BFG

I will never understand how this area isn't more proactive about transportation, given we're a cul-de-sac off 95. We should be going out of our way to connect ourselves to other cities and make ourselves look more attractive and accessible.

If I’m not mistaken January is one of the slowest months for ORF, if not air travel in general because it’s right after everyone spent for the holidays. If we’re seeing 300K in a slow month imagine how summer could look, barring any major issues.

I really shouldn’t look at the pictures before reading the text lol… That apartment building alone would transform OV if they put it somewhere near East Beach.

https://www.virginiabusiness.com/article/norfolk-looks-to-renovate-scope-chrysler-hall-instead-of-building-new-arena/ Renovations are still being studied for both Scope and Chrysler Hall, with a report coming next month. I don’t see this being a major upgrade - or at least the 4-5,000 seats proposed a few years ago - but we shall see. The article mentions wanting another 40-50% revenue so maybe adding that many seats could happen.

A few years ago I conversed with someone from the Chamber and brought up the fact that HR was on a few “Top 10 Cities for Millennials” lists. The rep from the Chamber more or less confirmed that it’s a “you scratch my back” situation. I don’t remember if it’s “pay-for-play” or not, but that was one reason. Another was the military bringing in so many young people. I do believe that while housing prices around here are a bit overinflated, the prices are still better than other areas. And I like that the list acknowledges the entire region. Most of these lists include several cities as separate entities instead of just combining them altogether.

That's amazing growth in such a short time, not to mention we're also a hub for Breeze. Can't wait to see the expansion and hotel in the future, and hopefully our first international flight this year.

It’s not so bad on iPhone but on desktop it’s very weird looking. I’ve been having issues with the mobile site though, like constant CAPTCHA prompts.

First Baptist Bute St. Went there for about 25 years, and still go back on occasion.

Off the top of my head, the only major cities ORF doesn't offer nonstop service to is Seattle, Cleveland, and Phoenix. I'm loving these additional destinations.

I’m from the 757. I don’t see Richmond as competition, but I have family and friends who sometimes travel out of RIC because the rates are (were?) better. Up until about a decade ago we’d fly out of Newport News for the same reason. ORF finally realized it was missing out and stepped its game up. It’s not competition, it’s business. Norfolk Southern moved its HQ to Atlanta partially because ORF didn’t have enough direct routes. Gotta do what you gotta do to survive. Sometimes RIC gets the better destinations and sometimes ORF does. It is what it is.

Honest question: why are you paying them any mind? Obviously it’s not a competition but if they wanna have little brother syndrome over airport traffic, that’s their problem.

Exactly. I don’t think ORF has ever offered a flight outside the 50 states. Hell, I don’t even think we’ve offered Alaska or Hawaii so I love this. I’m sure it won’t be the last flight announcement we see this year.

Meanwhile the city of Portsmouth made $15M in tax revenue from Rivers last year. C'mon Pamunkey...get your [stuff] together. https://www.pilotonline.com/2024/01/23/rivers-casino-portsmouth-generates-250m-in-revenue-15m-in-city-taxes-in-first-full-year/

Awesome news! ORF has done an excellent job stepping its game up the last five years.

Anyone know how this is coming along, specifically the Scope? WAVY initially said 6-8 weeks and we're at exactly 7 weeks today. Just wondering if there's been any updates? I'd love to see them revisit the concept that could add 5,000 seats for sports. EDIT: looks like it was on tonight's Civic Facilities Commission docket. No description about the presentations though...

I don't understand this sibling rivalry RVA wants to have regarding the airports. If I'm not mistaken they've hit 4M before 2022, when ORF finally did. For years people drove to or from Richmond because they had better prices. Norfolk taking things to the next level shouldn't pose a threat to them at all. I only wish we could've done this decades ago.

WTKR’s IG also has a “flythrough” video of the renderings, but the photos from that article look great. Love the natural light. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2SEhItORUs/?igsh=em8weTZyMTd1bTF5

380K passengers in December '23, for a final total of 4.55M. This is up from 4.12M in 2022. https://www.norfolkairport.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/December-2023-Media-Release.pdf

This looks amazing. If I didn't know any better I'd swear it was somewhere like Miami or Cali. More of this type of development, please.

Serious question: how many times is The Pilot gonna post some variant of this article before the city leaders realize the elephant in the room has lowered the resale value? I’ve been seeing this conversation for at least 15 years and nothing has changed. What is the point of the Chamber going to all these progressive cities if no one takes any of the advice? And why keep giving lip service? The under-40 crowd has been leaving HR in droves since I was in my mid-20s because there’s no real opportunity outside of the military. I’m 41…the difference is I stayed because I thought the area had potential. It did in 2010, but the NIMBYs started doing what they do best.

A few years ago I remember reading that when ORF was planning its current terminal, they looked somewhere in Greenbrier. Might’ve been the mall site. But in the early-70s that was all farmland, so it’s interesting to see how things would’ve looked with an airport off Greenbrier Parkway.

Saw this rendering on the ORF Facebook page. Looks like the foreground off to the right is a new parking garage. I thought there was a third terminal but it looks like they expanded the original two for this rendering. https://www.facebook.com/share/sAnPXcujkQDd3c8P/?mibextid=K8Wfd2

Two new affordable housing developments are being proposed, one at the corner of Tidewater and VB Blvd. and named for former councilman Paul Riddick. There used to be a Comfort Inn on that site up until the late-90s but it's been a vacant lot for about 25 years. It looks like your typical Norfolk apartment building (picture attached from the ARB PDF). Then there's Newport Gardens, which was proposed about a decade ago in Park Place. I love that the city is focusing on revitalizing Park Place with more housing and shops.

Tidewater pays homage to the traditional name as well our Native American roots. Although I came up with New Dominion a few years ago. Feels apt given Old Dominion is our nickname but ND suggests a new beginning. That said, the Bay Area doesn’t seem to have a problem with the rivalries between cities. A friend of mine said the infighting between Norfolk and VB reminded her of SF vs. Oakland. San Jose is actually the largest city there, but people usually think of SF or Oakland. IIRC, SJ is bigger than both cities combined.

A few years ago there was a rumor on IG that the area going to combine into one and call itself "Greater Norfolk", but it was just that. A rumor. I think this new name should be something neutral, even if it's Tidewater.