ntheo

Some good information from Ray Gindroz/FAIA on an update of the downtown Norfolk 2030 plan about the future for downtown, MacArthur Center, and St. Paul's quadrant from April's meeting of the Downtown Norfolk Civic League. The part about the proposed transformation of MacArthur Center was interesting where they want to open the mall to extend Market Street. Presentation starts at 28:11.

The Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters is breaking ground Tuesday on a new $224 million pediatric mental health hospital. https://southsidedaily.com/local-news/2019/09/16/chkd-is-breaking-ground-on-their-new-pediatric-mental-health-hospital-in-norfolk/

I think those low structures are placeholders. Take a close look at the map with the planned street grid. Main Street cuts clear through from downtown and City Hall Avenue extension plus extension of Tidewater Drive to Harbor Park. You don't go through all of that for a four floor apartment building. That area becomes pricey real estate.

Last night City Council approved lease for 100 block of Granby Street. Granby Station Food Hall https://www.granbystation.com/ 5:10 into the video.

St. Paul’s Area Plan (2012): https://www.norfolk.gov/documentcenter/view/1687 Downtown Pattern Book (2009): https://www.norfolk.gov/documentcenter/view/1634

Over the years I never recalled any plan that included skyscrapers. In fact, in the mid-1990's they were talking about big box stores along St. Pauls. This is what was proposed about 10-12 years ago: http://www.goodyclancy.com/projects/st-pauls-quadrant-area-plan/ A couple of years ago I was at some meeting in downtown and the consultants at the time stressed that SPQ should be mixed-income, mixed-use.

I think it needs to be put into context. At that time there were far fewer options for retail than we have now. Blue laws were in place that restricted hours of operation. Virginia Beach was getting going in the 60's and Chesapeake was still years off for development so the majority of the population was within shopping range of downtown. When our family moved here in the mid-70's the only places to shop were downtown, Military Circle/Janaf and Pembroke Mall plus Wards Corner and Princess Anne Plaza. Saturdays were crowded in a way that we can never experience today because of the internet, our 24/7 culture and the vast amount of shopping centers. Once you passed Pembroke Mall on Virginia Beach Blvd. headed east immediately past Willis Wayside it was open wooded land to Rosemont Road. Great Neck Road was two lanes through farms and woods its whole length, and with the exception of Kempsville everything below the "toll road" (I-264) was rural.

The old Quality Shop building on Plume Street was sold: Meet @ 3:19 LLC purchased a 7,986-square-foot office/retail building at 319 E. Plume St. in Norfolk from S & R Investors LLC for $750,000. http://www.dailypress.com/business/tidewater/dp-cook-out-little-creek-buys-norfolk-properties-20170802-story.html

Thanks for posting this. I forgot all about the produce being sold over there. In the summer it would be on the Freemason Street side of the building so to remain in the shade.

It was Granby & Freemason Streets. It is now part of TCC. The building is bricked up now, but it used to have plate glass windows wrap around Granby, Freemason and Monticello.

That used to be a men's clothing store. It is surprising that nothing happened with that property for all these years despite all the change around it. That property and the three adjacent to it are currently up for sale.

Waterside this afternoon.

I was there on Saturday, too, with my nephew having lunch. We noticed the uptick in pedestrian activity. The City does put up parklets from April to November on Granby and a couple other areas in downtown. Another new business is set to open on Granby. Finally seeing some positive use of this property. http://southsidedaily.com/2017/02/21/house-of-maya-bridal-salons-is-moving-to-downtown-norfolk/ VIRGINIA BEACH – House of Maya Bridal Salons announced on Tuesday that their Pure English Couture Bridal, Silk Social Occasion Studio, Maya Couture and Maya Couture on Main will merge into one storefront. Set to open on March 1, the new store will be located in downtown Norfolk at 258 Granby St., owner Maya Holihan said in a news release. The 13,000-square-foot retail space will combine the House of Maya headquarters and corporate offices on the second floor, allowing for a “more streamlined and efficient operation, increased accessibility for customers, and collaborative opportunities with downtown area businesses, institutions and organizations.”

Plenty of change is coming to the grocery sector. Lidl and Aldi on their own have the potential to upend the retail grocery landscape. Honestly I do not know how Farm Fresh has continued to survive as long as it has and wonder if Publix will take them over in the same way Publix recently took over the Richmond Martin's stores. Food Lion has been losing market share for years (shrinking demographic), and retail analysts think that they will bear the brunt of all the grocery changes. Wegmans brings in some staggering revenue numbers so they will siphon off business from competitors. Harris Teeter is owned by Kroger which may be challenged by Publix and Wegmans. Kroger has the financial resources to stay in the game so we will probably see them refurbish their stores to compete. Walmart Neighborhood groceries do not pull in the big revenue numbers and may be vulnerable to Aldi. In addition, Warren Buffett divested himself of all Walmart stock in a signal that he does not see the strength in the retail sector and approaching competition. The US is way overbuilt in retail square footage so casualties are coming. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2017/02/15/a-first-look-at-how-german-grocer-lidl-plans-to-conquer-the-u-s-market/?utm_term=.2241744b5884 http://www.valueline.com/Stocks/Highlights/SWOT_Analysis__The_Kroger_Company.aspx#.WKmoIvnyvIU http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Markets/Aldi-s-1.6bn-investment-a-wise-one-says-Kantar-Retail-analyst

2016 was a great year for building permits in Norfolk: http://pilotonline.com/business/biz-buzz/in-norfolk-was-a-banner-year-for-residential-building-city/article_2674cc85-7106-56aa-95af-951f710470fd.html Norfolk appears to have set a new record for residential building permits – at least since 2000, which is as far back as the city’s planning staff has looked. An annual internal report, which will be completed soon and sent to the City Council, found that 1,435 new dwelling units received permits in 2016, said city planner Jeremy Sharp, who described it as a “banner year” for residential building. By comparison, the average over the past five years was 824, he said. With about 260 units demolished – a rate Sharp describes as “normal” – that’s a net of 1,175 more “homes” (mostly additional apartments) in Norfolk. Staffers believe the uptick is a mark of economic recovery. The city also saw a rise in planning and zoning applications. Norfolk received 212 applications in 2016, compared with an average of 169 over the past decade, Sharp said. The type the Planning Commission saw the most: those dubbed “special exception” applications. The title is somewhat of a misnomer, as it merely refers to proposed property uses that trigger a public hearing and more intense review. Of the 2016 requests, 133 were special exception applications. The majority sought permission for handling alcohol and entertainment establishments. – Elisha Sauers, The Pilot