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Norfolk Courts Complex Progress

vdogg

By vdogg
in Norfolk

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  • 6 months later...

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ronsmytheiii Hamlet

ronsmytheiii

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Sorry to bump an old thread without news, but I have found some cool renderings that I have not seen here:

Project Stats

Location: Norfolk, Virginia Owner: City of Norfolk

Architect: Fentress Architects

Area: 305,000 sf

Completion Date: 2012

norfolkCourts_1_zoom.jpg

norfolkCourts_2_zoom.jpg

http://www.thorntont.../norfolk_courts

Although that is a heavy rail car, not light rail :rolleyes:

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vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

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Although that is a heavy rail car, not light rail :rolleyes:

Beggars can't be choosers. They're doing good just to have 'A' rail car there. :lol: I must admit to being pleasantly surprised by the modern and urban look of this building (looks like someone stole it from D.C.). I'm loving the fact that it'll be flush with the street, giving the urban fabric in that portion of downtown a more continuous feel. Now if the can only get an office tower across the street from it. :whistling: You are forgiven for your thread bump.

Could use a more variable color scheme though...

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VBIllini13 Whistle-Stop

VBIllini13

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Hi y'all, I've been following this forum for about 2 years now and I thought this would be a good place to put my first post.

I volunteered in the Norfolk Planning Department this summer and I was able to sit in on meetings regarding this project. When this was presented to Design Review Committee and Planning Commission back in July or August, the major issue that caused a lot of heated debate among the members was a very sharp corner on the east side of the building. Some planning commissioners were skeptical about the image this sharp edge would create for visitors entering downtown via light rail because this would be the first building they would see when approaching downtown. I remember flipping through the presentation that was submitted by Fentress and being really excited seeing the new design and floor plans. On the east side, there are actually plans for a café for people working in/visiting the complex. There are more renderings of this, but unfortunately I don't have access to them or the ability to upload them online.

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mistermetaj Hamlet

mistermetaj

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Posted

Sorry to bump an old thread without news, but I have found some cool renderings that I have not seen here:

norfolkCourts_1_zoom.jpg

norfolkCourts_2_zoom.jpg

http://www.thorntont.../norfolk_courts

Although that is a heavy rail car, not light rail :rolleyes:

It needs a dome on top and it would be beautiful. Sadly I doubt that would happen. I liked the older rendering better.

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  • 1 month later...
ronsmytheiii Hamlet

ronsmytheiii

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Little bit of information from the LRT update:

In addition to road and lane closures for light rail, the city is about to embark on a major sewer line relocation to accommodate plans for a new courthouse complex at City Hall. Keifer said work in the intersection of City Hall Avenue and Saint Pauls Boulevard will be timed with light rail construction and will take two to three months to complete.

“It makes sense to do these projects simultaneously” to limit inconveniences to motorists, he said. “We’ll adapt what we’re doing to get people in and out as best we can."

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/01/light-rail-construction-downtown-ease-summer

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ronsmytheiii Hamlet

ronsmytheiii

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Faced with what he says are "extraordinary budget challenges unlike any we've ever seen," Mayor Paul Fraim said he will ask the City Council to postpone building a $108 million courthouse for up to a year. "Under the circumstances, as important as the courthouse is, it's going to have to wait another year," Fraim said.

Judges have threatened to sue the city after previous delays in courthouse construction, saying the current courts complex is unsafe. But Fraim said he consulted with several judges before making his decision, and that although "they weren't happy, they understand."

Architects are scheduled to finish designing the courthouse this summer. Bids were to be awarded in the fall and construction to start in late 2010 or early 2011.

It is now likely that construction won't start until the fall of 2011. Martin said he expects courthouse construction to be delayed about nine months.

Too bad we cant apply for stimulus money for this project, still it is understandable given the fiscal situation right now. A year delay is not too bad.

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/norfolk-may-put-courthouse-plan-back-burner

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  • 2 months later...
ronsmytheiii Hamlet

ronsmytheiii

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The courthouse project, which would provide a new home for Circuit, General District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts, would be delayed for a year, with the city appropriating $15.7 million next year, a third of what it was scheduled to spend. Projected in recent years to cost $100 million, the project is now expected to cost $141 million, according to budget documents. City officials said they hope the final cost will be less.

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/04/norfolk-budget-plan-would-cut-services-230-city-jobs

THink this is the official budget of what the Mayor said previously (ie not adding another year, just officially delaying)

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mistermetaj Hamlet

mistermetaj

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Looks really good and the added a dome!

Just a reminder, a very nice park is supposed to be built along with the courthouse commemorating desegregation in Norfolk. I cannot wait for this project to get started.

Also, why don't government building have American flags on top of them anymore. This building's dome could use a flag pole with the American flag on it IMO.

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virginia pe Whistle-Stop

virginia pe

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a piledriver is now on site. i cant imagine too many need to be driven so we are probably a few months fromstructure construction.

They are probably driving test piles. They drive a handful of piles, and then apply a load to one of them to see how much weight a single pile can support. Then they can figure out how many piles will be needed for each column. If that is the case, it will take a few months (maybe even half a year) to finish the design. Then they have to receive bids and award a contract before they start the actual construction.

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  • 4 weeks later...
vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

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I don't think this project relates to city hall. Was there ever a proposal to tear down city hall?

No, this project does not relate to city hall but yes there was once a plan to replace it. In today's fiscal environment that's probably on the back burner now.

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