umterp03

So I thought I'd chime in, I agree with most and think if this project is done right, it will tremendously benefit the downtown area, even though I think the economy needs to pick up first... However, something needs to be done with Tidewater Gardens and their associated structures I feel it's long overdue. Anyways, I guess the Postal Service is sending out mixed signals about their processing facility on the NE corner, should they decide to consolidate all operations to Richmond and vacate this plot is there a chance the city tries to obtain and incorporate it into the master plan?

I work on the base so I've seen pretty much firsthand on what could happen if LR were to extend it's root to there. First of all, I think the route from Downtown to NS would be beneficial, but I think it would benefit more of the ODU and EVMS students who would use it as a way of getting downtown for entertainment purposes without having to drive, and ODU students can use it to get to their classes from Ghent since it seems like that's where a good amount of ODU students live. I still find it hard to believe NSU doesn't want this, I graduated from the University of Maryland and they are getting two metro stops on campus when Metro introduces the purple line, the benefits far outweigh the negatives. It's not like NSU is in a great area anyway, anyone can walk their and commit crime on campus. With that being said, there are many sailors that live on base and if the lightrail were run in the right hours, I would see a large amount using the LR as a way of getting downtown to shop, eat, go out to bars, the Navy has really been cracking down on DUIs, and I think the LR would be a good deterrent against that. I think as a commuter line it would be fairly limited to do that as was stated previously with the rush hour traffic on hampton and the amount of time it would take to get to work, but with rising gas prices you never know, as long as gas prices keep rising more and more people will be looking to the idea of mass transportation. The true way I see this working is if the LR connected beyond Norfolk, like Newport News and Portsmouth, which is a long shot, but it would seriously cut the travel time required because of the tunnel traffic congestion.

How about something of a mixed seafood/farmer's market like Pike Place in Seattle? I could see that.. but yeah, green space will always be a challenge downtown, I'd honestly like to see them turn Fort Norfolk where they tore down all the cotton warehouses into a park, it would offer a nice view and kind of tie in Ghent to Freemason and Downtown.

Article from the pilot this morning about the future of the waterside marketplace Pilot Link Any ideas what should be done to this place? It seems like a ghost town there during the day