Norfolk Off-Topic

[HRVA]

.

Edited February 15 by HRVA
Moved response to Chesapeake thread.

[ONCE1stBlvd]

should we start a thread for media?  Off Topic is the only place I can think to put these things

 

 

On 2/8/2024 at 11:28 AM, mintscraft56 said:

Dude I wish. Our light rail is basically the symbol of unity here. It was built for the 7 cities, it was founded in the main city and was supposed to branch out. But like our unity, the lightrail never expanded across the city borders. Our area is not united at all and I think we can start using our light rail as an index to who we work well with....which is currently no one.  

My guy, we don't have to wish this!  Let's(you and I and others who are compelled enough) go to our city officials all over Greater Norfolk and present our concerns. 

I'm presently building relationships across the region to bring awareness to our potential(yes! OUR;  I finally moved to Norfolk.) I'm not waiting anymore

For the record, I love your idea that the train shows who Norfolk, the core city, works well with. So damn true ...

[vdogg]

I don't know if it's just my phone display but I am not liking the new forum layout and display. Looks less clean and kinda wonky.

Actually, seems to just be my phone. Doesn't look like this on my iPhone. On android it looks like a cluttered mess. Anyone else having issues?

[BFG]

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. 

[baobabs727]

Moderators board?

[ONCE1stBlvd]

https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/norfolk-grocery-store-ranked-one-of-the-worst-in-the-u-s/

 

Oh noooooo 

[mintscraft56]

Hey Norfolk heads up. The bridge collapse in Baltimore has shocked the nation, but now that their harbor is blocked, Norfolk is expecting A LOT of their cargo and ship traffic to shift over onto us. You hate thinking like this, and I hate thinking like this but everyone is thinking the same thing and the news is catching onto it. This is time for Norfolk to step up our game. Maybe we can prove something to the shipping industry here. Maybe we can be something these companies shift over too.

Again, im not celebrating tragedy for another city here but when conditions arise for Norfolk and our massive harbor/port to take the lead, then so be it. Send in the Ships! 



https://www.pilotonline.com/2024/03/26/port-of-virginia-baltimore-ship-traffic-bridge-collapse/?lctg=0362431585F604095574D5657D&utm_email=0362431585F604095574D5657D&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.pilotonline.com%2f2024%2f03%2f26%2fport-of-virginia-baltimore-ship-traffic-bridge-collapse%2f&utm_campaign=Breaking-News&utm_content=Alerts

FYI for those of you that have not checked our Norfolk Cruise Terminal posts, its worth noting that Carnival has now shifted their Cruise operations from Baltimore to Norfolk. 

Edited March 27 by mintscraft56

[NFKjeff]

Deleted 

Edited March 27 by NFKjeff

[mintscraft56]

8 hours ago, NFKjeff said:

Deleted 

What did you delete? 

[ONCE1stBlvd]

https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/mycity/hampton/hampton-roads-bridge-tunnel-hrbt-interstate-expansion-project-delayed/291-697af28a-e293-432b-b6b2-0c7ce7415d5d

[Urbanlooker]

A year and a half delay to "substantial" completion. I definitely expected delays but dang that's a big one. 

[mintscraft56]

(Summary: This is gonna be a long(ish) read on Richmond and Norfolk, and what I witnessed and realized as I visited their beautiful (soon to be my home) city)

BTW take my opinion with a grain of salt if you wish, but just let me talk. 

So I think something has opened my eyes about Richmond. I may or may not be a student of VCU next year (VCU had more opportunities for me than ODU) and I visited Richmond this past Monday to further tour the campus and meet guidance councilors, ect. As I walked the streets of the "Fan District" and the VCU campus I was awe struck with a realization of what Norfolk needs to improve, add, ect. I dont know why and I dont know how but I have always neglected to check out areas outside of their Downtown. The first thing that struck me when I left their downtown district was the fact that the surroundings were still very much Urban. Infact, I was surrounded by busy sidewalks, streets, and a sea of mid/lowrise (Yet VERY urban) buildings. 

Then it clicked.....Holy heck. When I walk away from Downtown Norfolk/Neon District I automatically end up in urban neighborhoods of single lone standing unconnected houses with lawns and driveways. Something is wrong. How the heck did I go from Towers to small single homes in a matter of a few blocks? We are missing urban(ness(?)) around our downtown. 

