Norfolk Development 2

[mikeas]

Started as K&K 5&10 which became K&K Toys back in 1953. In 1986, the K&K owners opened a new concept store, Dollar Tree, in Dalton, Ga. They eventually sold K&K Toys to KB Toys to focus on Dollar Tree. Dollar Tree was based in Norfolk Commerce Park until 1997 when they opened a new East Coast distribution center in Chesapeake. There wasn't any space in Norfolk for such a massive facility so they looked at various HR cities as well as cities outside the area. Since they ended up keeping the warehouse in HR and since Dollar Tree is a low margin business, they opted to move the HQ to the distribution center. That was a business decision just like Trader consolidating or Dominion Pictures moving was a business decision. What I have a problem with is a city soliciting a local company to move that isn't considering a move. Anyway, I tracked down the Dollar Tree moving article (Dollar Moves article link).

Dollar Tree rents out there old facility in the Norfolk Commerce Park to Raytheon.

[Chesapeake Pirate]

I don't see a separate topic for 388 Boush or the Landings at Bolling Square, so I hope this is the right place. If not, I know someone will help me out .

Anyway, I attended Collins Enterprises Grand Opening Celebration for 388 Boush held at the Pagoda in Freeemason tonight. Had a chance to chat with Arthur Collins for a few minutes. Folks will start moving into 388 Boush at the end of July. Only 10 of 94 units are unsold. They let about that many folks out of contracts who wanted out because of military transfers or just getting cold feet. Units available range from 698 sf to 1163 sf. He expects to have them all sold before the fall is over and considers this project a slam dunk.

Progress is great at the Landings at Bolling Square in Larchmont. Construction of Phase 1 condo's and townhouses is nearing completion, sales have been good, and folks are starting to move in. Phase two should commence in September with tearing down the rest of the apartments and building more condo's.

Planning continues in earnest at The WaterMark, which will be Collin's next Norfolk project in the Ward's Corner area. He is battling the city over a street closure issue and as soon as that is resolved it will be full speed ahead.

He is not concerned about too much housing inventory or a housing bubble or rising interest rates. He thinks the demographics trend is on the side of folks continuing to move to the city and he remains very bullish about Norfolk.

These are the thoughts of a very level-headed, not flashy guy who rides coach on US Air back and forth to Connecticut every week. He loves people and really is proud of his contributions to improving the residential housing available in Norfolk. The sky is not falling.

[vdogg]

Planning continues in earnest at The WaterMark, which will be Collin's next Norfolk project in the Ward's Corner area. He is battling the city over a street closure issue and as soon as that is resolved it will be full speed ahead.

I have been doing back flips for this last 6 months trying to find out what this project is (ever since it came across the planning commision docket) and you just scoop me like its nothing. Do you have any further details on scope and design of this project? Wards Corner is and interesting location for this so i'm dying to know some more info.

[vdogg]

Nevermind, found something. Don't know how i missed it.

"The WaterMark,which will be the product of

the Riverside Terrace revitalization on Newport

Avenue between Harvard and Warren streets, will

soon add 300 more condominiums and townhouses

to Norfolk’s housing bank. No timetable is current-

ly available."

[vtfan18]

I don't see a separate topic for 388 Boush or the Landings at Bolling Square, so I hope this is the right place. If not, I know someone will help me out .

Anyway, I attended Collins Enterprises Grand Opening Celebration for 388 Boush held at the Pagoda in Freeemason tonight. Had a chance to chat with Arthur Collins for a few minutes. Folks will start moving into 388 Boush at the end of July. Only 10 of 94 units are unsold. They let about that many folks out of contracts who wanted out because of military transfers or just getting cold feet. Units available range from 698 sf to 1163 sf. He expects to have them all sold before the fall is over and considers this project a slam dunk.

Progress is great at the Landings at Bolling Square in Larchmont. Construction of Phase 1 condo's and townhouses is nearing completion, sales have been good, and folks are starting to move in. Phase two should commence in September with tearing down the rest of the apartments and building more condo's.

Planning continues in earnest at The WaterMark, which will be Collin's next Norfolk project in the Ward's Corner area. He is battling the city over a street closure issue and as soon as that is resolved it will be full speed ahead.

He is not concerned about too much housing inventory or a housing bubble or rising interest rates. He thinks the demographics trend is on the side of folks continuing to move to the city and he remains very bullish about Norfolk.

These are the thoughts of a very level-headed, not flashy guy who rides coach on US Air back and forth to Connecticut every week. He loves people and really is proud of his contributions to improving the residential housing available in Norfolk. The sky is not falling.

Thats funny Chesapeake Pirate! I was there too! Got a fancy umbrella out of the deal as well! Anyway, perhaps we should start a 388 Boush topic even though its almost complete. I have a ton of pics showing progress since they started demolishion of the old garage and the old commonwealth college building.

[okinawatyphoon]

Norfolk buys building on St. Paul's Blvd. from Union Mission

The building likely would be used as a temporary site for the city's General District Court while a $100 million courts complex is under construction. A long-term use for the land will be determined by a study of the entire St. Paul's quadrant, Assistant City Manager Stanley A. Stein said.

[okinawatyphoon]

The June issue of FOCUS is now available from the Downtown Norfolk Council website. Nothing amazing in it, but a few good things.

Work on the Trader Building is progressing well. The 20th floor concrete has been poured and the structural steel for the roof and the gables has been started. Windows are installed up to the 14th floor and drywall is already in place on floors 9 through 12. Permanent power should be on in the building by the 7th of July.

