Norfolk Off-Topic

[mintscraft56]

Oh Norfolk.. What you couldve had, what we could have been.... Can you believe its been almost 20 years since Granby Tower was announced?!? 
We were all 20 years younger, and frankly, I didnt exist yet! 

When will the feds step off the turf and let a professional developer take over the site 

 

Edited September 5, 2023 by mintscraft56

[BFG]

Can't really blame that on the city...the Great Recession killed that one. It's unfortunate how many projects died because of economic circumstances: GT was due to the recession, Gateway Tower next to City Hall and the hotel at MacArthur went under during the pandemic. That said, I do wish Norfolk would propose more towers and get this arena built. The last major project we had in downtown proper was The Main...six years ago.

[baobabs727]

On 9/5/2023 at 10:13 AM, mintscraft56 said:

Oh Norfolk.. What you couldve had, what we could have been.... Can you believe its been almost 20 years since Granby Tower was announced?!? 
We were all 20 years younger, and frankly, I didnt exist yet! 

When will the feds step off the turf and let a professional developer take over the site 

 

Sigh. Yes, I remember the grand-opening party for their incredible model unit very, very well. This was late 2003/early 2004.  EDIT:  Found my paperwork and it was actually 2005! LOL. I got this one confused with 388 BOUSH ST. My the years are tough on the ol' memory banks!  But it was 2-3 years before the peak of the real estate market  and before the worldwide economic collapse. But back to the party.  Actually, the developer had so much interest he had to hold two separate events...back-to-back.  'Twas the talk of the town, I tell ya. Exciting stuff.  I attended the first party. My number was 16. More on that later.  Think great big tent:  Chandeliers, a string quartet, massive ice sculpture, heavy hors d'oeuvres $$$$ ...and a slick, Chicago-based sales staff manning their newly-minted $1,000,000.00 modular, true-to-scale, fully furnished, fully equipped sales unit. Mind-blowing quality and detail. It even had windows with faux sunlight and a superimposed view of Downtown and the Elizabeth River.  Sensory overload would be an understatement. So, I was the 16th person called into the sales pitch area that day... where I would eventually hand over around 22K, or 50 percent of the required min. down payment/deposit on a 16th floor, South-facing 1BR/1.5BA 950 sf unit.  I was really pumped. I remember leaving with a really cool Granby Tower Tote and a custom made viewfinder where you would click through and see slides showcasing views from different floors and exposures of the yet-to-be-built Granby Tower! An ICON to be! Spectacular, indeed.  

But as the deadline approached for the payment of the remaining 22k deposit and final contract ratification (read: BINDING AGREEMENT!), the then-ongoing news headlines gave me extreme pause. Would the FEDS kill the deal?  Would my money be tied up indefinitely? There were many rumors! Luckily, I had some "insider" info, and the consensus was YES. Highly likely. RUN!  Damn. I was sooooo disappointed! Nevertheless, I ignored my heart and listened to my brain and scheduled an appointment to meet with the sales director straight away.  Call it a Spidey sense. IDK.  And after about 30 tense minutes of the sales director trying her best to talk me out of bailing on the project, she finally declared defeat.  Crestfallen, she informed me that my 22K refund check would be ready in a week or two.  As I was heading out, her tone changed. Indeed, tersely and with a steely gaze, this lady asked me to return my Granby Tower tote bag, that super neat view finder and all other promotional goodies I had been given at the party! HAHA!  I had to laugh inside. She was mos def very pissed. She had even offered to have Buddy call me or meet with me, a request that I had declined,  politely. 

And so that was that. The end of the road. That was the end of my love affair with Granby Tower.  However,  that was NOT the end for many others who held on...and waited...and waited....all in good faith, believing Buddy and the City ...only later to see  their $$$...in some instances 150K-200K.... tied up for months and months ...and years, even... ...refunds delayed or refused.  Lawsuits. You see, our deposits were pre-financing the building!  He needed our cash.  The impending recession would go on to demonstrate that big time.

