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Hampton Roads Off-Topic Talk


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Why doesn't Charlotte have soul?????? Looks like Richmond stole some of San Antonios soul by copying their river walk and making the canal walk. Come on you just where talking about me with the Richmond thing and you say something bad about our brothers in the south.

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I'm sorry Rus, but Richmond restored portions of its old canal system that was designed by George Washington in 1774. The idea was to turn a largely abandoned former industrial portion of the riverfront into something that could be used by the city's/regions residents and tourists, capitalizing on the past and the future of the canals. Sure there is going to be development along the restored canal walk. There is also a lot of park space. It is envisioned that the canal walk will eventually extend up to Byrd Park/Maymont Park to the west and Great Shiplock Park to the east.There would be absolutely no plan to commercialize the canal walk up to byrd park/maymont park. Sure, maybe Richmond was inspired to restore its old canal system by a visit to San Antonio. We restored a canal system that dates back to the 18th century and was designed by our nation's first president. It is part of a former canal system that was envisioned to extend to Ohio. The current pedestrian paths are paved directly where the old mule paths used to be. Restoring a part of a city's rich history and putting it to positive use? Please Rus, I hardly think that is stealing soul. I do not bash your hometown; in fact I very much respect it. Please don't be a vulture. Lammius...your views are along the lines of what I am saying. Richmond or Norfolk or New Orleans or Charleston have more soul than Charlotte any day.

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I just don't understand the attitude towards Charlotte? I've never heard anything from someone from Charlotte talking bad about Virginians. Why are you so threaten by Charlottes prosperity? That's all I want to know.

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Charlotte's okay, but much akin to an Atlanta or something... it just kinda "is". It's a business city with little historical attraction and scarce cultural diversity. That may be a gross generalization of the city, but it's mostly business and blah. Richmond has one of the most unique histories in this nation and an enormously diverse culture to it. Its neighborhoods vary and its buildings create a friendly skyline that is more aesthetically pleasing than obnoxiously "vertical" and huge, to take on the urban development topic...

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I just don't understand the attitude towards Charlotte? I've never heard anything from someone from Charlotte talking bad about Virginians. Why are you so threaten by Charlottes prosperity? That's all I want to know.

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Oh... and this area I wouldn't say is "threatened by Charlotte's prosperity". It's just that the city is dull and boring and other than its coffers---lifeless. HR and Richmond and Alexandria (to take a NOVA example) are just ... well... frankly more interesting. That's all. And Hampton Roads, Richmond, and NOVA are doing pretty well for themselves economically :thumbsup: Charlotte has big-name (*cough* failing *cough*) Airlines, we have the world's largest naval base and one of the world's finest natural harbors.... ....just sayin. :silly:

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I just don't understand the attitude towards Charlotte? I've never heard anything from someone from Charlotte talking bad about Virginians. Why are you so threaten by Charlottes prosperity? That's all I want to know.

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lol threatened? I'm not sure anyone here would be opposed to prosperity. I'm not sure how Charlotte's prosperity impacts my life though. Well I take that back; BofA has some of my money...I mean seriously...

This was my comment:

"but guyyyys Charlotte doesn't have soul smile.gif I think Norfolk/Hampton Roads in general should become/already is unique. It shouldn't have to follow other cities."

There was more joking in the comment than seriousness to begin with. It was also a compliment to Norfolk. Sure, Charlotte has taller buildings with big banks and other companies. It has new malls and new upscale condo towers. But do you really want Norfolk to become Charlotte? I was calling for Norfolk to be a strong, growing independent city that didn't have to copy the glass, plastic, and steel of another city to feel special. Personally, I enjoy cities that are more culturally and historically rich than Charlotte, but at the same time have a prospering business sector. Norfolk has a rich character, just like Richmond. It has a rich in tact history...hell much of it dates back to before the Revolutionary War. Is it too bold to envision Norfolk as a city that holds on to and cherishes its history while at the same time being a great progressive city of the South? I believe it isn't too bold. I think every city should be unique and hold onto what makes it Norfolk, or Richmond, or NYC, or Boston. "Great cities of the world are measured in Centuries, not Decades." But to each his own....

Edited by wrldcoupe4
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Oh... and this area I wouldn't say is "threatened by Charlotte's prosperity".  It's just that the city is dull and boring and other than its coffers---lifeless.  HR and Richmond and Alexandria (to take a NOVA example) are just ... well... frankly more interesting.  That's all.  And Hampton Roads, Richmond, and NOVA are doing pretty well for themselves economically  :thumbsup: Charlotte has big-name (*cough* failing *cough*) Airlines, we have the world's largest naval base and one of the world's finest natural harbors....  ....just sayin. :silly:

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I think the problem for norfolk is the fact that their "soul" is just based on the navy and nothing else. Unfortunately, the navy doesnt attract tourists or businesses. It needs to find something else to call its own to really be an attraction.

