Hampton Roads Architecture

[gosscj]

I'm starting this topic for several reasons: First, I hope to start a discussion about what many people claim the region is lacking: a distinctive school (or even just a characteristic style) of architecture. It's true that a good deal of the area is filled with repetitive suburban developments, but I have to take issue with that claim. Downtown Norfolk, Freemason, Olde Town Portsmouth, Ghent all have unique, recognizable features and all are full of real gems. The other main reason I decided to make this my first real endeavor on this forum is that I hope we can establish a decent collection of pictures with a focus on specific works of architecture. There are so many houses, apartments, commercial buildings and others that never find their way into the picture topics. So this , then, is my call for entries. I'd love it if anybody with a camera and a few favorite buildings could try to document them and post them here. Unfortunately, I live in Richmond at the moment so my own contributions are liable to be pretty minimal, but I have some pictures that I will try to upload soon. My final reason for making this thread is that I have a specific request: Could somebody please post pictures of the interior of the Portsmouth Naval Hospital. I recently was talking to a woman who works there and her descriptions of the older component of the building really fascinated me (antique furniture, giant fireplaces, stone floors... apparently the old operating room is located inside the building's dome with large windows lining the dome to let in optimal sunlight before there were electric lights!) It all sounded amazing to me and I'm dying to see some images.

[rusthebuss]

It will be hard for some of us to get in their when it takes a military ID to get in there. I actually worked on the new side in 96. I was a electrical apprentice there with Fishbach & Moore with the Union. Part of the reason that I don't get to take some of those pics that you inquire about is cause I'm in school and I work a full time job and have been working like 20 hours OT. So I don't have the time to walk around, which is what is needed to take the shots that you desire. Hopefully this summer I will be able to get those shots for you. Most of us on this forum have extremely busy schedules so it prohibits us to fully enjoy our urban hobbies.

[urbanvb]

I have some pics of Norfolk I can share that are 'notable', at least in my opinion.

First, 418 Granby which isn't built yet btw.

housing

Wells Theater

Harrison Opera House

Chrysler Museum - not a good pic

MacArthur Memorial

Wainright building

Decker building

just a couple of random DT shots

[mercuex]

Wow those are fantastic pics. I'm actually also living in Richmond for now so it's tough for me to get down and get good photos. But a couple of months ago (Nov I believe) I went down for Thanksgiving with my girlfriend and we took a few pictures of a promenade in DT Newport News and a couple in Port Warwick for the hell of it.

She's from Ukraine (when it was the USSR) and so has a thing for industrial looking areas, heh.

[wrldcoupe4]

seems like a good place to put this:

Photo of the original Chamberlin Hotel in Hampton:

Originally built between 1890-1896, it burned down in 1920. The current Chamberlin sits on the site today.