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It looks like Thompson is holding the Cavalier ransom. If the city is going to pay torenovate it, why give Thompson the rest of the land to build on. I dont like anything about the deal.

 

Time for my semi-annual UP posting. (I've been lurking in the shadows, quietly nodding in agreement this whole time.)

 

Agreed with the above-quoted. It's one thing to request city assistance with infrastructure or other public-accessible assets (still hotly debated, but you can guess where I fall on that one); it's another thing entirely to hold a landmark hostage and threaten to pull the trigger. Virginia Beach is known for many laudable features, but a rich architectural heritage, frankly, is not one of them. Threatening to destroy one of extraordinarily few landmark buildings is outrageous. Moreover, while increasing density up and down the Boardwalk area is great looking ahead, both for sustainability/walkability concerns and improving the overall quality of life at the Oceanfront, I don't know that this is the time to start building upwards of 40th Street, much less an ill-defined and vague plan that calls for a relatively large number of detached and/or low-density housing options. The city should invest first in continuing improvements to the grid network between 20th and 30th Streets, increasing density and diversifying housing options, rather than throwing money at a developer who views a landmark hotel as an expendable bargaining chip, and whose proposal promises only to further drive up housing costs.

 

2006 was not that long ago, Mr. Thompson, and this proposal reeks of bubble-era broken promises. Looking at Virginia Beach demographic and economic data (here), Virginia Beach's population is younger than the Virginia average, with a slightly lower per capita income (but modestly higher household income). The homeownership rate is already near 66%, which indicates that these "luxury" units (even if financed and completed) would probably pull locals out of existing higher-end homes elsewhere in the city, or pull in out-of-towners searching for secondary homes. Nothing is inherently wrong with that, except that the city's population is growing much slower than it was during the 1970s-1990s, just 3% between 2000 and 2010. (The city estimates a growth rate of more than 2% between 2010 and 2012, but city estimates tend to overstate year-over-year when compared to official Census Bureau data; New Orleans and Detroit can attest to that). With a youthful population (who increasingly prefer denser housing options and can ill-afford "luxury" units) and flatlined income in the city, I would oppose this project even if the Cavalier would be preserved and restored beautifully. 

 

(Retreats to a dark corner again.)

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Well said. I'm all about renovating the Cavalier, but the housing Thompson is suggesting is laughable for the reasons Peninsula Kiddo mentioned. And for once, I agree with Pilot posters who feel that it's ridiculous to ask the city for money if you're buying the property, but it's deeper than that I'm sure.

 

That being said, I will be royally pissed if they let that building get demolished. Other than that and maybe the Adam Thoroughgood House, there really aren't many historic properties...it would be criminal to let that go, even more so than the buildings demolished in downtown Norfolk.

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"Va. Beach proposes $18 million for Cavalier project"

 

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/06/beach-could-give-18-million-cavalier-project

 

Seems the City of Virginia Beach is set to pay off the ransom after all. Glad the Cavalier will be spared, but still infuriated about... everything else about this.

 

Things like this are why I had misgivings about Bruce Thompson's involvement in Norfolk's hotel and conference center. He just seems like a really shady businessman.

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  • 1 year later...

I found something very interesting about the redevelopment of the existing oceanfront cavalier hotel. Here is the link http://nbww.com/portfolio/cavalier-hotel/

I'll say. Holy crap! That thing is spectacularly modern and awesome, looks like something you'd see in Miami or L.A. Great scoop. Apologies, I merged the threads before actually clicking on your link. Sort of jumped the gun. I'll rename the thread to what you had it. Looks like it may run into some height limit issues though, I hope not.

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Well, at 16 floors it's prob around 200 ft, though the perspective and apparent floor height will give it a bit of lift. Really hops this is the design they chose. A building like that will have a dynamic affect on the architecture on the north end.

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The old cavalier hotel will be branded as a marriott autograph collection 5 star historic resort hotel and spa.

 

Source? I don't see that fitting in with any target market looking to visit Virginia Beach.

 

I found something very interesting about the redevelopment of the existing oceanfront cavalier hotel. Here is the link http://nbww.com/portfolio/cavalier-hotel/

 

Looks like this is just a bid.  It looks awesome, but realistically, I don't think it would be accepted. For one, it does not integrate the existing beach club that Bruce said he would save.

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Source? I don't see that fitting in with any target market looking to visit Virginia Beach.

Looks like this is just a bid. It looks awesome, but realistically, I don't think it would be accepted. For one, it does not integrate the existing beach club that Bruce said he would save.

Actually, the only thing that is guaranteed to be saved is the cavalier. The properties on the oceanfront side were always scheduled for demolition.

http://www.goldkeyphr.com/news/2014/06/05/the-cavalier-hotel-accepted-to-national-register-of-historic-places

"The historic Cavalier Hotel will reopen in 2016 as a 5-star member of Marriott’s distinguished Autograph Collection. As part of the Autograph Collection by Marriott, the new Cavalier Grand Hotel will boast 90 guest rooms, an onsite bourbon distillery, a ballroom for lavish weddings and social events and a world class restaurant. The mixed-use plan for the overall site development also calls for an additional 85 homes, including estate homes, cottages and bungalows. These residences will be built on the expansive ocean-facing lawn of the Grand Hotel.....

The Cavalier's sister hotel on the oceanfront will be rebuilt and called the Oceanfront Marriott Hotel. The oceanfront hotel sits next to the Cavalier Beach Club, which opened in 1929 and will undergo a $4 million facelift. The historic Cavalier is expected to reopen in 2016; the Oceanfront Marriott is expected to open in 2017..."

This is actually the real deal, 5-star hotel and all.

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Here is some more info

http://www.hamptonroadschamber.com/news/index/view/id/711

"The newer hotel on the oceanfront will be torn down after summer of 2014. In its place will be a full service beach resort. The old beach club may become another hotel or condominium project."

This is going to be a very major development for that end. The only thing up in the air is which design was chosen for the resort. I'm hoping it's the NBWW one, since they include it in their "on the boards" portfolio. I'll have to troll the planning commission docket to see what I can find. Looks like this one may have slipped by with construction starting this year.

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Actually, the only thing that is guaranteed to be saved is the cavalier. The properties on the oceanfront side were always scheduled for demolition.

http://www.goldkeyphr.com/news/2014/06/05/the-cavalier-hotel-accepted-to-national-register-of-historic-places

"The historic Cavalier Hotel will reopen in 2016 as a 5-star member of Marriott’s distinguished Autograph Collection. As part of the Autograph Collection by Marriott, the new Cavalier Grand Hotel will boast 90 guest rooms, an onsite bourbon distillery, a ballroom for lavish weddings and social events and a world class restaurant. The mixed-use plan for the overall site development also calls for an additional 85 homes, including estate homes, cottages and bungalows. These residences will be built on the expansive ocean-facing lawn of the Grand Hotel.....

The Cavalier's sister hotel on the oceanfront will be rebuilt and called the Oceanfront Marriott Hotel. The oceanfront hotel sits next to the Cavalier Beach Club, which opened in 1929 and will undergo a $4 million facelift. The historic Cavalier is expected to reopen in 2016; the Oceanfront Marriott is expected to open in 2017..."

This is actually the real deal, 5-star hotel and all.

 

I am in absolute shock and very (pleasantly) surprised!

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 7 months later...

Was down there a few days ago during the nice weather and they've already started the framing for the housing on the southeast corner of the lot. Also noticed they've started demolition on the hotel across the street as well. I'll be back there soon and will have to snap a few pics.

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