Norfolk Development

[rusthebuss]

Don't count on any height much less a 4-star or even 3-star hotel there. The president of ODU discussed recently completed projects, current projects, and revealed all upcoming projects for the next 5 years to new transfer students (myself included) at a lunch preview event in mid-August. In regard to the current project taking place across from the Convocation center, it is  planned to be first floor retail on the Eastern half (the half furthest from Hampton Blvd) of the site topped off with a parking garage. The Western half of the site is a planned 100-room "Welcome" hotel with some office space. I would give you all the projects he unveiled to us that day but some are still to far off to consider concrete including a possible football stadium which actually was not even mentioned The next project to begin at ODU is set to start early next year on part of the main overflow parking lot (aka Lot 27) for a small parking garage and a new building for student recreation including a new gym, etc. That's all I can say right now about ODU's future. Even though I'm in my first semester at ODU, I doubt I'll still be an ODU student when a bulk of the newly announced projects are completed (despite helping pay for them through tuition, student fees and other dues )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Things change and they are running out of room and will have to go up pretty soon. We will see. At least your at ODU, I'm still at TCC and have a little while to go. Working full time and school is crazy.

[ace707]

Things change and they are running out of room and will have to go up pretty soon. We will see. At least your at ODU, I'm still at TCC and have a little while to go. Working full time and school is crazy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well don't feel too bad 'cause I'm still at TCC too and depending on how many classes I decide to take at ODU next semester, I could get my associates degree next semester or by the end of the summer semester and I'm going to be an ODU student for 3 years (hopefully not much longer than that) to receive my bachelor's.

[rusthebuss]

Well don't feel too bad 'cause I'm still at TCC too and depending on how many classes I decide to take at ODU next semester, I could get my associates degree next semester or by the end of the summer semester and I'm going to be an ODU student for 3 years (hopefully not much longer than that) to receive my bachelor's.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dude I'm 29 and started going to school when i was 24 so don't feel bad

[metalman]

I graduated from ODU in 2002. In the Webb Center near the info desk they have a great little 'center' dedicated to the University Village exapansion with a model of university and a color coded map showing what the planned new buildings and facilities are from new dorms, research, parking, eduacational, etc. They also have pics of the progress and some memrobilia from construction sites (hard hats, cinder, etc).

Let me make a disclamer: The last time I was in that part of Webb Center was in the Spring, so if they don't have something I've mention or changed there display, please don't shoot me

I can't wait to see that sea of a parking lot infront of Diehn Fine and Performing Arts Building to be used for garages, new eduacation buildings and a much needed expansion of the Music building! ....ok, ok, I'm biased

Metalman

[br0guy]

I remember hearing about an ODU hotel project as part of the University Village development. They're also suppose to be building a supermarket within a small shopping center at 38th and Hampton Blvd. I've seen the plans for this somewhere (maybe on the Norfolk Development site?)... my memory is failing me right now.

Finally found the link.

http://www.odu.edu/oduhome/construction/to...#slide0059.html

This power point presentation gives an overview of the different projects planned for campus (parking, renovations, additions, etc.) The hotel and supermarket are included in the presentation. Sit back and enjoy the view. B)

[vdogg]

Finally found the link.

http://www.odu.edu/oduhome/construction/to...#slide0059.html

This power point presentation gives an overview of the different projects planned for campus (parking, renovations, additions, etc.) The hotel and supermarket are included in the presentation. Sit back and enjoy the view. B)

That's a lot of stuff.

[br0guy]

That's a lot of stuff.

Ain't it !!

Actually, a few of the projects listed have already been completed... and I can tell you that they've already started construction on the North Village parking garage (same site as the proposed hotel).

[hoobo]

I wish the best for ODU. Its success is integral in the success of South HR.

[urbanvb]

Those are great looking plans. I hope only the best for ODU.

[Tags]

Hi Everyone,

First of all this is a fantastic site!

