Va. Beach Towncenter project

[urbanlife]

hell when I moved, I never thought all this would be going on in Virginia.

I figure I will probably make a trip out there next summer, seeing it will be my ten year reunion with my high school, and I would love to take my girlfriend back to virginia to show her where I grew up. So it is a good possiblity of seeing all this new stuff in a little over a year.

[rusthebuss]

I think the performance arts center is a nice looking building

[vdogg]

The Westin is to have 9 foot ceilings so based on that 37*9=333ft

The first floor looks from the rendering to be about 2 stories or 20ft high which brings us to 353ft for the highest occupied floor. The rest is probably the spire.

The highest occupied floor on the AH tower is somewhere around 290ft. Their spire (which is twice as high as Westins) is the only thing that takes them close to 400ft. So even though Westin will only be 400ft to AHs 396ft It will look much taller because the bulk of the building is much higher. This tower is really gonna stand out.

[rusthebuss]

I think these spire to make a building taller is really stupid. If you want it taller you should add more floors.

[urbanlife]

I am happy to see that the westin will probably dominate the skyline, making the AH building more of a secondary building because the AH is so damn ugly and bland. Virginia Beach needs to think more about the quality of their architecture, especially with the towers.

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Oh and something for you to think about and beotch about. Pembroke Mall's site is equal to about 16 to 20 of downtown Charlotte's blocks. If the developers and the people who owned the mall really wanted to, they could turn that area into a true downtown that would be able to compare to other big cities.

There is crap load of land there that the idiots who own the mall plan on just sitting on because they dont want to take any major risks. That Mall is gonna stand in the way the most with Virginia Beach having a true heart of the city.

[rusthebuss]

That is true that mall is a piece of crap and they want that mall around the town center????????

[urbanlife]

That is true that mall is a piece of crap and they want that mall around the town center????????

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I remember sending the owners of the mall an email before I moved, and they said they have big plans for renovating the mall ad buildings some complimentry buildings on vb blvd, but nothing more than that. They see the mall as a little cash cow they dont want to change. Which is too bad becuase if the blocked it off they could sell lots and blocks for a fortune, practically capitalizing on the downtown.

It is my dream to one day be rich enough to buy that land and do just that, block it off, build a few things, and then sell the rest to make even more money. For now it is fun to dream.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

I think the mall could and should stay in some sort of capacity. In a (odd) way, it's historic: the oldest enclosed mall of its size in Virginia. At the same time it's very outdated with little in the way of major retailers (though I love my Orange Juliuses and Sears). I think it could be re-purposed, however... Perhaps building parking garages with towers atop (nothing too gaudy for the area). Just increasing the density of the mall's footprint, something like that. If they could transform it into a shopping center like the Prudential Center's (a 3-level mall under office towers), then it would become a magnet for commercial and retail business in Virginia Beach's CBD. Of course that'll never happen so I'll keep that idea to myself.

[urbanlife]

I think the mall could and should stay in some sort of capacity.  In a (odd) way, it's historic: the oldest enclosed mall of its size in Virginia.  At the same time it's very outdated with little in the way of major retailers (though I love my Orange Juliuses and Sears).  I think it could be re-purposed, however... Perhaps building parking garages with towers atop (nothing too gaudy for the area).  Just increasing the density of the mall's footprint, something like that.  If they could transform it into a shopping center like the Prudential Center's (a 3-level mall under office towers), then it would become a magnet for commercial and retail business in Virginia Beach's CBD.  Of course that'll never happen so I'll keep that idea to myself.

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I agree with the oldest mall thing, that would make me hesitate. As for Orange Julius, here in Portland we have a place called Jamba Juice that blows Orange away. After having Jamba Juice, I am all for replacing all of the Orange Julius's with Jamba Juices.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

I agree with the oldest mall thing, that would make me hesitate.  As for Orange Julius, here in Portland we have a place called Jamba Juice that blows Orange away.  After having Jamba Juice, I am all for replacing all of the Orange Julius's with Jamba Juices.

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hahahaha, we need one then! bring it on over:) this is really random and totally unrelated (considering Disney doesn't do chains with its flagship restaurants), but La Boma's at the Animal Kingdom Lodge has an unbelievable juice drink. We need that here. And I digress hahahaa.

[okinawatyphoon]

The Westin is to have 9 foot ceilings so based on that 37*9=333ft

The first floor looks from the rendering to be about 2 stories or 20ft high which brings us to 353ft for the highest occupied floor. The rest is probably the spire.

The highest occupied floor on the AH tower is somewhere around 290ft. Their spire (which is twice as high as Westins) is the only thing that takes them close to 400ft. So even though Westin will only be 400ft to AHs 396ft It will look much taller because the bulk of the building is much higher. This tower is really gonna stand out. 

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Hey vdogg are you sure that the Westin will have 9ft ceilings? Where did you hear it?

[vdogg]

Hey vdogg are you sure that the Westin will have 9ft ceilings? Where did you hear it?

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2 sources. 1) email reply from the developer 2) from the site itself westin It describes it on their webpage.

[rusthebuss]

I remember sending the owners of the mall an email before I moved, and they said they have big plans for renovating the mall ad buildings some complimentry buildings on vb blvd, but nothing more than that.  They see the mall as a little cash cow they dont want to change.  Which is too bad becuase if the blocked it off they could sell lots and blocks for a fortune, practically capitalizing on the downtown.

It is my dream to one day be rich enough to buy that land and do just that, block it off, build a few things, and then sell the rest to make even more money.  For now it is fun to dream.

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Where did you move too and why?

[okinawatyphoon]

2 sources. 1) email reply from the developer 2) from the site itself westin It describes it on their webpage.

