Jump to content

Hoffler Tower

krdarden

By krdarden
in Norfolk

Recommended Posts

wrldcoupe4 Metropolitan Area

wrldcoupe4

Posted
Posted

I think the money could be spent better by education to be self sufficient. I have a bad taste in my mouth with this due to comments over the years being made to me. I'm tired of people trying to play a system that i pay into. I say spend the money to educate and make people earn their place. People get comfortable and moan and complain to get more for free. I don't want someone that doesn't work living in the same type house that i go and bust my @ss everyday for. Thats not fair and I know this is going to start something but I don't mean to offend anyone but its just my feelings.

My understanding is that the "projects" weren't intended to be permanent residences for low-income people. They were built to be used temporarily, so as people get on their feet, they can move on to a better life. I think that this is a serious issue that we need to address, because instead of being used for what they were originally intended for, they become breeding grounds for violence, drug use and in many cases failure. It's such a complex issue.

You're right though, education is very important in the equation.

However, there is growing evidence that creating mixed-income communities and breaking up these horrible projects is a also big part of the solution.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...

  • Replies 304
  • Created
  • Last Reply
vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

Posted
Posted

Checked there web site, no mention of a project in norfolk. I think this project is dead! :(

:huh: This project is by no means dead just because it hasn't been mentioned. My God, by that measure half the projects that have ever been announced here should be dead. It's only been a few months, give it time. It's not dead until they say it's dead.

No its not dead! The mayor announced that it would be built.

The mayor didn't announce this in the state of the city, which I think is what he meant. This isn't Kotarides development, this is the tower going on Church Street. Regardless, there is no indication that this project is dead whatsoever.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Padman Hamlet

Padman

Posted
Posted

My understanding is that the "projects" weren't intended to be permanent residences for low-income people. They were built to be used temporarily, so as people get on their feet, they can move on to a better life. I think that this is a serious issue that we need to address, because instead of being used for what they were originally intended for, they become breeding grounds for violence, drug use and in many cases failure. It's such a complex issue.

You're right though, education is very important in the equation.

However, there is growing evidence that creating mixed-income communities and breaking up these horrible projects is a also big part of the solution.

Life is short, resources are finite. The sad truth is that you can't throw everyone into college and turn them into fully productive citizens. Many people just don't have the psychological makeup, the stamina or even the intelligence to become "self made" successes. At least those projects are testament to a time when compassion, even misguided compassion was a characteristic governmental function. Mixed income communities are a better way, in part because they don't isolate the poor from the well off. Problem is, I don't see Section 8 units or for that matter any other such inclusionary measures being applied to these countless condo and apartment proposals that are coming out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
urbanlife Town

urbanlife

Posted
Posted

Life is short, resources are finite. The sad truth is that you can't throw everyone into college and turn them into fully productive citizens. Many people just don't have the psychological makeup, the stamina or even the intelligence to become "self made" successes. At least those projects are testament to a time when compassion, even misguided compassion was a characteristic governmental function. Mixed income communities are a better way, in part because they don't isolate the poor from the well off. Problem is, I don't see Section 8 units or for that matter any other such inclusionary measures being applied to these countless condo and apartment proposals that are coming out.

In Portland, if a developer wants more help from the city, they are required to add more low income housing to their projects. While this doesn't help section 8 that much, it is an attempt. There are ways to curb the problems that come with poverty. The current state of Norfolk's poverty areas are in desperate need of help and the more attention they get to improve their standards, the better off the city will be as a whole.

Of course, by our current president's standards, we need to "help everyone else" and domestic issues are really not that important. :whistling:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

Posted
Posted

Yes, but most urban topics are political by their very nature. It's not just about happy shiny people in glass towers, as much as that feels better to envision.

True but you've got to admit that pulling the President into this little debate is quite a stretch. :lol: I just try to keep political discussions confined to their respective locations because this is not a political site. The owner does not wish to have political discussions running rampant throughout the board and neither do most users. There is still a contigent of users who wish to discuss political events, etc. and for them we have provided the coffee house as well as individual coffee houses in certain other forums to fill that need. There is a time and a place for everything, a new tower on Brambleton has nothing to do with the President (and you all should know by now that I am no supporter of the President). Just trying to keep things on topic. :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Padman Hamlet

Padman

Posted
Posted

lol, why do u think this? Have you heard something Padman? Spit it out. :lol:

I've heard nothing at all. That is a factor, though, along with the very amateurish rendering and the less than optimal location, unless light rail is to be a factor. It might work for seniors, or for somebody with a huge at home eBay business (close to the post office). I think the Kotarides project has a much better chance of actually happening. But it makes you think, doesn't it? Wouldn't it be good to see some more life east of Scope? Some nice retail and mixed use projects would make that location feel more like a potential home. Maybe that potential Church Street mixed-use project needs to happen soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

Posted
Posted

I've heard nothing at all. That is a factor, though, along with the very amateurish rendering and the less than optimal location, unless light rail is to be a factor. It might work for seniors, or for somebody with a huge at home eBay business (close to the post office). I think the Kotarides project has a much better chance of actually happening. But it makes you think, doesn't it? Wouldn't it be good to see some more life east of Scope? Some nice retail and mixed use projects would make that location feel more like a potential home. Maybe that potential Church Street mixed-use project needs to happen soon.

