Hampton Roads Off-Topic Talk

[VAGATOR]

Does anybody else find it odd when Frank Batten wants build a tower in downtown Norfolk, within 6 months, they are already laying the foundation. yet this Hilton project with Robert Johnson has been lagging for years? This tower maybe built, I'm not sure, but I can bet you the Norfolk good ole boys(Fraim, Moss, Decker, Wright) will be dictating this project, not Robert Johnson. Some things never change.

[rusthebuss]

Does anybody else find it odd when Frank Batten wants build a tower in downtown Norfolk, within 6 months, they are already laying the foundation. yet this Hilton project with Robert Johnson has been lagging for years? This tower maybe built, I'm not sure, but I can bet you the Norfolk good ole boys(Fraim, Moss, Decker, Wright) will be dictating this project, not Robert Johnson. Some things never change.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just wait and you will see. I think that this building is having issues with the parking garage, convention center and also the possible condos going on top. I think this project is going to be big one and that is why it is taking sometime. I think this is also a timing issue as well. I don't really think that it has nothing to do with the good ole boys system.

[urbanvb]

This is unrelated to building and construction and I hope it is ok to post here since it is 'off topic' - I am wondering what in the heck is going on in our area with crimes again children? Today in the Pilot is a story about a 64 year old retired officer groping a girl. The other day a father crashed his car and ran away, leaving his daughter which eventually died. And the last few weeks cases of shaken baby syndrome where one mother was caught on hospital film smothering her child and another case where a father was convicted of shaking his baby so hard it died. And I read last year where a mother left her 3 kids abandoned in the library. I just don't understand it. And the child protective agency says our area has 33% of child abuse in the whole state. I have heard child abuse is worse in military families though I don't know if this is true or not but surely there is a deeper issue. I have a difficult time understanding how a mother or a father do this to their own flesh and blood. It saddens and angers me to no end. Small kids are defenseless and have no way of protecting themselves. And folks every day are seeking to adopt kids all the while this abuse goes on. This type of behavior makes me just shake my head in disbelief.

[rusthebuss]

This is unrelated to building and construction and I hope it is ok to post here since it is 'off topic' - I am wondering what in the heck is going on in our area with crimes again children? Today in the Pilot is a story about a 64 year old retired officer groping a girl. The other day a father crashed his car and ran away, leaving his daughter which eventually died. And the last few weeks cases of shaken baby syndrome where one mother was caught on hospital film smothering her child and another case where a father was convicted of shaking his baby so hard it died. And I read last year where a mother left her 3 kids abandoned in the library. I just don't understand it. And the child protective agency says our area has 33% of child abuse in the whole state. I have heard child abuse is worse in military families though I don't know if this is true or not but surely there is a deeper issue. I have a difficult time understanding how a mother or a father do this to their own flesh and blood. It saddens and angers me to no end. Small kids are defenseless and have no way of protecting themselves. And folks every day are seeking to adopt kids all the while this abuse goes on. This type of behavior makes me just shake my head in disbelief.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I totally agree with you. Also I think Norfolk is trying to catch up with Richmond with murders.

[Chesapeake Pirate]

Does anybody else find it odd when Frank Batten wants build a tower in downtown Norfolk, within 6 months, they are already laying the foundation. yet this Hilton project with Robert Johnson has been lagging for years? This tower maybe built, I'm not sure, but I can bet you the Norfolk good ole boys(Fraim, Moss, Decker, Wright) will be dictating this project, not Robert Johnson. Some things never change.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think any project that brings the number and quality of jobs downtown that Trader will would have the same level of cooperation from the city.

I notice you didn't mention the Harbor Heights tower. What is the city's sin on that one?

The fact is that years and years of good moves by the city has finally created the developmental synergy that should allow most projects from here on to proceed with mostly private financing.

Chesapeake Pirate

Edited July 14, 2005 by Chesapeake Pirate

[willy]

I notice you didn't mention the Harbor Heights tower. What is the city's sin on that one?

LOL, yeah that one started construction pretty fast too. The developer must have bought ALL of the "good ole boys" lunch or something.

[rusthebuss]

LOL, yeah that one started construction pretty fast too. The developer must have bought ALL of the "good ole boys"  lunch or something.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think there is a little more to the Hilton than we realize. HH doesn't have a city garage, and a city owned convention center either. The hilton has some city funds or capital being attributed to the project and they had leases to wait for to expire. I noticed that you never talk about how racially motivated our councilman Riddick is. He is always spewing words like Honky, Cracker and such. He is not setting a good example with doulbe standards. I bet when you find out more details with this project you will see why it is taking so long to come about. Maybe its the developers that are holding the project up and you never said anything about that. I think they are still juggling how to implement the condos into the hotel and how it will be designed. Also you have to remember that its right beside the Trader building construction and it would cause alot of traffic problems dt with something going on side by side like that.

[vdogg]

Looks like we've finally caught the ire of the talknet board Nimby's. I was wondering how long that was gonna take . Look at post 131. Growth Lobby Myth

[rusthebuss]

Looks like we've finally caught the ire of the talknet board Nimby's. I was wondering how long that was gonna take  . Look at post 131. Growth Lobby Myth

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Those guys are idiots. First they said the Republicans raised taxes. They are stupid the republicans always slash taxes and the democrats raise taxes. They sound like a bunch of morons.

[vdogg]

I understand what you're saying but lets stay away from the whole republican/democrat thing and focus on the urban renewal issue. The reason I posted this was to draw attention to comments made against regionalism in our area, and their reasoning behind it, as that is an urban development issue.

