Hilton Norfolk at The Main

[usermel]

I think that The Westin project is being effected soley by the economy as is the case around the USA! If we keep it great but, if we lose the project I will understand because the economy has effected everything and everyone. That said, I really hope we get The Westin. I think its a symbol of a change for Norfolks financial district and when I do business and have clients come to Norfolk it is the type of hotel and located were it will impress my type of clients and make them feel ok to come back to Virginia because they stay at the best hotels in the USA(Ritz-Carlton etc.)!

The Westin is a very nice step up for Norfolk as far as hotels are concerned. Va Beach already has theres and the Norfolk Westin is needed to compete because trust me, most will pick the Va Beach Westin if having to pick between all the hotels downtown Norfolk and The Westin Va Beach. Get the hotel in Norfolk and keep the business professionals in Norfolk. Lets keep our fingers crossed fellow members!!! L.G.N.M

[Sky06]

Inside Biz:

"Others like Baxters, Granby Street Pizza, Domo Sushi and A.J. Gator’s are hanging on, but for how long?"

I find statements like this to be truly amazing. I wonder how these businesses feel about a supposedly reputable media source talking this way. It's like they want things to fail so they have something to talk about. Does Inside Biz really believe that no restaurant on Granby has a chance to survive? How about the other hundred or so restaurants that are open for business? Are they all doomed too? This kind of hacker reporting does more to hurt the economy than anything else. It's also what makes our media a total joke.

[varider]

Awe man, i thought something was new

But yeah,I agree. Insidebiz is horrible.

For Xmas, I wish for the Westin to recieve funding and start construction.

[usermel]

If anything downtown is losing some heat. Not at the fault of the businesses named in the above post but, there isn't enough entertainment or let me say a diverse enough type of things to do downtown. Not to mention the fct construction downtown has turned folks away. Even though the construction isn't on Granby Street for the most part, I left downtown myself because it just feels to congested these days with the light rail and other projects!! I'm with you guys I dislike bad press because it adds to wht people think. People can be like sheep at times and follow what they see others do. I wouldn't worry because after the construction stops downtown will seem renewed and those that survive will thrive afterward fellow members. That said, I hope they all survive the light rail work because there all good places to eat. Downtown needs more exclusive places to be that attract higher dollar patrons and better places for those who dont have big money. What Im saying is a balance in activities to do there will benefit the Norfolk financial area!!! L.G.N.M

[brikkman]

I think the need for "higher" anything is what is preventing our part of the world from exploding based on what people are willing to pay. I think the key is more diversity verse more "high-end". I am really disappointed about the westin project, I was really reallly looking for to this project. Its hard to settle in the fact that this is a full-out recession. A once in a life time thing that you read about in history books. I do not like what they have done with the hotel on granby, hampton suits and GT really disappointed me, but the Westin was my shinning project. GS has so much potential but it is hard to be successful and hard to take a chance down there when the leases are CRAZY. I've said this in the past, "CREATIVE LEASES" are the stepping stone to a great Granby street. Give people an opportunity to be successful, it is better than letting a property sit unleased (HAS TO BE better).

[varider]

I was looking forward to this development soo much. 26 floors would have been exciting to watch.

But IMO, I do believe this project will be built eventually.

[Sky06]

GS has so much potential but it is hard to be successful and hard to take a chance down there when the leases are CRAZY. I've said this in the past, "CREATIVE LEASES" are the stepping stone to a great Granby street. Give people an opportunity to be successful, it is better than letting a property sit unleased (HAS TO BE better).

While your comments might have some validity, I don't think that has anything to do with the Westin. All (few) condos are pre-sold. Most of this is a well-established hotel that's hardly comparable to an independent business that relies on a decent lease. And the rest is the convention center. This is simply a problem with a difficult economy. I'm absolutely convinced this will get built. A delay is not the end of the world. You cannot in any way compare this to GT either, which was driven largely by sales.

[varider]

Update email from Mr.Woolard from the City of Norfolk:

The current status of the Westin Hotel & Norfolk Conference Center project is that we have finished the significant redesign of the project to substantially enhance the integration of the hotel, conference center and garage components. I should note that this redesign has not materially changed the exterior appearance of the project from the last image you may have seen.