You do have a point, but I almost hope this one goes through as much as I want Kotarides. It could really breathe new life into that area. As far as the rendering it was a very conceptual rendering (just like the one I posted for VB city center). It was also the rendering or a 13 story structure, and that article clearly stated it would be 20 stories so a lot could have changed. I think this project will succeed if built. He is marketing to seniors and that is a pretty steady market (as evidenced by the 100 person waiting list for Harbor's Edge). We'll definately know by the end of the year though, construction is supposed to start in the fall so we have to hear something by then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
urbanlife Town

urbanlife

Posted
Posted

I was kidding in that Jon Stewart kind of way. I had just saw the speech from the President on haw he wanted to cut domestic spending.

The two have no real relation, but it sounded funny.

I would love to see Norfolk get a 700 footer on this site and have it be as important as Charlotte's tallest. Doubt it will ever happen, but then again I never thought I would see this kind of boom that Norfolk is having right now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PeninsulaKiddo Burg

PeninsulaKiddo

Posted
Posted

I would love to see Norfolk get a 700 footer on this site and have it be as important as Charlotte's tallest. Doubt it will ever happen, but then again I never thought I would see this kind of boom that Norfolk is having right now.

Good things take time :thumbsup: I think that some time in the future, a 700 footer is possible, and I'm not talking 2020, but rather within the frame of 10 years. I think it's entirely possible that the city has been approached with projects far-exceeding 500 feet before, but it just isn't economically feasible---yet. Projects like this and Kotarides and Granby are all eventually going to culminate in a truly remarkable base skyline for perhpas a few stunning (and large) towers in the future. It just takes a lot of time, planning, and study.

IMO, I think what will eventually become the tallest building in Norfolk will be a new office building. No MAJOR office towers are on the drawing boards (as far as we know), but eventually one will far eclipse Dominion Tower. With enormous investments coming into the city and the port expansions (and continued success of local businesses), we may, some day, draw in another major F500 company to kickstart a project like that. Indeed, these are just my thoughts, but I'm hoping they all come to fruition.

Hey, I've gotta be positive! :lol: Too much negativity these days. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

Posted
Posted

No MAJOR office towers are on the drawing boards (as far as we know),

Remember in that article about DT plaza they stated that the city had been approached about a complex of office towers on that site, one of many offers nixed thus far. We have no idea how tall they may have been. I hope they hurry up and complete that study.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Padman Hamlet

Padman

Posted
Posted

With the dramatic growth of the bank of hampton roads and town bank, don't be surprised to see a merger in the next few years with expansion. Add the limited office space and more people living downtown you may see a 50 story or more tower. one can dream ;)

I know we'd all be shocked if we got a 50 storey tower, but it's no big deal, really. Look at what places like Sacramento are getting these days. One well coordinated office/condo/hotel tower would do it without overloading the market. The Ship plan for Fort Norfolk could have placed the offices beneath the hotel/condos and done it. I just think that folks like Harvey Lindsey have held back because of the difficult experiences that they had in the 80s and 90s. Filling Dominion Tower was no mean feat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

Posted
Posted

I know we'd all be shocked if we got a 50 storey tower, but it's no big deal, really. Look at what places like Sacramento are getting these days. One well coordinated office/condo/hotel tower would do it without overloading the market. The Ship plan for Fort Norfolk could have placed the offices beneath the hotel/condos and done it. I just think that folks like Harvey Lindsey have held back because of the difficult experiences that they had in the 80s and 90s. Filling Dominion Tower was no mean feat.

Well, the office portion is 14 and the hotel/condo 24, so we'd get 38. It would be nothing for them to make it 40 though and I agree it could be easily done. Not likely to change from the ship proposal imo but you never know. I do agree however that 50 isn't really that far out of reach when you think about it, we're already starting to edge closer and I think there's a possibility of a really tall tower on the DT Plaza site. (I think that 25-story behemoth that is the Hilton could easily be made into a much taller, more slender tower thus providing Trader with water views and likewise allowing us to see Trader from the water. Just a thought. :whistling:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Padman Hamlet

Padman

Posted
Posted

Well, the office portion is 14 and the hotel/condo 24, so we'd get 38. It would be nothing for them to make it 40 though and I agree it could be easily done. Not likely to change from the ship proposal imo but you never know. I do agree however that 50 isn't really that far out of reach when you think about it, we're already starting to edge closer and I think there's a possibility of a really tall tower on the DT Plaza site. (I think that 25-story behemoth that is the Hilton could easily be made into a much taller, more slender tower thus providing Trader with water views and likewise allowing us to see Trader from the water. Just a thought. :whistling:)

Yes indeed. The Hilton is in a great location for the tallest structure downtown. I wish it would happen, but I'm doubtful that it will. That site on City Hall Ave. behind the Norfolk Southern garage and Crown Plaza would be a great location too, and seems more likely for extending the existing enclave of office towers. I'm glad that Trader chose not to locate in that location and spread the office presence to Granby Street instead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.