Not that I want to give council ways to waste taxpayer money, but do you think the Waterside is fitting (in looks) as a museum or aquarium? That's kind of how it fits.

Remember, MacArthur took away it's original purpose. Granted, MacArthur has a horrible food court.

The huge lot on the south east end across from the CMSS lot will probably be the last thing to go in and we will probably see several more renderings of that building as it evolves and changes with the needs of the area...the current idea, I think under-utilizes that block. As big of a block that is, it could easily handle four buildings on it. I would rather see them divide it up into four lots and let it develop as needed...the last thing that area needs is another parking garage. Not every building in the town center needs to have a garage in it, people have legs and are known for using them in many other urban areas...they might whine about having to walk a few blocks at first, but they get use to it when they start getting healthy from the walking.

And I still think CMSS needs to be less involved with the growth of VB's downtown, I can spot their buildings with my eyes closed.

This will be the key factor for the city, once people who want to live in downtown and can now afford a place to live there, you will see things that cater to them start to follow.

LRT is important and will have a long term effect on the city and region, but the effects of it will happen at a slower pace with moments of short term build ups, but expect the effects of LRT to take up to 30 years before it is really felt.

A retail consultant is sort of a waste of money...I can do it much cheaper than they can. Its called making it mandatory for all new buildings to have 80% of their street front dedicated to retail like commercial space to allow an increase of store frontage. Without that factor, the city can do all it wants and the improvements will be very slim. Walk around a building that has only a couple limited entrances into the building that only services as lobby entrances, then walk around a building that is wrapped with storefronts and tell me which building feels more connected to the street. And I will call BS if anyone says that isnt possible to do or the new buildings going up dont have the room for such things because that is a load of crap and the architect should be punched in the junk for lying.

Civic projects in theory are good for cities when it comes to spurring new development...personally I have never fully bought into this idea. I do think that civic projects are great for providing needed jobs within construction, especially when there is little construction going on. The courthouse, convention center, Westin will all have a minor effect on the city and often times more indirect effects or will have effects on very small groups within the city. The library will probably have an "awe effect" when it first opens, much like VaBeach's Central Library, but in the end it is just an expected function for a downtown to have and will probably produce little effect for the city.

Seriously though, more affordable housing (or at least housing that is on par with Ghent because Ghent isnt that expensive), more possibility for retail, easy loans for start up businesses and tax breaks for start up businesses to help make it easier for new companies to start up, as well as more streamlined ways to get through government red tape to make starting a business less complicated. A full downtown urban growth plan, as well as a full districts and neighborhood plan is equally important.

Norfolk is a city of 200K(guessing and dont feel like looking it up) and in a metro of almost 2 million people, it makes no sense to act like downtown is a small isolated island. Figuring out how to connect downtown to its inner neighborhoods (and all of its neighborhoods) is very important because it makes the rest of the city relative in the growth of downtown. Right now there is little reason for someone in Ocean View to go to downtown and vise versa.

I like the rendering on the first page of that pdf. VaBeach will definitely have a great little skyline when the town center is all built out...though it will definitely be just a tiny downtown until the city starts acting on its Pembroke Plan that we have seen.

I could definitely see this tower ending up being 30 stories, but I think that will happen after a year long delay. Though I think the aLoft lot and this lot will probably go up around the same time.

The huge lot on the south east end across from the CMSS lot will probably be the last thing to go in and we will probably see several more renderings of that building as it evolves and changes with the needs of the area...the current idea, I think under-utilizes that block. As big of a block that is, it could easily handle four buildings on it. I would rather see them divide it up into four lots and let it develop as needed...the last thing that area needs is another parking garage. Not every building in the town center needs to have a garage in it, people have legs and are known for using them in many other urban areas...they might whine about having to walk a few blocks at first, but they get use to it when they start getting healthy from the walking.

And I still think CMSS needs to be less involved with the growth of VB's downtown, I can spot their buildings with my eyes closed.

The District @ ODU now has a sky-bridge between the two components.

Also, found this development on the ODU homepage. Looks to be a small town house development along 43rd Street. Kinda odd looking in my opinion. It's like Victorian OBX cottage remix, confused suburban design as usual.

So you don't think that Norfolk might already have "the plan? "

LRT, HSR, Renovation of abandoned buildings into living/retail space, hiring of retail consultant, construction of consolidated courthouse, new downtown library, new conference center and Westin hotel, etc.?? You all don't think these things will spark another wave of development?

&& Telmnstr, you always say people regret buying condos downtown and stuff, but may I ask why you live downtown if it's so overpriced and full of old people?

On my strolls through DT/Freemason/Ghent, I see more younger folk than old people... Other than Harbors Edge Place.

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/03/condo-building-resumes-troubled-ocean-view-project




I call these projects the "beach house" urbanism

Also, it appears they're only leasing for building 3 first. Which means this will probably be the first one built. I'm skeptical of the 11/11 completion date however. They really need to start within the next month or so to hit that target.