138 replies to this topic

[Padman]

Plans like this are commendable and give citizens good ideas and inspiration, but I just love how the amenities that don't seem to make it into the best parts of our cities are suddenly proscribed for our worst areas.  Wouldn't it be more productive to try to do this sort of thing where there might be some potential investment?  Not to say, "don't do this" but maybe try it in some other parts of the city as well.  For example, the area by the locks at Great Bridge has huge potential.  It has natural features and some positive market forces, as well.  I could see a canal walk, nice shops, condos overlooking the canal, offices and so on.

[urbanvb]

There really hasn't been much investment into Cpeake. Perhaps bc it is a newer city and a very suburban one at that. Seems most of the new investment is being made in urban settings - Norfolk, TC areas and the more urbanish Oceanfront areas.

[rjp212]

Quote

Chesapeake council will decide fate of narrow homes
IPB Image
Developers are buying the old homes in South Norfolk, Indian River and
some sections of Deep Creek, made out of several adjoining lots, tearing
them down and replacing one house with two, three or four tall, narrow houses.

article

anyone else think these houses are hideous ? sick.png

I actually think with the right material they could be actually really interesting homes.

[vdogg]

From Chesapeake State of the City address

[rusthebuss]

Steel recycler to expand its facility in Chesapeake

[gosscj]

Virginian-Pilot article on South Norfolk development

[vdogg]

gosscj, on May 8 2006, 01:13 PM, said:

the development team for $1.475 million, the same amount the city paid for it. Another project in the neighborhood, a $200 million mixed-use development, could break ground this summer.

Belharbor at SoNo is breaking ground this summer?!?! My God, they just announced it 2 months ago. That's great!

[okinawatyphoon]

Hyatt to build 4 story (119 rooms) hotel at Greenbrier's Towne Place

Construction for the Hyatt Place is expected to start soon, with completion projected for late 2007.

[okinawatyphoon]

Chesapeake residents: Don't overdevelop city
pretty funny article! they don't want chesapeake to become like virginia beach!  

[willy]

What's funny is that you can leave VB and enter Ches. and not even know it. In other words it already looks like Va. Beach.

[vdogg]

willy, on Jun 19 2006, 06:30 AM, said:

What's funny is that you can leave VB and enter Ches. and not even know it. In other words it already looks like Va. Beach.

Reading that article makes me wonder if there's anything that they do like?  

[willy]

Can you feel the regionalism?

[willy]

.

Edited by willy, 13 July 2006 - 05:22 AM.

[rusthebuss]

willy, on Jul 13 2006, 07:18 AM, said:

.

[willy]

Sorry I posted the SoNo development PDF here in error...it has been moved.

[rusthebuss]

Ok, I was just wondering what the period was for.

[MissSouthNorfolk]

I think the people who were upset of the sprawl and not wanting to look like VB are those people who have lived here long enough to see the exploding growth in Chesapeake.  Many of the residents are people who moved here from VB and came for a shader place with less noise.  That has changed since I moved here to
chesapeake 9 years ago.  Greenbrier area had many patches of trees that made the area more appealing.  On battlefield blvd. you could see many areas that were wooded and every year we loose more of it.  I like the growth but at the same time the city needs to leave some areas alone.  Stop replanting little wannabe trees.  

Unforetunately the area was already zoned in the early 60's and we can't say no to growth.  I still don't understand why it can't be ammended.  I'm not clear on all the laws here and learn more at every Planning Commision meeting I attend.  When it comes to revitalization, Chesapeake doesn't have a clue and really needs to partner with Norfolk to learn how to go about it.  South Norfolk residents, neighborhood services and police station have already brought new laws, codes, and rules to this area after studing what Norfolk does.  It has helped a great deal to clean up this area.  Too bad the citizens have to bring it to city council and be proactive.

As much as I want southern chesapeake not to place anymore commercial or retail areas to preserve some the land there, I also don't want the southern chesapeake residents driving in the northern section to do there shopping because of all the conjestion it causes.  We're only going to be able to build roads so wide to create more lanes.  Then what?  We'll be like a miniture LA taking two hours to drive to the next neighborhood.  Maybe our engineers can explain how we go about it.  I certainly am willing to listen.  hahhah.

I used to be able to get to the beach in 20 minutes 4 1/2 years ago when I had my son at a preschool there.  Hardly any traffic during the day.  You just avoided the area after 4:30pm for rush hour.  Now you can't tell when rush hour in the morning stops and the afternoon starts.  It's always conjested.  10 years ago I could go to Busch Gardens through the tunnel and be there in less than 35 minutes.  Now you have to leave early in the morning to avoid all traffic.  When is 64 going to become at least 6 lanes instead the the auto packed 4 lanes?  Soon we'll need 8 lanes.  After 264 was redone a few years ago, it was already outdated.  When do we plan ahead?  The cities want more people to move here but they can't handle the growth, traffic or services expected.

Edited by MissSouthNorfolk, 18 August 2006 - 11:49 AM.

[spiker3]

im curious why there's no real post on the progress of Greenbrier Towne Center (TC with an E!) There's a huge development off Eden Way, i know it's not condos, mostly retail but anyone know anything about it?  Besides it's behind Bed Bath and Beyond, lol.

[vdogg]

spiker3, on Aug 31 2006, 10:15 PM, said:

im curious why there's no real post on the progress of Greenbrier Towne Center (TC with an E!) There's a huge development off Eden Way, i know it's not condos, mostly retail but anyone know anything about it?  Besides it's behind Bed Bath and Beyond, lol.

That is not a town center its a strip mall. We did mention it a year ago, it even had its own thread, but it was more to ridicule the project than anything else. It is not urban by any stretch of the imagination and thus the lack of interest. I'll look for the thread a little later and when I find it i'll link to it here. On a side note its a shame that they couldn't have gone for a real town center in Greenbriar. Something like Blenheim park would be better suited for there than its current planned location.

[MissSouthNorfolk]

vdogg, on Aug 31 2006, 08:41 PM, said:

That is not a town center its a strip mall. We did mention it a year ago, it even had its own thread, but it was more to ridicule the project than anything else. It is not urban by any stretch of the imagination and thus the lack of interest. I'll look for the thread a little later and when I find it i'll link to it here. On a side note its a shame that they couldn't have gone for a real town center in Greenbriar. Something like Blenheim park would be better suited for there than its current planned location.

Why do you want everything to go in Greenbrier?  You seem to keep saying that about every project?  Greenbrier is the Mall Area, not a town center.  With all the hotels, stores, resturaunts surronding the mall, there is nothing else there to make it the town center.  I'm curious to know why you are pushing the issue of Greenbrier to become the town center?