A new 12-story, record-breaking development has risen in Shockoe Bottom. Known as The Bakery, it was designed to be an innovative nod to its previous occupant, Weiman’s Bakery, while also aiming to help boost the future of the historic neighborhood.

“About nine years ago, we bought the property,” says Daniel Salomonsky of SWA Construction and Historic Housing LLC, which has previously converted numerous old Shockoe Bottom warehouses into apartments. “The process was to bring the tallest building to Shockoe Bottom.”

After brainstorming for a few years and focusing on other projects around the city, like Scott’s View Apartments in Scott’s Addition, SWA Construction and Historic Housing LLC finally broke ground in March 2022.

“We came up with the idea of a high-rise in Shockoe Bottom that aligns with city development plans on density,” says Salomonsky.

What has resulted is a luxury complex with 211 apartments, some of which recently started leasing on June 2. [They will be having an open house on June 17 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. with guided tours.] Current apartment prices are $1,500 to $2,550 per month depending on floor plans and features.

“Our targeted audience includes a broad range of renters, including professionals, small families, and individuals seeking well-located, well-managed apartment living … our focus is on offering high-quality homes that appeal to a wide variety of renters based on lifestyle preferences such as proximity to work, amenities and walkability.” He says they aim to maintain “healthy, stabilized occupancy rates consistent with market standards — typically in the 95%+ range — while ensuring a positive living experience for residents.”

Overlooking East Grace Street is a 5,000-square-foot space for a restaurant. There’s also a living rooftop packed with succulents they say will not only safeguard the roof, but assist with reducing urban heating and improving air quality.

Richmond’s thriving art scene is also celebrated with a large mural, arguably one of the biggest in the city. Easily seen from I-95 by Main Street Station, the artwork was created by locally renowned muralists Ed Trask and Matt Lively and depicts a majestic red-tailed hawk and purple martins gliding through the sky.

Painted around the main building’s rear wall and a portion of the parking deck are also Underground Railroad quilt patterns in memory of those African Americans who were once enslaved during Shockoe Bottom’s infamous and prominent role in the slave trade.

But while The Bakery envisions the future, the project also pays homage to the past thanks to its inspiration: Weiman’s Bakery.

Inspired by classic RVA doughmakers

For almost 70 years, Weiman’s Bakery tirelessly produced handcrafted breads for the area. It was established in 1945 by Jacob Weiman, an experienced baker who came to the city from Baltimore during World War II. “He used his brother’s rations for the war, in sugar and flour allotments, to open it,” says Allan Weiman, his grandson and a third-generation baker. “He had a hard time but he found different people within Richmond [who] helped him open it.”

The Jewish family-run bakery quickly grew over the decades supplying everything from baguettes and hearty rye to places such as Padow’s Deli, Bottoms Up Pizza, Crazy Greek and Croaker’s Spot. “If you name a restaurant or hotel in Virginia we probably served it,” says Weiman. They later expanded to supplying sites in Washington, D.C. and North Carolina.

At one point, the shop was producing over 147,000 pounds of dough monthly to meet demand. “[We did] a lot with that little building we were in,” says Weiman. “It was a fine-oiled machine.” The business eventually closed in February 2013.

While the original structure was too deteriorated to save, the new property creatively keeps the bakery’s legacy alive. The apartment floor plans are named after baked goods, like baguette, brioche and macaron, and the exterior limestone-stained storefront is built to resemble Weiman’s facade.

Original Weiman’s sign found

But perhaps the most unique remnants are the vintage Weiman’s Bakery signs.

Some will likely recognize the 1970s white and brown display featuring wheat stalks and inscribed with “Hearth Baked Bread”. But during restoration, a surprise was uncovered beneath.

“We knew we wanted to save the sign [but] it was rusted and in bad condition,” says Salomonsky. “When we took it to the warehouse, it was taken apart and [they] found a neon sign below it.” In fact, if you look closely at the ‘70s era one, a tiny white portion of the original peeks out.

This neon display, estimated to be from the mid-1940s to ‘50s, showcases a baker holding a pie. It too was refurbished, with fresh neon and a base to hang it, and now glows inside the two-story lobby. The “Hearth Baked Bread” sign is exhibited outside.

“We want this to be the start of a trend of economic development in the Bottom,” says Salomonsky. “We’re hoping the building becomes a beacon for the Bottom so it can get to its fullest potential.”

For some, the tribute will evoke memories of a former Richmond staple that has been cleverly reborn.

“It’s just awesome,” says Weiman. “It’s not just for me, it’s for all the people who worked at that location and their families; and also to the public, really, [that] Weiman’s Bakery served.”