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I think the problem for norfolk is the fact that their "soul" is just based on the navy and nothing else.  Unfortunately, the navy doesnt attract tourists or businesses.  It needs to find something else to call its own to really be an attraction.

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True, but it's unfair to say that HR doesn't have tourist attractions as well.... more-so than Charlotte (i.e. Busch Gardens, VB Boardwalk, Nauticus, the Historic Triangle). The dependence on the Navy is a little troubling though, in all fairness... but with a war going on it has been a boost to the economy so no complaints (until budget cuts roll around.... <_< ...)

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Richmond is a very beatiful and lucky city. Lucky in that, as the capital, more attention was paid to details and it has some very historic and beautiful architechture. All of it is laid out on rolling hills overlooking a georgeous river. We should be proud that such a nice city is the capital of our state. Having been to a few other capitals of less stature (Harrisburg, PA and Salem, Or to name two bleak ones) I am happy that Richmond is our capitol.

Norfolk is an old port/Navy town that bulldozed most of its history right into the ground. Much of downtown west of Granby has a very artifical feel to it (the BoA building in its own "garden" is but one example). I have often heard people say that downtown looks weird because there are suddenly no old or historic buildings for blocks after driving down Granby.

It is very important that we don't become another Charlotte and I think that is the point some are trying to make. It's really not got the charm of the Raleigh-Durham area and seems to be BoA city. Norfolk needs to value what treasures it has and work on improving them more less we become another souless city...

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Richmond is a very beatiful and lucky city.  Lucky in that, as the capital, more attention was paid to details and it has some very historic and beautiful architechture.  All of it is laid out on rolling hills overlooking a georgeous river.  We should be proud that such a nice city is the capital of our state.  Having been to a few other capitals of less stature (Harrisburg, PA and Salem, Or to name two bleak ones) I am happy that Richmond is our capitol.

Norfolk is an old port/Navy town that bulldozed most of its history right into the ground.  Much of downtown west of Granby has a very artifical feel to it (the BoA building in its own "garden" is but one example).  I have often heard people say that downtown looks weird because there are suddenly no old or historic buildings for blocks after driving down Granby.

It is very important that we don't become another Charlotte and I think that is the point some are trying to make.  It's really not got the charm of the Raleigh-Durham area and seems to be BoA city.  Norfolk needs to value what treasures it has and work on improving them more less we become another souless city...

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I can understand that in some cases NORFOLK has turned its back on history... but it's still a historical city. The city didn't bulldoze its historical buildings: the Union did in the 1860s (and it's not the "damned Yank's faults"). Seriously, there are virtually no buildings from before 1865, but the city deliberately raze them. I think Norfolk has somehow managed to maintain tremendous character and yet still be prosperous on the business front.

I bolded Norfolk earlier because even if Norfolk itself doesn't have tremendous historical sites... look at its neighbors. It is arguable that HR is THE MOST historically significant region (metro) in the United States. Boston and the DC metro coming in close second/thirds... but seriously, if nothing else, we're a jewel in the centuries-old homes of Olde Town Portsmouth, or the 1700s-era, original Fort Monroe, or the renowned and restored Colonial Williamsburg/Jamestown. We have soul in the unique character that has developed over the last 4 centuries. While Charlotte is beautiful in its own way and can easily compete with us on a business/financial/income level, they are NO competition in history. Someone find out when the city was incorporated? Probably after Jamestown celebrated it's 300th....

-Soul is measured in its eclecticness (I made that word up), its diversity of its people, its varied communities, and its history. HR leaves little to be desired in those four categories. Same with NOVA and Richmond as well.

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I can understand that in some cases NORFOLK has turned its back on history... but it's still a historical city.  The city didn't bulldoze its historical buildings: the Union did in the 1860s (and it's not the "damned Yank's faults").  Seriously, there are virtually no buildings from before 1865, but the city deliberately raze them.  I think Norfolk has somehow managed to maintain tremendous character and yet still be prosperous on the business front.

I bolded Norfolk earlier because even if Norfolk itself doesn't have tremendous historical sites... look at its neighbors.  It is arguable that HR is THE MOST historically significant region (metro) in the United States.  Boston and the DC metro coming in close second/thirds...

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Whhhhaaaaaaaaaat???? Where should I start?

The Union did nothing to bulldoze the historic buildings in downtown Norfolk in the 1950's and 60's kiddo, that was NHRA. Richmond was burned to the ground as well BUT managed to hang on to a lot of old areas at the same time Norfolk was plowing them under. That is what I was referring to. If you look at the two cities, Richmond has a huge amount of older buildings that are sadly missing from Norfolk. The NHRA was out of control at the time using the "derelect neighborhood" excuse to tear anything down. That is why Atlantic City area (just to name one) is a shell of what it used to be...