Below is a picture I will attach that I took of Richmond from the VCU campus. Look how far away the downtown is and look how urban the city still is from that far away. I would like to say the saying "I hate to say it" but honestly I dont hate to say it at all, Richmond is a beautiful city and im starting to like it more over Norfolk just from this one experience. Norfolk will forever be my home at heart but I cant help to think that Richmond has their crap together. Anyways I look forward to moving to my new home for 4 years. It seems my love of urban places is in safe hands with Richmond till I return (I wont be going for a few months though, so ill be here a while) 

[HRVA]

12 minutes ago, mintscraft56 said:

(Summary: This is gonna be a long(ish) read on Richmond and Norfolk, and what I witnessed and realized as I visited their beautiful (soon to be my home) city)

BTW take my opinion with a grain of salt if you wish, but just let me talk. 

So I think something has opened my eyes about Richmond. I may or may not be a student of VCU next year (VCU had more opportunities for me than ODU) and I visited Richmond this past Monday to further tour the campus and meet guidance councilors, ect. As I walked the streets of the "Fan District" and the VCU campus I was awe struck with a realization of what Norfolk needs to improve, add, ect. I dont know why and I dont know how but I have always neglected to check out areas outside of their Downtown. The first thing that struck me when I left their downtown district was the fact that the surroundings were still very much Urban. Infact, I was surrounded by busy sidewalks, streets, and a sea of mid/lowrise (Yet VERY urban) buildings. 

Then it clicked.....Holy heck. When I walk away from Downtown Norfolk/Neon District I automatically end up in urban neighborhoods of single lone standing unconnected houses with lawns and driveways. Something is wrong. How the heck did I go from Towers to small single homes in a matter of a few blocks? We are missing urban(ness(?)) around our downtown. 

Below is a picture I will attach that I took of Richmond from the VCU campus. Look how far away the downtown is and look how urban the city still is from that far away. I would like to say the saying "I hate to say it" but honestly I dont hate to say it at all, Richmond is a beautiful city and im starting to like it more over Norfolk just from this one experience. Norfolk will forever be my home at heart but I cant help to think that Richmond has their crap together. Anyways I look forward to moving to my new home for 4 years. It seems my love of urban places is in safe hands with Richmond till I return (I wont be going for a few months though, so ill be here a while) 

Richmond didn’t have the massive urban renewal/clear cutting of their urban landscape that Norfolk did. They also benefit from being the clear CBD in the region where each city down here seems to have their version of one, even if Norfolk is the main one. There were a lot of vacant buildings though as the flight to suburbia happened there like everywhere else but a lot of it has been repurposed more recently.

I love visiting Richmond and very nearly made it my home ~15 years ago. Always exciting to see what is going on in their neck of the woods. I’m sure you’ll do well there and I’ll be curious to see your perspective once you’ve settled in. 

[BFG]

Congrats on VCU! It’s a great school and I love their downtown campus. 

My fiancée and I went to to DC for NYE weekend and on the way back had lunch in Richmond. They have a nice downtown but I couldn’t help but notice that it didn’t seem very active. New Year’s Day was a Monday so maybe people were still hungover, but I think Granby seems busier by comparison. I wanna go back though…it was also pretty gloomy that day. 

[ONCE1stBlvd]

https://www.pilotonline.com/2024/04/01/local-legends-pharrell-williams-and-chad-hugo-in-legal-battle-over-neptunes-name-rights/

[ONCE1stBlvd]

3 hours ago, mintscraft56 said:

(Summary: This is gonna be a long(ish) read on Richmond and Norfolk, and what I witnessed and realized as I visited their beautiful (soon to be my home) city)

BTW take my opinion with a grain of salt if you wish, but just let me talk. 

So I think something has opened my eyes about Richmond. I may or may not be a student of VCU next year (VCU had more opportunities for me than ODU) and I visited Richmond this past Monday to further tour the campus and meet guidance councilors, ect. As I walked the streets of the "Fan District" and the VCU campus I was awe struck with a realization of what Norfolk needs to improve, add, ect. I dont know why and I dont know how but I have always neglected to check out areas outside of their Downtown. The first thing that struck me when I left their downtown district was the fact that the surroundings were still very much Urban. Infact, I was surrounded by busy sidewalks, streets, and a sea of mid/lowrise (Yet VERY urban) buildings. 

