Va. Beach Town Center project 2

[urbanlife]

I say divide tower 2's lot into four lots and build one by one depending on what the market wants at the time. Could make a cool mix of urban architecture in the town center.

[vdogg]

George Allens lease up at TC

Semi-related to TC I guess

Available: Office space at the Virginia Beach Town Center. Bottom floor, open to heavy lobby traffic, once used by Sen. George Allen, R-Va., and his Hampton Roads staff before he lost re-election Nov. 7.

When told about the office, Jessica Smith, press secretary to Jim Webb, winner of the U.S. Senate seat held by Allen, laughed, and said that her boss will most likely open an office in Hampton Roads, but where in Hampton Roads hasn

[vdogg]

Something more related it looks like a small office building will go in the parking lot immediately adjacent to Columbus center, at least I hope thats where they're talking about. If our 20-story office Tower was reduced to 4 stories I'll be P**sed!

Back in Virginia Beach at the Town Center, Armada Hoffler is planning to build a four-story, 80,000-square-foot office complex behind TowneBank on Constitution Drive. The front entrance would face Planet Music and Barnes & Noble in the shopping center across the street.

link

(most of the article is not related to TC however).

[urbanvb]

Ahh, this may be the small lot where the employees that work at Columbus Center park instead of the large lot. I noticed on the rendering for TC this tiny lot was listed for future expansion. And since the article states it would face B&N and PM that would be about right. The other lot moreso faces Bed, Bath & Beyond.

[vdogg]

Ahh, this may be the small lot where the employees that work at Columbus Center park instead of the large lot. I noticed on the rendering for TC this tiny lot was listed for future expansion. And since the article states it would face B&N and PM that would be about right. The other lot moreso faces Bed, Bath & Beyond.

I think you're right though I wish they could've been more descriptive about it. I haven't seen anything come through planning yet so this may be something that's in its early stages anyway.

[RJWGMU]

I think you're right though I wish they could've been more descriptive about it. I haven't seen anything come through planning yet so this may be something that's in its early stages anyway.

In the article it says "behind TowneBank on Constitution Drive. The front entrance would face Planet Music and Barnes & Noble in the shopping center across the street." The fact that it says BEHIND the bank and not next to One Columbus Center or the Cosmo. Apts. tells me that it is on the small parking lot, meaning the large tower is still to come.

[vdogg]

In the article it says "behind TowneBank on Constitution Drive. The front entrance would face Planet Music and Barnes & Noble in the shopping center across the street." The fact that it says BEHIND the bank and not next to One Columbus Center or the Cosmo. Apts. tells me that it is on the small parking lot, meaning the large tower is still to come.

I sure hope so, I know it was pushed back for a year but i've been getting anxious to hear some details about this tower. I do believe you're both right though. Such a significant scaling down really wouldn't make sense.

[rusthebuss]

In the article it says "behind TowneBank on Constitution Drive. The front entrance would face Planet Music and Barnes & Noble in the shopping center across the street." The fact that it says BEHIND the bank and not next to One Columbus Center or the Cosmo. Apts. tells me that it is on the small parking lot, meaning the large tower is still to come.

behind the bank is next to columbus center. The parking lot where across from the cosmo is where they were talking about the 20 story office tower.

[hoobo]

This 4-story building is good, but also bad. That site was slated for 1- or 2-story retail according to the site plan. So anything more dense is better. The bad thing is it seems that the market isn't there for the 20-story tower just yet since they're changing the retail to office space. I assume they have potential office leasees just not 200,000+ sqft to get the financing for a tower. If the retail market's been sluggish for TC, then a decent size office building makes sense.

[metalman]

This building is in the master plan on the town center website. Even though it says office, I would bet that they still will be putting retail on the ground floor.

...now if we could just get this office tower announced.

[hoobo]

I dunno. The color looks like the 1-story retail color. Then again, that color and the one of office above retail look almost identical. In any event, that block will be built out once that building is completed.

[urbanlife]

a 4 story building makes sense on that little lot. plus it wont completely block in the Columbus building. It seems the town center is reaching a point that there is such a thing as too much too soon. It might make more sense for them to continue in this more traditional way of building a downtown. In segments and when there is demand.

