Pembroke Mall Revelopment (Ongoing-Phase 1)

[HRVA]

1 hour ago, BFG said:

Eventually. I remember stumbling across a capital improvement plan, and a new PA was on the list within the next few years. 

I read somewhere that they would temporarily relocate to the old Kellam while the new school is built on the existing site. 

[CrazyPy]

I thought they rebuilt after it burned down. Guess it was just part of the school.

Edited December 15, 2021 by CrazyPy

[vdogg]

So, decided to walk around Pembroke one last time and happened to come across a janitor talking to a family about the changes to the mall, so naturally I decided to be nosey and eavesdrop on the conversation.  Unfortunately only caught the tail end but enough to hear "and that's those 3 buildings and this last one (which would make a 4th building) will be 25 floors over parking " 

Now, some caveats. I have no idea if his information is correct and accurate, but you'd be surprised how much custodians generally know about what's going on in a particular building. I also have no idea whether this is referring to the office tower, or if this is another residential building. Lastly, I don't know if the 25 floors includes the parking, or if that's a parking garage and then 25 floors on top of that. So, take all this with a grain of salt. Hopefully we get more info after the turn of the year.

That said, 25 floors would be in line with the height of the tallest building in the massing diagram so...

[urbanlife]

This is going to be a really good redevelopment for the downtown, and this will hopefully make the downtown feel bigger and make the skyline look bigger.

[Lluck002]

Anyone have any info or thoughts on what the hotel brand might be? The developers say it’s a full-service brand that is new to the Hampton Roads market. One of the only feasible full-service hotels brands that doesn’t exist in Hampton Roads is Hyatt Regency and I could see that making sense. Of course, there are plenty more full-service brands that we don’t have like W Hotels, St, Regis, Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf Astoria, Gaylord, Conrad, JW Marriott, etc. but our market obviously won’t support those currently. Maybe it’s a Le Méridien? Or perhaps one of the new brands by Hilton, Canopy or Signia? I’m super curious.

[vdogg]

On 1/7/2022 at 3:07 AM, Lluck002 said:

Anyone have any info or thoughts on what the hotel brand might be? The developers say it’s a full-service brand that is new to the Hampton Roads market. One of the only feasible full-service hotels brands that doesn’t exist in Hampton Roads is Hyatt Regency and I could see that making sense. Of course, there are plenty more full-service brands that we don’t have like W Hotels, St, Regis, Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf Astoria, Gaylord, Conrad, JW Marriott, etc. but our market obviously won’t support those currently. Maybe it’s a Le Méridien? Or perhaps one of the new brands by Hilton, Canopy or Signia? I’m super curious.

That one confuses me as well, but with construction starting by the middle of this year, we have to be very close to an announcement. Bare minimum, they need to start the planning process, and we may find out something when they submit their documents.

[HRVA]

On 1/7/2022 at 3:07 AM, Lluck002 said:

Anyone have any info or thoughts on what the hotel brand might be? The developers say it’s a full-service brand that is new to the Hampton Roads market. One of the only feasible full-service hotels brands that doesn’t exist in Hampton Roads is Hyatt Regency and I could see that making sense. Of course, there are plenty more full-service brands that we don’t have like W Hotels, St, Regis, Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf Astoria, Gaylord, Conrad, JW Marriott, etc. but our market obviously won’t support those currently. Maybe it’s a Le Méridien? Or perhaps one of the new brands by Hilton, Canopy or Signia? I’m super curious.

Are we sure it’s new to the HR market? A couple articles specify new to the Virginia Beach market. 

[Lluck002]

2 hours ago, vdogg said:

That one confuses me as well, but with construction starting by the middle of this year, we have to be very close to an announcement. Bare minimum, they need to start the planning process, and we may find out something when they submit their documents.

I mean, I’ll see them in the system at work when they do submit said documents

I’ll ask supervisors if I can share certain details once they do.

37 minutes ago, HRVA said:

Are we sure it’s new to the HR market? A couple articles specify new to the Virginia Beach market. 

I feel like they meant Hampton Roads but were just trying to sound Virginia Beach-focused since Virginia Beach has an issue with being grouped with the other “lesser” cities lol smh. But even so, the only full-service feasible brand for this market the other cities have that Virginia Beach doesn’t is Renaissance I think. I don’t think Marriott is currently trying to expand that brand much.

After some further thought, I’m thinking maybe it could also possibly be a Tempo or Hyatt Centric if they are talking about new to Hampton Roads. The footprint of the structure honestly looks like it’d serve a select-serve brand better. If that were the case, I’d be thinking AC Hotels if new to Hampton Roads and maybe Aloft or Element if new to Virginia Beach.

Edited January 8, 2022 by Lluck002

[urbanvb]

I’m pretty happy that such a unique hotel (and tall, I might add) will be going up. It will be refreshing imo to see different architecture and builders have a go at it. At 14 stories, it’ll definitely have a presence.
 

Also, since the renovation will add green space for events this will give the center a more cohesive and inclusive feel. 

Edited January 8, 2022 by urbanvb

[Lluck002]

On 1/8/2022 at 12:46 PM, urbanvb said:

I’m pretty happy that such a unique hotel (and tall, I might add) will be going up. It will be refreshing imo to see different architecture and builders have a go at it. At 14 stories, it’ll definitely have a presence.
 

