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St. Paul's Quadrant (Phase 2-Under Construction)


Aughie

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It will probably be mixed-income housing where public housing is really government-subsidized private housing like Broad Creek and Diggs Town. Hopefully, just not detached single-family homes.

It better not be detached single family homes. I will loose all the faith that I have in this city if that happens!

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  • 4 weeks later...

I would like to see brownstone type townhomes. Those homes built beside Macarthur just don't fit downtown, not to mention a waist of land. Having three to four story brownstones would look real classy, without blocking your view from the interstate. I hope they do this the smart way.

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I would like to see brownstone type townhomes. Those homes built beside Macarthur just don't fit downtown, not to mention a waist of land. Having three to four story brownstones would look real classy, without blocking your view from the interstate. I hope they do this the smart way.

can someone actually take a very clear photo tour of the homes they built behind MacArthur and its relationship to what is around it. I know I have seen pictures of these buildings, but I am still not understanding how they fit in the city. Maybe some down the street shots and shots towards downtown and the scope with them in the picture would be nice.

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with this pre-lim, I can say officially say, I'm "pissed".

Norfolk growth has officially stopped. Norfolk will never be bigger than what it is if they decide to go with this plan. I thought this 2010 plan was about growth and redevelopment. I thought with all this development we would make a more attractive, busting, skyscraper filled downtown/city. There is no way our downtown area can grow if they choose to do this.

It better not be detached single family homes. I will loose all the faith that I have in this city if that happens!

I'm with you.........

Edited by brikkman
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I'm officially worried about hoffler tower though as it is in one of those moderate height districts. Perhaps part of the delay is the city is forcing them to revisit their design based on this criteria? :unsure:

Is the hoffler tower a go officially?

After looking at those plans, it doesn't seem like it will happen or the hoffler tower concept will be changed to the hoffler "building"

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I still think it is a conservative approach for the city that could change as development starts. Norfolk has been burned many times over by thinking too big. Urban Renewal ring a bell. This is a safe plan for the city to say this is the minimum amount that could happen. Plus I would rather see Norfolk focus the strength of the downtown in the land between MacArthur and the Scope. I think that area still has alot of potential to become a key element in the city.

This area should function more like an inner neighborhood, like Ghent, and not like an extension of downtown. I think it will be a successful plan, I do however hope the area of smaller homes will be that of urban density when it comes to smaller homes. Even as single detached homes, I have seen some amazing ideas from architects that could easily be applied and change the way people would live in them.

First and for most, this plan needs to focus on those who already live there and how to make their lives better without displacing them.

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Plus I would rather see Norfolk focus the strength of the downtown in the land between MacArthur and the Scope. I think that area still has alot of potential to become a key element in the city.

There's only a parking lot, parking deck, and crysler Hall between there if I'm correct, that's less than a quarter quarter mile of land.

I don't know, I think all bets are off if you ask me. I believe if they continue with this project in this manner, it will stunt Norfolk's growth. We want this area to be attractive to big company's, future professional teams and anything else that comes our way. I don't believe that will help in the attraction. Homes, we can build and rebuild homes anywhere in Norfolk. It is land that is being used for parking, land that is spread out way too far in Norfolk; they can leave that land for companys who want or seek better opportunity for their company. Hmmm, I'm 27 now, I'll be old and gray if any real opportunity comes Norfolk's way.

Maybe I'm talking out my a** right now, but I'm really against this pre-lim decision.........

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I don't think there's any reason to get panicky or place too much stake in what this powerpoint presentation showed. Assuming this particular study is finished, which given its unpolished state I would doubt, it is Step One in a MANY-stepped process to bring change to a community. This study seems to have been a very conceptual land use study, with little if any visioning involved. It was a "let's see how residents feel and then spend 20 mins making a land use map on Adobe Illustrator and digging up some concept drawings from studies in other areas" study. All that may be done as a direct result of this study is the consideration of a few zoning and/or area & bulk regs for a few parcels here. We are far from seeing RFPs for redevelopment sites or even a conceptual neighborhood design study. I think it was just to get the creative juices of the Planning Dept and NRHA flowing.

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It looks, to me, like this may be a "for residents" type of thing, and not necessarily what the city intends to do in the end. I think it was just to make residents feel like they're involved and possibly get ideas on the table before the city makes the final decisions. In any case , it is by no means final... very unfinished looking at the images...

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There's only a parking lot, parking deck, and crysler Hall between there if I'm correct, that's less than a quarter quarter mile of land.

