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Norfolk Hilton Project

rusthebuss

By rusthebuss
in Norfolk

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PeninsulaKiddo Burg

PeninsulaKiddo

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Well, I wasn't suggesting we just build an obnoxiously tall, ugly building any day, but still... some height was promised and now it's not being held up. I do see the financial troubles however, as it was stated in the Daily Press this morning, the cruise industry in Norfolk is taking a beating... I don't know though....

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vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

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I agree that civic pride is important and all that stuff but is that what developers are in the business of doing? They are in the business of developing projects and achieving profitability for themselves and their clients. Hilton could build a 50 story tower which would make a lot of people proud cuz they could say "Wow! look how big our new building is!" It wouldnt change the fact that you would have grave difficulty filling the hotel, so it would be a waste for everyone financially involved. There is a plan to convert the Miller&Rhoads building on Broad St in downtown Richmond into a fancy Hilton hotel. Originally, they wanted to put in 329 spacious hotel rooms. However, it became difficult to secure financing for the venture so the new plan is  225 hotel rooms and 100 condos. It's got to make sense. I'd take an architecturally and asthetically beautiful building over a really tall one anyday, thats all I'm saying. The cliche just seemed to fit.

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What you're saying is true, however i'm having a really hard time believing that they are worried about filling 250 rooms with a cruise ship terminal being built next door. You're right, it has to make sense. I'm just having a hard time trying to figure out how this couldn't make sense. It was the right project, at the right time, in the right location. If this turns out to be true, they should've just scrapped this and gone with the areana instead. I mean this thing is 9 stories shorter. It's not like they are nickel and diming it this is a major reduction. Economic indicators have to be pretty bad to cause a major reduction in a project. I worry about this because if it turns out to be true, then my feelings on the economic vitality of Norfolk will change drastically.

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rusthebuss Metropolis

rusthebuss

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Well, I wasn't suggesting we just build an obnoxiously tall, ugly building any day, but still... some height was promised and now it's not being held up.  I do see the financial troubles however, as it was stated in the Daily Press this morning, the cruise industry in Norfolk is taking a beating...  I don't know though....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What do you mean a beating?

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vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

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the cruise industry in Norfolk is taking a beating.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is it really? I don't understand this then. Why build a new terminal? They just had an article that said the exact opposite not even a month ago. Has the situation changed that drastically?

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PeninsulaKiddo Burg

PeninsulaKiddo

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I'm not talking about a beating for the permanent future, but the immediate future (till around mid-2006-2007) is going to be a little tough for a while. 2 of the 4 major lines are dropping Norfolk in spring 2006, so hopefully others will come to fill the vacancies... I didn't mean that the industry is kaput, but it'll have a tough time for a while.

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PeninsulaKiddo Burg

PeninsulaKiddo

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And as far as building a new terminal, it's construction began before the announcement of the two lines dropping Norfolk, but it's also hoped that a new, state-of-the-art terminal will attract other lines in 5ish years. I really hope so because maybe then Hilton would solidify plans for a larger hotel.

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vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

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I'm not talking about a beating for the permanent future, but the immediate future (till around mid-2006-2007) is going to be a little tough for a while.  2 of the 4 major lines are dropping Norfolk in spring 2006, so hopefully others will come to fill the vacancies...  I didn't mean that the industry is kaput, but it'll have a tough time for a while.

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Wow, thats horrible. I'd hate to say this then, but the news on the Hilton could possibly be true. The cruise terminal and the hotel have a sort of symbiotic relationship. Not good news at all.

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vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

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One of the lines said that they were moving the ship to Brazil to fill a vacancy there and the other one intends to replace the ship it's moving as soon as it can.  (it was in the Daily Press' Money and Work section)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So were really only losing one then permanately, the other will just be taking time off.

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vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

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Nauticus is hoping to snag another premium line for its budding cruise business, but with major construction under way on a $37 million cruise terminal at the Nauticus pier, the search for more cruise business won't be "aggressive" right now, Conti said. "It's possible for us to add more, but we have to be careful while we're building the terminal," said Conti. "We haven't been all that aggressive attracting somebody while were building."

I feel better. This was planned and it sounds like they know what they're doing. Whatever caused the Hilton to scale down, this is likely not it. :thumbsup:

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okinawatyphoon Burg

okinawatyphoon

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I feel better. This was planned and it sounds like they know what there doing. Whatever the caused the Hilton to scale down, this is likely not it.  :thumbsup:

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EXACTLY!! Vdogg thanks. I read the article last night before going to bed, but didn't feel like posting it. Little did I know how much it would get out of hand and turn into this big ugly monster when its really not. Phew. B)

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urbanfan Hamlet

urbanfan

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Sorry ToweringTurtle, but I don't believe everything I read. I'll wait for the city to give us a formal announcement to discuss this matter.

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I have to agree. Sorry, but no one knows who towering turtle is not to mention if he is in another state (texas???dallas comment???) just bustin' our chops. Don't let this guy get your hopes down. Alot of people dislike this area because we aspire to be big. Also, wasn't dallas one of the communities that were vying for the new Trader Headquarters? ^_^

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okinawatyphoon Burg

okinawatyphoon

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Hilton Hotel was mentioned AGAIN in another Virginian Pilot article today. No height, just news confirming its still going.

A noteable quote from the article:

"But Fuller expects to expand his reach in the local development community. He has worked to keep the idea of the failed hotel deal alive and is part of a new partnership to bring a Hilton hotel to downtown Norfolk.

Once again making use of his relationships, Fuller approached Washington billionaire Robert Johnson, owner of the new NBA franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats, about doing business here. Johnson

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Seven Cities Whistle-Stop

Seven Cities

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I do want to make some quick corrections about your reference to the Main St. Towers. BB&T's tower is actually 16 stories and the Main St. Tower across the street from Nauticus is 21-stories.

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I was not talking about 150 W. Main across from Nauticus. I was referring to the blue glass Main Street Tower (formerly SouthTrust, now Wachovia) across from B of A. Sorry for any confusion.

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krdarden Whistle-Stop

krdarden

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Well, whatever the hell is going on we'll know soon enough. This project has been mentioned everyday in the paper this week, something must be coming.

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I really don't think that the mayor would give out that type of information and risk the project because of a breach of trust; however, I am convinced that this project will be larger than the Hilton at the Oceanfront which is around 20 stories high!

Vdogg, how many rooms are in the Oceanfront Hilton? I think they said around 200 rooms but I could be wrong!

I can not imagine a 250 room hotel with a conference center will be anything less than 25 stories especially if the Oceanfront Hilton is 200 rooms at 20 floors! If the Norfolk Hilton is being constructed on a smaller site, I am sure that it will be more taller than 16 floors with it potentially topping 30 floors depending upon if the hotel is being built above the conference center. My thoughts are also that they may build parking garage beneath the conference center and hotel.

My final though is. perhaps the city is working with Buddy G. to build condominiums above the Hilton ala the Westin and wants to keep this undercover and that the hotel has indeed been scaled back to accommodate more condos! :blink:

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