18 replies to this topic

[vdogg]

So how do you all think Hampton Roads will fare in this next round of base closings? It looks like we will definately lose a carrier but will we lose more? How will this affect our economy and the building boom were currently in? Do you think there is any possibility of us lessening our dependance on the military to the point where this is no longer an issue?

some Background:

http://home.hamptonr...83484&ran=16646

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is about to begin a process that could close dozens of military bases, uproot tens of thousands of service members and their families and put legions of federal employees out of work.

And save billions of dollars..........................................

[bobliocatt]

Although, it seems like a carrier will be moved to Jax, within the next five years, I think the region will make out okay.  How did the BRAC, back in the early 1990's affect the region?

[vdogg]

thelakelander, on Mar 14 2005, 11:24 PM, said:

Although, it seems like a carrier will be moved to Jax, within the next five years, I think the region will make out okay.  How did the BRAC, back in the early 1990's affect the region?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not sure, i didn't move to this region till 97. I can tell u when i moved here Mac Mall hadn't been finished yet and there really wasn't much going on.  I have heard people talk about a recession in this area in the early 90's but i'll have to do a bit more research on the topic before i can give a definitive answer.

[JPN0731]

Well everyone seems to be thinking that Oceana may close (highly doubtful).  Even if it did close, there are a lot of people who will still stay here.  There is a tiny airport in Norfolk and they were talking about having to build a new airport in Isle of Wight or something like that.... and VA Beach is always trying to one-up Norfolk so I am sure that no sooner would the base close than it would reopen as Oceana International Aiport or somesuch thing.  And the Norfolk Airport could close and be redeveloped as a bigger Botanical Garden and water front property... so everyone wins lol... especially the people having weddings at the gardens with planes droning overhead every three minutes.

Seriously, I think that Fort Monroe should close and then be turned into a historical district open to the public.  All those houses would sell out in about 10 minutes.  They should also consider selling off some of the Oceanfront tracts that are not superfund sites (LOL) to developers and make more $$.  I think that VA being so pro-Republican and pro-military, we should fare better than some other areas.

[rusthebuss]

JPN0731, on Mar 18 2005, 10:56 AM, said:

Well everyone seems to be thinking that Oceana may close (highly doubtful).  Even if it did close, there are a lot of people who will still stay here.  There is a tiny airport in Norfolk and they were talking about having to build a new airport in Isle of Wight or something like that.... and VA Beach is always trying to one-up Norfolk so I am sure that no sooner would the base close than it would reopen as Oceana International Aiport or somesuch thing.  And the Norfolk Airport could close and be redeveloped as a bigger Botanical Garden and water front property... so everyone wins lol... especially the people having weddings at the gardens with planes droning overhead every three minutes.

Seriously, I think that Fort Monroe should close and then be turned into a historical district open to the public.  All those houses would sell out in about 10 minutes.  They should also consider selling off some of the Oceanfront tracts that are not superfund sites (LOL) to developers and make more $$.  I think that VA being so pro-Republican and pro-military, we should fare better than some other areas.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i agree and we have alot of senators on the defense boards and fighting for this area, but i do see this area growing beyond the military which is good but we will never forget what the military has done for this area.

[rusthebuss]

JPN0731, on Mar 18 2005, 10:56 AM, said:

Well everyone seems to be thinking that Oceana may close (highly doubtful).  Even if it did close, there are a lot of people who will still stay here.  There is a tiny airport in Norfolk and they were talking about having to build a new airport in Isle of Wight or something like that.... and VA Beach is always trying to one-up Norfolk so I am sure that no sooner would the base close than it would reopen as Oceana International Aiport or somesuch thing.  And the Norfolk Airport could close and be redeveloped as a bigger Botanical Garden and water front property... so everyone wins lol... especially the people having weddings at the gardens with planes droning overhead every three minutes.

