Va. Beach Town Center project 2

[vdogg]

Highrise fire concerns at Town Center

Go to the website, next to local headlines is the section "featured videos". Click on the link that says "Highrise fire woes". Interesting report. It appears that firefighters are starting to get a little concerned about all the highrises coming to TC.

[vdogg]

If you'd actually like to see the fire dept briefing click the link and then click on the video link and scroll 1hr 16min and 25sec into the video, they discuss the topic for all of 3min before moving on. Guess it wasn't as big of an issue as wtkr portrayed.

[rusthebuss]

Maybe they can train with Norfolk on how to fight those. I guess they better be getting some bigger ladder trucks!

[urbanvb]

I didn't realize the city had already given funds for a new station near TC. I hope they will be able to find somewhere soon in proximity to build.

[hoobo]

Firefighters have raised this issue when Westin was still in design phase. I'm sure that Norfolk firefighters complain too about the high-rises. Even new skyscrapers here in downtown L.A. have fire officials up in arms. If properly built with good fire suppression systems, high-rises should be structurally safe. Although people may die in an inferno because they are too high to be rescued, which is the big concern of firefighters, that is the price of upward movement. The second tallest building in downtown L.A. suffered a massive fire almost 20 years ago. Several people lost their lives but despite the worst fears of building collapse, the structure still stands. Anyway, I think all this posturing is to force the city to require that the best fire suppression systems be used in new high-rise construciton.

[urbanlife]

they need a new fire department for that area! Why hasn't that been added, instead of whining about this?

[metalman]

I believe the police dept. was talking about adding a precinct sub-station for the TC. That would be a good idea as well!

[urbanlife]

oh what they should do is pool some money together hold an international design competition and build a police/fire department building. Now that would be a great idea, and VB could afford to do a project like this without even thinking about it.

[metalman]

That would be cool to see. I think it would give more of a sense of safety right in the heart of TC. Just like the police station in Times Square.

[Stunad]

Why can't they remodel the firehouse down there at Thalia...why must there be a firehouse next the Westin? I mean it's like 1/2 mile away. Space is scarce in TC and surrounding areas, and that needs to go towards development and not a redundant fire system.

[urbanvb]

If my memory serves me correct that is a tiny firehouse and space. I doubt they would even be able to build anything large enough on that space to accomodate a ladder truck that large but I could be wrong. I have never seen the back of the building but I am thinking it still is a small lot.

[laughoutloud272]

Where do you think this firestation would be located?

[Stunad]

Welcome aboard Laughoutloud! I'd prefer that they redo the Thalia station kind of like they did the 3rd precinct/Bayside library site. I just don't know if they have the space to upgrade that property. Maybe the city could buy up that empty parcel where KFC used to sit at Jerico and Indy. That's been sitting vacant for years.

[vdogg]

It is coming along great(PAC). I also noticed that they're sprucing up the fences around the Westin Site.

Thank the lord for that. It's ok though, cause I can now see the Westin rising above the fence.

[urbanvb]

I noticed also.. and I am also glad they didn't take the fence around the whole construction site.. at least as of yet. (holding breath).

[urbanvb]

Can't wait to see the exterior of the PAC go up.

[metalman]

If you didn't notice, I put link on my above post to city council meeting on PAC.

[urbanvb]

If you didn't notice, I put link on my above post to city council meeting on PAC.

Thanks. I hope to take some new pics tomorrow as the weather is supposed to be very nice.

[urbanvb]

Johnny Rocket's signage is now up.

Pretty cool, eh?

The Cosmo now has a new marquee.

[metalman]

Now its starting to look a little more like the rendering. All it needs now are the flags

...and the large flood light point towards the sky

[rusthebuss]

It is coming together quite nicely! I still can't believe how much is going on in this entire region. Imagine if we had just one downtown it would be HUGE!

[Stunad]

I prefer the "Twin Cities" thing that we have going on here. In many areas you have one DT and that's it. Here we will have a DT and then TC. I envision one day of being able to take visitors to the Ocean Front, then TC, and then when they think that the've seen everything that this area has to offer, we then go to DT.

[rusthebuss]

I prefer the "Twin Cities" thing that we have going on here. In many areas you have one DT and that's it. Here we will have a DT and then TC. I envision one day of being able to take visitors to the Ocean Front, then TC, and then when they think that the've seen everything that this area has to offer, we then go to DT.

and don't forget the Pennisula! Yeah I know what you mean.

[Stunad]

Looking at the photos of the Westin site, one thing pops into my mind...that is that the Beacon building does not fit in whatsoever I hope that they can come up with a contract/offer that gets this eyesore out of there. The Pilot claims that their upgrades in the mid 90's brought it up to speed...yeah right, it still looks like garbage to me. We do not need this sitting right next to the PAC. Maybe that's what the Pilot is waiting for, more money that they know the developer will give them just to get rid of the complex.

[hoobo]

There's also the Taco Bell. Right now, there's no reaosn for either to sell. I wouldn't. There are two yet to built parcels at TC. There are several more developments in the planning or design/bid phases in and around Pembroke. And who knows what's in store with FX, Pembroke Mall, POP (I'll let people figure that one out), K-mart, BB&B, etc. Land values may have soared in the past few years in Pembroke, but that's like everywhere else. Wait another decade and see what land goes for there, Downtown, Oyster Point, etc. I'm sure both the Beacon and Taco Bell would be fine with leasing the land for development as long as they got free rent in whatever is built there.