1641 replies to this topic

[urbanlife]

I love Suffolk's downtown, it is definitally historic.  On the other hand dont get me started on chesapeake and south norfolk.  I personally think South Norfolk should of become its own city when it had a chance (before norfolk incorporated some of its land).

During the depression, South Norfolk was the only town not affected by the great depression.  Then Norfolk took a chunk of is land in the late fifties and what was left of South Norfolk decided to merge with Norfolk County (now called Chesapeake).  Norfolk County in turned killed South Norfolk by locating all its public builds as far away from it and left South Norfolk to rot and become a ghetto, only now have they made any small efforts to rebuild South Norfolk.  This is one of the root reasons why I have such strong hatred for Chesapeake.

[JPN0731]

Chesapeake is in the hands of the developers.... the wrong kind of developers hah hah.

[rusthebuss]

well the people in southern chesapeake got their way by having the city slow development in that part of the city for the next 20 years.

[wrldcoupe4]

but guyyyys Charlotte doesn't have soul   I think Norfolk/Hampton Roads in general should become/already is unique. It shouldn't have to follow other cities.

[mistermetaj]

wrldcoupe4, on Apr 25 2005, 12:02 AM, said:

but guyyyys Charlotte doesn't have soul   I think Norfolk/Hampton Roads in general should become/already is unique. It shouldn't have to follow other cities.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

soul doesnt make us attract businesses.

[lammius]

mistermetaj, on Apr 25 2005, 12:27 AM, said:

soul doesnt make us attract businesses.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually in many cases it does.  Depends on how much you buy into the creative class argument

[rusthebuss]

I think it does, it makes people want to come and enjoy the city. A city needs a little bit of personality or soul if you will. For example, take New Orleans, that city has soul and people are very dedicated to that city. Another, take Miami, it has soul and lots of people want to go there. Its sorta like a person, some people have that gift of "soul" and people want to come see them and hang around them and spend alot of time with them. Thats what we need in our city............ But we need our own "soul" not biting someone elses. That is what we need to find and then exploit it to the country to bring others here for business.

[rusthebuss]

wrldcoupe4, on Apr 25 2005, 02:02 AM, said:

but guyyyys Charlotte doesn't have soul   I think Norfolk/Hampton Roads in general should become/already is unique. It shouldn't have to follow other cities.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why doesn't Charlotte have soul?????? Looks like Richmond stole some of San Antonios soul by copying their river walk and making the canal walk. Come on you just where talking about me with the Richmond thing and you say something bad about our brothers in the south.

[lammius]

rusthebuss, on Apr 25 2005, 08:42 AM, said:

Why doesn't Charlotte have soul?????? Looks like Richmond stole some of San Antonios soul by copying their river walk and making the canal walk. Come on you just where talking about me with the Richmond thing and you say something bad about our brothers in the south.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually I kind of agree that Charlotte doesn't have much "soul."  It's a very plastic city where hardly anything seems to predate 1980.  I haven't been there in several years but I got the feeling there isn't much in the way of vibrant, interesting urban neighborhoods there, and I think that's an area in which certainly Richmond and maybe Norfolk have Charlotte beat.

[rusthebuss]

The people make the soul of the city, not the history. There is a lot of rubble that has alot of history but without the people its just history.

[wrldcoupe4]

rusthebuss, on Apr 25 2005, 10:42 AM, said:

Why doesn't Charlotte have soul?????? Looks like Richmond stole some of San Antonios soul by copying their river walk and making the canal walk. Come on you just where talking about me with the Richmond thing and you say something bad about our brothers in the south.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm sorry Rus, but Richmond restored portions of its old canal system that was designed by George Washington in 1774. The idea was to turn a largely abandoned former industrial portion of the riverfront into something that could be used by the city's/regions residents and tourists, capitalizing on the past and the future of the canals. Sure there is going to be development along the restored canal walk. There is also a lot of park space. It is envisioned that the canal walk will eventually extend up to Byrd Park/Maymont Park to the west and Great Shiplock Park to the east.There would be absolutely no plan to commercialize the canal walk up to byrd park/maymont park. Sure, maybe Richmond was inspired to restore its old canal system by a visit to San Antonio. We restored a canal system that dates back to the 18th century and was designed by our nation's first president. It is part of a former canal system that was envisioned to extend to Ohio. The current pedestrian paths are paved directly where the old mule paths used to be. Restoring a part of a city's rich history and putting it to positive use? Please Rus, I hardly think that is stealing soul. I do not bash your hometown; in fact I very much respect it. Please don't be a vulture. Lammius...your views are along the lines of what I am saying. Richmond or Norfolk or New Orleans or Charleston have more soul than Charlotte any day.

