Hilton Norfolk at The Main

[hoobo]

I know there are plenty of excellent home grown seafood houses, but really can't think of any in downtown. So I wonder if a Blue Coral (OSI), Gulfstream (Hillstone Group), or Chart House (Landry) would fit the bill. Or are they not upscale enough since Morton's tops any upscale chain restaurant currently in the area (really just in TC such as Ruth's Chris and McCormick & Schmick's)?

[scm]

I know there are plenty of excellent home grown seafood houses, but really can't think of any in downtown. So I wonder if a Blue Coral (OSI), Gulfstream (Hillstone Group), or Chart House (Landry) would fit the bill. Or are they not upscale enough since Morton's tops any upscale chain restaurant currently in the area (really just in TC such as Ruth's Chris and McCormick & Schmick's)?

While I am as big a fan as there is of Byrd & Baldwin, and 456 Fish, I think the issue is probably targeting the likely occupants of the attached convention hotel. Two issues -- first, name recognition. More comfortable with a known quantity like a national chain. Second -- price point. Conventioneers are spending someone else's money -- so they don't mind going a little over the top. Ergo -- Morton's.

Hey, hoobo -- don't be such a stranger.

[willy]

That's right vdogg, it is the second. How could I forget the building with the ninja warrior tower on top?

[vtfan18]

While I am as big a fan as there is of Byrd & Baldwin, and 456 Fish, I think the issue is probably targeting the likely occupants of the attached convention hotel. Two issues -- first, name recognition. More comfortable with a known quantity like a national chain. Second -- price point. Conventioneers are spending someone else's money -- so they don't mind going a little over the top. Ergo -- Morton's.

Hey, hoobo -- don't be such a stranger.

To add to your comment above. I love locally owned restaurants too. But just like you mentioned, national chains with name recognition are the type of establishments that draw large crowds. TC has tons of people both day and night. Family oriented establishments where people come for both lunch and dinner who are drawn to Cheescake Factory, Gordon and Biersch, PF Changs, etc. Downtown Norfolk becomes almost a "college party" crowd after dark and there aren't many good places to go for lunch during the day (in my opinion). The majority of establishments dowtown consists of "bar food". I live downtown and I'll be honest, its becoming a version of the block at the Ocean front if you ask me. I wouldn't live anywhere else but Norfolk definitely needs to mix up the establishments if it wants to increase daily foot traffic and bring more family oriented crowds after dark. Mix in the national chains with locally owned establishments for a winning combination.

[Jim Nasty]

To add to your comment above. I love locally owned restaurants too. But just like you mentioned, national chains with name recognition are the type of establishments that draw large crowds. TC has tons of people both day and night. Family oriented establishments where people come for both lunch and dinner who are drawn to Cheescake Factory, Gordon and Biersch, PF Changs, etc. Downtown Norfolk becomes almost a "college party" crowd after dark and there aren't many good places to go for lunch during the day (in my opinion). The majority of establishments dowtown consists of "bar food". I live downtown and I'll be honest, its becoming a version of the block at the Ocean front if you ask me. I wouldn't live anywhere else but Norfolk definitely needs to mix up the establishments if it wants to increase daily foot traffic and bring more family oriented crowds after dark. Mix in the national chains with locally owned establishments for a winning combination.

I agree with your assessment that downtown becomes more college-like after dark. At least for the ages of the people in these clubs. I hope that they'll either turn Monticello corridor into the older-crowd establishment (once WC is built) or try to find an area close to the conference center to cater to the thirty-and-forty-somethings.

[Telmnstr]

I agree with your assessment that downtown becomes more college-like after dark. At least for the ages of the people in these clubs. I hope that they'll either turn Monticello corridor into the older-crowd establishment (once WC is built) or try to find an area close to the conference center to cater to the thirty-and-forty-somethings.

What is popular among the older crowds?

There used to be a record store called Relative Theory above TIME Lounge, it was pretty slick (but not specifically an older folks hangout).

I go to eat down there with friends from time to time and it's cool... I like lighting & sound technology, and sometimes daydream about what it would be like to do a club down there. I mean, a real hard hitting fully equipped place with innovation mixed in.

Woah, I just had a revelation. OH MAN!

[vtfan18]

What is popular among the older crowds?

There used to be a record store called Relative Theory above TIME Lounge, it was pretty slick (but not specifically an older folks hangout).

I go to eat down there with friends from time to time and it's cool... I like lighting & sound technology, and sometimes daydream about what it would be like to do a club down there. I mean, a real hard hitting fully equipped place with innovation mixed in.

Woah, I just had a revelation. OH MAN!

Nothing wrong with clubs, I actually had similar ideas at one point after spending much time in NYC. Don't get me wrong, I like night clubs but downtown definitely needs to mix up the establishments. The easiest way to do so is to lure some national chains.

[Telmnstr]

Yea I hear ya.

[Jim Nasty]

What is popular among the older crowds?

There used to be a record store called Relative Theory above TIME Lounge, it was pretty slick (but not specifically an older folks hangout).

I go to eat down there with friends from time to time and it's cool... I like lighting & sound technology, and sometimes daydream about what it would be like to do a club down there. I mean, a real hard hitting fully equipped place with innovation mixed in.

Woah, I just had a revelation. OH MAN!

