Granby Tower

[vdogg]

While I, too, am an urbanfan fan (ah hem...), a Beach guy I am not.  I'll have you know that I am a Downtowner!    However,  I desperately want both cities to hit one, two, three, ...no...THIRTEEN (!) projects out of the park!  For years, I grew tired of hearing about Charlotte this and Raleigh that...Atlanta this and DC that!  Enough already!  It's finally OUR time to shine!  These are wonderful times for ALL citizens of HR!!

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And apparently the magnitude of Gadams project has spurred interest from other major developers according to Mayor Fraim. Thats code for "we have a few more towers in the works that we're not letting out of the bag just yet"

[urbanlife]

LOL aren't they designing the Westin? Their designs are so bland. They need to take some more college classes and learn how to design and also i think the customers are part to blame.

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Oh my god that is so true, I know guys in my first year studio, including me, who can design better than CMSS. I so would love to show that firm up someday after I become an architect. They were the firm that almost killed my hopes of wanting to become an architect.

[urbanlife]

What i'm happy about is all the predictions that have been made on the site from everyones sources have come true. We have some really solid sources here and the forum is gradually turning into the place to go for development information in this area. And to think that a month ago we were praying that we'd break 400, then we just shot straight up to 500 and called it a day! 

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When I moved away in 2001, I never thought hampton roads would have a single tower over the 400ft marker, let alone 500ft or even virginia's tallest. I am so happy to see my hometown starting to shine.

Divaris has wanted this so badly for years, he has been trying to start this VB downtown for several years before it actually happened. Just wish he would of found him a better architecture firm to work with. MMM Design in Norfolk would of done a better job than CMSS.

[baobabs727]

Oh my god that is so true, I know guys in my first year studio, including me, who can design better than CMSS.  I so would love to show that firm up someday after I become an architect.  They were the firm that almost killed my hopes of wanting to become an architect.

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Yes, the ubiquitous CMSS. Boo hiss. These guys seem to have a death grip on community design. Generally, monopolies are a bad thing, no? CMSS usually strains mightily to meld the old with the new--and not particularly successfully. What do you get when you strip the Georgian, the Victorian, the Deco, etc., of its true essence and then put it in a blender with some preconceived notion of modern or post-modernist design? Hmmm.....A BIG MESS!?! I am a big fan of Chicago's Skidmore Owens and Merrill (SOM....). We were lucky enough to land them for the VB Convention Center, and the Beach pretty much gave them a 210 million dollar free reign. They were slated to design the Performing Arts Center at TC, but that fell through somehow. Maybe now that there is strong development interest from the outside, we'll be lucky enough to get some more good architecture a la Granby Tower, VB CC and the Westin.

[vdogg]

Yes, the ubiquitous CMSS. Boo hiss.  These guys seem to have a death grip on  community design.  Generally, monopolies are a bad thing, no? CMSS usually strains mightily to meld the old with the new--and not particularly successfully.  What do you get when you strip the Georgian, the Victorian, the Deco, etc., of its true essence and then put it in a blender with some preconceived notion of modern or post-modernist design? Hmmm.....A BIG MESS!?!  I am a big fan of Chicago's Skidmore Owens and Merrill (SOM....). We were lucky enough to land them for the VB Convention Center, and the Beach pretty much gave them a 210 million dollar free reign.  They were slated to design the Performing Arts Center at TC, but that fell through somehow.  Maybe now that there is strong development interest from the outside, we'll be lucky enough to get some more good architecture a la Granby Tower, VB CC and the Westin.

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I think thats probably true. These major outside developers that are now pouring into the city are no joke, and usually bring their own architects in tow. Expect the quality and variety of design to improve over the next several years.

[urbanvb]

Exactly. And these days people demand quality. Once something great is built (Westin or Granby) you raise the bar and the other guys have to keep up. That is the good thing about all of this.

[urbanlife]

I think thats probably true. These major outside developers that are now pouring into the city are no joke, and usually bring their own architects in tow. Expect the quality and variety of design to improve over the next several years.

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Thank god with the exception of the granby tower (I love that tower's design)

[vdogg]

Thank god with the exception of the granby tower (I love that tower's design)

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Cheers to that

[okinawatyphoon]

I must say I'm somewhat disappointed that Granby seems to be out of the race for the tallest as of now, but tallest is not all that important. (I sound like the loser of a game that says it isn't if you win or lose, its how you play the game! LOL). I think the Westin and Granby are leading Hampton Roads into the future though. It is our time as a region to celebrate our high-rise success...FINALLY!

[urbanvb]

It is interesting how yesterday the article on pilotonline was about the Granby then someone must have said something and the article was changed to say that the Westin would be the tallest. This morning the name of that same article is : Tower plans hit 31 and 37 stories in Norfolk and Va. Beach.

