Norfolk Development 2

[wrldcoupe4]

Sorry, there isn't a bubble or anything in downtown Norfolk office space. The CBD market has a low vacancy rate for both A and B space.

[brikkman]

Was it a new sign or the sign on the Freemason St side of the building? This project was originally supposed to be condos but had virtually zero interest and then changed to office space last i heard.

The only way I can be happy with that is: Change that lower level section off to the right into a nice restaurant. I still believe they should have kept it a hotel with attractive prices/deals.

[Sky06]

I don't see too many 4 sale signs on office buildings. As for Class A, you're right, but the Madison is a very impressive building, so I can see this space as very luxurious if done right, more so than a lot of new buildings.

[Sky06]

I noticed the windows have been removed on Madison, as interior work continues.

[Chesapeake Pirate]

Nice update on the plans and progress of converting the former James Madison hotel downtown into Class A office space. It is in a great location to get a little jump on the Wachovia Center movement to redistribute some of the office space available downtown which is mostly south of City Hall Avenue. I think this a real healthy thing in the ongoing evolution and redevelopment of downtown.

Converting the James Madison Hotel

[Sky06]

Nice update on the plans and progress of converting the former James Madison hotel downtown into Class A office space. It is in a great location to get a little jump on the Wachovia Center movement to redistribute some of the office space available downtown which is mostly south of City Hall Avenue. I think this a real healthy thing in the ongoing evolution and redevelopment of downtown.

Converting the James Madison Hotel

Looks like Deborah Stearns went to the school of Doom and Gloom. What a pessimist. And of course, the Pilot eats it up. Sounds like quality developers who have the city's best interest in mind when they offered it up for the library. I think this should be a success.

Edited July 9, 2008 by Sky06

[nywahoo]

Looks like Deborah Stearns went to the school of Doom and Gloom. What a pessimist. And of course, the Pilot eats it up. Sounds like quality developers who have the city's best interest in mind when they offered it up for the library. I think this should be a success.

What struck me was her comment about its location being five blocks north of Main Street, as if no business person in his/her right mind would ever venture that far uptown. I imagine her getting into her car to make the trip from Main to Freemason.

[spiker3]

Looks like Deborah Stearns went to the school of Doom and Gloom. What a pessimist. And of course, the Pilot eats it up. Sounds like quality developers who have the city's best interest in mind when they offered it up for the library. I think this should be a success.

I agree to a point about the quality developers, but they only offered for the library after garnering no interest for condos in the market. Additionally, these developers ordered a feasbility study for putting a multi-million dollar penthouse on top of the building. When told the over one hundred year old building was in no engineering condition to support new century style additions, they ignored the study and released the company, searching for a company who would rubber stamp the idea. Thankfully the condo idea was dropped, but decisions made out of pure greed do not strike me as quality developers and having the city's best interest in mind, just their own.

Either way, having read the article and seeing that they're not expecting to charge Wachovia Center prices for Class A space, i'm encouraged about the prospects. Treating this as a new top-of-the-line development could have led to some issues with occupancy levels, etc. I'm intruiged still by the ballroom on the 8th floor, with original paneling, i'd love to see it sometime, before and after restoration.

[virginia pe]

Looks like Deborah Stearns went to the school of Doom and Gloom. What a pessimist. And of course, the Pilot eats it up.

The Pilot could have at least used a photograph of the front of the building. The Granby Street elevation has some interesting architectural elements. The Freemason elevation is not as exciting, but it's not bad. The Pilot chose a photo of the two sides facing an alley and a parking lot.

[brikkman]

Keep it a hotel

Office space on that side of Granby will only create a gap and more disillusion of what that part of Granby should be. They already have people complaining from the condos above and people partying after hours, which further distort the mix.

Keep it a hotel, although the new hotel on brambleton has specialized purpose, I would much rather see this become a hotel again. I believe it could be more functional providing a few twist and interesting pricing.

[Sky06]

[metalman]

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/09/norfolk-de...g-back-projects

[Telmnstr]

I didn't say it in my pilotonline post, but sorry that is straight up greed. Guy buys the building for $450K, before it was a death trap, now wants $3.2 million? Huh?

Don't be stupid and unload the stuff. The market most likely isn't going to recover anytime soon, America is pretty broken and the idiots at the top aren't addressing any of the real issues.

The rumor I heard is Wright got his money from inheritance but have no idea how accurate this is. He bought all the stuff in Norfolk and the rest was history.

