Hilton Norfolk at The Main

[stillill]

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

I agree. The building is (I think) only 10 - 20 ft short of Dominion Towers. LTD could go for the gusto and get the recognition of having the tallest building in Norfolk. If I remember correctly, the LTD family owns the top two floors. It would be nice to be above everybody. Even David Wright.

That being said...I love this building!

[vdogg]

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.

The page that shall not be named doesn't know what they're talking about. Dominion Enterprises is only 270ft tall. It's a stubby little thing, but good filler. Dominion Tower is the tallest. Suntrust and Bofa are both taller than DE.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

The page that shall not be named doesn't know what they're talking about. Dominion Enterprises is only 270ft tall. It's a stubby little thing, but good filler. Dominion Tower is the tallest. Suntrust and Bofa are both taller than DE.

Haha, emporis.com isn't too bad a source for the statistical info on the region's buildings, it just doesn't get updated very often (or, seemingly ever, at all).

[CaveMaN]

The page that shall not be named doesn't know what they're talking about. Dominion Enterprises is only 270ft tall. It's a stubby little thing, but good filler. Dominion Tower is the tallest. Suntrust and Bofa are both taller than DE.

Ok, good to know I'm not seeing things... thanks for clarifying for me

[varider]

hmm,

i wonder why they're waiting to start construction..

i hope its not another granby tower..

[spiker3]

hmm,

i wonder why they're waiting to start construction..

i hope its not another granby tower..

LTD has been lining their ducks in a row to ensure a smooth transition to construction. No way this doesn't get built. To even mention the "project that shall not be named" in relation to this one is borderline blasphemy committed, experienced and reliable developer, actual city contribution and investment, including land and building their convention center and a packaged hotel deal are just some of the reasons why the two are in NO way alike

[urbanlife]

besides, preconstruction takes a stupidly long amount of time. I have seen building timelines from firms before and there is this huge gap after the design is done till the construction begins. In that gap are all the incredibly boring details CAD work and the permits work and so on. It will get built. I am guessing by the end of this summer at the latest things will begin to happen.

[urbanfan]

besides, preconstruction takes a stupidly long amount of time. I have seen building timelines from firms before and there is this huge gap after the design is done till the construction begins. In that gap are all the incredibly boring details CAD work and the permits work and so on. It will get built. I am guessing by the end of this summer at the latest things will begin to happen.

Typically, there are not gaps between design and construction. The builder wants to get started on the job before the client gets cold feet. Most permits are pulled during design as they come available, such as site work, foundation work... In fact, most of our jobs already start construction before we've even finished designing them. City's call this fast tracking. However, this job is a totally different beast. The convention center is actually being designed seperately of the building design, even though the convention center and garage will be monolithic with the building. Therefore, there is a lot of logistics between the two design efforts that have to be ironed out and coordinated. This will be a mammoth effort.

[varider]

This hotel cannot start construction fast enough!!!

Isn't it supposed to

[urbanlife]

Typically, there are not gaps between design and construction. The builder wants to get started on the job before the client gets cold feet. Most permits are pulled during design as they come available, such as site work, foundation work... In fact, most of our jobs already start construction before we've even finished designing them. City's call this fast tracking. However, this job is a totally different beast. The convention center is actually being designed seperately of the building design, even though the convention center and garage will be monolithic with the building. Therefore, there is a lot of logistics between the two design efforts that have to be ironed out and coordinated. This will be a mammoth effort.

Oh I hate that when they do that, use two different firms for an overall design of a building. One would think that they could of found a convention center architect that could do the hotel as well. Usually when this happens, there is a common sense of materials but there always seems to be something odd about the two sections and how they interact with each other. This alone could easily slow down the final process before construction.

It looks like they wish to have construction documents completed by late winter before beginning construction. I would say that once it begins to warm there will be the sound of a pile driver downtown.

Westin

[johnhowell]

Haha, emporis.com isn't too bad a source for the statistical info on the region's buildings, it just doesn't get updated very often (or, seemingly ever, at all).

Hey, you got to CNU? So do I. If all goes well I'll be graduating this semester.

[varider]

I cannot wait for this parking lot to turn into this beautiful westin!

[Sky06]

I cannot wait for this parking lot to turn into this beautiful westin!

I expect this to be the best looking building in the region.

[Mobius57]

Hey can we get some picures of this billboard next to the construction site?

[varider]

I expect this to be the best looking building in the region.

Me too.. Even though Westin Town Center is the tallest, it's Norfolk counterpart will be better looking...

I just want to see it start construction..

[urbanlife]

I expect this to be the best looking building in the region.

