Norfolk Development 2

[vdogg]

Replacing Kirn memorial not a priority at this time

Mayor Paul Fraim acknowledged that Kirn needs to replaced but said the city has many capital priorities, including a $100 million courts building and three more regional, or "anchor," libraries .

Fraim said the city had planned on building all four regional libraries before tackling Kirn but said priorities could change if library officials make a compelling case.

[willy]

$100 million courts building

Now that will buy a nice size building.

[vdogg]

Now that will buy a nice size building.

It used to be 85 million. I don't know if they increased the size of the building or if construction costs just increased that much.

[rusthebuss]

It used to be 85 million. I don't know if they increased the size of the building or if construction costs just increased that much.

It might be bigger than orginally planned! I can't see construction jumping 15 million dollars that would be outrageous!

[hoobo]

It might be bigger than orginally planned! I can't see construction jumping 15 million dollars that would be outrageous!

Not really. They may have been basing the original $85 million on a cost estimate. If the project has gone out to bid, they're likely to see much higher costs for a project of this magnitude. Concrete and steel prices keep going up and given the demand for construction, construction/labor costs are also jumping up. In addition, if they are any design changes, and I'm not speaking just of larger facilities, that will jack up the cost.

[erdogs]

It used to be 85 million. I don't know if they increased the size of the building or if construction costs just increased that much.

[Chesapeake Pirate]

Here is a small project that will be in the Freemason area very near the light rail line. Just two townhomes and a small office building.

Turzac Freemason Project

Edited March 14, 2006 by Chesapeake Pirate

[willy]

And for those of you who are too lazy to click the link.

[rusthebuss]

And for those of you who are too lazy to click the link.

I like that! I wish that we could have more development like that throughout the city!

[br0guy]

I like that! I wish that we could have more development like that throughout the city!

Yeah... that brownstone look. How much do these sell for?

Edited March 14, 2006 by br0guy

[Chesapeake Pirate]

Yeah... that brownstone look. How much do these sell for?

They have not broken ground yet and I don't know what their timetable is. I just noticed the sign on the lot walking with my wife Sunday afternoon. You might want to call the developer and find out.

[krazeeboi]

looks like they should be south park house's. Does chef live there?

I literally laughed out loud at that one!

[erdogs]

New rec center for Norveiw.

Edited March 21, 2006 by erdogs

[rusthebuss]

New rec center for Norveiw.

[erdogs]

Sorry, tried to load story unsussesfully. Go to norfolk.gov for story.

[okinawatyphoon]

Lack of funds for Kirn library renovation

[lammius]

Tidewater Community College has proposed combining resources to build a shared downtown library. The city is considering the idea.

EXCELLENT idea!

[rusthebuss]

EXCELLENT idea!

This is old news. From the way the it was talked before you would have thought that this was a done deal. I guess we are finding out that alot things aren't in the final stages. I hope that this does work out. They could have a killer library with very good resources.

[gosscj]

I'll be very disappointed if a shared TCC/Norfolk Public Library doesn't happen - that cooperative effort would greatly strengthen the research capability of the Norfolk library system. As far as I'm concerned, a public library that is not adequately able to serve the research need of the citizens (i.e. one that houses an expansive fiction section and maybe two sets of encyclopedias and a couple of generic non-fiction titles) is a massive waste of public money and space. I honestly don't understand what is to be gained by spending public money to provide free access to the latest pop fiction unless you already have a top-notch research facility (and schools, infrastructure, etc. for that matter).

[rusthebuss]

I'll be very disappointed if a shared TCC/Norfolk Public Library doesn't happen - that cooperative effort would greatly strengthen the research capability of the Norfolk library system. As far as I'm concerned, a public library that is not adequately able to serve the research need of the citizens (i.e. one that houses an expansive fiction section and maybe two sets of encyclopedias and a couple of generic non-fiction titles) is a massive waste of public money and space. I honestly don't understand what is to be gained by spending public money to provide free access to the latest pop fiction unless you already have a top-notch research facility (and schools, infrastructure, etc. for that matter).

I totally agree. When I was in school, my mom had to drive us to the vabeach libraries because we could never find anything in the ghetto norfolk libraries.

[Padman]

Hmmmm....libraries. Always under-funded. Better contemporary library projects seem to involve collaborations of some kind. Information infrastructure----sounds regional to me.

[OVgman]

As far as research goes Kirn library has a collection of local historical documents unrivaled in the region. That is something no library in the Beach, or any other community in Hampton Roads can provide.

I think that a partnership with TCC would have it's advantages (Like TCC seems to have money that they want to spend on a library) but there will be logistical problems. Will students have more priviledge and access than the common citizen.

Downtown Norfolk is the cultural, business and entertainment center of Hampton Roads. Adding a downtown library to rival the Va Beach Central library with the addition of the aforementioned historical documents will only increse downtown's attractiveness and viability.

The city needs to realize this and dig into their own pockets.

[rusthebuss]

As far as research goes Kirn library has a collection of local historical documents unrivaled in the region. That is something no library in the Beach, or any other community in Hampton Roads can provide.

I think that a partnership with TCC would have it's advantages (Like TCC seems to have money that they want to spend on a library) but there will be logistical problems. Will students have more priviledge and access than the common citizen.

Downtown Norfolk is the cultural, business and entertainment center of Hampton Roads. Adding a downtown library to rival the Va Beach Central library with the addition of the aforementioned historical documents will only increse downtown's attractiveness and viability.

The city needs to realize this and dig into their own pockets.

I don't think the college will have more priviledges but will have some things in the building just for the school, such as certain pcs and rooms. But the combination of the resources will be better with both of them than go into it alone.

[urbanlife]

they need to hold an international design competition for the library!! get some world class architecture in the city..........worry about funding later. Besides whatever the funding isfor it, the cost will end up overshooting those original figures anyway.

[Former Resident of HR]

I was hoping that something would happen with this but it seems the way Fraim is telling it, we are looking at years and years of the current Kirn (gag).

What I don't understand is why the library can't lease some space, possibly in the Signet building down the road (it seems to have 'for lease' signs up as often as the traffic signs that say 'congestion at HRBT'), move the library there for 3-5 year period, sell the Kirn's land and use that $$ to build something new. Or even sell it with a stipulaton that the first 5 or so floors be dedicated to a new library and the rest could be condos/TCC classrooms/office space. They give out incentives to everyone anyway, so sell the land cheap if the developer agrees to "host" the library.

OR... build some new TCC building on that lot next to the Freemason St. Garage and convert the entire Smith and Welton building into the new TCC/Norfolk library.

OR... seize the coutrhouse and throw out the feds.

I know they are all long shots, but I think that Norfolk needs to act quickly to get that building torn down and that space sold off. I know we are in a good space as far as office vacancy is concerned but look at the late 80's-early 90's Norfolk. There were no new major buildings for 7-8 years, right? If the market sours, Norfolk will be stuck with the Kirn yet again.

And rather than having a monumental library building, Norfolk could take the lead in building a library that is part of another building. I really think having it in a mixed-use setting with TCC would really give it more of an academic feeling and less of the Union Mission Reading Room feel that it has now.