In the

[tombarnes]

Union Mission Sells Property Near Chrysler Hall to the City

The sale of a small building near Chrysler Hall by the Union Mission begs the question of the fate of their main building downtown. I have always thought that this building, the former YMCA, would make excellent condominiums or a small hotel. Is there any news on this project?

The Virginian Pilot

[Chesapeake Pirate]

Union Mission Sells Property Near Chrysler Hall to the City

The sale of a small building near Chrysler Hall by the Union Mission begs the question of the fate of their main building downtown. I have always thought that this building, the former YMCA, would make excellent condominiums or a small hotel. Is there any news on this project?

The Virginian Pilot

The article you linked says this:

"The Union Mission is in the process of relocating its homeless shelter from downtown to a site in the Military Circle area on Virginia Beach Boulevard."

....so I guess the issue is what does "in the process of" mean time wise?

[tombarnes]

Exactly. I hope they will get out of that building soon. It deserves a happier fate.

[vdogg]

Some items of interest:

Taylors Landing

and

Harbor Walk (Watermark)

both go before city council this week.

[Former Resident of HR]

Exactly. I hope they will get out of that building soon. It deserves a happier fate.

I do hope to see that building put to better use as well. I really hope that the back lot will not be wasted on parking but will either become a freestanding building of its own or an extension of the building. Something very glass and modern (AKA Saint Luke's) would be nice. The residents could buy parking at the garage across the street.

I am also happy to hear that they will have something in place (the fire station) for a small number of homeless people. Eliminating them from DT is not entirely realistic and as a consequence, many would just end up on benches and in people's yards in Freemason and Ghent.

[lil-bear]

I am sure that the city will have a large role in deciding what happens to the building.

The best uses will of course be a hotel or an apartment/condo building.

Now the city garage just across Brooke Ave. from it is RIPE for redevelopment!!!!

But that is another topic!

[vdogg]

The only thing of note on this weeks planning docket

10. OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY REAL ESTATE FOUNDATION, to change the zoning from R-14 (High Density Multiple-Family) District, IRIO (Institutional Residential Impact Overlay) District and I-1 (Light industrial) to UV (University Village) on property located on the southwest corner of 45th Street and Monarch Way; property fronts 150 feet, more or less, along the southern line of 45th Street and 200 feet, more or less, along the western line of Monarch Way; premises numbered 1043 Monarch Way. The General Plan of Norfolk, 1992, depicts the site as commercial/office. The purpose of the rezoning is to permit construction of a university book store.

Looks like the bookstore is moving forward.

[vdogg]

HR office demand very high

The office sector

[rusthebuss]

Maybe we might see that 35-40 story tower!

[krdarden]

Maybe we might see that 35-40 story tower!

Hopefully, a new tall can go up in the empty parking lot next to the courts complex, then a couple more high-rises on the present courts property and then a town-center type development in the plaza-quadrant. I can remember saying a couple years ago that we had the smallest downtown for an area our size in the country; however, in 10 years, I may be saying that we have the most dense and most impressive skyline for a region our size in the nation! If we throw in P-town for good measure, or better yet, merge with them and add 100,000 people to our population and consolidate city services and build a massive transportation hub for city buses, light-rail, trailways, and car-rental services to go along with our new cruise terminal.

[vdogg]

Affordable condos fuel Park Place revival

This is exactly what I like to hear. Offerings that the middle class can afford that can spur renewal in previously blighted areas. Heck, I could afford these. This is a good article and I hope to see more of this in the future.

[skylinefan]

Affordable condos fuel Park Place revival

This is exactly what I like to hear. Offerings that the middle class can afford that can spur renewal in previously blighted areas. Heck, I could afford these. This is a good article and I hope to see more of this in the future.

I would certainly entertain moving to Park Place at those prices.

[urbanvb]

Those truly are some good deals especially with the market the way it is today.

[Former Resident of HR]

Affordable condos fuel Park Place revival

This is exactly what I like to hear. Offerings that the middle class can afford that can spur renewal in previously blighted areas. Heck, I could afford these. This is a good article and I hope to see more of this in the future.

Much of Park Place is still very much blighted. If Norfolk were smart, they would seriously jump on trying to get retail back into the Riverview area as well as along 35th Street. Drive through PP at night and there are still way too many people on corners and teenagers (and younger) roaming the streets well past 11PM.

Because Park Place is a predominantly African-American neighborhood, I hope that some efforts are made to retain diversity as it redevelops. It would be nice to have a strong presence of middle and upper middle class African-Americans living and/or working in the area. All too often, when redevelopment comes along, out go the original residents.

[rusthebuss]

I always hoped that they would redevelop the riverview area. Hopefully the Tanners creek project will help spur more development in that area. They should restore the old riverview theater into a club or something. I always invisioned nice restaurants and clubs in that area.

Edited July 29, 2006 by rusthebuss

[okinawatyphoon]

Norfolk housing authority working on plan to redevelop blighted area

[Telmnstr]

The article you linked says this:

"The Union Mission is in the process of relocating its homeless shelter from downtown to a site in the Military Circle area on Virginia Beach Boulevard."

....so I guess the issue is what does "in the process of" mean time wise?

Sounds like the homeless are being driven away from downtown (how they gonna beg for change to get to Newport News).

On a brighter note, sounds like the homeless might be able to play some PUTT PUTT!

[Chesapeake Pirate]

Sounds like the homeless are being driven away from downtown (how they gonna beg for change to get to Newport News).

On a brighter note, sounds like the homeless might be able to play some PUTT PUTT!

Some one with your positive outlook used to own the Putt-Putt at Military Circle.

When Putt-Putt goes downhill, you know the rest of Hampton Roads can't be far behind.