Actually I have to agree as well, so far from what I have seen with the renderings, this building will definitely have an elegant look to it....personally I dont care much for the Westin tower in VB. I think it is cool my hometown has the tallest building in the state...I even hope one day VB has a downtown that is the biggest and tallest in the region, but Norfolk will always have a bit more elegance because of it being the traditional downtown of the region....and for that, I think the Westin Nofolk will be getting will be a perfect fit.

[varider]

Actually I have to agree as well, so far from what I have seen with the renderings, this building will definitely have an elegant look to it....personally I dont care much for the Westin tower in VB. I think it is cool my hometown has the tallest building in the state...I even hope one day VB has a downtown that is the biggest and tallest in the region, but Norfolk will always have a bit more elegance because of it being the traditional downtown of the region....and for that, I think the Westin Nofolk will be getting will be a perfect fit.

Exactly

I think town center has a great vision but Norfolk is the cultural hub and the real downtown..

[urbanlife]

Exactly

I think town center has a great vision but Norfolk is the cultural hub and the real downtown..

haha, I wouldnt go that far, I would argue you about the theory of what a real downtown means.

but for sake of argument, downtown Norfolk is definitely the "traditional" downtown to the region...meaning that it came about in a much more traditional way. VB's downtown will be more of a global downtown (though not saying downtown Norfolk cant evolve to meet global needs). Downtowns today do not need to be where they traditionally needed to be. They no longer need to be on waterways or have train access. Now they can be built anywhere the individual car can go.

VB is always going to be a great case study for this theory...it is the city that built the city before it built the downtown.

But with all that said, I still love Norfolk ad all its charm....and I am guessing we have alot in common for why we all love Norfolk so much.

[Mobius57]

But with all that said, I still love Norfolk ad all its charm....and I am guessing we have alot in common for why we all love Norfolk so much.

We should all love each other and each others cities. And work together to become a more powerful region.

[varider]

haha, I wouldnt go that far, I would argue you about the theory of what a real downtown means.

but for sake of argument, downtown Norfolk is definitely the "traditional" downtown to the region...meaning that it came about in a much more traditional way. VB's downtown will be more of a global downtown (though not saying downtown Norfolk cant evolve to meet global needs). Downtowns today do not need to be where they traditionally needed to be. They no longer need to be on waterways or have train access. Now they can be built anywhere the individual car can go.

VB is always going to be a great case study for this theory...it is the city that built the city before it built the downtown.

But with all that said, I still love Norfolk ad all its charm....and I am guessing we have alot in common for why we all love Norfolk so much.

Haha my perception of a true downtown is pretty much the central business district with the city hall and other city offices.. Like i said although i love town center all it is now is a tall hotel a few office buildings, good eats, and a mediocre mall.. Downtown Norfolk has a multipurpose arena which is the largest concrete dome in the world.. chrysler hall, one of the best downtown malls in america, waterside marketplace, nauticus, AAA baseball, LIGHT RAIL!, plenty of office space, wachovia center, the westin is coming.. That is why i believe Norfolk is the true downtown But on the flipside, Virginia Beach could easily become as important and maybe even more inviting than DN.. Their vision of a "towering skyline hovering over loft apartments, hopping on the sleek light rail and walking to the Neptunes game" creates a mental image way more inviting than Downtown has ever been.. But for now Norfolk is the real downtown

[urbanlife]

Downtown Norfolk has a multipurpose arena which is the largest concrete dome in the world.

I am not sure that is a true statement, but I only say that because I thought Pier Luigi has done bigger concrete domes....with that said, though. You all should look at Pier Luigi's work so that you too can all love him and what he has done in the world of architecture and in turn love the Scope. It probably is one of the greatest pieces of architecture in downtown Norfolk, designed by a man who did most of his work in Europe.

The concept of the dome is that the dome is supporting itself. The stands inside the building are all freestanding. Once could actually hollow out that arena, dig deeper (with a construction of a seawall or whatever is needed for the soft soil, and rebuild the stands inside with another layer of seating.

By far, the Scope is some of the best engineering architecture the region will ever see.

As for the town center, it is just a matter of time before it has all the amenities that Norfolk currently has.

Actually to go along with the seven cities idea, I have to say I am a fan of William McDonough ( a professor an architecture professor at UVA), and his idea that was presented at the Hanover Expo 2000 was about the idea of decentralization....basically the idea of a region having multiple centers to allow for the chance to eliminate commute times, thus making a region a collection of city centers. I think Hampton Roads has the opportunity to make something like this happen.

[vdogg]

Lets try not to wander to far off topic folks.

