Which tower would you live in given the chance

[Former Resident of HR]

The little battles between Norfolk and VB are an interesting tradition. Not constructive at all. Maybe there's too much freaking 'y' chromosome around here. I can't imagine anything like that between San Jose and Oakland. Do Tampa and St. Pete fight this way? Do Minneapolis and St. Paul? How about Dallas/Fort Worth? Raleigh and Durham? Anybody have any stories? Would it help if we had a major league sports franchise? Rather than fight about it, I think it makes an excellent topic for civil discussion.

First of all sorry to all in VA Beach that I said evil things about your fair city. (Notice how I didn't even put quote makrs around the word city? ) I actually like a lot of things about VB but sometimes people get defensive and go overboard. My apologies to anyone that I may have personally offended.

A-n-y-w-a-y I would agrue that a lot of cities have rivalries. I don't remember that in the context of Oakland vs San Jose but San Fran vs Oakland? Or San fran vs. LA (or anywhere else in the world for that matter ) Same goes for DC vs. NOVA or Baltimore. How about Philly vs. NY? Even the little town that I grew up in had it out for the next little town down the highway. In Norfolk, look at Ghent vs. Park Place or the West Side vs. the East Side... the little rivalries are everywhere that you go.

[mistermetaj]

Rivalries help give a city culture by uniting those in their respective city and giving the people a real sense of pride for their area.

[Padman]

Yes, it's natural. A tribal thing. But it can go too far. That's why I wish we had some major league sports franchises. That would give us a nice outlet for those instincts. Norfolk/Va Beach should have been one city. There isn't enough social and economic or cultural differentiation for them to be separate. Besides, it creates un unfair disadvantage between the school systems and other institutions. I know it isn't a popular subject, but apartheid American style is still alive and sick, although it is weakening.

[JOHN E. MUELLER]

First of all sorry to all in VA Beach that I said evil things about your fair city. (Notice how I didn't even put quote makrs around the word city? ) I actually like a lot of things about VB but sometimes people get defensive and go overboard. My apologies to anyone that I may have personally offended.

A-n-y-w-a-y I would agrue that a lot of cities have rivalries. I don't remember that in the context of Oakland vs San Jose but San Fran vs Oakland? Or San fran vs. LA (or anywhere else in the world for that matter ) Same goes for DC vs. NOVA or Baltimore. How about Philly vs. NY? Even the little town that I grew up in had it out for the next little town down the highway. In Norfolk, look at Ghent vs. Park Place or the West Side vs. the East Side... the little rivalries are everywhere that you go.

All this talk reminded me of the big upstate NY rivalry when I was growing up... Buffalo vs Rochester. ooooOOOOO! Now THAT was exciting! I've lived here for 30+ years, most in Norfolk, the early years near VB (Pembroke), and I must admit I had that Norfolk is better attitude for a long time. However, when I go to TC I admit I get a tingle... standing on the Plaza I see something VB has wanted and needed for a long time. Honestly, I can picture me living in either place (on the 26th floor watching the sun set), and for years I never thought I'd want to go back to the beach. Besides, those steaks at Ruth's Chris are pretty awesome. Now I just hope Morton's doesn't wait 'till the Hilton is built!

[urbanvb]

ok, we are up to 30 votes now.. can i get a 31st?

[rusthebuss]

I think we have a clear winner here! GRANBY!

[Telmnstr]

Negative guy's turn!

I'd have to say if it was free, I'd take either... but if I had to pay, say there was no other property other than a post-bubble 2/3rds slashed off firesale to dump the forclosed units, I'd say Granby. There is simply more to do downtown. The problem is, it gets expensive going out every night and running up $150 bar tabs. So you pay a premium to spend money, as I see it.

Overall, I'd prefer a SFH somewhere that I could put up a 6000 square ft steel garage.

As far as the beach versus Norfolk, I'd say the crowd isn't that much different. Sure you have the older crowd on granby, but Bar Norfolk from what I hear is similiar to the oceanfront. My coworker had to do jury duty on a murder trial that started at bar norfolk. Drive by shooting one street over from waterside, and the other witness that was to appear couldn't cause he was shot up in Newport News. Nothing but trouble, so no loss.

A friend works in the Domestic + Juvie court building, the tall one that has the wierd HVAC system that leaves everything wet during certain seasons. He said as far as he knows, it is not being torn down. I don't believe the city owns it, I think someone built it and they lease it.

I have to wonder will Granby ever be built? I never see anyone at the office. Come springtime the market should be toast. Anyone know how long ago the property was purchased? How much was it purchased for? How much that type of construction costs? Can the builder cut unit prices by 40% and still sell them?

I rent an office in Virginia Beach near town center, live in downtown Norfolk, and my main client is in downtown Norfolk. Traffic is pretty bad on the days I actually get out of the office at 5pm or so. It isn't that much better over near town center, I would guess Norfolk could handle the traffic a bit better... both are going to hit a wall.

Anyone have statistics on actual population growth in our region, perhaps by ages or possibly school population increases?

[vdogg]

I have to wonder will Granby ever be built?

The last I heard a few months ago, posted somewhere on this site, about 80 condos and 4 of the 6 penthouses had been sold. I'm sure it's far more by now. As far as ever being built, site work has already begun. Some chain link fence was delivered to the site this weekend for the purpose of cordoning (sp?) off the property. They've also dug up a section of pavement. Not much but it is work and it is related to the construction of this tower so i'm 99% certain it will be built.

[ace707]

ok ok, i know i'm about 2 months or so late on this but I have time to waste so I ventured beyond the Norfolk/Va Beach threads and ran across this. My vote is Granby. Now I took the time to read the previous 4 pages and don't take this the wrong way,... but I enjoyed reading some of the heated battles up here. Now don't bite my head off or anything, I'm simply going to state my opinion. While Westin is going to be a great residential structure, I just believe the quality of life IN THE STRUCTURE (read: not taking consideration of its surroundings) will not be as good as Granby. Based on the floorplans, with the Westin, I just feel like I have a typical $450,000 Va beach house stacked on top of someone elses house. The Granby, seems to give me that luxury living that you find in exclusive, multi-million $ high rise condos in New York, Chicago, and Miami. Granby just seems to take things a little further. Now with that said, I'll admit right now, I'm more excited about Westin. Yes, we got a height increase for Granby making it just over a dozen feet shorter than Westin, but right now, Westin feels like that new rollercoaster that you've waiting to open. You see it, it's coming. In short, I'm excited because it's well into construction (plus the pictures of the lot and how cool the pilings are placed, and stick out of the ground is a unique thing to see). Right now we're in that dead point in construction for Granby, the agonizing feeling of waiting 2-3 weeks (Trader anyone?) for the test pile results to comeback and then piledriving to resume. But all in all, my vote is for Granby but I still got love for Westin.

[babiko]

Definitely Granby, I mean, that one floor plan has a pool in it...If I only I had THAT kind of money