Seriously, I think that Fort Monroe should close and then be turned into a historical district open to the public.  All those houses would sell out in about 10 minutes.  They should also consider selling off some of the Oceanfront tracts that are not superfund sites (LOL) to developers and make more $$.  I think that VA being so pro-Republican and pro-military, we should fare better than some other areas.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oceana will not close the city and the navy are working too hard to resolve the zoning issues

[vdogg]

rusthebuss, on Mar 18 2005, 11:41 AM, said:

Oceana will not close the city and the navy are working too hard to resolve the zoning issues

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The bad part about that is all the new zoning laws are really gonna set the oceanfront back in its quest to urbanize. You can pretty much write new development off in that part of the beach if a lot of these ordinances go through as is. One thing i learned from watching the council meeting the other night, which i find very interesting, is that the city   ALWAYS has the final say in any zoning dispute.  So if the city truly wanted a major development next to the base they can overule the Navy and the Navy can't do a thing about it. The only thing is that if the council were to do something like that, we would probably lose the base in the next round of Brac. All navy regualtions are recommendations, but most communities choose to follow them for fear of the consequences.

[rusthebuss]

The city wants Oceana to stay so they will eventually build away from Oceana and build futher south into pungo  and eventually take up all of the farm land up

[vdogg]

Looks like things are really about to come to a head with this one.

Development curbs for Oceana come under fire from 2 flanks
http://home.hamptonr...83930&ran=63219
By JON W. GLASS, The Virginian-Pilot
© March 23, 2005

VIRGINIA BEACH —

Click here The city’s effort to curb incompatible development around Oceana Naval Air Station took hits from all sides Tuesday.

Residents criticized the Beach either for not doing enough or for going too far to try to address the Navy’s concerns.

The competing views came at a City Council public hearing on a proposed “statement of understanding” between Virginia Beach and the Navy. The understanding, scheduled for a council vote next month, offers a framework for the city and the Navy to evaluate development in jet-noise and accident-potential zones around Oceana.

It calls for reducing the number of new homes at the resort and in the transition area, along the city’s midsection, the two areas of greatest concern to the Navy.

Jerry Chaplain, a landowner at the resort, complained Tuesday that the city would be appeasing the Navy at the expense of private property owners.

“The Navy is beginning to look like the Beach bully,” Chaplain said. “Their primary job is to protect our property rights, not to take them away.”

Chaplain said Virginia Beach “should be prepared to live with or without Oceana – we’ll survive one way or the other.”

Others warned that the proposed understanding would allow too much development that the Navy views as incompatible..........................................................

[rusthebuss]

That will effect the town center now. Its a shame they can't move the NAS to Moyock, NC and everything would be fine

[vdogg]

Towncenter is not in an apz or aicuz, so it should be safe. It's mainly the oceanfront that'll be affected.

[rusthebuss]

well thats Va beach's bread and butter, it still would be great if they could build oceana down in moyock and have a good size highway down to the base

[vdogg]

rusthebuss, on Mar 23 2005, 09:22 AM, said:

well thats Va beach's bread and butter, it still would be great if they could build oceana down in moyock and have a good size highway down to the base

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I so totally agree, the way i see it everything now is pretty much up in the air. We are likely to see a lot of changes come out of this which could be good in a way. This may be the final push we need to diversify more and stop relying on the military so much. Curbs on oceanfront development will, in the long run, be far more detrimental to our economy than oceana leaving.

[rusthebuss]

With all the BRAC going on i don't see the navy moving oceana at all. That would be millions of dollars to move, but i think it would be the best solution for the navy and the city. It still would be close to the area(20-30 min) and ease a bit of the traffic as well. Oceana has alot of land that the city could use.

[wrldcoupe4]

Found this in the paper today. I'm sticking it in here, but you can move it if its fits somewhere else better. It's about residents in VA beach wanting the jets out of oceana:

Quote

Residents to panel: Pack up the jets
Combat planes at Oceana make too much noise, they say

The Associated Press

Apr 10, 2005

VIRGINIA BEACH - A group of residents upset about jet noise plans to ask a federal commission to relocate the Navy's combat jets from Oceana Naval Air Station to

Kim Johnson, chairwoman of Citizens Concerned About Jet Noise, said the group wants the Base Realignment and Closure commission to move Oceana's F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet jets and to use the Virginia Beach base for other military functions.