Second, I'm completely new to this site and it's large and trying to read everything to find information would be difficult; so pardon me if these questions have been asked and answered before. The search feature didn't work for me either.

Anyway.....being new to the area and not knowing any of the local developers I was wondering if you all had any thoughts on the Wright Company. I like the idea of renovated buildings 500 Granby and Welton Lofts but I want a great developer. I've seen the tax rates on some other projects or used condos so the tax abaitment is very attractive. Are their any other redevelopment projects of older buildings?

Thanks everyone...

[vdogg]

Hi Everyone,

First of all this is a fantastic site!

Second, I'm completely new to this site and it's large and trying to read everything to find information would be difficult; so pardon me if these questions have been asked and answered before. The search feature didn't work for me either.

Anyway.....being new to the area and not knowing any of the local developers I was wondering if you all had any thoughts on the Wright Company. I like the idea of renovated buildings 500 Granby and Welton Lofts but I want a great developer. I've seen the tax rates on some other projects or used condos so the tax abaitment is very attractive. Are their any other redevelopment projects of older buildings?

Thanks everyone...

As far as the redevelopment of downtown I believe that wright and marathon pretty much have a monopoly on that. I'm sure you will find some other smaller dealers but those are two of the main ones. I will give u a much more coherent answer in the morning as I just got back from the bar and...well... you know the rest of the story. Good night everyone, and welcome to the forum Tags.

[okinawatyphoon]

Floor plan for the Norfolk Rotunda are now available.

[willy]

Gateway Bank

[willy]

New campaign brands downtown an office park

DNC has issued a manual for real estate agents selling downtown

By Philip Newswanger

Inside Business - Hampton Roads

Monday September 26, 2005

The Downtown Norfolk Council is branding downtown Norfolk as the best office park in the region, compelled by a pack of hungry commercial real estate agents and vacancy rates exceeding 10 percent.

After huddling with commercial real estate brokers for 18 months, the region

[willy]

Thalhimer/Cushman & Wakefield has been selected by Marathon Development to represent for-lease retail space in Granby Tower, a 31-story residential and retail tower proposed for downtown Norfolk. Ed Kimple, David Machupa and Chris Good have been named retail leasing representatives for the building.

After some research I found that the cost is $25.00 per sq. ft. in the Granby Tower.

[rusthebuss]

Gateway Bank

[vdogg]

Most notably, Berry said Gateway is in negotiation for land to open a branch in Norfolk

[ace707]

Hmm... sounds like a new tower is brewing to me. Interesting.

I used to think of Norfolk's motto of "Downtown Norfolk is the Hampton Roads region business district and financial core" as more of a marketing tool rather than major fact in its promotion of downtown. But the last 5-6 years have changed my thought on that motto to a definite fact and with Trader, the numerous businesses, financial services, banks, and law firms that dominate downtown alongside with the districts' atmosphere of a true urban enviroment only continue to re-inforce and strengthen that motto. We're already below the 10 percent vacancy rate and well below the regions average 12% vacancy rate so coupled with high tenant demand downtown and the mayor's hint that downtown could soon be ready to work on getting another office tower, I won't be surprised if another office tower that is at least in the 30's range opens downtown by 2010. Hopefully the politics behind the process of building and filling up a tower such as floor space rates, parking, dumb crap like GSA or federal gov't greed don't mess with such projects. I really hope they consider building a tower on that eyesore parking garage site on Main St. It would definitely be attractive to banks such as Gateway who are struggling for a piece of the Main St. cake but can't because Main St. is filled up. Plus it would definitely fill a gap in the skyline between the Norfolk Southern Tower and Bank of America Tower.

