109 replies to this topic

[vdogg]

Wow, Chesapeakes actually trying to go urban on us.  
Urban developments for Chesapeake.
Some highlights:

"Plans are for it to feature 350 condominium units, priced at an average of $350,000. It also will have 230 apartment units. The residences will be in buildings that could be up to 12 stories tall. The development would also have 130,000 square feet of office space and 40,000 square feet of retail space.

“It will give Chesapeake a presence on the Elizabeth River that it has never had,” said Spruill, managing member of Truxton."

"Truxton’s $200 million development, to be called Belharbour Station at SoNo, will be visible from Interstate 464 and serve as a gateway into Chesapeake."

"Spruill can even foresee the area becoming another downtown-like area."

"Chesapeake’s embrace of the high-density concept is part of its maturation, city officials said. Belharbour Station at SoNo was a brainchild of the city’s Department of Economic Development as a means of helping to revitalize South Norfolk."

Edited by vdogg, 29 March 2006 - 09:22 AM.

[lammius]

This would be the tallest building in Chesafreak, right?

It is certainly good news to hear about that city's interest in more dense development.  While this condo may prove to be a good development, I wouldn't expect it to serve as a "downtown district" for South Norfolk.  It's locked in by bridges, 464, and the river.  It's a very isolated position.  I'd expect to see a downtown district develop farther east on Poindexter Street or perhaps somewhere closer to Berkeley.

[urbanlife]

Looking on Google Earth, that is alot of land for that site, even if it doesnt have a huge effect on South Norfolk (which I strongly believe Chesapeake should make it a huge focus for the city, the area deserves that much), it is large enough to be considered a downtown.  If I am not mistaken, it is roughly the same size land as VB'S Town Center.  

Some key factors that will have to go into it, exit 4 on 464 would need to be improved to handle the growth of the area, as well as possibly reconstructing a new Jordan Bridge, which could play as a landmark for the area.

South of hwy 337 would also be a good area for this to grow.  I could imagine a great boardwalk running through there.  This may even be a blessing for the area if its possitive effects spread down Poindexter turning SoNo's original downtown back into an urban neighborhood with the hint of being in a small town still.  

That area could really shine if people cared about it.  I think I might of cared too much for that area, which is why I needed to move away from it.

Anyway, mostly talk out of my butt, but wouldn't it be great if this project jumped on board with the lightrail and they ran it all the way down the 464 to Greenbrier and such.  That would be a great way to start tieing these cities together and making it a true market to compete with.

Like I said, care too much.

[vdogg]

Yes this would be Chesapeakes tallest building, and as with meridian, Granby et. al may indeed go taller before all is said and done. Also, I remember it was mere months ago that I was lmao at the "Chesapeake Towne Center" concept  for the Greenbrier area and how we all agreed how Chesapeake Would never try to go urban in our lifetimes. My how we've been proven wrong. The reason i'm so ecstatic about this project is not the project itself but what this one project means for our entire area. Urbanization has become such a positive force in HR that even Chesapeake of all places is taking a good solid look at shedding it's suburban character. It also means, as I suspected, that while single family housing may be slowing down the condo market is still red hot. My only complaint, and it's a minor one at that, is that I only wish this was going in the Greenbrier business corridor off 64. This tower, in a town center concept, could act as a focal point in that area and add urban development to a region that could truly need it. That being said, I can understand why the chosen properties proximity to downtown Norfolk could make it ideal for this project. Now i'm off to do something I thought I'd never be able to do. I'm gonna go find an over head shot of the location, outline it, and add it and its information (and therefore Chesapeake   ) to the projects listing.

Edited by vdogg, 04 December 2005 - 11:26 AM.

[okinawatyphoon]

I've always considered the area just past Greenbrier Mall (I think) which has the Chesapeake Convention Center, Holiday Inn, and the twin brown office buildings (5 stories i think) to be "downtown" Chesapeake. Now they are trying to create another one? hmm..

[vdogg]

okinawatyphoon, on Dec 4 2005, 08:27 AM, said:

I've always considered the area just past Greenbrier Mall (I think) which has the Chesapeake Convention Center, Holiday Inn, and the twin brown office buildings (5 stories i think) to be "downtown" Chesapeake. Now they are trying to create another one? hmm..

As I said, that was my problem with it as well. I think that due to its location and this projects proximity to downtown it has a better chance of success than the Greenbrier area, even though I'd rather see something like this go there. We'll see. Construction is slated to begin This upcoming summer with a completion date of sometime in 2008.

