Hampton Roads Off-Topic Talk

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Seeing as how Smithfield doesn't have a section (obviously) I'm posting it on here.

There was a greaaaaaaaat article in the DP today about the Benn's Grant development on the outskirts of town. This thing is almost as big as the whole entire rest of the town---1098 units and a retail and office component on some 618 acres. I'll have to find something about it online or get clippings from the DP later because this is quite the interesting project! It's being compared to Port Warwick in NNews (which, upon visiting a few days ago, I must say is fantastic)...

[rusthebuss]

Also they are getting some warehouses assc. with the ports expansion so its a good thing for smithfield!

[wrldcoupe4]

how bout that bacon!

[rusthebuss]

how bout that bacon!

I think someone is trying to be a comedian!

[wrldcoupe4]

they've got some good bacon man

[urbanfan]

they've got some good bacon man

Tell me about it. I use to work graveyard shift there at Gwaltney as a fork lift operator. The messed up thing is that to take lunch and leave the building, you have to walk through the smoking room which smokes all the ham and bacon. By the time you've made it to the exit you're about four times hungrier than when you started off for lunch.

[nrdzrool]

so i was being a dork and decided to look around online for any sorts of books that involve virginia beach or hampton roads in general. i did find a couple that had virginia beach as at least a temporary setting, which was sort of exciting...but i'm posting because of this page on the history of the area: interesting

especially the stuff in the last couple paragraphs, how vabeach was once only second to nyc as a destination along the east coast. did you know they used to call vabeach "the golden shore" or something like that? apparantly this city did at one time anyway have a lot of history and a real culture of its own...it's a shame it just sort of dried up into nothing at some point in its history. hopefully it'll catch up and reclaim its former glory? it talks about people coming in by cruise ships and taking the train out to the oceanfront..and how presidents and movie stars used to stay at the cavalier hotel. anyway, just felt like sharing that.

[urbanvb]

Thanks for sharing that nrdzrool. I have been wanting to pay a visit to the Cavalier for awhile now. Funny sometimes how interesting things are right around me but I never seem to get there.

[urbanvb]

Anyone know where I can find the page here on UP that shows the number of hits each day for each city/region?

[vdogg]

Anyone know where I can find the page here on UP that shows the number of hits each day for each city/region?

There is no such page, but monsoon compiles a report usually that breaks down those statistics but those are internal numbers.

[vdogg]

Check out this thread

for some great economic news. One highlight:

'Looking ahead to 2006, he cites Portsmouth as another city ripe for increased development.

[vdogg]

HR office vacancies below 9%

[rusthebuss]

HR office vacancies below 9%

Wow Vdogg you have really been doing your research! This is great news. The 35-40 story office tower might just come true

[urbanvb]

The article points out that only one significant building was built this year (Resource Bank HQ) but does not point out next year hopefully the 23 storey office tower should start construction in TC and also I am hoping the new 12 storey (perhaps mixed use ?) tower in Pembroke office park. The 23 storey one will have to be gargantuan in size to fill up the block it is being built on and that should add a lot of new available office space for the city and region.

Edited December 6, 2005 by guynvb

[urbanvb]

I just found this site on the Richmond forum but maybe it seems to be really neat. I haven't played around too much with it yet but you can even go street level and see buildings, etc.

check it out!

[vdogg]

I just found this site on the Richmond forum but maybe it seems to be really neat. I haven't played around too much with it yet but you can even go street level and see buildings, etc.

check it out!

You have to look at the pics of downtown. You weren't kidding about street level. Are these from satellite? If so then the resolution on these pics is insane! You can see people walking.

[urbanvb]

You have to look at the pics of downtown. You weren't kidding about street level. Are these from satellite? If so then the resolution on these pics is insane! You can see people walking.

Yeah it is awesome. I haven't quite figured it all out yet but it would seem to be a great tool to use Vdogg in mapping out buildings and showing where new ones are going, etc.

[urbanvb]

Well, I have made over 2k posts. 500 more to be in town?

Edited December 12, 2005 by guynvb

[vdogg]

Well, I have made over 2k posts. 500 more to be in town?

Yep, only 499 to go to be exact. I bet I get my 2 stars before you get your 1.

[rusthebuss]

Hmmm.......I wonder how many more i got to go to the next step?

[urbanvb]

Yep, only 499 to go to be exact. I bet I get my 2 stars before you get your 1.

[rusthebuss]

It sure has been quite the last few days. I'm dying here. Nothing new to talk about

[vdogg]

It sure has been quite the last few days. I'm dying here. Nothing new to talk about

There will always be quiet periods, nothing too much to worry about. I wouldn't say it's been dead either, just slowed down from the absolutely furious pace we had in November. That's to be expected during the holidays.

(most of our members post from work during the week).

[urbanvb]

Merry Christmas to everyone and hope you got all you asked for!

[vdogg]

hope you got all you asked for!

Nope, don't see any 70 story towers on Granby yet. Maybe I should've worded my request differently.