NAS Oceana

[rusthebuss]

The Navy still doesn't have a viable relocation plan A and B Florida doesn't want them anyway. It will be quite some time from this announcement to closure and if we play our cards right we can already have a plan in place. BRAC knew good and damn well that the city council was not about to evict thousands of families off their land. I personally think that Principi et. al purposefully made the order impossible to comply with. There were an awful lot of hidden agendas at play here.

This was political the entire time. It was just funny the Jeb Bush wanted the jets down in Florida. And then Oceana was put on the BRAC list very late.

[TBurban]

So what's going to happen with the air show this year? Would it still be at Oceana or moved somewhere else?

[rusthebuss]

So what's going to happen with the air show this year? Would it still be at Oceana or moved somewhere else?

It's going to take a couple of years before they even start moving so the air show should be still there.

[rusthebuss]

BRAC decision moved to today!

[vdogg]

BRAC decision moved to today!

They just can't get out of here fast enough can they? I sure hope that our city leaders don't spend valuable time trying to reverse their decision, and instead focus immediately on future goals. Once it is determined that Oceana is definately leaving I think that the development restrictions at the oceanfront should be lifted that minute. We really need to get a head start on this stuff.

[rusthebuss]

They just can't get out of here fast enough can they? I sure hope that our city leaders don't spend valuable time trying to reverse their decision, and instead focus immediately on future goals. Once it is determined that Oceana is definately leaving I think that the development restrictions at the oceanfront should be lifted that minute. We really need to get a head start on this stuff.

The faster they leave the quicker we recouperate from this and the quicker we get the land back to use for some kind of development.

[rusthebuss]

Verdict in!

[nrdzrool]

Verdict in!

definitely the end of an era. things will certainly be getting interesting over the next few years...

[urbanvb]

I agree. They say Oceana supplies only 1% of the city's economy but what was not pointed out is some of these folks have paying jobs that cannot easily be replaced. And since this is the military those high paying jobs will go with them which is unfortunate.

[mikefaceless]

I agree. They say Oceana supplies only 1% of the city's economy but what was not pointed out is some of these folks have paying jobs that cannot easily be replaced. And since this is the military those high paying jobs will go with them which is unfortunate.

Truthfully, i hope oceana goes. Can you say "Virginia Beach International Airport"?

[rusthebuss]

Truthfully, i hope oceana goes. Can you say "Virginia Beach International Airport"?

Why in the world would we have three airports?

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Well, it was inevitable... I just didn't expect it to come so soon.

As we'll be having many thousands of acres (hopefully) released to be developed, we need to strongly consider what we do. The liklihood of a VBInternational Airport is fairly slim, as we are seeing a large room for growth at Norfolk for many years to come, as well as a rapidly growing secondary airport in Newport News. I hope that we will manage to turn this into a positive: turning many of the acres of land into public parks, developing others into better-planned communities (a-la East Beach, more-urban townhouse developments, etc.) and perhaps even a tech/research area. I know it has been said that we can only handle so many tech incubators, but as the numbers of jobs swell at the existing ones, perhaps a larger operation will be forged in Virginia Beach? We can only hope.

As far as the economy... as the base leaves, and the restrictions on building at the beach and across the city are undoubtedly reversed, I think we will see the economy weather it fairly well. Of course the first few years may hurt, but as it's been said---if we plan now we'll do fine. I'd like to see development explode along the beachfront---but smart, attractive, urban development. In addition, I'd like to see some aging areas around Oceana redeveloped, particularly areas in close proximity to the beachfront and TC. Projects like these are what will keep Virginia Beach above water in the coming decades.

[okinawatyphoon]

I think I would be for closing Norfolk and Newport News airports and making Oceana a large International Airport, but it would probably never happen because it would come under the same pressures Oceana is currentlly under (i.e. jet noise, land encroachment).

[wrldcoupe4]

This was political the entire time. It was just funny the Jeb Bush wanted the jets down in Florida. And then Oceana was put on the BRAC list very late.

Welcome to the BS known as inside the Beltway...