Then it clicked.....Holy heck. When I walk away from Downtown Norfolk/Neon District I automatically end up in urban neighborhoods of single lone standing unconnected houses with lawns and driveways. Something is wrong. How the heck did I go from Towers to small single homes in a matter of a few blocks? We are missing urban(ness(?)) around our downtown. 

Below is a picture I will attach that I took of Richmond from the VCU campus. Look how far away the downtown is and look how urban the city still is from that far away. I would like to say the saying "I hate to say it" but honestly I dont hate to say it at all, Richmond is a beautiful city and im starting to like it more over Norfolk just from this one experience. Norfolk will forever be my home at heart but I cant help to think that Richmond has their crap together. Anyways I look forward to moving to my new home for 4 years. It seems my love of urban places is in safe hands with Richmond till I return (I wont be going for a few months though, so ill be here a while) 

I'm gonna keep it an absolute $100 with you;  as I type this, I'm sitting in my car on Main Street IN Richmond... Just chilling. Fact is, something strange happened in the 7 cities that delivered a critical blow to Norfolk. It was that "urban renewal" bomb AND allowing 6, no...5 no...4 new cities to be created right next to one another, all of which were encouraged to operate as if none of the other cities around existed. Amazing

Every city in the states that was offered what Norfolk was offered(the renewal bomb is what I call it) and ACCEPTED IT, got there downtown decimated, except... they didn't have 4 other cities pop up next door(quite literally) within like, 20 years of one another. Insane.

It should've been illegal in VA, seeing how the counties and cities operate separately

[baobabs727]

On 4/2/2024 at 7:18 PM, mintscraft56 said:

(Summary: This is gonna be a long(ish) read on Richmond and Norfolk, and what I witnessed and realized as I visited their beautiful (soon to be my home) city)

BTW take my opinion with a grain of salt if you wish, but just let me talk. 

So I think something has opened my eyes about Richmond. I may or may not be a student of VCU next year (VCU had more opportunities for me than ODU) and I visited Richmond this past Monday to further tour the campus and meet guidance councilors, ect. As I walked the streets of the "Fan District" and the VCU campus I was awe struck with a realization of what Norfolk needs to improve, add, ect. I dont know why and I dont know how but I have always neglected to check out areas outside of their Downtown. The first thing that struck me when I left their downtown district was the fact that the surroundings were still very much Urban. Infact, I was surrounded by busy sidewalks, streets, and a sea of mid/lowrise (Yet VERY urban) buildings. 

Then it clicked.....Holy heck. When I walk away from Downtown Norfolk/Neon District I automatically end up in urban neighborhoods of single lone standing unconnected houses with lawns and driveways. Something is wrong. How the heck did I go from Towers to small single homes in a matter of a few blocks? We are missing urban(ness(?)) around our downtown. 

Below is a picture I will attach that I took of Richmond from the VCU campus. Look how far away the downtown is and look how urban the city still is from that far away. I would like to say the saying "I hate to say it" but honestly I dont hate to say it at all, Richmond is a beautiful city and im starting to like it more over Norfolk just from this one experience. Norfolk will forever be my home at heart but I cant help to think that Richmond has their crap together. Anyways I look forward to moving to my new home for 4 years. It seems my love of urban places is in safe hands with Richmond till I return (I wont be going for a few months though, so ill be here a while) 

Ok. I'm not discounting what you have observed there and expressed here, but your youthful exuberance is really showing lol. And good for you.  I mean, you're not going to get a 30, 40 or 50 year native of any City to change his/her allegiances or to otherwise declare their preference for another town over their own hometown...after one...single...visit.    I'd bet money that if after a year in Richmond you visited DC, Philly, NYC, Chicago,  each for a week, you would most promptly declare each one of those cities, in rapid succession, to be your (new) favorite over Richmond. LOL. Truth.  But yeah, Richmond's CBD, Downtown and urban residential districts are much larger than Norfolk's. Richmond is also the seat of governmental power for the Commonwealth, so you have to consider that a distinct advantage for them in terms of largesse. Richmond is also not bound by water on three sides, as Norfolk is bound.  Additionally, Richmond didn't suffer as much as Norfolk did from the annexation processes of the 21st Century. The rest of it, and more, was covered most expertly by HRVA.....   Now go forth and prosper!  