[mistermetaj]

Haha my perception of a true downtown is pretty much the central business district with the city hall and other city offices.. Like i said although i love town center all it is now is a tall hotel a few office buildings, good eats, and a mediocre mall.. Downtown Norfolk has a multipurpose arena which is the largest concrete dome in the world.. chrysler hall, one of the best downtown malls in america, waterside marketplace, nauticus, AAA baseball, LIGHT RAIL!, plenty of office space, wachovia center, the westin is coming.. That is why i believe Norfolk is the true downtown But on the flipside, Virginia Beach could easily become as important and maybe even more inviting than DN.. Their vision of a "towering skyline hovering over loft apartments, hopping on the sleek light rail and walking to the Neptunes game" creates a mental image way more inviting than Downtown has ever been.. But for now Norfolk is the real downtown

Hate to burst your bubble there, but McArthur probably doesn't make the top 50 downtown malls. It can't get high end retail and can't seem to be keeping what it already has now.

That being said, Va Beach is an unbelievably confused city. It has the ocean front where it is soooo tourist oriented, yet tourist season is ONLY three months at most. Why they don't build condos or didn't put town center there is beyond me. Instead they put it at the "crossroads of the city" at independence and va beach blvd. I guess that makes sense except you're taking the citizens away from the beach!!!

Now I like what TC is and what people think it may one day be (though I am not getting my hopes up for the city at all) but TC stunts Norfolk ten fold. Simply because, Va Beach has the richer residents and the better neighborhoods, and with its own DT, it's decided to not be a suburb of Norfolk, but to be a suburb of itself. It is completely anti regionalism, and I am having a hard time seeing how both will co exist...

It's not like this area is loaded with high end jobs or businesses or with a lot of people to support the DC metro with Alexandria, Roslyn, and DC.

Norfolk may be the "real downtown" because it was the first but the center of culture for the area it is not, and it may not even be the true center of business. Not by its own fault, but simply because the seven cities of the metro chose to be suburbs of themselves rather than of Norfolk which is what they should have been. Remember, Hampton has the coliseum, Va Beach has the aquarium and the sportsplex and pulls the majority of tourists, even portsmouth has its own downtown across the river. If the majority of the regions jobs had all been in Norfolk and the majority of the museums and events were there as well, we'd have had lightrail all over the region years ago and a much bigger downtown and a more powerful region.

[vdogg]

Why they don't build condos or didn't put town center there is beyond me.

Navy

Now I like what TC is and what people think it may one day be (though I am not getting my hopes up for the city at all) but TC stunts Norfolk ten fold. Simply because, Va Beach has the richer residents and the better neighborhoods, and with its own DT, it's decided to not be a suburb of Norfolk, but to be a suburb of itself. It is completely anti regionalism, and I am having a hard time seeing how both will co exist...

I see this point made time and time again but this is not the reason for TC. It is not so simplistic as VB is richer or decided not to be a suburb. Suburban development patterns are not sustainable, period. It puts an enormous strain on resources and there is a high residential tax burden to boot. In order to both expand the commercial tax base and develop the city in a manner that will not cause us to move south of the green line a comprehensive plan for urbanization was developed. Several strategic growth areas were chosen, pembroke was merely the first to come to fruition. I really wish people would stop trying to paint this as VB anti-regionalism. The issue is really far more complex than that. With that said, we should probably take the rest of this up in the VB forum because this thread is going way off-topic now.

[mistermetaj]

Navy

I see this point made time and time again but this is not the reason for TC. It is not so simplistic as VB is richer or decided not to be a suburb. Suburban development patterns are not sustainable, period. It puts an enormous strain on resources and there is a high residential tax burden to boot. In order to both expand the commercial tax base and develop the city in a manner that will not cause us to move south of the green line a comprehensive plan for urbanization was developed. Several strategic growth areas were chosen, pembroke was merely the first to come to fruition. I really wish people would stop trying to paint this as VB anti-regionalism. The issue is really far more complex than that. With that said, we should probably take the rest of this up in the VB forum because this thread is going way off-topic now.

Oh don't get me wrong, I was not trying to say the city of Va Beach is anti regionalist. On the contrary, the idea that so many residents want LR shows the reverse. I was just saying that TC does not fit the mold of regionalism b/c it is in direct competition with DT Norfolk. The same goes for NN and Hampton as well. TC is just the most successful in the most affluent city of the the seven.

I also forgot about the Navy stunting growth at the beach. I feel stupid for forgetting since I'm a huge proponent of moving oceana. And I definitely support urban development and would cringe at development below the greenline or at something like indigo dunes. But back to my original point, TC as well as all the other DTs is not a good thing for regionalism and DT Norfolk is not the cultural or business center of this metro.

Sorry for bringing us so off topic.