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Belharbour Station at SoNo

vdogg

By vdogg
in Hampton Roads

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  • 2 weeks later...

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vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

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I'm back with a fresh visa stamp and ready to decontaminate. "Forces lining up against it..." it's just propaganda... Maybe it takes a former Communist to recognize it. All indications are that Belharbour is a go. The rezoning was contingent, "at the request of the developer," on a redevelopment agreement being reached with the city of Chesapeake. Those discussions were successfully completed recently. The project is scheduled to be voted on by the city council on March 20, 2007. A majority on the council supports the project. Belharbour Station is adding about 200 million dollars in private investment to South Norfolk's tax base which contributes significantly to the overall redevelopment of the Poindexter Corridor. This puts a positive increase on real estate values throughout South Norfolk. This was the purpose of the TIF (Tax Incremental Financing) district to encourage redevelopment and thereby improve the real estate tax values both to the city of Chesapeake and South Norfolk residents. There does not appear to be any sound basis for the recent opposition from the industrial coalition. All of their concerns center around the fear of nuisance law suits such as potential noise. The city is satisfied that sufficient steps are being taken to mitigate that issue. I hear the newspaper will have more about this project in the next few days until the 20th. I hope it will be something positive for a change. Why does the media seem to hate this project so much?
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Serbian Underground Unincorporated Area

Serbian Underground

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We are told for the next few days until the 20th of March, that the Industrial Coalition will be publishing propaganda in the newspaper and on the radio to prey on public ignorance on taxes and fears of building residential on contaminated ground, etc. in an effort to get the public to put pressure on the Council to vote no on this project. Come on people... I had enough of this unethical mafia mess in Serbia. The main company making problems in the coalition is a Greek company -- that figures.

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vdogg Megalopolis

vdogg

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Gambling millions in South Norfolk

In the world of wagering, Chesapeake's decision tonight on an ambitious remake of South Norfolk will rank among the city's riskiest.

Officials hope to transform a gritty industrialized area by the Jordan Bridge into a mixed-use community of waterfront apartments and condos, offices, retail and a marina. It would be the largest redevelopment project in the city's history and require a huge leap of faith.

As the City Council decides whether to go "all in" with the taxpayers' purse of roughly $40 million, it should not underestimate the enormous challenges involving Belharbour Station at SoNo. The potential rewards of this public-private collaboration are great, but the risks outweigh them.

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rusthebuss Metropolis

rusthebuss

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This region pisses me off sometimes soooo bad!

I also wish we could get a real paper in this region. The pilot stinks and are complete morons.

I'm tired of a region with sooo freakn potential struggling to become what it should. Its like people oppose it just because and have no valid points to why it shouldn't be built. The same people are complaining of why we don't have higher paying jobs but don't realize that pushing development like this away makes the region unattractive to possible companies wanting to expand. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

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lammius Burg

lammius

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I dunno, rus. As pro-growth and pro-development as I am, this site is a troublesome one IMO. I'd have many of the same reservations brought up in the op-ed. If this development were proposed WITHIN the South Norfolk community I'd be more optimistic and excited about it. Luxury residences and heavy industry are hardly ever good neighbors. And the idea of this being a catalyst to bring back all of South Norfolk (I refuse to call it "SoNo") I'm not too convinced. Revitalization doesn't easily cross such physical and psychological barriers as an interstate highway.

It's a nice looking development, but I think the slow, cautious, studied approach is far more appropriate than a full, immediate embrace. There are lots of uncertainties and problems that should be discussed and addressed.

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cpeakesqr Hamlet

cpeakesqr

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There are concerns I have about the area, especially after the article in the paper about the women in Craddock who had dangerous toxins in their hair. The industries around SoNo are probably just trying not to get sued in the future. Lammius has the right idea... they need to be slow and cautious with this development.

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Case Unincorporated Area

Case

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I sincerely home some solution can be hammered out. When driving across the Jordon Bridge I can see some potential problems with this development but not enough to kill it outright. As a supporter of Berkley's redevelopment efforts, I wonder if the same arguments will be used against the "Rivers edge at Berkley" (despite the fact the land for this project to wide open and unused). The entire SONO and Berkley region is such an untaped resource for both Norfolk and Chesapeake if only people would let go of their long held assumptions. Once upon a time no one could imagine what East Beach has become in OV.

Once again, I don't fully understand the pessimism of so many people in this region. Almost as if they are rooting for everything to fail......a wonder why we don't have a sports team...

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rusthebuss Metropolis

rusthebuss

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I dunno, rus. As pro-growth and pro-development as I am, this site is a troublesome one IMO. I'd have many of the same reservations brought up in the op-ed. If this development were proposed WITHIN the South Norfolk community I'd be more optimistic and excited about it. Luxury residences and heavy industry are hardly ever good neighbors. And the idea of this being a catalyst to bring back all of South Norfolk (I refuse to call it "SoNo") I'm not too convinced. Revitalization doesn't easily cross such physical and psychological barriers as an interstate highway.

It's a nice looking development, but I think the slow, cautious, studied approach is far more appropriate than a full, immediate embrace. There are lots of uncertainties and problems that should be discussed and addressed.

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urbanvb City

urbanvb

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Looks like the city is giving the green light for this to go forward.

CHESAPEAKE - The City Council voted 6-2 on Tuesday to push forward on a $200 million South Norfolk development, even after sharp dissent from residents worried that the project is a risky venture that will overburden schools, endanger children and rattle nearby industrial businesses.
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Serbian Underground Unincorporated Area

Serbian Underground

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There was so much mis-information about this project out in the newspaper, radio and TV, that most of the speakers against the project were reacting on that mis-information and the council made this fact very clear in their own speeches before they voted. We need a professional, ethical newspaper in this city. Most of the speeches had the same elements in them like maybe they had been coached and it is know that one of them works for the Industrial Coalition. Again, this site is not THAT contaminated. It can be cleaned up and made very safe to live on. The Industries may be afraid of what the EPA will find on them from the clean up of this site.

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vaceltic Hamlet

vaceltic

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I don't think the citizens worries are unwarranted. You could either have your typical mixed-used development occur in Hampton Roads through this, or the second Love Canal disaster that would forever damage the city's reputation. Environmental assessments and clean-up efforts are time consuming and costly . I trust the city has secured itself in the development contracts, but again, its not my taxpayer money that is paying for the development. Citizens will always err on the side of caution when you redevelop a brownfield with their tax money. This project is much more complex than anything Chesapeake has undertaken before.

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