[rusthebuss]

Those guys are idiots. First they said the Republicans raised taxes. They are stupid the republicans always slash taxes and the democrats raise taxes. They sound like a bunch of morons.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was just proving how much of idiots they are. I wasn't trying to go political or anything. Just shows that they are ignorant at what they are discussing which includes regionalism.

[hoobo]

I understand what you're saying but lets stay away from the whole republican/democrat thing and focus on the urban renewal issue. The reason I posted this was to draw attention to comments made against regionalism in our area, and their reasoning behind it, as that is an urban development issue.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I remember the good ole days debating anti-growth, anti-tax, anti-everything Reid Greenum in the Talknet forums. It was impossible to convince him that TC and its associated TIF was a good thing. Oh well.

Dems and Repubs...the fun debate that would be. All I have to say is that both parties are running to their extremes and abandoning the sensible median known as moderate. This is a problem in terms of economics and growth because the further apart the parties become (although all politicians are the same, they just want votes, money, and power) the more difficult it is to compromise on local issues such as business taxes, public trnasportation, and economic development, especially tax incentives and puboic-private partnerships.

[vdogg]

I remember the good ole days debating anti-growth, anti-tax, anti-everything Reid Greenum in the Talknet forums.  It was impossible to convince him that TC and its associated TIF was a good thing.  Oh well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, with people like that sometimes you have to agree to disagree. I hate taxes but I recognize the need for them. And the tif in TC has no affect on him and his taxes whatsoever so i really don't understand the reasoning for opposing that. All a tif is is a special tax district that earmarks the funds raised in that district for improvements in that district. I think it's an excellent idea and it has only had a positive effect on the TC area. TIF

[urbanvb]

Vdogg, your new siganture is interesting.. lol

[urbanvb]

I find it interesting also that I heard not too long ago that Norfolk is one of the 'fattest' cities in the nation yet Va Beach is the most healthy for men. What a disparity if true.

[vdogg]

Vdogg, your new siganture is interesting.. lol

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

:Yeah. I like the fact that Buddy is not backing down to these people. He could have easily just given in and negotiated the sale of the land but it seems like he's in this one for the long haul. It is just one example of the attitude in the city of Norfolk in general. The city has been very slow and methodical in its redevelopment process and it's taken some 50 years to see this bear fruit. It's a level of commitment that is uncommon nowadays.

[willy]

Are you talking to me or VAGATOR?

[vdogg]

Are you talking to me or VAGATOR?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was wondering the same thing. I think he meant to quote Gator .

[mercuex]

I was just proving how much of idiots they are. I wasn't trying to go political or anything. Just shows that they are ignorant at what they are discussing which includes regionalism.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What kind of strange deduction is that? The funny thing is that the dissenting judges in the Kelo case were all the "republican" ones. Shook some of my anarchist friends hard, lol.

[vdogg]

What kind of strange deduction is that? The funny thing is that the dissenting judges in the Kelo case were all the "republican" ones. Shook some of my anarchist friends hard, lol.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, there was a definate reversal in party roles pretty much across the board. To me politicians are politicians, period. There is hardly a decision made that isn't influenced by money or special interest. Thats why I never put much stock in the republican this or democrat that talk.

[rusthebuss]

Are you talking to me or VAGATOR?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

VAGATOR because of his insinuations of the good ole by system, in which he is saying racism is taking a role in this. I'm just showing him that is opinion is clouded by so many factors. I guess I shouldn't have quoted you willy.

[rusthebuss]

Also, I think those good ole boys want this hilton to sprout just as much as any other project in the city, point blank. Everything that we are sprouting off at the mouth about this project is just assumption and none of us know why the project has yet to disclose itself.

[rusthebuss]

I find it interesting also that I heard not too long ago that Norfolk is one of the 'fattest' cities in the nation yet Va Beach is the most healthy for men. What a disparity if true.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What you have to realize is that is caused or driven by the poverty level and what percentage of the city it is. Most people on welfare have weight issues due to the fact they can't afford the healthy foods, which are priced very high, to live a healthy life. Vabeach is sort of a suburb of Norfolk in which most of the population is well off. Norfolks percentage of welfare recepietants are much higher than that of VaBeach.

[willy]

to rusthebuss, I thought I was going to have to kick your a$$. J/K

Is he trying to say the reason the Hilton has not started is because Mr. Johnson is black? WTF? Why would anybody think that? MG this isn't Montgomery Alabama and the year isn't 1935.

The only color any city sees now is GREEN my friend and only GREEN.

There is a lot of components going into this building, parking garage, convention center, hotel, and condos. Having to deal with properties that are in the way of construction is playing in to the whole planning stages as well. The land for Mr. Batten's building on the other hand was a parking lot and the building is going to be a garage and some offices, that's it, nothing more.

[vdogg]

to rusthebuss, I thought I was going to have to kick your a$$. J/K       

Is he trying to say the reason the Hilton has not started is because Mr. Johnson is black? WTF? Why would anybody think that? MG this isn't Montgomery Alabama and the year isn't 1935.

The only color any city sees now is GREEN my friend and only GREEN.

There is a lot of components going into this building, parking garage, convention center, hotel, and condos. Having to deal with properties that are in the way of construction is playing in to the whole planning stages as well. The land for Mr. Batten's building on the other hand was a parking lot and the building is going to be a garage and some offices, that's it, nothing more.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Half the city councils black as well as the vice mayor. I'm sure race issues still exist in Norfolk as they do elsewhere but in development related issues All they care about is money.