[okinawatyphoon]

It is interesting how yesterday the article on pilotonline was about the Granby then someone must have said something and the article was changed to say that the Westin would be the tallest. This morning the name of that same article is : Tower plans hit 31 and 37 stories in Norfolk and Va. Beach. 

yeah i wonder why it suddenly became a focus on both. It is supposed to be about the Granby's preliminary approval, not the "competition" between Norfolk and Va. beach.

[willy]

Granby Tower will have a six-story parking garage with as many as 525 spaces, though it will be invisible from the exterior. The garage will be surrounded by 46 condominiums covered with cast stone and stucco.

If a garage is going to be part of a tower this is the way to go. Take notes CMSS, don't suck up an entire city block with parking garage. The Westin MIGHT (Ya never know) end up being the tallest, but Granby is truly the best design.

[vdogg]

It is interesting how yesterday the article on pilotonline was about the Granby then someone must have said something and the article was changed to say that the Westin would be the tallest. This morning the name of that same article is : Tower plans hit 31 and 37 stories in Norfolk and Va. Beach. 

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Politics .

[vdogg]

Thats one of the best pics i've seen of Westin though.

[willy]

I know its been said that Norfolk officials don't care if they have the tallest building in HR or now we're talking the state, but what does Mr. Gadams think? If he has 300 of the 309 condos already spoken for, one would imagine that he has room to grow with this project. Sales have yet to begin and construction is roughly 6-7 months away. With the city giving him "unanimous approval" of the project can the project continue to grow or is that it? How does it work, can he add units/floors if the need is there or is it stuck at 31 floors and 450 ft.?

[okinawatyphoon]

I know its been said that Norfolk officials don't care if they have the tallest building in HR or now we're talking the state, but what does Mr. Gadams think? If he has 300 of the 309 condos already spoken for, one would imagine that he has room to grow with this project. Sales have yet to begin and construction is roughly 6-7 months away. With the city giving him "unanimous approval" of the project can the project continue to grow or is that it? How does it work, can he add units/floors if the need is there or is it stuck at 31 floors and 450 ft.?

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I'm wondering that same thing. I really hope Norfolk can pull this one out of the hat and increase the height at the last second. Even though it doesn't matter much, I really think Norfolk deserves the tallest building because it is the downtown of our area. I don't mean to sound selfish and I'm not meaning to attack Town Center in any way. Norfolk has been working for 50 or so years at least to establish a lively, friendly downtown for our area, and I think Norfolk deserves it more.

[vdogg]

I'm wondering that same thing. I really hope Norfolk can pull this one out of the hat and increase the height at the last second. Even though it doesn't matter much, I really think Norfolk deserves the tallest building because it is the downtown of our area. I don't mean to sound selfish and I'm not meaning to attack Town Center in any way. Norfolk has been working for 50 or so years at least to establish a lively, friendly downtown for our area, and I think Norfolk deserves it more.

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Norfolk has a great tower even if its not the tallest. And just because they may not have taken this round doesn't mean they won't take it next time. With mayor Paul Fraim saying they have substantial interest from other developers and Divaris indicating that he already has 2 new towers in the works means to me that the skyscraper wars will go on for years! This was but a mere battle so keep your head up. Both towers are great news for this whole region because we're really being put on the map now. . When everyone says that one day we'll be like Charlotte I always laugh to myself because it seems so far fetched. With development continuing at this pace however, who knows?

[urbanfan]

Let's not forget that this move is probably a pr move. Divaris didn't like the wording, put in a few calls and had the article changed. You never know. We will never know till the buildings are built but don't put granby down because a newspaper that is consistently wrong all the time says that it will be second tallest.

My money is on Granby, nothing against Westin but from my experience granby looks to be the one to take the title, but westing could always increase there spire to any height much like they did with AH. Either way this is one of the best times for this region and this type of publicity will bring others in with plans in hand.

By the way, I have done some work with CMSS as their structural engineer and they are the type of people that just don't listen to the customer, they have there own style and that's what they want to design. There stuff is so bland and repetitive. I would much rather work with Rancorn Wildman, Clark Nexson, and others that design buildings that are each different in every aspect. I wish somebody would come in and knock cmss off their might throne.

[urbanfan]

Let's not forget that this move is probably a pr move.  Divaris didn't like the wording, put in a few calls and had the article changed.  You never know.  We will never know till the buildings are built but don't put granby down because a newspaper that is consistently wrong all the time says that it will be second tallest.

My money is on Granby, nothing against Westin but from my experience granby looks to be the one to take the title, but westing could always increase there spire to any height much like they did with AH.  Either way this is one of the best times for this region and this type of publicity will bring others in with plans in hand.

