Broad Creek Station

[lil-bear]

I heard a blurb about this on Channel 3 this morning. I have searched the web for more info to no avail.

Has anyone else heard about this?

[vdogg]

Actually yes. There was a mixed use development for Broad Creek working its way through the design review committee but at the time it was called "Broad Creek Village". I don't know how this will turn out though because "Broad Creek Station" makes it sound like a typical suburban development. Did you hear any details on what it actually entails?

[vdogg]

Actually nevermind, Broad Creek Village will be at the corner of Virginia Beach blvd and Godfrey. I don't know what this is.

[lil-bear]

I do remember they said that there will be a mix of business and residental space along with what they called a "highrise hotel" and a grocery store.

[vdogg]

I do remember they said that there will be a mix of business and residental space along with what they called a "highrise hotel" and a grocery store.

[brikkman]

My co worker asked me about it this morning

I can't paste the link for the video (Java/flash), but its on www.cox.net

its under local news (in partnership with newschannel 3)

you'll see a video link "Norfolk Town Center Project" towards the middle of the www.cox.net homepage

[vdogg]

It's being pushed by Anthony Burfoot and it is very preliminary. They showed some preliminary renderings that don't look all that impressive. They didn't show a rendering of the purported highrise hotel though they claim it will be similar to the Westin. He is currently still looking for a developer. They also plan a medical tower. At first thought, i'm against this. We have a perfectly good downtown that needs to expand. Build this thing in the St. Pauls quadrant or north of Brambleton and i'm all for it. Building a new "Town Center" literally 2 miles from downtown will have an adverse effect on the revitalization that is currently taking place there. I'd even rather something like this go in Wards corner so as not to be direct competition with Granby Street and the rest of downtown.

[lil-bear]

Come to think of it, Burfoot's ward includes the Broad Creek area. That's why he is pushing for it.

I too think that this would be better placed closer to downtown.

I wouldn't be sad if this didn't happen.

[PeninsulaKiddo]

Honestly... it just looks really cheap. Judging from the renderings, drawing comparisons to City Center at Oyster Point or Virginia Beach Town Center seems rather over-flattering.

If it were just a high-rise hotel (a nice one), the grocery store, and maybe medical offices (assuming there is still demand), then I would be all for it. It wouldn't be competing diectly with downtown then, without the POINTLESS condos and retial and such.

I'd have to see more detailed plans though, maybe a computer-generated rendering.

[cpeakesqr]

I don't like it, you guys can come up with the reasons.

[VAGATOR]

Surprised anybody watches Channel 3 anymore....This "project" is a joke. Where in the hell would the money come from? A Virginia Beach Town Center in the middle of the hood? Condos? Has Burfoot been stuck in a cave the last couple of months. I rate this project one step below Louise Lucus' "Black Hotel" dream in P-town.

[kjice2]

Surprised anybody watches Channel 3 anymore....This "project" is a joke. Where in the hell would the money come from? A Virginia Beach Town Center in the middle of the hood? Condos? Has Burfoot been stuck in a cave the last couple of months. I rate this project one step below Louise Lucus' "Black Hotel" dream in P-town.

[spiker3]

At the risk of putting my head in the lion's mouth, i'm not 100% against this project. More and more in the coming months and years we're going to be seeing projects like this. This is directly related to light rail, and is a perfect example of TRD. Is the scope a little extravagant? Sure. But it is not needed? I'd argue that this would be the next step for Broad Creek's development. While Broad Creek is looking largely like a success, where do the residents go right now for necessities, food and clothing? Military Highway more often than not. Why not bring a grocery store between downtown and Janaf, especially one maketed towards middle class, not a Bottom Dollar, but a Harris Teeter or Kroger (hypothetically) And anything that cleans up rinky dink commercial like used tire centers and bus depots and turns it into upscale retail and grocery? By all means. Condos are rightfully met with skepticism right now, but who's to say what could happen with the market by the time this project breaks ground? As for a hotel, if there's anything the area as a whole will never have enough of, it's hotel rooms. Tourism and government drive this region. Being next to 264 makes it feasible, and being out of downtown, makes it a cheaper alternative to non-business travelers who want more than the Oceanfront but don't want to stay in Chesapeake (where there is nothing for tourists) Sure the renderings are iffy, but Burfoot doesn't have a developer or the land at this point, and right now the entire project is pie-in-the-sky. Wait until things start rolling forward and becoming realistic to look for better renderings.

So long as public funding is not expected for this project (no subsidies or incentives) then why not? There's only going to be more and more TRD coming in the near future, my hope is that this is the beginning in a long line. Why cut them off at the pass?

