Norfolk History

[BFG]

This hurts me to see. I love the history but hate that it’s gone. 

[virginia pe]

After looking at EJ Lewis' photo of Main Street, I wondered what part of Main Street is shown.  I found this photo of the Victoria Hotel on the Chrysler Museum website.  https://chrysler.emuseum.com/objects/20165/victoria-hotel-east-main-street-september-3-1960.  The website says the picture was taken looking east toward Church Street on Main Street from Commercial Place.  If that is true, then the buildings shown in EJ's photo are now the BB&T Building and the Plume Lane Parking Garage. 

[urbanlife]

Just imagine what Norfolk would look like today if most of those old buildings weren't demolished and the street patterns drastically changed.

[BFG]

6 hours ago, urbanlife said:

Just imagine what Norfolk would look like today if most of those old buildings weren't demolished and the street patterns drastically changed.

That and they keep the streetcars, along with Union Station. Much different city. 

[EJ_LEWIS]

Photo of Granby St. from City Hall Ave. in 1915.  

[EJ_LEWIS]

View of the Downtown Norfolk skyline circa 1975.  The Omni hotel (now the Sheraton) was under construction then.  

[urbanlife]

cool photo, Norfolk definitely looked like a new little city back then, which is kind of sad since they erased so much of their history and it showed in the skyline.

[EJ_LEWIS]

Church St. 1924.  

 

[urbanlife]

On 9/22/2021 at 10:52 AM, EJ_LEWIS said:

Church St. 1924.  

 

 

It is so sad what racism did to that street and neighborhood.

[EJ_LEWIS]

The Chrysler Museum of Art looks at the history of the Norfolk Scope and its Italian Architect  Pier Luigi Nervi.  Scope remains one of Norfolk's most iconic structures.  

https://www.pilotonline.com/entertainment/arts/vp-db-scope-anniversary-100321-20211003-tb5smvxlgrh5rnmzbwz2v5nsbi-story.html#nt=pf-double chain~top-headlines~feed-driven flex feature~automated~unnamed-feature~TB5SMVXLGRH5RNMZBWZ2V5NSBI~2~6~2~5~art yes

[baobabs727]

Ohhh. Brilliant. That building is not going anywhere, y’all.

[urbanlife]

On 10/4/2021 at 8:04 AM, EJ_LEWIS said:

The Chrysler Museum of Art looks at the history of the Norfolk Scope and its Italian Architect  Pier Luigi Nervi.  Scope remains one of Norfolk's most iconic structures.  

https://www.pilotonline.com/entertainment/arts/vp-db-scope-anniversary-100321-20211003-tb5smvxlgrh5rnmzbwz2v5nsbi-story.html#nt=pf-double chain~top-headlines~feed-driven flex feature~automated~unnamed-feature~TB5SMVXLGRH5RNMZBWZ2V5NSBI~2~6~2~5~art yes

The Scope is also one of the few buildings that Pier Luigi Nervi did in the US. His work is definitely worth studying, such impressive concrete work.

[zeppelin14]

 So I guess this can be considered Norfolk history ties to the rock band Queen. I'm not sure if this is 100% accurate or not but I'm just going by the article. According to the article, Queen was playing a show at Scope and was to view the artwork of Virginia  Beach artist Frank Kelly Freas a few hours before the show. Freas was a Sci-Fi artist and the band loved his art and asked him to recreate one of his works for their upcoming album, News of the World. According to the article, the robot on the album is tearing into the roof of Norfolk Scope to get to the audience. If true, Scope is featured on the album of a famous Queen album!

Article: http://www.hardcorenorfolk.com/testing-blog/2019/8/15/the-top-30-historical-rock-shows-in-tidewater-ever

Edited October 13, 2021 by zeppelin14

[EJ_LEWIS]

Photo of pre-redeveloped Church St. 1977. 

[EJ_LEWIS]

Aerial photo of Downtown Norfolk in 1965 looking south in the foreground is the Golden Triangle Motor Hotel.  

[urbanvb]

That’s one of the saddest photos I’ve seen of downtown. It’s unimaginable really…

[EJ_LEWIS]

19 minutes ago, urbanvb said:

That’s one of the saddest photos I’ve seen of downtown. It’s unimaginable really…

Yes it sure is! Also see how dirty the air is.  

[Icetera]

6 hours ago, EJ_LEWIS said:

Aerial photo of Downtown Norfolk in 1965 looking south in the foreground is the Golden Triangle Motor Hotel.  

1 hour ago, urbanvb said:

That’s one of the saddest photos I’ve seen of downtown. It’s unimaginable really…

It truly hurts every time I see these images after knowing what used to be there.

[urbanlife]

9 hours ago, Icetera said:

It truly hurts every time I see these images after knowing what used to be there.

It's what the Nazis did to the Polish in Warsaw, bulldozed any bit of history the city had, it is insane that a city would have ever been willing to do this to itself.

[mintscraft56]

This is just sad..... Our city was MASSIVE. This is a military parade on granby 

Legit looks like New York. Also Granby Street 1945 after ww2

[mintscraft56]

These were that days my Grandfather told me that we were one of the top East Coast Major Cities,

Im going to be truthful and say that if we dont get things right we might never see these new york level congestion and foot traffic in our streets ever again

[Norf Native]

A great old shot of Granby street. How many think it should be one way again?

[mintscraft56]

I like the two lanes. Plus the city feels more compact and I like that feeling. That wide lane is somthing I actually dont like. 

[BeagleAccountant]

One way streets with multiple lanes end up being used like race tracks. No thanks.

[Norf Native]

Considering I've been working in New York for the past three weeks, I think the one way streets give you a big city feel (practically every street in New York is one way).  I think Granby street is too narrow for two way traffic now especially when you're facing a delivery truck or even passing by all of the outdoor seating areas taking up parking spaces.  My $.02.