mercuex

heh

heh, whatever. sorry suffolk.

Modeling and Simulation gets a boost in Newport News x2. 1. 100 new jobs from C2, plus another 20 in Hampton. 2. A new lab opens downtown.

Welcome to the forum and welcome to HR! You're right about Norfolk's skyline being somewhat small, but it is growing rather exponentially. The thing about Hampton Roads is that even though we have a pretty substantial population, it's spread out over a sprawling geographic area. What's more, most of the municipalities in Hampton Roads are cities, not counties - unlike the metros for most places. Some have taken to calling Hampton Roads the "7 cities," which represents these: -Norfolk -Virginia Beach -Newport News -Hampton -Chesapeake -Portsmouth -Williamsburg Of course there is also Poquson and an incorporated Suffolk city as well and a number of counties. The thing about Virginia laws on eminent domain make it so cities cannot take over counties/merge/do anything without approval from the General Assembly. This means that counties have been free from the specter of being swallowed and have, as Virginia Beach, eventualy become cities themselves. That helps explain the large geographic area of the metro. Back to the skyline, I should mention that because there are 6 major cities in the metro (plus Williamsburg which is not a major city - per se - but a significant one), construction in the region has been spread out. What skylines we do have make the region multimodal. Each city has its own (or 2) minature skylines to contribute. If they were all in one place it would be quite substantial, but the geographic and political realities make that pretty impossible. Norfolk: downtown + medical campus (2 skylines) Va Beach: Beachfront + Town Center (2) Newport News: City Center + Downtown (2) Hampton: Downtown (1) Chesapeake: (0) Portsmouth: Downtown/Waterfront (1) Williamsburg: (0) That's 8 skylines ... and I'm probably missing a few lesser concentrations. Each city developed more or less on its own. Newport News and Norfolk led the way on the Peninsula and Southside (respectively) for much of the 20th century mostly as disparate regions. When the Peninsula and Southside was eventually recognized as 1 whole metropolitan statistical area (in the late 70s I think?), impetus for real cooperation began - but there's a long way to go. The cities still act relatively independently. We're not even at a European Union type integration yet. Because of the geographic divide between the Peninsula and Southside (by the James River), it's an increasing challenge to link the two sides seamlessly. Traffic issues on both sides and a bottleneck effect on the bridge-tunnels make it difficult for the MSA to ever be a unimodal metro. That's not necessarily a bad thing since both sides are producing tremendous urban projects, but you'll never see a singular urban core the way you would in New York or even Richmond. Some, like me, prefer it that way. Others don't. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

frankly i think its pretty outrageous some of you people are just giving these obviously bad appropriations free passes and then going and saying that the state needs more money when we're running a surplus ... but what more should we expect from the mandarins in richmond's forbidden city? if you raise taxes when you're actually running a surplus, when do you stop raising taxes??? people are absolving the public servants from their job of running a tight and efficient government. managing finances is like good writing: vigorous and concise without the slop of extraneousness.

Let's not jump on coupe. I think he's probably as confused as anyone, considering that one would think with the extra money up here in the RIC, it would be used more responsibly. We shouldn't forget that out of all of Virginia, no one gets shafted like NOVA. Now I'm not much of a fan of the place and frankly, I think it's basically Maryland with lower taxes and unemployment. Point is, they dish out a great deal more money than they get back. I wonder how much of that goes to Richmond? Southside? Hampton Roads? I think the problem is the state having so much control on local money. Of course it makes sense to put the money where its needed, but in such large quantities make for all sorts of trouble. We need to bring fiscal accountability back to the grassroots level instead of being entrenched in Richmond or, worse, Washington. Our tax money is too important to trust the capital mandarins with it.

I'm with Rus on this one.

What the hell? This state is in a bonanza! We're running a hell of a surplus and all anyone can talk about is raising more money, as though that will wave a wand at the transportation problem. VDOT's funding has done something like triple in the last decade and what do we have to show for it? We need to stop thinking that throwing money at the problem will somehow cure our problems when this state wastes an enormous quantity of money each year on crap! Here's an eye-opening article from the Times Dispatch on that very thing. Read it all. If anything, our General Assembly has become addicted to spending and decidedly uninterested in being held accountable for funding ridiculous, non-essential earmarks. And what is Tim Kaine's brilliant solution? Taxing! And it isn't even user fee based taxes - there's no distinction between someone buying a car who (like me) can walk and take the bus most of the time and someone who commutes every day from Richmond to DC. I actually was fairly optimistic about Kaine before, but I feel that this is just the wrong way. There is a better way. The first thing this state needs to do is to carefully and earnestly reevaluate all the crap we spend our money on before talking about throwing more and more money. We complain a lot about this state giving an inordinate amount to the Richmond bigwigs, but maybe the solution means we have to get to the root of it all and give the localities more control (and thus the grassroots) to handle their own finances as best they see fit. Maybe it's a start. (By the way, I have to say - putting 3 dollar tolls at the bridge tunnels in HR will only split the region even further. When in NN I rarely go to Norfolk except when I worked there last summer, but I'd be even less inclined if there were a toll involved. I don't carry cash.)

Yeah I agree w Wrldcoupe ... After the emotional rollercoaster with the expos, I just don't know if my heart can take it anymore! Ya know? I mean, we're at the age where we want to settle down and take it easy, HR is too old for these kind of mind games. Sheesh. I still want Major League Soccer to come. I know everyone hates that but I don't care. I love it. And I wish the Mariners didn't have their stadium in China.