[rusthebuss]

I used to think of Norfolk's motto of "Downtown Norfolk is the Hampton Roads region business district and financial core" as more of a marketing tool rather than major fact in its promotion of downtown. But the last 5-6 years have changed my thought on that motto to a definite fact and with Trader, the numerous businesses, financial services, banks, and law firms that dominate downtown alongside with the districts' atmosphere of a true urban enviroment only continue to re-inforce and strengthen that motto. We're already below the 10 percent vacancy rate and well below the regions average 12% vacancy rate so coupled with high tenant demand downtown and the mayor's hint that downtown could soon be ready to work on getting another office tower, I won't be surprised if another office tower that is at least in the 30's range opens downtown by 2010. Hopefully the politics behind the process of building and filling up a tower such as floor space rates, parking, dumb crap like GSA or federal gov't greed don't mess with such projects. I really hope they consider building a tower on that eyesore parking garage site on Main St. It would definitely be attractive to banks such as Gateway who are struggling for a piece of the Main St. cake but can't because Main St. is filled up. Plus it would definitely fill a gap in the skyline between the Norfolk Southern Tower and Bank of America Tower.

I hope it hits the 40 range and then they add some more condo towers around that area with some clubs and restaurants!

[hoobo]

Hmm... sounds like a new tower is brewing to me. Interesting.

But isn't Gateway roughly the same size as Towne Bank?

[Tags]

As far as the redevelopment of downtown I believe that wright and marathon pretty much have a monopoly on that. I'm sure you will find some other smaller dealers but those are two of the main ones. I will give u a much more coherent answer in the morning as I just got back from the bar and...well... you know the rest of the story. Good night everyone, and welcome to the forum Tags.

WOW! That must be one hell of a hangover.

If I move forward with purchasing a condo from Wright company what concerns should I have? It really sounds like the area is in a major growth mode; will this be a good investment as well?

[Jim Nasty]

Hello everyone!

What a fantastic site!?! I was really surprised (and pleasantly so!) to find so many people with vast knowledge about the area. I've read all the pages in the forum and many of the links to articles within them over the past few weeks and I really appreciate all the time and effort everyone takes to let everyone else 'in on' the happenings in the area.

I will be closing on my condo downtown this week and hope to be moving in this weekend. I'm very excited about the area and it's prospects.

I grew up in northern Suffolk and lived there for over 20 years. I'm very proud of that city and really like it's prospects as well. However, I lived in the apartments at 117 W. City Hall Ave from 2000-2002 (the old Fairfax Hotel) and loved living in downtown. My job sent me away from GA to CA and now I'm back home for good. I've been renting in Pembroke since October and now im getting my first home.

Which brings me to the main reason for my post. A comparison of downtown Norfolk and Town Center.

When i lived in dt before, I could bike all the way from DT through Ghent and ODU with the utmost ease. I've done it many times recently as I did my house-hunting as well. The biggest obstacle was Brambleton Ave and that has numerous crosswalks in case you need to get through traffic, which on the weekend was minimal anyway. Or I could just ride over the bridge on Brambleton and cross over to Ghent @ Colley Ave. I liked the bridge at the Hague the best.

I currently live off Baxter Rd. in Va. Beach. If you want to test your survival skills, bike from there to Town Center. The light @ Baxter and Independence, and the ensuing exits to the interstate are a death trap. You have all kinds of people trying to swerve over to get to either one of the exits to 264, and the pedestrian overpass you get to once you do run the guantlet is filled with water and the leavings of bridge-dwellers and whatever gunk has decided to get lodged in there (and is still there if you look today). You have to walk the bike up the inside of the embankment to acheive any modicum of cleanliness to present yourself with once you arrive at your destination. I feel the current design of TC alienates itself from anyone on the other side of 264. Maybe they should build some kind of pedestrian bridge from somewhere at Mt. Trashmore all the way to the other side of 264. That would be something at least. And what about the destination once you get there? Pembroke Mall is a dump, and once you get past the Silver Diner, thats pretty much it! And what kind of aesthetics do you get? You get to look at traffic. You better look at traffic if you want to live to see anything else!

In Norfolk, I can ride my bike all the way from Waterside to Freemason to that bridge near the Hague over through Ghent and not once feel like I'm risking my life. Then you have those water views, the beautiful architecture, as well as the historical siginficance of the area. It is a great ride if you havent had the chance to do it!