I don't know, I think all bets are off if you ask me. I believe if they continue with this project in this manner, it will stunt Norfolk's growth. We want this area to be attractive to big company's, future professional teams and anything else that comes our way. I don't believe that will help in the attraction. Homes, we can build and rebuild homes anywhere in Norfolk. It is land that is being used for parking, land that is spread out way too far in Norfolk; they can leave that land for companys who want or seek better opportunity for their company. Hmmm, I'm 27 now, I'll be old and gray if any real opportunity comes Norfolk's way.

Maybe I'm talking out my a** right now, but I'm really against this pre-lim decision.........

I dare say you need to get out of Hampton Roads from time to time, alot can happen in a quarter mile area. Here in Portland you can take a large chunk of an even larger downtown with a quarter mile area. Been to several cities that can say this same thing too, Norfolk should be no different. Plus that area is more centrally located for some of the city's highest possibilities.

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Well, I'm against the deception as well, giving people false hope. If that's not their true intent, then do not give the perception (even if it is pre-lim) that they will be given a new area and home. I would be mad as hell, attending meetings to help make decisions for that area, only to be thrown a raw deal later. I am more concerned about the overall pre-lim decision, it seems in this pre-lim decision they plan to use the entire area, not mixed.

And to Note: I've had the chance to visit many cities and I've never ever been to a city and said "this quarter mile" makes the city...... NEVER Now, anything can be built in a quarter mile, I agree, but we are talking about a couple of square miles (St. Paul's Quadrant) here aren't we?

One good thing someone mention, not much faith should be placed on a PowerPoint (LOL, I'll give you that one), I just expected a little more of an ambitious stance to that area

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Well, I'm against the deception as well, giving people false hope. If that's not their true intent, then do not give the perception (even if it is pre-lim) that they will be given a new area and home. I would be mad as hell, attending meetings to help make decisions for that area, only to be thrown a raw deal later. I am more concerned about the overall pre-lim decision, it seems in this pre-lim decision they plan to use the entire area, not mixed.

And to Note: I've had the chance to visit many cities and I've never ever been to a city and said "this quarter mile" makes the city...... NEVER Now, anything can be built in a quarter mile, I agree, but we are talking about a couple of square miles (St. Paul's Quadrant) here aren't we?

One good thing someone mention, not much faith should be placed on a PowerPoint (LOL, I'll give you that one), I just expected a little more of an ambitious stance to that area

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I'm pretty much in agreement! Norfolk needs to be able to think big and for the long term. Only a few remaining sites are available in the heart of downtown for additional office towers. St Pauls could open the door for more business and development. I would totally be against any single family homes. I'm also tired of seeing colonial design. I also agree with whoever said the row homes right next to the mall don't really fit in. You have the lofts at St Pauls and the Rotunda which are more urban and then you have these colonial style flats. Leave the old with the past! As far as Saint Pauls, this is redevelopment, not preservation!

I'm not totally against single family homes, as long as they're not your typical Norfolk Colonial model. Brownstones or 3-4 story townhomes with an urban feel would be really nice. The Freemason area has a few of these that I think would work well here.

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I'm not totally against single family homes, as long as they're not your typical Norfolk Colonial model. Brownstones or 3-4 story townhomes with an urban feel would be really nice. The Freemason area has a few of these that I think would work well here.

Me either but if the more detailed renderings have a few VB style McMansions in there (to borrow a term from Tel) then I am totally against it. I wouldn't mind a dense urban development of townhomes but thats it. This is not a suburban area, it is the downtown of a major city and they should design accordingly.

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park_slope_4.jpgny02.jpg

I hope that you can view these photos. This is my block in Brooklyn I wish something like this can be done in Norfolk. I really wish they keep the Freemason look. I really think taller town house work better for that area. I think we should look at whats going on in Alexandria VA.

Me either but if the more detailed renderings have a few VB style McMansions in there (to borrow a term from Tel) then I am totally against it. I wouldn't mind a dense urban development of townhomes but thats it. This is not a suburban area, it is the downtown of a major city and they should design accordingly.
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Well, I'm against the deception as well, giving people false hope. If that's not their true intent, then do not give the perception (even if it is pre-lim) that they will be given a new area and home. I would be mad as hell, attending meetings to help make decisions for that area, only to be thrown a raw deal later. I am more concerned about the overall pre-lim decision, it seems in this pre-lim decision they plan to use the entire area, not mixed.

And to Note: I've had the chance to visit many cities and I've never ever been to a city and said "this quarter mile" makes the city...... NEVER Now, anything can be built in a quarter mile, I agree, but we are talking about a couple of square miles (St. Paul's Quadrant) here aren't we?

One good thing someone mention, not much faith should be placed on a PowerPoint (LOL, I'll give you that one), I just expected a little more of an ambitious stance to that area

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