And as far as HR being the most significan metro historically.... Uhm where does NYC fit in on you list? From Niuew Amsetrdam to 9/11 it is the most significantly historical city in North America by far. Maybe the world.

Norfolk was never the huge city that Phila, Balto, NYC or Boston were in their haydays. This area is very historic, but throwing around qualifying terms about how we are the "most historic" will lead to trouble. If it was the number one historic area in the US I would not draw blank stares from people when I say I live in Norfolk, Hampton Roads or whatever. Even Jamestown and Williamsburg are kind off the radar for a lot of people.

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Whhhhaaaaaaaaaat????  Where should I start?

The Union did nothing to bulldoze the historic buildings in downtown Norfolk in the 1950's and 60's kiddo, that was NHRA.  Richmond was burned to the ground as well BUT managed to hang on to a lot of old areas at the same time Norfolk was plowing them under.  That is what I was referring to.  If you look at the two cities, Richmond has a huge amount of older buildings that are sadly missing from Norfolk.  The NHRA was out of control at the time using the "derelect neighborhood" excuse to tear anything down.  That is why Atlantic City area (just to name one) is a shell of what it used to be...

And as far as HR being the most significan metro historically.... Uhm where does NYC fit in on you list?  From Niuew Amsetrdam to 9/11 it is the most significantly historical city in North America by far.  Maybe the world.

Norfolk was never the huge city that Phila, Balto, NYC or Boston were in their haydays.  This area is very historic, but throwing around qualifying terms about how we are the "most historic" will lead to trouble.  If it was the number one historic area in the US I would not draw blank stares from people when I say I live in Norfolk, Hampton Roads or whatever.  Even Jamestown and Williamsburg are kind off the radar for a lot of people.

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Norfolk has been around since about 1680 so it has plenty of history actually. At the moment it is not known as a historical town because its whole entity has been swarming around the navy for so long that people forget how long it has existed. On top of that, to say williamsberg and Jamestown are under the historical radar is absolutely ridiculous. Jamestown was one of the first settlements, so i dont see how that comment was relevant.

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Jamestown was one of the first settlements, so i dont see how that comment was relevant.

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For a lot people not from this area and not history buffs, Jamestown is not as relevent as the tourist board would have you to believe. Sorry.

I'm from the West Coast and barely knew anything about the area until I moved here. The only reason I knew anything was because I came here on a school trip when I was 16 (DC & Williamsburg). Most people I know from the West Coast have zero idea about Norfolk.Because history curriculums are skewed to the state from which a person comes, many people outside of VA know less about the history of VA than you would believe. Even people here are woefully uninformed about this state. I remember spending about a week on the Civil War and months on The Oregon Trail in US History seriously.

And actually, yes Norfolk has been around a long time. So have tons of other areas. You will find most areas on the East Coast have their own claim to fame for whatever reason. Norfolk is a nice place, but historically for the entire US I do not see it at #1 under any circumstances.

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Actually I kind of agree that Charlotte doesn't have much "soul."  It's a very plastic city where hardly anything seems to predate 1980.  I haven't been there in several years but I got the feeling there isn't much in the way of vibrant, interesting urban neighborhoods there, and I think that's an area in which certainly Richmond and maybe Norfolk have Charlotte beat.

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"no soul" that will be VaBeach's downtown someday soon.

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"no soul" that will be VaBeach's downtown someday soon.

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Yeah, that is because it has been around for 60 years and has no legitimate historical buildings in the town center area. No soul is ridiculous for a city that has been around for a 10th of the time as richmond and norfolk. It hasnt had the chance.

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I think he is referring it to Charlotte... Its a fabricated city, but i imagine they thought the same thing for some of those people who came from London and Dublin and other older cities from Europe. I guess you have to start now and develop the soul. Norfolk and Richmond had to start just like Charlotte and VaBeach.

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I think he is referring it to Charlotte... Its a fabricated city, but i imagine they thought the same thing for some of those people who came from London and Dublin and other older cities from Europe. I guess you have to start now and develop the soul. Norfolk and Richmond had to start just like Charlotte and VaBeach.

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Yeah it's something that develops organically over time. I think the argument many of us are making is that Norfolk shouldn't erase the culture it has established already to develop a newer one from scratch. Rather the city should use its culture or soul and adapt it to its vision for the future.

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That's because its the state capital. Norfolk has alot more going on here. The State also does alot to promote the city as well. Who cares what they think anyways. Go back to Richmond forum and let us talk about Norfolk

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Pardon me, but what right do you have telling other people where to go? Did I miss the post where you became the moderator?

And furthermore, I would like to ask you how many times you have been to Charlotte. It's a "fabricated city"? I would beg to differ. It was founded in the 1700's and has plenty of historical areas. There is a lot of jealousy because it expanded rapidly in a short period of time, but that does not make it less of a city.

As for fabricated cities, I think we have some in our very own backyard. VA Beach is the biggest "city" in our state. At least Charlotte has a skyline.

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