In my opinion, I think TC is great for the area, and I really want Va. Beach (and all cities in the area for that matter) to succeed. But I think that VB still has a long way to go if it wants to compete with Norfolk.

Either way it will be fun to watch the region grow and I'm very optimistic about the future.

Now I know this is way off-subject, but does anyone know of a dining club or anything like that for the restaurants or shops downtown? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again for such a wonderful forum.

[rusthebuss]

Hello everyone!

What a fantastic site!?! I was really surprised (and pleasantly so!) to find so many people with vast knowledge about the area. I've read all the pages in the forum and many of the links to articles within them over the past few weeks and I really appreciate all the time and effort everyone takes to let everyone else 'in on' the happenings in the area.

I will be closing on my condo downtown this week and hope to be moving in this weekend. I'm very excited about the area and it's prospects.

I grew up in northern Suffolk and lived there for over 20 years. I'm very proud of that city and really like it's prospects as well. However, I lived in the apartments at 117 W. City Hall Ave from 2000-2002 (the old Fairfax Hotel) and loved living in downtown. My job sent me away from GA to CA and now I'm back home for good. I've been renting in Pembroke since October and now im getting my first home.

Which brings me to the main reason for my post. A comparison of downtown Norfolk and Town Center.

When i lived in dt before, I could bike all the way from DT through Ghent and ODU with the utmost ease. I've done it many times recently as I did my house-hunting as well. The biggest obstacle was Brambleton Ave and that has numerous crosswalks in case you need to get through traffic, which on the weekend was minimal anyway. Or I could just ride over the bridge on Brambleton and cross over to Ghent @ Colley Ave. I liked the bridge at the Hague the best.

I currently live off Baxter Rd. in Va. Beach. If you want to test your survival skills, bike from there to Town Center. The light @ Baxter and Independence, and the ensuing exits to the interstate are a death trap. You have all kinds of people trying to swerve over to get to either one of the exits to 264, and the pedestrian overpass you get to once you do run the guantlet is filled with water and the leavings of bridge-dwellers and whatever gunk has decided to get lodged in there (and is still there if you look today). You have to walk the bike up the inside of the embankment to acheive any modicum of cleanliness to present yourself with once you arrive at your destination. I feel the current design of TC alienates itself from anyone on the other side of 264. Maybe they should build some kind of pedestrian bridge from somewhere at Mt. Trashmore all the way to the other side of 264. That would be something at least. And what about the destination once you get there? Pembroke Mall is a dump, and once you get past the Silver Diner, thats pretty much it! And what kind of aesthetics do you get? You get to look at traffic. You better look at traffic if you want to live to see anything else!

In Norfolk, I can ride my bike all the way from Waterside to Freemason to that bridge near the Hague over through Ghent and not once feel like I'm risking my life. Then you have those water views, the beautiful architecture, as well as the historical siginficance of the area. It is a great ride if you havent had the chance to do it!

In my opinion, I think TC is great for the area, and I really want Va. Beach (and all cities in the area for that matter) to succeed. But I think that VB still has a long way to go if it wants to compete with Norfolk.

Either way it will be fun to watch the region grow and I'm very optimistic about the future.

Now I know this is way off-subject, but does anyone know of a dining club or anything like that for the restaurants or shops downtown? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again for such a wonderful forum.

Welcome and I love DT Norfolk too! I just hope eventually we see urban development from one end of the city to the next. I personally can't wait to see what Baxter's sports bar will be like!

[vdogg]

WOW! That must be one hell of a hangover.

If I move forward with purchasing a condo from Wright company what concerns should I have? It really sounds like the area is in a major growth mode; will this be a good investment as well?

I say it would be a good investment but be careful where you purchase. Wright owns the current showcase building and that building is currently being eyed for the expansion of the fed courts complex. Other than that I really don't see any major dangers. All told wright has a very good reputation and some of the renovations they have been doing are absolutely amazing. It has been stated that our real estate market is so undersupplied that even when the housing bubble burst our market should still be going strong, so for now I see no problems in that department either (things can change quickly though so stay aware). I'm curious though, are you planning on living in the condo you purchase or renting it out? Oh, and sorry it took me so long too reply. As you can imagine, all was forgotten by the next morning.