[vdogg]

VAGATOR: Your comment... WOW.. enough said. I didn't know there was a "Black Hotel" in Portsmouth. That would be a interesting looking building! I thought the City of Norfolk Tore down (THE HOOD) to build "Broad Creek" or is that a Hood because it was built on what use to be "THE HOOD" ..... Do you have any projects being or trying to build in any of these city? Why would you have a choice to rate a project?

[brikkman]

I think this project is some what point less. But then again, not sure. Norfolk needs to focus on Downtown Norfolk, and Stop worrying about Virginia Beach and the other seven cities.

VAGATOR: Your comment... WOW.. enough said. I didn't know there was a "Black Hotel" in Portsmouth. That would be a interesting looking building! I thought the City of Norfolk Tore down (THE HOOD) to build "Broad Creek" or is that a Hood because it was built on what use to be "THE HOOD" ..... Do you have any projects being or trying to build in any of these city? Why would you have a choice to rate a project?

[NSUREDD]

I guess that's what was meant as I thought the same thing "Tore down the hood to build broad creek". But I guess it goes back to that discussion made a few weeks ago. Hard to speak on that area, its .1 miles away from NSU (some would think because of that, its the hood alone), .1 miles from that uppy neighborhood adjacent (I

[brikkman]

Not to change the subject, but I'm wondering the same thing. I have my definition of ghetto and/or hood, I was raised in them. If you ask me, some people regard such areas that they do not visit as such, but that's my opinion. ODU is surrounded by more hood than NSU, but references aren't made to ODU like NSU.

[brikkman]

So long as public funding is not expected for this project (no subsidies or incentives) then why not? There's only going to be more and more TRD coming in the near future, my hope is that this is the beginning in a long line. Why cut them off at the pass?

[rusthebuss]

The Hood is really described as neighborhoods with higher than average crime rates. There mixed neighborhoods that are considered HOOD.

[VAGATOR]

My "Black Hotel" comment was a direct response to Senator Louise Lucus' hotel dream which would be a clear conflict of interest, compete with and hurt Portsmouth's own Renaissance hotel and downtown redevelopment, would require a massive taxpayer subsidy when there is a potential recession in the future and pretty much has no chance of getting a loan from a bank. LOL at people trying to make this a racial issue or suggesting I am calling NSU hood because its a HBCU and is surrounded by African Americans. It is the hood because it is an economically depressed area with high crime rates. Now if I said Hampton U was in the hood, you would of had a point. Park Place and Lambert's Point may not be the greatest places in the world, but its has nothing on "The Parks" and Campostella which surround NSU. My main point was with the city of Norfolk facing a 20+million dollar deficit, overinflated real estate assessments, a possible downturn in the economy and a stagnation of the growth seen in downtown Norfolk, such talk is very irresponsible.

[brikkman]

My "Black Hotel" comment was a direct response to Senator Louise Lucus' hotel dream which would be a clear conflict of interest, compete with and hurt Portsmouth's own Renaissance hotel and downtown redevelopment, would require a massive taxpayer subsidy when there is a potential recession in the future and pretty much has no chance of getting a loan from a bank. LOL at people trying to make this a racial issue or suggesting I am calling NSU hood because its a HBCU and is surrounded by African Americans. It is the hood because it is an economically depressed area with high crime rates. Now if I said Hampton U was in the hood, you would of had a point. Park Place and Lambert's Point may not be the greatest places in the world, but its has nothing on "The Parks" and Campostella which surround NSU. My main point was with the city of Norfolk facing a 20+million dollar deficit, overinflated real estate assessments, a possible downturn in the economy and a stagnation of the growth seen in downtown Norfolk, such talk is very irresponsible.

[br0guy]

Anybody else notice the sirens in the background of the news clip

[cpeakesqr]

Hood.. shmood! This won't happen, at least not the high-rise thing. I don't think projects like this help "hoods", or the people in them. If you build something that leads to poorer people leaving, does that really help...? No, it just moves the problem elsewhere. Barack Obama said it in the debate a couple days ago, people have to start raising their damn kids! That's the only way "hoods" will ever improve.

[vtfan18]

What a bunch of BS! The initial elevation drawings shown look like any other strip mall. The news first pitches the plan as another shopping/retail destination and then Burfoot comes back to say, "No" this is a community improvement project. So what's it going to be? Nobody in their right mind is going to shop in that area and the surrounding residents sure can't support the type of business they want to attract. Put a town center type project in Saint Pauls and expand downtown. Leave the developing up to developers. It was Armada Hoffler who brought TC to Virginia Beach, not somone on city council.

[kjice2]

I will apologize, It was just the word usage VAGATAR used made it sound a little racist. I am sorry, but during this time of day people need to be careful how they say things. That is all I am saying, Because like I did, I will interpret what you really meant in the wrong way. So if that wasn't the case I apologize.

Any way.... I still think this is a wacked out project and a waste of Money. I will agree on that one.