Town Center appears to be more geared to the older crowd. From what I understand, Guads is 25-and-up after 10 and the crowd is generally a decade older at most places in TC or Catch 31 for that matter.

Downtown? Maybe Kincaids and perhaps Shulas. There used to be a good older crowd during HH @ La Galleria till they made it event-only.

[Telmnstr]

Town Center appears to be more geared to the older crowd. From what I understand, Guads is 25-and-up after 10 and the crowd is generally a decade older at most places in TC or Catch 31 for that matter.

Downtown? Maybe Kincaids and perhaps Shulas. There used to be a good older crowd during HH @ La Galleria till they made it event-only.

I totally missed that I'm in the age group that was mentioned (30-40).

Have some cool ideas for a bar/lounge that is way different though.

[rusthebuss]

Most of the crowd down there is 25-35 but this has strayed way off topic

[brikkman]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought they said construction would start on this structure this fall/nov,oct. time?????

This thing has the potential to start next summer next fall according to the article....bids? I thought we were past all that...

[vdogg]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought they said construction would start on this structure this fall/nov,oct. time?????

This thing has the potential to start next summer next fall according to the article....bids? I thought we were past all that...

If you go a few pages back, there is an article where they already had stated that construction wouldn't start till the beginning of next year and why this was (i.e they redesigned it from the ground up). No bids were ever completed or stated to have been completed even when this was still a Hilton. The only bids that had been awarded were for demolition and site work, not construction. Also, the article states "Thakkar said the project will go to bid this winter, and construction probably will start in the spring." Where are you getting "This thing has the potential to start next summer next fall according to the article" from? Also, due to the rise in construction costs and the fact that they completely redesigned the project, of course they're going to have to go through a bidding process to see who can build it the cheapest. Before they can do that however, they have to have their 100% documents in place, which they stated in a previous article wouldn't happen until December.

[vtfan18]

Marketing material/advertisements for the Westin "Coming 2011" have now gone up around the construction fence.

[Telmnstr]

They have been working around the site some. I see it every week day. So far it seems to be applying concrete to the side of the Selden Arcade building that faces the site.

Once it starts construction I'll take some pics. I've always got a camera on me and pass by it regularly.

[NSUREDD]

I drove by Sunday (Yesterday) and they have pictures of the hotel displayed. Looks good.

[Glassoul]

I drove by Sunday (Yesterday) and they have pictures of the hotel displayed. Looks good.

Lies!

... Unless you post a couple of nice clear photos taken of the rendering and post them.

[vdogg]

This is all well and good, and I hate to pull a Tel on you guys, but do they even have financing yet? I have yet to hear anything about this aspect of the project. I refuse to get overly excited about site work anymore, I've been burned before. In this economic climate I just wonder how much stomach there is to lend for a hotel at this point.

[NSUREDD]

It still looked nice.

[mlsimons]

Has anyone heard any news on this project....there was plenty of momentum behind this project for a long time and now I haven't heard or seen anything for a while. Are they still looking for financing??? or for a builder???? What stage are they in???

[vdogg]

Has anyone heard any news on this project....there was plenty of momentum behind this project for a long time and now I haven't heard or seen anything for a while. Are they still looking for financing??? or for a builder???? What stage are they in???

It's not starting construction until June 2009. Chesapeake Pirate posted an update on all the projects about a month ago in the off-topic thread.

[varider]

Why be second tallest?

Why not first??

See that's Norfolk's problem.

Instead of building up they are staying the same.

We will never have a nationally recognizable skyline.

Plain and simple

[vdogg]

Why be second tallest?

Why not first??

See that's Norfolk's problem.

Instead of building up they are staying the same.

We will never have a nationally recognizable skyline.

Plain and simple

Their goal wasn't to have the tallest anything honestly. They just want to build a nice hotel. In the course of deciding how much hotel and convention space Norfolk needed plus the addition of condos that have already been sold, they just wound up with the second tallest building. In this economy and environment we're lucky to have anything getting built at all. I'm happy with the height of this tower but more importantly i'm happy with the design. That's not something I get to say often in Norfolk.

[mistermetaj]

Why be second tallest?

Why not first??

See that's Norfolk's problem.

Instead of building up they are staying the same.

We will never have a nationally recognizable skyline.

Plain and simple

Height is incredibly overrated for urban development, especially in an under developed area like norfolk. What this city needs is a lot of low and midrise buildings to take up a lot of land and create lots of density. After it becomes a nationally recognized city, then it can start to develop a nationally recognized skyline.

[CaveMaN]

Their goal wasn't to have the tallest anything honestly. They just want to build a nice hotel. In the course of deciding how much hotel and convention space Norfolk needed plus the addition of condos that have already been sold, they just wound up with the second tallest building. In this economy and environment we're lucky to have anything getting built at all. I'm happy with the height of this tower but more importantly i'm happy with the design. That's not something I get to say often in Norfolk.

I took a stroll by the site of this building yesterday, and saw the renderings out on the construction fences, and I must say it looks like it will be a great building. I can't wait to see it start going up!

Off the topic, but what is the current order of the tallest buildings in Norfolk? Skyscraperpage.com says Dominion Enterprises is #1, but everytime I'm out & about it seems like Dominion Tower, Suntrust, & BofA are all taller then the DE one.