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by baobabs727

[mintscraft56]

4 hours ago, baobabs727 said:

Sigh. Yes, I remember the grand-opening party for their incredible model unit very, very well. This was late 2003/early 2004.  My memory fails me 20 years later...probably b/c I had several other business deals going on and a very sick Mom at  the time. But it was 3-4 years before the peak of the real estate market  and well before the worldwide economic collapse. But back to the party.  Actually, the developer had so much interest he had to hold two separate events...back-to-back.  'Twas the talk of the town, I tell ya. Exciting stuff.  I attended the first party. My number was 16. More on that later.  Think great big tent:  Chandeliers, a string quartet, massive ice sculpture, heavy hors d'oeuvres $$$$ ...and a slick, Chicago-based sales staff manning their newly-minted $1,000,000.00 modular, true-to-scale, fully furnished, fully equipped sales unit. Mind-blowing quality and detail. It even had windows with faux sunlight and a superimposed view of Downtown and the Elizabeth River.  Sensory overload would be an understatement. So, I was the 16th person called into the sales pitch area that day... where I would eventually hand over around 22K, or 50 percent of the required min. down payment/deposit on a 16th floor, South-facing 1BR/1.5BA 950 sf unit.  I was really pumped. I remember leaving with a really cool Granby Tower Tote and a custom made viewfinder where you would click through and see slides showcasing views from different floors and exposures of the yet-to-be-built Granby Tower! An ICON to be! Spectacular, indeed.  

But as the deadline approached for the payment of the remaining 22k deposit and final contract ratification (read: BINDING AGREEMENT!), the then-ongoing news headlines gave me extreme pause. Would the FEDS kill the deal?  Would my money be tied up indefinitely? There were many rumors! Luckily, I had some "insider" info, and the consensus was YES. Highly likely. RUN!  Damn. I was sooooo disappointed! Nevertheless, I ignored my heart and listened to my brain and scheduled an appointment to meet with the sales director straight away.  Call it a Spidey sense. IDK.  And after about 30 tense minutes of the sales director trying her best to talk me out of bailing on the project, she finally declared defeat.  Crestfallen, she informed me that my 22K refund check would be ready in a week or two.  As I was heading out, her tone changed. Indeed, tersely and with a steely gaze, this lady asked me to return my Granby Tower tote bag, that super neat view finder and all other promotional goodies I had been given at the party! HAHA!  I had to laugh inside. She was mos def very pissed. She had even offered to have Buddy call me or meet with me, a request that I had declined,  politely. 

And so that was that. The end of the road. That was the end of my love affair with Granby Tower.  However,  that was NOT the end for many others who held on...and waited...and waited....all in good faith, believing Buddy and the City ...only later to see  their $$$...in some instances 150K-200K.... tied up for months and months ...and years, even... ...refunds delayed or refused.  Lawsuits. You see, our deposits were pre-financing the building!  He needed our cash.  The impending recession would go on to demonstrate that big time.

 

1- I love the way you wrote this. Feels very emotion packed and easy to read and understand while using good grammar. (You should write a book)
2- Your lucky to have noticed the impending doom of the project in time.
3- I really hope the project or something resembling it will be proposed there again as the market heals, As we have seen with other buildings that had been previously cancelled but then re-proposed and built.

Edited September 6, 2023 by mintscraft56

[carolinaboy]

I was excited when Granby Tower was proposed. I was even more excited when construction started. That tower would have made such an impact on the skyline and would have literally elevated it in more ways than one. Maybe one day Buddy can build his signature tower.

[Norva757]

Feds did have a part in it. Im sure there was more than that going on in the background. Maybe the feds were just the fall guy for not having the financials secured. GSA tried to use rules created after 9-11 to take the land even though there was Judges that had deposits on the condos. They waited till piles were being driven to try to stake claim on the land. I’m wondering if the financial entities didn’t think there was enough deposits and interest into justifying the financing of the tower. I guess we will never know 

[baobabs727]

16 hours ago, mintscraft56 said:

1- I love the way you wrote this. Feels very emotion packed and easy to read and understand while using good grammar. (You should write a book)
2- Your lucky to have noticed the impending doom of the project in time.
3- I really hope the project or something resembling it will be proposed there again as the market heals, As we have seen with other buildings that had been previously cancelled but then re-proposed and built.

Thanks. And Lucky is right.  I hope so, too. This whole thing still saddens me to this very day.

[BFG]

$500 million project in Norfolk transforming Lamberts Point area into offshore wind, shipbuilding hub. Set to bring 750 jobs.

This is huge.

https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/09/16/500-million-project-in-norfolk-transforming-lamberts-point-area-into-offshore-wind-shipbuilding-hub/

[mintscraft56]

On 9/16/2023 at 12:32 PM, BFG said:

$500 million project in Norfolk transforming Lamberts Point area into offshore wind, shipbuilding hub. Set to bring 750 jobs.

This is huge.

https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/09/16/500-million-project-in-norfolk-transforming-lamberts-point-area-into-offshore-wind-shipbuilding-hub/

Dang! Shipbuilding is serious business, especially if we are talking about for the navy. A new hub would bring good economical impacts and lots of jobs. 