[okinawatyphoon]

vdogg, on Dec 4 2005, 10:37 PM, said:

As I said, that was my problem with it as well. I think that due to its location and this projects proximity to downtown it has a better chance of success than the Greenbrier area, even though I'd rather see something like this go there. We'll see. Construction is slated to begin This upcoming summer with a completion date of sometime in 2008.

Oh, haha I am becoming unfamiliar more and more with Hampton Roads as time goes by vdogg! Yeah I really wish they would stick with the Greenbrier area...but what can ya do? oh well. I wish Chesapeake luck, as it is "my" Hampton Roads city, even though I like Norfolk much better for its urbanity, Chesapeake is home.

[vdogg]

Just a visual on the location.

[urbanvb]

Amazing to see Chesapeake hitching a ride on the 'urban train'   . Gee, I really hope it takes off although like some of you have already stated the location is not one where I would have thought of this to occur. I guess we will see what happens. With so much urban construction going on around us perhaps it might really take off.

[vdogg]

Believe it or not Chesapeake has a very good and comprehensive plan for revitalizing South Norfolk. Check out
this pdf file from 2003. Lots of renderings (unfortunately none of the 12 story towers but some good urban setting renderings none the less). They even mention making that whole area into a town center (like urbanlife said above).

[vdogg]

guynvb, on Dec 4 2005, 09:49 AM, said:

Amazing to see Chesapeake hitching a ride on the 'urban train'   . Gee, I really hope it takes off although like some of you have already stated the location is not one where I would have thought of this to occur. I guess we will see what happens. With so much urban construction going on around us perhaps it might really take off.

Well, i'm actually starting to warm up to the location a bit. It really is very close to downtown (in one of the pics  of the property in the pdf u can actually see downtown) and with the NS right of way running right next to the property it could easily be tied in to light rail and become one of those "transit villages" referred to in the Norfolk light rail thread.

[urbanvb]

Those are quite impressive renderings. I recall seeing those before but it has been quite a while ago. I really hope this takes off in a big way.

[vdogg]

Here's one of the actual project layout.

[urbanlife]

vdogg if you have ever driven through that area, you would get such a sad feeling.  It is an area that had such a great life at one point and since the chesapeake merge it has all been forgotten and left to rot.

Seeing there actually being a plan to save that area just warms my heart.  Regardless of what the Greenbreier area is to people, it will never act of fnction like a true downtown.  This would be chesapeakes perfect chance to reinvent its northern part into something it use to be and more, including the focus for the county it was north of before it lost its identity in the merger.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

The world hath turned upside down!

I like this project.  Back when I deemed myself a "visionary redeveloper" (yea... as a younger kid I used to draw these types of things a lot... okay, I still do sometimes) I once drew a redevelopment for this exact same tract of land and it was pretty similar.  I really like how this is going to further urbanize the waterfront along the Elizabeth River.  Whatever is built on this site will easily be visible from DT Norfolk/Portsmouth and vice-versa and just add more to the expanding skyline.

AWESOME!

I think the tower(s) in this project will probably be like scaled-down Cosmo(s), judging from the site plans.  I have the feeling this project will also be expanded... since 2003 when that original plan was released they have increased the number of residential units...  they're going in the right direction!

[urbanlife]

Cosmo size buildings would be good, maybe over time a couple taller, but for that area, density would be a better trade off than height.  I would want to see Chesapeake trying to outstage Norfolk.

[rusthebuss]

Its good to see that Ches. is actually trying to do something now. I know alot of citizens don't want it to be urban but at least the northside could be that borders Norfolk and leave the southern part rural or suburban.

[Telmnstr]

The property was purchased for $1 million!!!

$350k ? Are there enough jobs in this area to support selling small apartments for $350,000? Or is this all Interest Only mortgages where people just ignore that a huge rise in prices is going to come to them in 2 years. Sheesh.

Condos are entry level housing. Density is good. Of course, there is probably a bunch of toxic waste under the ground there.

It would be a nice development if it wasn't overpriced.

Once again, we probably don't really have the job base to support this.

I'm waiting for the defense spending cutbacks to hit. I'm already trying to help people I knew at NASA get jobs who were recently laid off.

[vdogg]

Well, once the sky is done falling, I'm sure this will be a valuable addition to an area of Chesapeake that truly needs it. This could be just the thing to help revitalize that area and I for one hope they succeed.  

Edited by vdogg, 11 December 2005 - 08:18 PM.

[hoobo]

Telmnstr, on Dec 11 2005, 05:17 PM, said:

I'm waiting for the defense spending cutbacks to hit. I'm already trying to help people I knew at NASA get jobs who were recently laid off.

I applaud your efforts for helping the unemployed.