We have now completed this redesign to a 100% Design Development phase. This is now allowing us to go to the construction market to secure a better (more accurate) level of project costs and budget for the project. In this regard, the Development team (Norfolk Hotel Alliance , LLC) is currently working with Whiting Turner Construction in order to complete a detailed costing exercise. Once this costing exercise is completed, which should be within a month, the partners will be in a better position to submit a comprehensive proposal to prospective lenders for the hotel component of the project.

As far as financing is concerned we are currently, and have been, seeking to source of financing for the hotel component of the project. Although we have an excellent team of companies making up Norfolk Hotel Alliance , including LTD Management and Robinson Development, the current state of the financial markets for hospitality lending has been challenging to say the least. It is hoped that armed with new detailed construction costs the project will be even more attractive to prospective lenders. Please understand that the challenge associated with procuring financing for the hotel is not so much a reflection on Norfolk’s hotel market as much as it is a continued view by the financial markets that hospitality lending (particularly for upper tier full service products) is still sometime way from market recovery. While the Downtown Norfolk market has generally held up better than national markets there is nonetheless reluctance by lenders to support new full service hospitality projects. Fortunately for us, the City of Norfolk has a local development team that remains committed to the project by virtue of both their knowledge of the local hospitality market, as well as local construction market. As a consequence we continue to believe that we the project will become a reality and continue to move forward with it, so that when financing markets allow we will be ready to go.

I hope you will find the above responsive to your question. And thanks for your continued belief in and support of our Downtown and the City of Norfolk .

[urbanlife]

That sounds promising.

[varider]

That sounds promising.

Yeah it does. I thought for sure the reply would be something along the lines of the project has stalled or the project has been greatly reduced in scope and size.. the new development will be 10 floors.. or something! We might see some pile driving before the end of the year?

[ronsmytheiii]

Yeah it does. I thought for sure the reply would be something along the lines of the project has stalled or the project has been greatly reduced in scope and size.. the new development will be 10 floors.. or something! We might see some pile driving before the end of the year?

Right now the ships of development will rise only when the tide of lending returns..... so pretty much waiting on the banks right now. Good to see it going forward, but I would suggest patience and low expectations.

[usermel]

I hope this goes through. The economy has changed the face of lending probably for the future in the long term as well. Lenders are afraid and that means there afraid to even lend to those with good credit(businesses/individuals) and excellent credit(businesses/individuals)!!! L.G.N.M

[VBIllini13]

Yeah it does. I thought for sure the reply would be something along the lines of the project has stalled or the project has been greatly reduced in scope and size.. the new development will be 10 floors.. or something! We might see some pile driving before the end of the year?

As good as this may sound, a lot can still happen between now and when it goes to council. This project still hasn't even gone through design review yet and this answer is actually very similar to the response I got from Rick Henn (Senior Projects Analyst) when I asked him about the Westin back in July when I shadowed him. I think the earliest we'd see any activity on the site would be sometime next year, that is of course assuming that the project is submitted to design review relatively soon.

[varider]

True..

Guess I need to hold the excitement and optimism. This is just an insane project (for Norfolk standards). Westin hotel, parking deck, conference center, condos, restaurants, etc! I hope this project gets built. Even if it takes 'till 2015.

[Sky06]

True..

Guess I need to hold the excitement and optimism. This is just an insane project (for Norfolk standards). Westin hotel, parking deck, conference center, condos, restaurants, etc! I hope this project gets built. Even if it takes 'till 2015.

As we all know, major projects like this often see delays. Although I'd love to see things happen this year, it won't kill us if it takes a little longer. It's too big a priority not to happen eventually. The real positive is that the financial market difficulties apparently have not caused the city to water down the project from a height or exterior design perspective.

[Seven Cities]

I was driving on Granby Street this afternoon and noticed the gate on the Plume Street of the Westin lot was open. After I finished my errand, I made it a point to come back down Plume Street. I was excited at the thought of some activity taking place at the site. Then I realized the lot was probably open to accomodate the facade work at the Selden Arcade. :-(

[varider]

It may be years before this project is built...