Edited April 5 by baobabs727

[mintscraft56]

32 minutes ago, baobabs727 said:

Ok. I'm not discounting what you have observed there and expressed here, but your youthful exuberance is really showing lol. And good for you.  I mean, you're not going to get a 30, 40 or 50 year native of any City to change his/her allegiances or to otherwise declare their preference for another town over their own hometown...after one...single...visit.    I'd bet money that if after a year in Richmond you visited DC, Philly, NYC, Chicago,  each for a week, you would most promptly declare each one of those cities, in rapid succession, to be your (new) favorite over Richmond. LOL. Truth.  But yeah, Richmond's CBD, Downtown and urban residential districts are much larger than Norfolk's. Richmond is also the seat of governmental power for the Commonwealth, so you have to consider that a distinct advantage for them in terms of largesse. Richmond is also not bound by water on three sides, as Norfolk is bound.  Additionally, Richmond didn't suffer as much as Norfolk did from the annexation processes of the 21st Century. The rest of it, and more, was covered most expertly by HRVA.....   Now go forth and prosper!  

Truth be told, I dont have the experience yall have with this type of stuff just yet. I understand Norfolk is basically held down by 3 other cities (Portsmouth is the only other city that should exist). Your right though, a single visit is definitely not something I should base my favoritism on and as said before my favorite will always be Norfolk since im native. I think the thing that struck me most in Richmond (struck me hard enough that I was compelled to write about it lol)  was the fact I was able to walk out of their downtown and still be in a urban apartment area. 

I got some growing to do though (and so does Norfolk). I'll never leave Norfolk in the dust but sometimes I cant help but notice sometimes other cities of similar size have that urban leverage over us.  

[ONCE1stBlvd]

4 hours ago, baobabs727 said:

Ok. I'm not discounting what you have observed there and expressed here, but your youthful exuberance is really showing lol. And good for you.  I mean, you're not going to get a 30, 40 or 50 year native of any City to change his/her allegiances or to otherwise declare their preference for another town over their own hometown...after one...single...visit.    I'd bet money that if after a year in Richmond you visited DC, Philly, NYC, Chicago,  each for a week, you would most promptly declare each one of those cities, in rapid succession, to be your (new) favorite over Richmond. LOL. Truth.  But yeah, Richmond's CBD, Downtown and urban residential districts are much larger than Norfolk's. Richmond is also the seat of governmental power for the Commonwealth, so you have to consider that a distinct advantage for them in terms of largesse. Richmond is also not bound by water on three sides, as Norfolk is bound.  Additionally, Richmond didn't suffer as much as Norfolk did from the annexation processes of the 21st Century. The rest of it, and more, was covered most expertly by HRVA.....   Now go forth and prosper!  

Bro, you never lied!  What I always find odd about Richmond is how unlikely it is that anyone younger actually stays in Richmond after graduation

It seems like a fun college town. But it blows my mind that hardly any one stays there past a few years. As a matter of fact, you kinda nailed it;  they always end up in DC or NY. Richmond is such a great starter city for young adults and it's really easy to avoid dangerous areas there as well.  Like, you won't just end up in the hood outta no where

[BFG]

I feel like a lotta that applies to HR too. Although we offer a little more with downtown Norfolk and the beaches, when I worked in news I saw several employees come to the area as a stepping stone to a Top 10 market like DC or San Francisco. 

I almost did the former but I’ve grown to love the area more. 

[baobabs727]

2 hours ago, ONCE1stBlvd said:

Bro, you never lied!  What I always find odd about Richmond is how unlikely it is that anyone younger actually stays in Richmond after graduation

It seems like a fun college town. But it blows my mind that hardly any one stays there past a few years. As a matter of fact, you kinda nailed it;  they always end up in DC or NY. Richmond is such a great starter city for young adults and it's really easy to avoid dangerous areas there as well.  Like, you won't just end up in the hood outta no where

Word 

[mintscraft56]

This picture taken nearly 20 years ago in 2006 (18 years) by vdogg stuck out to me. Something about this picture makes Norfolk look tall and big. 

 

Edited April 9 by mintscraft56

[BFG]

The tall building in the background is Dominion Enterprises. I’m guessing the one in the foreground is Harbor Heights. In another couple years they’d stay on the Wells Fargo tower.

What would it take to get more cranes in the ground? Even with just two buildings under construction downtown had more construction activity than it does now. 

[ONCE1stBlvd]

 

[ONCE1stBlvd]

interesting