Also, since the renovation will add green space for events this will give the center a more cohesive and inclusive feel. 

Is the hotel going to be 14 stories? That’d be great if so! I know the Hampton Inn they’re trying to build in Town Center is 14 stories but I didn’t see a height announced for the Pembroke Mall hotel. 

[urbanvb]

Virginia Business article states it will be 14 stories.

“The hotel will be 14 stories, and Smith said they are trying to fast track it, adding that construction could start as soon as the middle of next year.”

Edited January 10, 2022 by urbanvb

[Lluck002]

The approved plans for the senior living building show a height of 76 feet with 7 stories. Renderings released to media align with elevations shown in submitted plans.

Edited January 10, 2022 by Lluck002

[Lluck002]

As far as I can tell, the developer hasn’t submitted anything substantial to the Department of Planning & Community Development yet concerning the residential and hotel components. They have submitted phased demolition plans for portions of the existing mall structure though. Those plans are approved.

Edited January 11, 2022 by Lluck002

[likeminded]

On 1/11/2022 at 6:07 AM, Lluck002 said:

As far as I can tell, the developer hasn’t submitted anything substantial to the Department of Planning & Community Development yet concerning the residential and hotel components. They have submitted phased demolition plans for portions of the existing mall structure though. Those plans are approved.

So, when is demo work expected to begin?

[vdogg]

2 hours ago, likeminded said:

So, when is demo work expected to begin?

Within the next month I believe.

[metalman]

The end of the month is when all the interior stores need to vacate.

[urbanvb]

I had a few minutes and walked through the mall tonight. It was so sad (bittersweet really) to see all the closed stores and the place was pretty much a ghost town. This small mall and I have quite a lengthy history. Here’s looking forward to a new era. 

[metalman]

I was there yesterday too.  Ate at Bahama Breeze and my wife made her last appointment at the salon we go to there, Hue, until they solidify where they are moving to next.  They even still had Christmas decorations hanging from the ceilings in the hallways.  

[HRVA]

On 1/12/2022 at 1:02 PM, likeminded said:

So, when is demo work expected to begin?

Demo permits for the SunTrust building have been submitted. 

[BFG]

Paying one last visit. Kinda bittersweet considering all the memories I have here. I used to love going to Pizza Delight and Space Port arcade in the late-80s to mid-90s. 

[vdogg]

Pembroke Mall Redevelopment was put out for bid on 1-19-22. $200 million total cost. This appears to encompass the apartments and hotel, not the senior living, which was already out for bid.

[varider]

this will truly be transformative for that area. it finally feels like a bit of synergy between all of these different projects and it’s great to see the momentum build notwithstanding the pandemic and inflation and everything else we are up against. Town Center proper has carried the city, and I think it will be a breath of fresh air to see that urban form spread N across the Blvd and then E across Constitution, down to the Midtown area, and hopefully W across Independence (who owns the parcels between Wegmans and TC?) & not to beat a dead horse, but if we’re slated to see at least 5 mid to high-rise towers between Pembroke Sq. and TC., and companies are looking for room to expand and as new-to-market retail and entertainment options move in, it will almost be essential that the city revisits LRT and the level of public transportation service, if we want to sustain this momentum. Traffic can get bad in todays VB, even with the wide boulevards with tons of capacity and relatively aggressive drivers, which will also need to be looked at, as the density in the area increases and more pedestrians are in this corridor. I know VB is afraid to become anything like NFK, but if property owners and demand is necessitating urban developments like this, the city has to evolve and become more supportive of other modes of transportation (walking, biking, scooters), and really just wake up and realize it’s a growing city in a growing metro and even if the growth is slow and steady, it is real, and development of this area is inevitable, thus the city should use foresight and adhere to its planning documents and invest in and allow the sort of things that you would expect from a large, modern progressive city.

[HRVA]

Sifen owns the undeveloped parcels in front of Wegmans and they’ve been slated for strip center retail for years. I would think that type of development would be really successful for him and the fact it hasn’t happened yet gives me a glimmer of hope he’s open to selling it to a more urban minded developer. Of course he has deep pockets and can sit on properties until the time is right so who knows. He may just throw up another self-storage facility when he feels like it. 

[varider]

https://www.pilotonline.com/business/vp-nw-pembroke-parking-garages-0301-20220228-wbtb34j6x5gxzdfy4xdxps746m-story.html

Quote

 

Pembroke Realty Group is asking the city to contribute $20 million for two public parking garages.

A 153-unit senior living facility will be built first; next will be a 324-unit apartment building with a public parking garage; and then a 209-room hotel with a public parking garage.

Ramsay Smith, Pembroke Realty Group’s president, has said that construction could begin later this year.

 

 

[HRVA]

44 minutes ago, varider said:

https://www.pilotonline.com/business/vp-nw-pembroke-parking-garages-0301-20220228-wbtb34j6x5gxzdfy4xdxps746m-story.html

 

Assuming the construction of the garages is fully funded by bonds that are paid by the special tax district rate, then I’m okay with this. That’s a pretty hefty additional tax though so I’m curious which properties will be included.