[vdogg]

Hello everyone!

What a fantastic site!?! I was really surprised (and pleasantly so!) to find so many people with vast knowledge about the area. I've read all the pages in the forum and many of the links to articles within them over the past few weeks and I really appreciate all the time and effort everyone takes to let everyone else 'in on' the happenings in the area.

I will be closing on my condo downtown this week and hope to be moving in this weekend. I'm very excited about the area and it's prospects.

I grew up in northern Suffolk and lived there for over 20 years. I'm very proud of that city and really like it's prospects as well. However, I lived in the apartments at 117 W. City Hall Ave from 2000-2002 (the old Fairfax Hotel) and loved living in downtown. My job sent me away from GA to CA and now I'm back home for good. I've been renting in Pembroke since October and now im getting my first home.

Which brings me to the main reason for my post. A comparison of downtown Norfolk and Town Center.

When i lived in dt before, I could bike all the way from DT through Ghent and ODU with the utmost ease. I've done it many times recently as I did my house-hunting as well. The biggest obstacle was Brambleton Ave and that has numerous crosswalks in case you need to get through traffic, which on the weekend was minimal anyway. Or I could just ride over the bridge on Brambleton and cross over to Ghent @ Colley Ave. I liked the bridge at the Hague the best.

I currently live off Baxter Rd. in Va. Beach. If you want to test your survival skills, bike from there to Town Center. The light @ Baxter and Independence, and the ensuing exits to the interstate are a death trap. You have all kinds of people trying to swerve over to get to either one of the exits to 264, and the pedestrian overpass you get to once you do run the guantlet is filled with water and the leavings of bridge-dwellers and whatever gunk has decided to get lodged in there (and is still there if you look today). You have to walk the bike up the inside of the embankment to acheive any modicum of cleanliness to present yourself with once you arrive at your destination. I feel the current design of TC alienates itself from anyone on the other side of 264. Maybe they should build some kind of pedestrian bridge from somewhere at Mt. Trashmore all the way to the other side of 264. That would be something at least. And what about the destination once you get there? Pembroke Mall is a dump, and once you get past the Silver Diner, thats pretty much it! And what kind of aesthetics do you get? You get to look at traffic. You better look at traffic if you want to live to see anything else!

In Norfolk, I can ride my bike all the way from Waterside to Freemason to that bridge near the Hague over through Ghent and not once feel like I'm risking my life. Then you have those water views, the beautiful architecture, as well as the historical siginficance of the area. It is a great ride if you havent had the chance to do it!

In my opinion, I think TC is great for the area, and I really want Va. Beach (and all cities in the area for that matter) to succeed. But I think that VB still has a long way to go if it wants to compete with Norfolk.

Either way it will be fun to watch the region grow and I'm very optimistic about the future.

Now I know this is way off-subject, but does anyone know of a dining club or anything like that for the restaurants or shops downtown? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again for such a wonderful forum.

First of all welcome to the forum, I'm always glad to see new members. As far as TC is concerned that project is only meant to be a catalyst, not the end all to everything. Once City View is started next year a lot of those walkability and alienation issues you brought up will be addressed as this project is meant to act as a gateway to TC. Once City Walk is started on the HQ property (with at least 2 towers planned for that area)

you will slowly start to see what one would consider to be a traditional downtown. There are also plans in the works for the Barnes and Noble property. I have said it before and I still believe this to this day, TC was never meant to compete with DT Norfolk. It is meant to provide a sense of place for the residents of VB and some cohesiveness to what has always been our city's central business district, even if it has been underutilized. I could continue on but I think that Rus would get me for hijacking a Norfolk thread with VB issues so any further responses and i'll find some way to continue the conversation in the VB forum.