In case you care, from the City Center Feb Newsletter: Red Star Tavern is open for business and Sunglass Hut is another new tenant

This is an interesting read on high speed rail in Virginia Business Magazine. For the optimists of the group, it's a mouth-watering kind of article and it will make ya'll hop up in down in your seat in anticipation - just don't let you boss see you or else he may get wind of you doing UrbanPlanet all day instead of the work you don't do. My problem with these kind of articles is the "Popular Science effect" - it makes you feel like we're on the verge of something really amazing and it just never materializes. At this point, I just get pissed off reading these things because then I feel like I'm reading a PopSci article on personal spaceships or something. If you think it's worthwhile, check out Virginians for High Speed Rail ... though I don't know if they've really made any progress since they've been around. What did I do? I emailed Virgin Trains (in the UK) and pleaded for them to come here. It might be worthwhile (if we were organized somehow) to lobby with Wolsley North America (now based in NN) to talk to their London-based counterparts in getting the chaps up at Virgin interested in Virginia. Thoughts?

Has anyone seen this really really awesome interview by the American Enterprise Magazine with New Urbanism godfather Andres Duany?? It's fantastic. If you consider yourself a conservative and smart growth advocate you'll probably feel the most gratified by the interview but it really is an informative and compelling read for anyone! Duany for President!

It's a good point you're making, but the city is working on a more comprehensive program than simply reimbursing the residents, etc. The name of the game is income-mixing, which reverses ghettoization and helps strengthen communities. It's a far better plan than sticking the poor into a corner and pretending they don't exist.

Here's a fun anecdote. Here at work, I usually listen to a British classical station that broadcasts online, Classic FM. Apparently the release of the New World up in the UK is a big deal and they've been talking about it a fair bit up there. In fact, today they had a contest where the station has been giving away prizes of a vacation package to listeners to visit Hampton Roads for 11 Days, all expenses paid. It's just so funny to hear about them talk about Virginia all the way up in London and to listen to people, upon hearing they've won, get real excited. I can just imagine this one lady flying into one of our Airports (probably PHF or RIC) and taking a vacation here. It's just so neat.

Wolseley Posts Surging Sales Here's a bit of neat news for HR.

I'd say that's a pretty legit observation, even if it is a trifle unfair. Nice thing about the 'old geezers' is that they often bring money with them, which means that we may have an opportunity to build on their wealth to have the infrastructure to attract a younger crowd. HR has done a lot these past 5 yrs or so to make this area a more culturally-friendly place, something that really appeals to the baby boomers who want to retire in culture-rich areas. Now I think we need to think about how to make it hip. Not "groovy." Way too Port Warwickish for me. We need better nightlife, more opportunties for the u-30 crowd to socialize, and the jobs to make it happen. I think that when Town Center, City Center/OP Corridor, DT Norfolk and DT Hampton get built out we'll have the shopping districts and nightlife to bring young people here.

Just a heads up, the new City Center newsletter is up for January. Interesting, but nothing earth-shattering.

Well it's not supposed to be "Urban" in the City-Center sense. But it is going to be laid out in a grid-pattern with relatively high density. I've heard it described as being a "fourth leg" in the historic triangle. It's going to end up being half a billion dollars of investment in this small area, so I'm not worried. It will certainly have more in common with Port Warwick than City Center, but may be less dense just given the amount of space that they're using. It will be more like small clumps of development here and there with wider spaces in the interim. I imagine Freeman, who pulled out on his own accord, decided to drop out because he wanted to concentrate more on Port Warwick, which continues to mature immensely. I have my problems with the way it's become sort of a toff's paradise, but its undeniable that it's a beautiful and well crafted community.

Exciting time! Don't you guys forget about the Mariner's Watch infill project that is happening in the Southeastern community (East End)! This, coupled with the 750 new Navy apartments downtown, will probably help revitalize the DT area as well!

I was leaning towards Kaine in this race but now I'm thinking Kilgore since his transportation plan has a lot more depth than Kaine's... it may all hinge on transportation for me this yr.

email correspondence I had with a guy from the city about light rail: we shall see.

Since when did anyone figure it would supercede Colonial Williamsburg as the focal point of the historic area? Like I said before, the main reason they are developing the area is entirely out of concern that high tax bracket residents were moving to Williamsburg and the counties. This would specifically cater to them. Even though the city says the area is underdeveloped, the propery sits right adjacent to areas that do have contiguous developments on them. My friend's father actually owns an apt complex down there and he's making a killing. I imagine he'll be upgrading those apartments soon enough. Anyway, the Lee Hall are gets a modest amount of tourism as it is without a half billion dollars of new development. This new development just may give it a much needed shot in the arm of investment that will encourage people to come. While 180,000 square feet isn't Merchant's Square, it aint nothing either. With the residential concentration and shops, it will give new impetus for people to come to the area. I don't think 10 miles is such an impossible distance given the fact that people always brave our horrendous traffic problem to get from the Peninsula to DT Norfolk of Va Beach which is about 20 miles at the closest point (via MMBT). Compartively speaking, its a hop, skip, and a jump away from both CW and NNWIA ... and easy to drive to via Rt 60 which makes the transportation issue far less daunting. I just started up school again and I've been settling into all that. I'm juggling school with work and some other stuff so its given me less time for leisure. Plus I'm not at a computer all the time like I used to be over the summer. I hope everyone is doing well.

Well your argument falls apart when you consider its proximity to the historic triangle. Its been slated as a complementary component of the historic area. The whole idea was to attract more tourism to Newport News (as opposed to what is there now - nothing) and to stop the hemorrhaging of upscale residents to the counties and Williamsburg. It was never meant to be a major regional shopping destination - you're right, we have Oyster Point for that, but it is meant to preserve a critical tax base and bring in tourism to an underused and potentially very lucrative area.

Airport Gets a Face Lift on today's Daily Press

Um? It's included in the overall metro count and they are much closer to being on the Peninsula than not. Look at the map - both pretty much border Newport News and therefore aren't technically anything more than a second from NN