclosure filings up 39% in 2009 (Times-Dispatch) In all, 7,177 properties -- or 1.41 percent of all households -- received a notice last year, RealtyTrac reported. Nationally, 2.21 percent of all households received foreclosure filings last year, up 21 percent from 2008, the report showed. Filings are notices of default, auction or foreclosure sales. Virginia Gov. McDonnell gives Republican Party response to State of the Union (Washington Post) In a presentation that mimicked many of the trappings of President Obama's address, McDonnell delivered his speech in front of a packed audience of about 250 family ...

Business Licenses for 1.28.2010

Best names this week: Bleeding Hearts Graphics  and Sign Worx Warehouse.

Henrico

A Bella Services, Inc 6010 N Crestwood Ave, 23230 Accountant

Berachah Foods Inc Shahi Kitchen 7927 W Broad St, 23294 Ret. Restaurant

Dorothy E. Bennett Green Earth Cleaning Crew 1600 Fort Hill Dr, 23226 Cleaning Services

Boka Vending LLC Boka Vending 4901 Lake Brook Dr, 23060 Peddler Perishable

Photo Post: bank downtown

Does anyone remember what used to be in this building on the northeast corner of Eighth and East Main streets downtown? It's available for lease now.

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