[rusthebuss]

I just don't understand the attitude towards Charlotte? I've never heard anything from someone from Charlotte talking bad about Virginians. Why are you so threaten by Charlottes prosperity? That's all I want to know.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

rusthebuss, on Apr 25 2005, 12:59 PM, said:

I just don't understand the attitude towards Charlotte? I've never heard anything from someone from Charlotte talking bad about Virginians. Why are you so threaten by Charlottes prosperity? That's all I want to know.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Charlotte's okay, but much akin to an Atlanta or something... it just kinda "is".  It's a business city with little historical attraction and scarce cultural diversity.  That may be a gross generalization of the city, but it's mostly business and blah.  Richmond has one of the most unique histories in this nation and an enormously diverse culture to it.  Its neighborhoods vary and its buildings create a friendly skyline that is more aesthetically pleasing than obnoxiously "vertical" and huge, to take on the urban development topic...

[PeninsulaKiddo]

rusthebuss, on Apr 25 2005, 12:59 PM, said:

I just don't understand the attitude towards Charlotte? I've never heard anything from someone from Charlotte talking bad about Virginians. Why are you so threaten by Charlottes prosperity? That's all I want to know.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh... and this area I wouldn't say is "threatened by Charlotte's prosperity".  It's just that the city is dull and boring and other than its coffers---lifeless.  HR and Richmond and Alexandria (to take a NOVA example) are just ... well... frankly more interesting.  That's all.  And Hampton Roads, Richmond, and NOVA are doing pretty well for themselves economically   Charlotte has big-name (*cough* failing *cough*) Airlines, we have the world's largest naval base and one of the world's finest natural harbors....  ....just sayin.

[wrldcoupe4]

rusthebuss, on Apr 25 2005, 02:59 PM, said:

I just don't understand the attitude towards Charlotte? I've never heard anything from someone from Charlotte talking bad about Virginians. Why are you so threaten by Charlottes prosperity? That's all I want to know.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lol threatened? I'm not sure anyone here would be opposed to prosperity. I'm not sure how Charlotte's prosperity impacts my life though. Well I take that back; BofA has some of my money...I mean seriously...

This was my comment:
"but guyyyys Charlotte doesn't have soul smile.gif I think Norfolk/Hampton Roads in general should become/already is unique. It shouldn't have to follow other cities."

There was more joking in the comment than seriousness to begin with. It was also a compliment to Norfolk. Sure, Charlotte has taller buildings with big banks and other companies. It has new malls and new upscale condo towers. But do you really want Norfolk to become Charlotte? I was calling for Norfolk to be a strong, growing independent city that didn't have to copy the glass, plastic, and steel of another city to feel special. Personally, I enjoy cities that are more culturally and historically rich than Charlotte, but at the same time have a prospering business sector. Norfolk has a rich character, just like Richmond. It has a rich in tact history...hell much of it dates back to before the Revolutionary War. Is it too bold to envision Norfolk as a city that holds on to and cherishes its history while at the same time being a great progressive city of the South? I believe it isn't too bold. I think every city should be unique and hold onto what makes it Norfolk, or Richmond, or NYC, or Boston. "Great cities of the world are measured in Centuries, not Decades." But to each his own....

Edited by wrldcoupe4, 25 April 2005 - 01:14 PM.