I don't think he timed the market knowingly, I think he got lucky to have been at the right place at the right time. And of course once you have a bunch of money (especially free money) it's easier to make more.

I know the guys that ran Relative Theory, but never really talked to them too much about their space or landlord. I know they were told they had to take down all of the stuff on the walls in the stairwell, which made the place feel like a real city establishment (visit stores in DC, etc). Also I believe the rent was high. Upon them leaving no one took the space and it still sits empty.

[rusthebuss]

City is trying to buy the NOAA site. Goes before Congress today

[rusthebuss]

Proposal aims to ease downtown Norfolk's isolation

I think they are finally getting it! They are talking about trying to take away parking restrictions to allow buisness development on North side of Brambleton

[mikeas]

It appears a floor is being added to the roof of the building at the corner of Granby Street and Brooke.

[lil-bear]

It appears a floor is being added to the roof of the building at the corner of Granby Street and Brooke.

Are you refering to the 3 story building where The 319 is?

Edited October 11, 2008 by lil-bear

[mikeas]

Are you refering to the 3 story building where The 319 is?

No, across Brooke from the 319. Its a 6-7 story building.

[lil-bear]

No, across Brooke from the 319. Its a 6-7 story building.

OK, isn't that building the Police Admin Building or something like that?

[mikeas]

From the planning agenda:

5. Public Projects

a. Preliminary Review

i. The District at ODU (38th Street and Killam Avenue)

[vdogg]

I can't find where I posted the article sometime back about a mixed use project for Harbor Park, but the Downtown 2020 update is out and on page 17 of the pdf there is a sketch of what could go there.

[mikeas]

I can't find where I posted the article sometime back about a mixed use project for Harbor Park, but the Downtown 2020 update is out and on page 17 of the pdf there is a sketch of what could go there.

There are some neat sketches in there. Is the plan still to extend Main Street through the court complex all the way down to Harbor Park? It would make the flow of downtown more natural.

[urbanlife]

There are some neat sketches in there. Is the plan still to extend Main Street through the court complex all the way down to Harbor Park? It would make the flow of downtown more natural.

If they did that I would wish they would take that even further and reconnect Main St to Berkeley and S Norfolk. Would make a great place for a new bridge (seeing there use to be a bridge there), plus light rail would be able to extend through South Norfolk and into Chesapeake that way as well.

Just wishful thinking. I think South Norfolk and Berkeley have the potential to become strong towns in that region and would have a possibility of turning South Norfolk into downtown Chesapeake, but the chances of that happening without a massive movement for it is near impossible....but it is still fun to dream about my hometown.

Nice, fun pdf to go through. I really like the master plan for the St Paul Quadrant. It looks alot like what I was thinking. I like the street grid that seems to match some of the more traditional methods for streets in the city. Not a full on grid, but still connected with a good interaction with reintroduced natural elements.

Also, a little skeptical on the Pattern Book. It makes it sound that all architectural components that make a city good can be solved in a catalog. This is something I always take issue with, but if the catalog prevents crappy buildings that do not engage the street life from going up, then it is at least good with something.

Edited November 18, 2008 by urbanlife

[spiker3]

I can't find where I posted the article sometime back about a mixed use project for Harbor Park, but the Downtown 2020 update is out and on page 17 of the pdf there is a sketch of what could go there.

There's alot more than just that, there's the new court building 'rendering' (hypothetical) plus the mythological Synder Lot project has a rendering in there, the Harbor Park project, i'm in heaven right now...there's even a different angle rendering of the Westin CC, that is going to be monsterous if that's to scale

[mlsimons]

If they did that I would wish they would take that even further and reconnect Main St to Berkeley and S Norfolk. Would make a great place for a new bridge (seeing there use to be a bridge there), plus light rail would be able to extend through South Norfolk and into Chesapeake that way as well.

Just wishful thinking. I think South Norfolk and Berkeley have the potential to become strong towns in that region and would have a possibility of turning South Norfolk into downtown Chesapeake, but the chances of that happening without a massive movement for it is near impossible....but it is still fun to dream about my hometown.

I never realized that the E. Main st and S. Main st used to be connected, I agree it would be a win for Berkeley if they can reconnect it back to downtown, but how? It would take a huge bridge the size of the campostella bridge or another draw bridge, due to the boat traffic. If the city could investigate it, i do see a great potential for light rail to find its way into south norfolk.