And it's even sadder that this thread is almost three years old and not one pile has been driven.

[mlsimons]

I'm convinced this project is dead.

[usermel]

If this project dies out,blame it on the e-e-e-e-economy!!! HAHAHAHA! Have to make light of it to keep from the harsh reality of this thing. Losing this project will hurt. Adding that 26 story tower which would bring conventions to downtown and also attract business overnighters to our downtown is huge. We dont have enough hotels downtown of the caliber of a Westin. The economic loss of this project is huge. The work it will provide to build it and the jobs it would create is big. Lets hope the delay is because of the economy and it will be built by 2012.

Banks have been holding on to there(the money is truthfully the American citizens who put there money in banks but, the banks act as if it is all theres,thats another story there) capital and raising interest rates on current customers and dropping great customers who havent defaulted,so I think(I dont know of course) the economic impact the downturn had on our economy was HUGE and effected banks and all industries more than we thought. Plenty projects across the USA have died down due to the economy. Lets be happy we got the Wells Fargo building done folks. That added to the skyline and most important will bring new jobs,from minimum wage to executive positions! More folks living downtown should result from Wells Fargo at least. Please hope The Westin comes our economy can use it after The Tide is built! L.G.N.M

[usermel]

Oh, guys/gals this Westin Hotel seems to me the building that could possibly be the one to get Norfolk over the top were the skyline starts to really fiil in. The last two buildings Trader and Wells Fargo have helped fill in a bit at different angles. The Westin Hotel wont be what completes the skyline but can be a start to a small building boom in our metro. That would have been 4 skyscrapers in Norfolk in 4 years if the Granby Towers came along with the Westin/Wells Fargo/Trader!!! Pretty impressive for Norfolk and would change the perception little by little here! I hope we get this hotel for real!!! It could be a turning point for our metro!!! L.G.N.M

[varider]

I'm convinced this project is dead.

What was the "nail in the coffin" for you?

[vdogg]

I'm convinced this project is dead.

Why?

[urbanlife]

Actually the city is still in need of more conference center space regardless of what the economy is like. I am guessing this is just stalled because of the hotel portion is a hard thing to get a loan for right now. I wouldnt be surprised to see this starting back up by next year.

[varider]

I reallly hope this project doesn't fail. It's right in the heart of town and could seriously spur more development if built..

[vdogg]

Update email from Mr.Woolard from the City of Norfolk:

The current status of the Westin Hotel & Norfolk Conference Center project is that we have finished the significant redesign of the project to substantially enhance the integration of the hotel, conference center and garage components. I should note that this redesign has not materially changed the exterior appearance of the project from the last image you may have seen.

We have now completed this redesign to a 100% Design Development phase. This is now allowing us to go to the construction market to secure a better (more accurate) level of project costs and budget for the project. In this regard, the Development team (Norfolk Hotel Alliance , LLC) is currently working with Whiting Turner Construction in order to complete a detailed costing exercise. Once this costing exercise is completed, which should be within a month, the partners will be in a better position to submit a comprehensive proposal to prospective lenders for the hotel component of the project.

As far as financing is concerned we are currently, and have been, seeking to source of financing for the hotel component of the project. Although we have an excellent team of companies making up Norfolk Hotel Alliance , including LTD Management and Robinson Development, the current state of the financial markets for hospitality lending has been challenging to say the least. It is hoped that armed with new detailed construction costs the project will be even more attractive to prospective lenders. Please understand that the challenge associated with procuring financing for the hotel is not so much a reflection on Norfolk’s hotel market as much as it is a continued view by the financial markets that hospitality lending (particularly for upper tier full service products) is still sometime way from market recovery. While the Downtown Norfolk market has generally held up better than national markets there is nonetheless reluctance by lenders to support new full service hospitality projects. Fortunately for us, the City of Norfolk has a local development team that remains committed to the project by virtue of both their knowledge of the local hospitality market, as well as local construction market. As a consequence we continue to believe that we the project will become a reality and continue to move forward with it, so that when financing markets allow we will be ready to go.

I hope you will find the above responsive to your question. And thanks for your continued belief in and support of our Downtown and the City of Norfolk .

Doesn't sound like it's cancelled to me.