"It was a very tough decision to make," Johnson said. "We have been laboring over it for quite some time."

The secretary of defense will release a list of recommended base cuts and realignments to the nine-member commission by May 1. The commission has until Sept. 8 to make its recommendations to the White House.

Some state and city officials dismissed the civic group's latest move, which comes at a time when other communities and states are furiously lobbying to protect their military assets.

"It's the premier Navy air facility on the East Coast," said George Foresman, an assistant to Gov. Mark R. Warner. "You just don't wake up one morning and say 'We're going to turn it into something else.'"

Some supporters of keeping the Navy's carrier-based jets in Virginia Beach say that relocating the fighter jets could doom the base.

Bob Mathias, assistant to the Virginia Beach city manager, said asking the government to realign the base isn't much different from asking it to close Oceana.

"They think there is something else that could take the Hornets' place, but they don't say what that is," retired Rear Adm. Fred Metz, a former aviator, said of the civic group's members. "I don't like their position. It's not realistic."

The article in its entirety can be found here: Times-Dispatch

[wrldcoupe4]

Here is an excerpt from a times-dispatch article

Across Virginia, here is how the recommendations affect key regions or installations:

FORT LEE: The Army's Quartermaster center could nearly double its assigned personnel by adding 7,344 military and civilian positions. With estimates of non-government support jobs added, the action could bring a total of nearly 12,000 jobs to the region.

PENINSULA: Home to Fort Monroe and Fort Eustis, which would lose some personnel to Fort Lee, the Peninsula is facing a reduction of more than 5,700 jobs.

SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS: Military employment could soar by more than 5,000. Hampton Roads would, however, see the loss of 400 jobs at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, where the Naval School of Health Sciences would be consolidated at a base in Texas.

NORTHERN VIRGINIA: Recommendations include closure or realignment of leased space in Virginia that would affect almost 22,000 jobs. However, it was not immediately clear where workers will be relocated. There was regional speculation earlier in the week that new security regulations could affect thousands of employees in leased office space.

A big winner was Fort Belvoir, which could gain more than 9,000 jobs and a new military hospital.

Under a plan to close the century-old Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, the Army will build a new 65-bed hospital at Belvoir and send some of Walter Reed's staff and services to an expanded facility on the campus of the National Naval Medical Center in nearby Bethesda, Md., the Associated Press reported.

Creating the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at Bethesda and building the new hospital at Fort Belvoir will cost a combined $1 billion, according to Lt. Gen. George Taylor, the Air Force surgeon general.

DAHLGREN: More than 300 jobs could be lost at the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Dahlgren in King George County, just across the Potomac River from Maryland.

RICHMOND: Recommendations include moving 1,199 members of the Virginia Air National Guard's 192nd Fighter Wing from Richmond International Airport to Langley Air Force Base in the 2007 fiscal year, though the timing of the move could change. The Air Force had already been planning on integrating the Air Guard's 192nd with the active-duty Air Force's 1st Fighter Wing at Langley.

[urbanfan]

Once again we come out on top.  The penisula looses alot but we are not as dependant on the military up here as southside.  Just dependant on the aircraft carriers and subs.  If those ever dry up watch out.

[urbanfan]

Some more good news about the Ft. Monroe situation.  Seems that not all of the jobs leaving Ft. Monroe would be leaving the area, some of them would actually be moving to Ft. Useless.  Also alot of the jobs leaving Ft. Useless are not people that would have stayed here, they were training jobs that are going to be leaving.  People that come here a few weeks and then leave.  All around good news for the area.  I believe the actuall number leaving Ft. Eustis of military actually stationed here is barely in the hundreds.  I'll have to look up that number for sure.  Seems like the potential loss of military here after the gains at langley could be around 2500 military civillian personell stationed here.  Much better than the 5000+ feared.

Check the story out here

[vdogg]

Mods note: Since a Base Closures thread already existed in the Virginia main forum i have merged both.