By the way, I have done some work with CMSS as their structural engineer and they are the type of people that just don't listen to the customer, they have there own style and that's what they want to design.  There stuff is so bland and repetitive.  I would much rather work with Rancorn Wildman, Clark Nexson, and others that design buildings that are each different in every aspect.  I wish somebody would come in and knock cmss off their might throne.

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Sorry, ruff morning.

[urbanvb]

I really think this is a fight to the finish. I mean we aren't talking about the regions tallest building - this is the state's highest. A lot is at stake.

[ace707]

I hope this whole thing doesn't go into some "personal war" between downtown and Town Center. I did notice that Divaris seemed to take the pilot article and get it adjusted (for better or worse for either downtown or town center) but I hope it doesn't strengthen a stereotype that this area is Norfolk vs. Virginia Beach. I hope outsiders realize that if they approach these two cities developments as a "city war" that they realize it's more of a "developer's war". "Developer Wars" helps our area but "city wars" won't and I'm glad that "this race to the top" has only spurted out of developers' mouths rather than city officials of either city.

Divaris... bring on your 2 new towers!!!!

Developers looking at downtown, bring your x new towers!!!

"Lllleeeettt'ssss get ready to construct more ttttttoooooowwwwweeeerrrrr'ssss!!!!!

[vdogg]

I hope this whole thing doesn't go into some "personal war" between downtown  and Town Center. I did notice that Divaris seemed to take the pilot article and get it adjusted (for better or worse for either downtown or town center) but I hope it doesn't strengthen a stereotype that this area is Norfolk vs. Virginia Beach. I hope outsiders realize that if they approach these two cities developments as a "city war" that they realize it's more of a "developer's war". "Developer Wars" helps our area but "city wars" won't and I'm glad that "this race to the top" has only spurted out of developers' mouths rather than city officials of either city.

Divaris... bring on your 2 new towers!!!!

Developers looking at downtown, bring your x new towers!!!

"Lllleeeettt'ssss get ready to construct more ttttttoooooowwwwweeeerrrrr'ssss!!!!!

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I think officials from both city's have learned their lessons that their constituents don't care too much for that city vs. city crap. I really doubt this will turn into a war of words between Va. Beach and Norfolk. I think this will remain solely within the developers territory this time around.

[ace707]

I think officials from both city's have learned their lessons that their constituents don't care too much for that city vs. city crap. I really doubt this will turn into a war of words between Va. Beach and Norfolk. I think this will remain solely within the developers territory this time around.

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Yeah as long as it stays as a developer thing, I'm down with that.

At any rate, I was picking up my friend from 7-11 on Independence Blvd and while waiting for him to get off, I was reading the article about the towers in the paper. I purposely set another paper in well visibility for people entering the store and apparently it worked as it got a lot of attention. I stood nearby "reading" the article and heard alot of opinions already! As far as I know, most if not all these people don't go to this site so they sure are going with their own thoughts and opinions. I'm guessing I heard 10-15 peoples thoughts on the towers and almost all of them said they prefer Norfolk's Tower but also thought the Westin was "nice". It kinda surprised me since I'm in a Virginia Beach 7-11, you would think there were some bias there lol.

There was some other small talk not surprisingly was mostly comparing Downtown Norfolk to Town Center. I don't remember much but I remember most people saying they like Norfolk's downtown. Some reasons that I remember that they said was it felt alot like a "mini New York City", walking around it feels like a big city, and "looks cool." There were some down comments though like paying for parking and that you basically have to be rich to really enjoy Downtown.

Town Center had some comments too which I was eager to hear since I was in their turf. Some people thought it was really "cool", "sweet", "has free parking", "fun" and was "different". It had it share of down talk too which surprised me. Someone dismissed it from ever being a true downtown because it seemed more like an outdoor mall. Another guy called it a "theme park downtown" and the dude he was talking to said that it feels more "trendy-oriented with no real variety in building design". I don't know what building or buildings he was referring to but maybe he's comparing the Westin to the Armada Tower based off their spires or color theme 'cause to me, those are the only two buildings that have similarities if any.

There y'all have it. An accidental, unofficial, eaves-dropped based survey of the towers, downtown and TC.

[urbanvb]

That was very interesting! Thanks for taking the time to share that. I think most folks like DT and most folks like the TC as well. The trendy urban person will probably favor DT while the 'emerging urban' (? LOL) person might like the TC. All in all though they both are great places IMO. And the good thing is both are only getting LOTS better all the time!

[vdogg]

That was very interesting! Thanks for taking the time to share that. I think most folks like DT and most folks like the TC as well. The trendy urban person will probably favor DT while the 'emerging urban' (? LOL) person might like the TC. All in all though they both are great places IMO. And the good thing is both are only getting LOTS better all the time!

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I agree. They are both great places and one does not need to favor one over the other. There is room enough for all of us and all our aspirations.