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Ok...so the battle for state's tallest is now between

1. James Madison

2. Granby Tower

3. Rosslyn Tower

Thanks for the info vdogg.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Ok...so the battle for state's tallest is now between

1. James Madison

2. Granby Tower

3. Rosslyn Tower

Thanks for the info vdogg.

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Not to be a "Norfolk-Supremacist", but I have strong doubts that Rosslyn Tower will acheive it's proposed height of almost 500 feet. Washington DC will have a cow and they supply all of Arlington's high-paying jobs. A simple relocation or two and the city could be bankrupt. I don't think that DC would want a competing skyline (though with the topography and DC's Mall area, there really is no competition). Either way, as Norfolk's proposals climb through the 100s of feet, I think regardless of Rosslyn, Norfolk will eventually claim the title of tallest in Virginia.

[vdogg]

Not to be a "Norfolk-Supremacist", but I have strong doubts that Rosslyn Tower will acheive it's proposed height of almost 500 feet.  Washington DC will have a cow and they supply all of Arlington's high-paying jobs.  A simple relocation or two and the city could be bankrupt.  I don't think that DC would want a competing skyline (though with the topography and DC's Mall area, there really is no competition).  Either way, as Norfolk's proposals climb through the 100s of feet, I think regardless of Rosslyn, Norfolk will eventually claim the title of tallest in Virginia.

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D.C. has no say. Rosslyn is fervently behind raising their height limit and according to the article i posted in height limits there is nothing legally that the FAA can do about it.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

D.C. has no say. Rosslyn is fervently behind raising their height limit and according to the article i posted in height limits there is nothing legally that the FAA can do about it.

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That's sad then... I also think it's a waste of tall-building-ness... because that's a word. But I just can't see an actually tall, bona fide skyscraper in NOVA. They have a couple buildings that are tall, but it's not fitting with the rest of the region. It just seems rather gaudy to me... but of course I'm a "Norfolk Supremacist" so my opinion is rather biased

[Former Resident of HR]

That's sad then...  I also think it's a waste of tall-building-ness... because that's a word.  But I just can't see an actually tall, bona fide skyscraper in NOVA.  They have a couple buildings that are tall, but it's not fitting with the rest of the region.  It just seems rather gaudy to me...  but of course I'm a "Norfolk Supremacist" so my opinion is rather biased 

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Well if you think of DC as a Paris-esque city, a Rosslyn with tall buildings is still far enough away (like their La D

[okinawatyphoon]

Not to be a "Norfolk-Supremacist", but I have strong doubts that Rosslyn Tower will acheive it's proposed height of almost 500 feet.  Washington DC will have a cow and they supply all of Arlington's high-paying jobs.  A simple relocation or two and the city could be bankrupt.  I don't think that DC would want a competing skyline (though with the topography and DC's Mall area, there really is no competition).  Either way, as Norfolk's proposals climb through the 100s of feet, I think regardless of Rosslyn, Norfolk will eventually claim the title of tallest in Virginia.

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I feel the same way....sooner or later, I think Norfolk will claim the tallest building. For some reason I hardly think of Rosslyn as part of Virginia; I just think of it all as "DC". Probably cause I'm from Hampton Roads lol.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

DC does seem to be its own microcosm... wow. that's so not spelled right. Anyway, I generally dont' think of it as an urban area really, it's the "Capital". A different entity that's not really a part of Virginia... but geography and political lines on the map tells us that they're a part of our great Commonwealth, so we'd better kick some Rosslyn butt. And yeah, I suppose it could be similar to Paris in a way---that's actually a pretty good analogy. Their main city is fairly low-rise (obviously aside from the Eiffel Tower) and the financial area on the outskirts is very modern and urban. It's an interesting mix and I think it could work with DC too.

About the FAA thing and flight paths, etc. It's a little troublesome to think that they're going to build it that close... but it's been done before. Look at Logan Airport: its planes' flight paths go directly over downtown Boston, but thus-far there haven't been any "issues". But for every Boston there's a Milan (there was some building that got hit in the fog). I hope that there's cooperation between the airport and Rosslyn or this could be not-so-good in the future if heights continue an increase up there...

[Former Resident of HR]

Just noticing that the huge "AH" is off the west face of the Armada Hoffler TC tower... Is that because of the high winds or because they decided that having ten labels on the same building was just a little cheesed out?

[urbanlife]

sounds a bit cheesy.

[metalman]

Why is everyone discounting Va. Beach's Westin to possibly be in the running for tallest? To date it potentially has the most floors.

Explain the math please. How would the Granby tower -a condo tower, 29 floors, with spire, be taller than the Westin- 32-37 floors, also a condo tower/hotel, with spire as well?

Are you just going by a pencil done drawing? I wouldn't trust that the proportions are perfect to the surrounding building in the illustration. Also in the westin computer graphic, they deleted the surrounding buildings which would take away from perspective and proportion.

-I dig the Westin. While I think they could have done more with the land, the design itself makes me think of a dusty, sand blown Egyptian Obelisk.

[mistermetaj]

Are there any dates specified for the CityView area?

[rusthebuss]

Why is everyone discounting Va. Beach's Westin to possibly be in the running for tallest?  To date it potentially has the most floors. 

Explain the math please.  How would the Granby tower -a condo tower, 29 floors, with spire, be taller than the Westin- 32-37 floors, also a condo tower/hotel, with spire as well?

Are you just going by a pencil done drawing?  I wouldn't trust that the proportions are perfect to the surrounding building in the illustration.  Also in the westin computer graphic, they deleted the surrounding buildings which would take away from perspective and proportion.

-I dig the Westin.  While I think they could have done more with the land, the design itself makes me think of a dusty, sand blown Egyptian Obelisk.

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The floors are actually suppose to be taller in the Granby Towers and the floors on the Granby Towers are not a done deal.