[ONCE1stBlvd]

On 9/5/2023 at 6:21 PM, baobabs727 said:

Sigh. Yes, I remember the grand-opening party for their incredible model unit very, very well. This was late 2003/early 2004.  EDIT:  Found my paperwork and it was actually 2005! LOL. I got this one confused with 388 BOUSH ST. My the years are tough on the ol' memory banks!  But it was 2-3 years before the peak of the real estate market  and before the worldwide economic collapse. But back to the party.  Actually, the developer had so much interest he had to hold two separate events...back-to-back.  'Twas the talk of the town, I tell ya. Exciting stuff.  I attended the first party. My number was 16. More on that later.  Think great big tent:  Chandeliers, a string quartet, massive ice sculpture, heavy hors d'oeuvres $$$$ ...and a slick, Chicago-based sales staff manning their newly-minted $1,000,000.00 modular, true-to-scale, fully furnished, fully equipped sales unit. Mind-blowing quality and detail. It even had windows with faux sunlight and a superimposed view of Downtown and the Elizabeth River.  Sensory overload would be an understatement. So, I was the 16th person called into the sales pitch area that day... where I would eventually hand over around 22K, or 50 percent of the required min. down payment/deposit on a 16th floor, South-facing 1BR/1.5BA 950 sf unit.  I was really pumped. I remember leaving with a really cool Granby Tower Tote and a custom made viewfinder where you would click through and see slides showcasing views from different floors and exposures of the yet-to-be-built Granby Tower! An ICON to be! Spectacular, indeed.  

But as the deadline approached for the payment of the remaining 22k deposit and final contract ratification (read: BINDING AGREEMENT!), the then-ongoing news headlines gave me extreme pause. Would the FEDS kill the deal?  Would my money be tied up indefinitely? There were many rumors! Luckily, I had some "insider" info, and the consensus was YES. Highly likely. RUN!  Damn. I was sooooo disappointed! Nevertheless, I ignored my heart and listened to my brain and scheduled an appointment to meet with the sales director straight away.  Call it a Spidey sense. IDK.  And after about 30 tense minutes of the sales director trying her best to talk me out of bailing on the project, she finally declared defeat.  Crestfallen, she informed me that my 22K refund check would be ready in a week or two.  As I was heading out, her tone changed. Indeed, tersely and with a steely gaze, this lady asked me to return my Granby Tower tote bag, that super neat view finder and all other promotional goodies I had been given at the party! HAHA!  I had to laugh inside. She was mos def very pissed. She had even offered to have Buddy call me or meet with me, a request that I had declined,  politely. 

And so that was that. The end of the road. That was the end of my love affair with Granby Tower.  However,  that was NOT the end for many others who held on...and waited...and waited....all in good faith, believing Buddy and the City ...only later to see  their $$$...in some instances 150K-200K.... tied up for months and months ...and years, even... ...refunds delayed or refused.  Lawsuits. You see, our deposits were pre-financing the building!  He needed our cash.  The impending recession would go on to demonstrate that big time.

 

Oh my!

This story is heartbreaking. I rarely respond to much on this page anymore but....eeeeek(wanna say something else but I doubt the moderator could handle it) this is disheartening. I was excited for the Granby Tower as well.  Ur ear initially a twin tower endeavor! 

I was done studying for my regional design degree and this project was ultimately a great springboard for how hidden agendas circumvent proper business. 

[baobabs727]

1 hour ago, ONCE1stBlvd said:

Oh my!

This story is heartbreaking. I rarely respond to much on this page anymore but....eeeeek(wanna say something else but I doubt the moderator could handle it) this is disheartening. I was excited for the Granby Tower as well.  Ur ear initially a twin tower endeavor! 

I was done studying for my regional design degree and this project was ultimately a great springboard for how hidden agendas circumvent proper business. 

Heartbreaking, indeed. And the sad part is that there was a very small window in time to get something iconic  like a Granby Tower done in Norfolk...and now we fast forward nearly 20 years and there is virtually no realistic hope for something like a Granby Tower in sight. I fear 'twas but a once in a lifetime opportunity for Norfolk. 

By the way, welcome back! So glad to have someone of your caliber here. Do stick around, won't you?

[mintscraft56]

2 hours ago, ONCE1stBlvd said:

Oh my!

This story is heartbreaking. I rarely respond to much on this page anymore but....eeeeek(wanna say something else but I doubt the moderator could handle it) this is disheartening. I was excited for the Granby Tower as well.  Ur ear initially a twin tower endeavor! 

