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Belmont @ Freemason Progress

okinawatyphoon

By okinawatyphoon
in Norfolk

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vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

Posted
Posted
Because work won't begin on the main apartment building until the parking garage is done, Mayor Paul D. Fraim said it could take two years or longer to complete the project.
Expect this one to be slow to rise. <_< Still good news though.
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ace707 Hamlet

ace707

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I have to admit, this building is growing on me. If they decided to plop this thing down in Town Center, we'd all be doing back flips by now...

Needless to say it will be a good addition and will definately lend a more "big city" feel to the surrounding area.

Yeah Town Center would be the perfect fit for this tower. I say plop it on the parking lot across from the Cosmo.

Yeah the tower would make that area with Granby Tower, AT&T, WainWright, and Hague Tower all within close vicinity feel like a really dense big city.

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ace707 Hamlet

ace707

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I simply disagree.

My quarrel isn't with the building itself. It is a decent design. BUT I think it's a horrible idea to use THIS design style and THESE building materials at THIS location.

As for height, personally I'd rather see a good looking 7 story building than a standout 20-story beast. 20 stories can be made to look good at this location, but this building doesn't do it. Please, back to the drawing board!

Ditto

For the height, I'm happy with 20 stories although 25 is the magic number IMO. We'll see what happens with the design. I like it, it just doesn't mold well with everything around it. Besides, Norfolk is notorious for forcing buildings in downtown to "fit-in" with the buildings surrounding it, not to "match" it in design. I just want something that will make the area feel whole while its new additions not neglect being a little modern.

I suggest keeping the balconies and glass but add some brick or like color stone and some art deco styling along with some of that pre-cast white concrete and I think it could turn out even better. It will definitely capture everyone's attention if the architects can pull it off. Oh, get rid of them stupid-looking sails!

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Padman Hamlet

Padman

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Visit the Humphreys' web site and look at the Grant Park in Minneapolis project, which is a 27 version of what we might have gotten with the old design. It's very dignified and traditional to my eye. I really prefer the new design for Norfolk, but I admire them both. Can't really go wrong IMO.

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vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

Posted
Posted

12166_1_big.jpg

Project Details:

> 20, 4, and 3-story buildings with both podium and attached parking

> 250 units

Developer:

Kotarides Builders

Some things to consider guys, after rereading the proposal I think we may indeed be looking at the Brambleton face of the project. It seems that lot 56 is actually that grassy portion that sits in front of a pre-existing parking garage and the parking lot, which is separate from that, is where the actual building will sit. Also, don't read to much into the 80 and 630 #'s thrown around in the MOU. That initial MOU was signed april 26th 2005 and had since expired. The MOU was revived on Jan 6th 2006 for a period extending until March 31st, 2006 so they could finish their deal with YMCA. It appears that that is pretty much in the bag. If this is the case the developer would be requred to build at least 225 units.

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rusthebuss Metropolis

rusthebuss

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I think this is more designed for facing Brambleton. They want you to see these from driving from the midtown tunnel to Tidewater Drive. This will be a great building driving down Brambleton. This building doesn't affect the freemason area.

I think this will be a part of series of towers to come to the edge of brambleton.

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hoobo Burg

hoobo

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It seems like there are two sides to the building. Like rus said, we only see the Brambleton side which is a modern glass residential high-rise. However, we don't see the side that overlooks the Freemason district. Considering the crown of the that part of the building, I wonder if it will be more traditional, possibly columns and brickwork and not just off-white concrete. Anyway, renderings keep changing. Who knows, maybe it'll end up with the design shown in the State of the City address.

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urbanfan Hamlet

urbanfan

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Just thought I would clear up any issues with the location of this building. There is no possible way to fit a garage on the narrow strip of land at the front of brambleton. Also the road can not be closed to make room for it because this road is where the light rail runs through and a station is located. I have attached a map showing the plot and how the footprint of the building will be located. This footprint is also shown on many of HRT's drawings for the light rail line. This is an accurate location of the building because if it wasn't there would be no way that light rail could be built. Here is a map showing the footprint of the building.

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vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

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I think its all on lot one. This is at the foot of the brambleton bridge and this would be the way that LR would cross I think

I think you're right, thats the only way it makes sense. LR would then run along the road behind lot 1.

Lot 2 is where the additional lowrise apartments will go if they can obtain that land.

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Former Resident of HR Hamlet

Former Resident of HR

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I think you're right, thats the only way it makes sense. LR would then run along the road behind lot 1.

Lot 2 is where the additional lowrise apartments will go if they can obtain that land.

Actually... there is another piece of land that sits where Bistro and the bank building used to be across from the parking garage. It's all green and has trees now (where Brambleton curves to Boush Street). That is where the second, smaller building would go. I think that the bigger building would be on lot #1 by itself (with the sky bridge crossing Duke Street).

Living close to this area, I can already bet that the YMCA will be a thorn in the side of this project. The people going to the YMCA between 4-6PM are INSANE. You would think that they would not mind parking an extra block away being as they are there to WORK OUT. NOOOOOOO, they have to squat in the middle of either York/Bute Streets and try to parellel park their huge SUVs to save the $1 or so to park in that lot... Some of us that live here actually walk 3-5 blocks to the YMCA, what a concept.

It seems that the city could arrange something where they would reserve some street spaces for people with disabilities close to the YMCA and most of the rest of the YMCA crowd could just park in the almost always empty Bute Street garage at a discount (I think now it is 50c an hour). Or ride LR if that ever happens. The YMCA needs a major facelift and could sell that lot to gain a lot of money. That whole block is a total waste and needs to be developed into something more fitting to the gateway of DT. But knowing how much the Y charges each month ($53 is the standard rate) and knowing how run down and sleazy the place is in person, I have serious doubts that Y will be on board.

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