Virginia Beach Development

[hoobo]

And they do a good job at it. You don't need an ID to buy. Too bad for that pesky ABC board. Hmm. What about a family-friendly bar? That fits VB's idea of what the Strip should be. Bring junior along and let dad show him how to be a real man and pound two beers followed by a 151 (not the other way around). Brilliant.

[pipdo]

looks like work has begun on Landstown Commons. I went by it today and trees have been cleared in the area, along with construction equiptment on site.

[urbanvb]

ahh, thanks for the info. where is landstown commons being built and what kind of development is it?

[urbanvb]

I remember it now. At the corner of Princess Anne and Dam Neck. Wonder if Trader Joes or Whole Foods signed on? I think they were touting them for this project.

[urbanvb]

Expert to tell Beach how to revitalize resort sites

VIRGINIA BEACH - The city is hiring a national expert to tell it what could be built at Rudee Loop and the former Dome site, to help transform the resort into a year-round destination.

[erdogs]

Expert to tell Beach how to revitalize resort sites

It would be cool if they could build a casino there. Now we just need to get Pat Robertson to lobby the state to change the laws. Just offer him a stake in the profits, yeah thats it.

Edited November 5, 2006 by erdogs

[urbanlife]

It would be cool if they could build a casino there. Now we just need to get Pat Robertson to lobby the state to change the laws. Just offer him a stake in the profits, yeah thats it.

You know I could see that beotch going along with that idea. But yeah, those two areas have sat underused for way too long. Hell I think they should of left the dome, I miss it. Actually I have kind of forgotten what it use to look like.

[metalman]

...a mini Scope. Our own cool little geodesic dome.

I found this image

http://www.virginiaimages.com/w627.gif

[urbanlife]

I totally don't remember the entrance to that building. It was so retro!

It would be amazing if it were there today. It would be packed with concerts, could have a garage on the next block. Tons of restaurants around it, with condos and apartments above that. Just a huge buzz and connectivity to the area.

Would of helped stimulate a small city feeling in that area if the city would of ran with it and kept it a center piece.

Funny thing is they could rebuild the Dome for alittle bit more than then, but it took only like 3 days to put up that building. 3 days! That is a weekend project!

[urbanlife]

http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&amp...628D181!101

if this works, it is an aerial shot of virginia beach, from local.live.com which was taken so long ago that the Dome was still there. Pretty cool, maybe they should think about putting it back. It is probably in a garage somewhere or buried in Mount Trashmore 2.

Looking at the bird's eye shot, I didn't realize how much surface parking lots were where the Dome use to be. I forgot about that. That area really should be the heart of the beach, be like a mini san diego or mini miami or something. Would be amazing having an extremely dense collection of housing, parking, shopping, and business in that area. Plus it would give a great incentive to run light rail to that point and have it end there. Would really connect the key elements of VB together.

See why I needed to move, if I was still there, I would just be pissed off about these things. Now I can go become an architect, dabble in developing, and go back there with this idea and sweet talk the city into doing it. Cause we all know it will probably be surface parking for a long time because no one will ever decide what needs to happen there.

Edited November 6, 2006 by urbanlife

[vblocal]

http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&amp...628D181!101

if this works, it is an aerial shot of virginia beach, from local.live.com which was taken so long ago that the Dome was still there.

[What a cool shot ! I followed the image to downtown ORF and you can get an idea of the time period that this was taken. The Marriott and NS Tower were not built yet. The old F&M building was still present. And Mac Mall was just a thought (as the old Maritime Tower and JC Penney building were still there !) All of that said, I would say late 80's...All of the big projects of 1986-90 are there...World Trade Center 2, Town Point Center and Dominion Tower, all of those opened between 1987 and 1988, so I would date this pic as 1988-1990. Awesome shot !]

[urbanlife]

yeah, it is cool that they used an old shot for the metro seeing that there are ones that were taken right after they cleared the trees for the town center.

The oceanfront really needs to take that area, and I am guessing the own many of those lots around 19th and turn that area into a hub for the oceanfront. I a focal point is really needed there.

[erdogs]

Virginia beach Convergence Center Phase lll

[hoobo]

Although I'm not a fan of these dense office parks/campuses that are rampant in NoVa and Orange County, I'm glad to see that the plan includes 3 more buildings as opposed to keeping the current parking lots. It also helps that it is only one development and will soon have a residential/retail neighbor in City View.

[erdogs]

I like the height of the buildings because they don't block the view of TC. It would be great if they would have made them all a little different, but it does add density.

[vdogg]

I agree, they could've chose a different design. As for the location though it does help add and urban looking presence to the TC side of 264. I always though those buildings complimented that area pretty nicely.

[Padman]

This kind of office park is a very suburban concept. It offers freeway visibility and some isolation, which is desired by certain kinds of businesses. The challenge is to nicely link this development to Town Center and also to Mt. Trashmore, making it more walkable and more a part of the overall scheme for the area. That's not an easy task because not enough private dollars are being spent to accomplish it.

[vdogg]

City has plan for more affordable housing

VIRGINIA BEACH - Developers soon may have new incentives to build more affordable housing in the city.

On Monday, the city Planning Commission will hear a proposal for more mixed-use, higher-density housing in the city's strategic growth area, mainly along Virginia Beach Boulevard.

This could include a mixture of businesses and residences similar to the concept behind Town Center, said Andrew Friedman, the city's housing director.

"We're still working on the price ranges, but the idea is you can have high-

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density development with mixed-income housing," Friedman said.

A committee on work-force housing will offer its plans for enticing this kind of construction, including density bonuses to builders.

[urbanlife]

very good to here, and at good timing. The city is just right for this kind of thinking. I hope it pans out for the best. I would love to see that region as a whole become much more dense.

[urbanvb]

Sounds like more mixed-use construction for the CBD and for the first time affordable housing. As it stands there is no affordable housing in the general area so I am happy to hear this.

[vaceltic]

That doesnt sound like a plan to me. Its not enforcing a percentage of affordable housing. Seems like a quiet way to say they addressed the problem with a wink and a nudge to the developers. Dragas is about the only developer in the area that includes affordable units in any of their communities, and those units crack $200,000.

[vdogg]

Mixing it up at the beach

At last, mixed use projects in Virginia Beach could become truly mixed.

Last week, the Virginia Beach Planning Commission discussed the possibility of an ordinance to offer bonuses to developers who are willing to include affordable housing in their projects in exchange for being able to construct more units. It

[okinawatyphoon]

Third party pitches Beach hotel project

The Hyatt Corp. and its partners want to build a 400-room, 18-story hotel next to the Virginia Beach Convention Center to help lure large meetings to the resort.

[erdogs]

The Navy is doing nothing but hold VB back. They need to go ahead and move like they want to do any way. Why can't they fly their jets south over Pungo.

[vdogg]

A central issue will be the Navy's thoughts about these buildings. The Navy generally opposes homes and hotels where noise from Oceana Naval Air Station jets is very loud. It also opposes tall buildings near Oceana's runways.

In 1980, when developers proposed a 34-story hotel next to the Pavilion, where the c onvention c enter now stands, the Navy fiercely opposed the plan. The project was reduced to 12 stories. It is now the Doubletree Hotel.

Councilman Bob Dyer has proposed that the city consider only public-private partnerships that are consistent with guidelines that prevent further encroachment around Oceana.

I'll reserve judgement until I see renderings. I have a feeling however that i'll be underwhelmed based on the above criteria.