I was done studying for my regional design degree and this project was ultimately a great springboard for how hidden agendas circumvent proper business. 

Hey welcome back! 

I remember you from a few years ago arguing about Norfolk and NYC or something like that. Though its nice to see you back. Do you regularly check out the forums or is this the first time in years?  

[EJ_LEWIS]

I guess we have to resign ourselves to 4-8 story buildings for the near future.  I think that St. Paul's quadrant is developing a real presence downtown and up the urban feel.  

[mintscraft56]

55 minutes ago, EJ_LEWIS said:

I guess we have to resign ourselves to 4-8 story buildings for the near future.  I think that St. Paul's quadrant is developing a real presence downtown and up the urban feel.  

I wouldn't say so just yet. There's always a chance some developer might announce something bigger for downtown. We just have to wait...

[HRVA]

Community workshop this Saturday at Harbor Park for the comprehensive plan. Hope the Norfolk residents on this forum can take time to be part of this process. 
https://www.norfolk.gov/nfk2050?mibextid=Zxz2cZ

[ONCE1stBlvd]

On 9/23/2023 at 12:16 AM, mintscraft56 said:

Hey welcome back! 

I remember you from a few years ago arguing about Norfolk and NYC or something like that. Though its nice to see you back. Do you regularly check out the forums or is this the first time in years?  

The forums can be a bit of an echo chamber but it is a great place to find news that we may not find shared through commercial media outlets. I check for news from cities over lived in including, of course NYC and Norfolk. 

[mintscraft56]

Guys, what cities are actually suburbs of Norfolk?  Chesapeake is probably the most obvious one, but im sure there's more, right? I get they are "cities". But in reality, these are just county sized areas that the state calls a city. 

[BFG]

Portsmouth
Suffolk
Anything in Isle of Wight

Although anytime a national publication refers to a local city in such a way, the residents get pretty offended (even though it's more or less the truth). Norfolk and VB are the recognizable names and it's easier to refer to a smaller city that way instead of getting technical.

It's kinda odd when Dateline does a murder mystery and calls Norfolk "sleepy" or a "college town". I don't think we're either.

[mintscraft56]

10 hours ago, BFG said:

It's kinda odd when Dateline does a murder mystery and calls Norfolk "sleepy" or a "college town". I don't think we're either.

Yea. Sleepy is such a horrible word to describe us......Maybe the producers should actually get to know the area which holds close to 2 million people. Definitely far from sleepy. And Collage town? Really? Since when was Norfolk a Collage town? Im starting to think they just didnt even bother visiting the area. 

[zeppelin14]

14 hours ago, mintscraft56 said:

Yea. Sleepy is such a horrible word to describe us......Maybe the producers should actually get to know the area which holds close to 2 million people. Definitely far from sleepy. And Collage town? Really? Since when was Norfolk a Collage town? Im starting to think they just didnt even bother visiting the area. 

Yeah..Norfolk definitely isn't a collage town.... You don't see them posting a bunch of photographs together.  

[Norf Native]

Another dead project…not sure if there was a forum for this.  

https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/11/03/developer-pulls-out-of-depaul-hospital-redevelopment-citing-rising-costs-interest-rates/

[NFKjeff]

The City of Norfolk has received a $39.2M grant from the DOT to facilitate the rebuilding of Fairwinds Landing, located at Lamberts Point. This area is slated to become an offshore wind power logistics hub.

https://www-13newsnow-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.13newsnow.com/amp/article/news/local/mycity/norfolk/39m-granted-to-norfolk-to-fund-offshore-wind-logistics-port/291-43691192-22b4-493f-b3b2-b43a44bbd342?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From %1%24s&aoh=16993057388066&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.13newsnow.com%2Farticle%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fmycity%2Fnorfolk%2F39m-granted-to-norfolk-to-fund-offshore-wind-logistics-port%2F291-43691192-22b4-493f-b3b2-b43a44bbd342

Edited November 6, 2023 by NFKjeff
Needed clarification.

[EJ_LEWIS]

Excellent news!  This is a big win for Norfolk, Hampton Roads and Virginia.  Norfolk has a chance to be a climate change and environmental hub.   This means jobs and prestige for the region.  

[Buildthetowers]

22 minutes ago, EJ_LEWIS said:

Excellent news!  This is a big win for Norfolk, Hampton Roads and Virginia.  Norfolk has a chance to be a climate change and environmental hub.   This means jobs and prestige for the region.  

What a waste of money!

[EJ_LEWIS]

4 minutes ago, Buildthetowers said:

What a waste of money!

How so? This will create 500 jobs with more on the way.