[mistermetaj]

PeninsulaKiddo, on Apr 25 2005, 01:09 PM, said:

Oh... and this area I wouldn't say is "threatened by Charlotte's prosperity".  It's just that the city is dull and boring and other than its coffers---lifeless.  HR and Richmond and Alexandria (to take a NOVA example) are just ... well... frankly more interesting.  That's all.  And Hampton Roads, Richmond, and NOVA are doing pretty well for themselves economically  Charlotte has big-name (*cough* failing *cough*) Airlines, we have the world's largest naval base and one of the world's finest natural harbors....  ....just sayin.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think the problem for norfolk is the fact that their "soul" is just based on the navy and nothing else.  Unfortunately, the navy doesnt attract tourists or businesses.  It needs to find something else to call its own to really be an attraction.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

mistermetaj, on Apr 25 2005, 01:15 PM, said:

I think the problem for norfolk is the fact that their "soul" is just based on the navy and nothing else.  Unfortunately, the navy doesnt attract tourists or businesses.  It needs to find something else to call its own to really be an attraction.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True, but it's unfair to say that HR doesn't have tourist attractions as well.... more-so than Charlotte (i.e. Busch Gardens, VB Boardwalk, Nauticus, the Historic Triangle).  The dependence on the Navy is a little troubling though, in all fairness... but with a war going on it has been a boost to the economy so no complaints (until budget cuts roll around.... ...)

[JPN0731]

Richmond is a very beatiful and lucky city.  Lucky in that, as the capital, more attention was paid to details and it has some very historic and beautiful architechture.  All of it is laid out on rolling hills overlooking a georgeous river.  We should be proud that such a nice city is the capital of our state.  Having been to a few other capitals of less stature (Harrisburg, PA and Salem, Or to name two bleak ones) I am happy that Richmond is our capitol.

Norfolk is an old port/Navy town that bulldozed most of its history right into the ground.  Much of downtown west of Granby has a very artifical feel to it (the BoA building in its own "garden" is but one example).  I have often heard people say that downtown looks weird because there are suddenly no old or historic buildings for blocks after driving down Granby.

It is very important that we don't become another Charlotte and I think that is the point some are trying to make.  It's really not got the charm of the Raleigh-Durham area and seems to be BoA city.  Norfolk needs to value what treasures it has and work on improving them more less we become another souless city...

[rusthebuss]

I agree and I think that it will change but its hard to change after so many years of depending on it. I don't know if you see it but its changing to other means of generating the economy.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

JPN0731, on Apr 25 2005, 01:52 PM, said:

Richmond is a very beatiful and lucky city.  Lucky in that, as the capital, more attention was paid to details and it has some very historic and beautiful architechture.  All of it is laid out on rolling hills overlooking a georgeous river.  We should be proud that such a nice city is the capital of our state.  Having been to a few other capitals of less stature (Harrisburg, PA and Salem, Or to name two bleak ones) I am happy that Richmond is our capitol.

Norfolk is an old port/Navy town that bulldozed most of its history right into the ground.  Much of downtown west of Granby has a very artifical feel to it (the BoA building in its own "garden" is but one example).  I have often heard people say that downtown looks weird because there are suddenly no old or historic buildings for blocks after driving down Granby.

It is very important that we don't become another Charlotte and I think that is the point some are trying to make.  It's really not got the charm of the Raleigh-Durham area and seems to be BoA city.  Norfolk needs to value what treasures it has and work on improving them more less we become another souless city...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can understand that in some cases NORFOLK has turned its back on history... but it's still a historical city.  The city didn't bulldoze its historical buildings: the Union did in the 1860s (and it's not the "damned Yank's faults").  Seriously, there are virtually no buildings from before 1865, but the city deliberately raze them.  I think Norfolk has somehow managed to maintain tremendous character and yet still be prosperous on the business front.
I bolded Norfolk earlier because even if Norfolk itself doesn't have tremendous historical sites... look at its neighbors.  It is arguable that HR is THE MOST historically significant region (metro) in the United States.  Boston and the DC metro coming in close second/thirds...  but seriously, if nothing else, we're a jewel in the centuries-old homes of Olde Town Portsmouth, or the 1700s-era, original Fort Monroe, or the renowned and restored Colonial Williamsburg/Jamestown.  We have soul in the unique character that has developed over the last 4 centuries.  While Charlotte is beautiful in its own way and can easily compete with us on a business/financial/income level, they are NO competition in history.  Someone find out when the city was incorporated?  Probably after Jamestown celebrated it's 300th....

-Soul is measured in its eclecticness (I made that word up), its diversity of its people, its varied communities, and its history.  HR leaves little to be desired in those four categories.  Same with NOVA and Richmond as well.