Norfolk4Life

im on my way out but when i have more time ill post some links

currently, the next line is already in planning. It will run from the current line up to NOB. Although the planning will determine the route, it would most likely run by Military Circle and the Airport and then follow I64 to the base with stops at places like wards corner. Also, when the VB portion is built, we will be able to suck tourists of more money. They can arrive by plane and then, b/c they can use the LRT to get to their hotel and the beach, they wont have to rent a car, thus forcing them to ride the LRT for their whole visit.

ah yes... the poor norfolk thieves excuse. how did i forget that one? personally i would be afraid of the crime at the oceanfront being able to get into norfolk lol j/k .. realistically, the 'criminal element' can drive. they don't take public transportation to commit crimes.

the health code is base on the Virginia health department's standards. VB and Ches both follow those standards. On Norfolk, the VA Dept of Health says, "The City of Norfolk has a local ordinance governing restaurants that is more stringent than the Board of Health

in talking with many of the older naysayers, I found found the problem. Many of the older people who oppose the light rail used to live in Norfolk. They moved out and have not been back since. If fact one told me, "why does Norfolk need a light rail? who would ride a train from vacant lot to vacant lot?" When they left, Norfolk was just that. Many vacant lot downtown, expansive parking lots, etc. Now, Downtown has no vacant lots. In fact the light rail is directly responsible for developing the last 3 major lots downtown with highrises. It is also responsible for developing a key lot near the medical center. I think if Virginia Beachians were to put the naysayers on a bus and give them a guided tour downtown, they may change their minds. The other alternative is that they just have too tightly shut minds and we should work around them. A light rail could potentially bring a half-dozen new high rises to TC without needing city council handouts. Also, if done properly, a close proximity light rail line could bring the rudee loop site into greater demand.

perhaps they can silence the bells after dark. the lights should work well enough for warning.

i recently added some great pics to my panoramio account - Norfolk87 - there were too many. i decided it would take too much time/space to put them all in here

you must live in Ingleside. I think thats the most interesting station of them all. It seem that the city just wanted to try out a walk-up station but completely disregarded what anyone thought of it. On the other hand, if you or you neighbors happen to have any extra rooms or decide to move, Id love to rent something there when it is completed. In fact, there was a house a few streets back that I was looking at.

I wish Norfolk would work on their old buildings like Columbus, Ohio. There, they have a number of new buildings that were built on the inside of old buildings. Picture a modern skyscraper with the original historic facades and lower interiors. An example of this is the High and Broad development. I do not like so much the flashy ads on the front but you get the idea. There are apparently alot more examples in the area. My brothers got some pics he took when he was up there, I will attempt to locate them.

very nice inside too. a bit out of my price range but the balconies have a great view up top

ew. have you looked up the health department reviews of some of the restaraunts at Town Center? Bravo had 1. California PK had 8 violations (including out of soap at employee sink - i.e. can't wash hands). Cheesecake Factory only had 2. Daily Grind had 8 (including not washing hands and storing food on or near floor). Funny Bone had 6. Gordon Biersch had 15 (including not washing hands, no hair restraints, and dirty food-contact surfaces). Guadalajara had 7. Keagan's had 12 (including food stored at wrong temps, dirty food-contact surfaces, and toxic substances applied/stored on/near food-contact surfaces). McCormick and Schmick's had 8 (including food stored at improper temps, dirty food-contact surfaces, and using the sink as a storage bin - i.e. no handwashing). Melt Gelato had 10 (including no hair restraints, food stored on/near floor, storing raw food where it may contact ready-to-eat food, and cleaning chems may contact food). P.F. Chang's had 5 (including handling food without gloves). Red Star Tavern had 14 (including no hair restraints, dirty food-contact surfaces, and dead insects on/near food-contact surfaces). The Royal Chocolate had 3. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse had 11 (including no food service manager and dirty food-contact surfaces). Sonoma had 5. Taza had 16. Town Center City Club had 5. Zushi had 5. I know that most restaraunts have a few. I dont mind going to places with alot of minimal violations but when they have problems washing up or cleaning then I find other places. I certainly wouldnt go to Town Center to eat when Downtown Norfolk has many restaraunts that, together, average far below 5 in number of violations (most have fewer than 2). Greenbrier area has many clean ones as well as does Downtown Portsmouth and Hill Top. But, to each his own.

Here are a few of my favorite pics I've taken: Sentara Heart Hospital in the setting sun The Rotunda USS Wisconsin Nauticus A cruise ship at the Half Moone Dinosaur-esque terminal cranes as seen from ODU's Sailing Center MacArthur Memorial and Kirn Memorial Library (Library to be torn down during LRT construction) Downtown Skyline the night after the Grand Illumination (my favorite) This one's not as glamorous, but I am kind of excited about getting a re-vamped Town Point Park

I am currently putting together a map of not only the current light rail route but the alternatives that have been studied for an extension to the Naval Base. This map also includes all planned road projects from VDOT and each Southside city's Master Transportation Plans. Next, I will add potential routes into Portsmouth and Chesapeake as proposed by TRT back in 1999. I am drawing it up in Google Earth. I hope to finish it fairly soon. I should be able to post it here later. http://www.757hamptonroads.blogspot.com