I'm sorry about this whole thing... Are there a lot of suppliers and defense contractors in the area that support Oceana? If so, losing those would probably hurt more than losing the actual base ... I dunno, I think and hope that in the end it's all for the better. Less dependence on the military isn't a bad thing long term and may even help the area grow faster and stronger.

[urbanvb]

This is far from over however. One option is the city may even sue the BRAC commission I have read from past Pilot articles. And even if they lose it will take many years for the base to relocate elsewhere.

[okinawatyphoon]

This is far from over however. One option is the city may even sue the BRAC commission I have read from past Pilot articles. And even if they lose it will take many years for the base to relocate elsewhere.

We're looking at DECADES most likely before the base is completely turned over, if it even is. I can tell you from experience that on the island of Okinawa, a major US military (Futenma MCAS) base was scheduled to be given back to the Japanese in the 1990's and you know what, they're STILL deliberating it. The new date of return is 2014. These things definitely do not happen overnight. Plus, VaBeach still has a few things up its sleeve i'm sure.

[okinawatyphoon]

Despite ruling, officials say Oceana to stay

[vdogg]

“Jacksonville is not interested in a master jet base,” Peyton told a television station in his city. “We’ve evaluated it, considered it, and we’ve made a decision and really, the Navy has a challenge to do what they need to do with Oceana.

“At the end of the day, they’ll probably stay where they are.”

Florida still doesn't want them. I guess they came to the realization that evicting paying business off of valuable land, just so the fed. government can take that land back off their tax rolls and impose insane development restrictions, is not in the best interest of their community.

[rusthebuss]

I wish they would let it go and move on. The city could do so much else if the base left.

[hoobo]

We're looking at DECADES most likely before the base is completely turned over, if it even is. I can tell you from experience that on the island of Okinawa, a major US military (Futenma MCAS) base was scheduled to be given back to the Japanese in the 1990's and you know what, they're STILL deliberating it. The new date of return is 2014. These things definitely do not happen overnight. Plus, VaBeach still has a few things up its sleeve i'm sure.

Took 12 years for El Toro MCAS (about the same size as Oceana) to go from BRAC recommendation to closure to auction. Now plans are progressing on clean-up, redevelopment, and a massive park. It's all about finding a relocation site. VB and the state is betting that the Navy can't. It's a game of high stakes chicken.

[mikefaceless]

Why in the world would we have three airports?

there is nothing wrong with a metropolitan area having multiple airports. Norfolk international airport is a rather small airport. With Oceana closing i believe the urbanization and revitilization of Virginia Beach will cause a massive boom in Tourism. Do you really think ORF could handle the incoming and outgoing flights in the future?

[vdogg]

there is nothing wrong with a metropolitan area having multiple airports. Norfolk international airport is a rather small airport. With Oceana closing i believe the urbanization and revitilization of Virginia Beach will cause a massive boom in Tourism. Do you really think ORF could handle the incoming and outgoing flights in the future?

Not without that new runway that the feds in their infinite wisdom decided not to support.

[rusthebuss]

there is nothing wrong with a metropolitan area having multiple airports. Norfolk international airport is a rather small airport. With Oceana closing i believe the urbanization and revitilization of Virginia Beach will cause a massive boom in Tourism. Do you really think ORF could handle the incoming and outgoing flights in the future?

If ORF can't handle it then NN/WIA can handle the rest. It would be counter productive to make Oceana an airport!

[okinawatyphoon]

If ORF can't handle it then NN/WIA can handle the rest. It would be counter productive to make Oceana an airport!

I already consider it counter-productive having two airports running (another topic altogether), but Oceana as a third would definitely be bad. The only option is to close ORF and PHF and make Oceana the only airport.

[rusthebuss]

I already consider it counter-productive having two airports running (another topic altogether), but Oceana as a third would definitely be bad. The only option is to close ORF and PHF and make Oceana the only airport.

I doubt that either one would be willing to give up there airports!

What I mean for it to be counter productive is that it would have restrictions similar if not worse for the new airport and the city couldn't expand the way they want to.