Once the City Walk gets into high gear for development, newer development will probably really slow down then. But by then VB will really have a downtown, just a downtown with surface parking lots here and there. So it will seem like a real downtown I guess.

[burt]

Virginia Beach Town Center reminded me of how Century City in West Los Angeles looked when I lived out there in the early 1980's. And that's a compliment!

Edited December 2, 2006 by burt

[vdogg]

Virginia Beach Town Center reminded me of how Century City in West Los Angeles looked when I lived out there in the early 1980's. And that's a compliment!

I saw Century City in the 80's and man have they taken off since then. I remember at the time it was built however people scoffed at it (much like TC), so I guess all developments like this go through some growing pains.

^^^As I remeber from back then Century City consisted only of the 2 white buildings in the center.

[urbanlife]

actually that is a good comparison. The type of people are even similar in the two cities. I would love to see VB look like Century City in 15-20 years.

actually, looking at century city, i would love to see Pembroke do something like this, then sell off their unused land to help pay for everything. http://www.thenewcenturyplan.com/learn/

Edited December 3, 2006 by urbanlife

[PeninsulaKiddo]

actually that is a good comparison. The type of people are even similar in the two cities. I would love to see VB look like Century City in 15-20 years.

actually, looking at century city, i would love to see Pembroke do something like this, then sell off their unused land to help pay for everything. http://www.thenewcenturyplan.com/learn/

That would be intensely awesome! With all the developments coming along the outskirts of TC, some day it might get like that Hopefully Pembroke will be either renovated and 'urbanized' (as much as a suburban-style mall can be) and its huge parking lots can be utilized more-efficiently. Some dayyy....

[urbanlife]

That would be intensely awesome! With all the developments coming along the outskirts of TC, some day it might get like that Hopefully Pembroke will be either renovated and 'urbanized' (as much as a suburban-style mall can be) and its huge parking lots can be utilized more-efficiently. Some dayyy....

yeah I know, i hope the owners come to realize what kind of gold mine they have. When I talked to one back when the town center was beginning, they had no plans of changing the structure, just improving things.

[urbanlife]

hey, this is the option I have wanted to see for years. I am supporting this one.

http://www.kimley-horn.com/projects/downtownvb/Option2.htm

I really want to see them bury Indy, I think that would have a great impact for the city. Kind of like the below grade I-405 in Portland.

[vaceltic]

That is an excellent find urbanlife. Thanks!

[urbanlife]

someone else found the actual website a while ago, I just bookmarked it and check it from time to time.

The first option was okay, the second one was the best, and the third one was the half-assed attempt to fix all the road problems. If they go with option three, someone needs to be kicked hard in the balls.

[mistermetaj]

someone else found the actual website a while ago, I just bookmarked it and check it from time to time.

The first option was okay, the second one was the best, and the third one was the half-assed attempt to fix all the road problems. If they go with option three, someone needs to be kicked hard in the balls.

Option 2 looks absolutely amazing. I especially love that two block plaza they have there. Anyway, a little off topic, but how would they prevent flooding on Indy with a design like that. It looks like a big bowl.

[hoobo]

Am I the only who thinks that Indy isn't depressed in Option 2 but that the surrounding land including the Blvd, Broad, and Columbus approaches are raised 15-20 feet? As cool as it looks, this is a stunt by Kimley-Horn. We in the engineering consulting industry love pulling this. The solutions, beyond the basic retiming of lights or changing lane markings, for Pembroke, even those like Option 3, are going to be expensive. Therefore, by tossing in one or two extravagant ideas that are far more expensive than realistic solutions you make the realistic ones look relatively inexpensive. I love it. The outcome will likely be a mix between Options 1 and 3. Option 3 doesn't really solve anything long-term but just buys the City time to get the funds to implement improvements such as the east and west crossings of 264 creating in effective a Pembroke belt-loop.

Edited December 5, 2006 by hoobo

[vdogg]

I love option 2, looks very DCish. Too bad they'll have to replace those buildings on the left with strip malls.

[vdogg]

Looks like they're eyeing Pembroke malls coveted parking lot too.

[rusthebuss]

It would be nice but where would the funding come from? I would love to see this come to life but the city can't fund this entirely with city funds and with the way the state is going it won't ever happen.