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Member of the Planning Commission here.  We have not made a recommendation at all on Food Trucks, yet.  Planning Department staff are the ones making the recommendations that you see in the newspaper.

 

Staff will make a recommendation to the Planning Commission.  The Planning Commission meets this Thursday to discuss and vote on the proposed regulations for food trucks.  We would love to see you and hear from you at the meeting.  The meeting is at 6pm on the 10th floor of City Hall.

 

 

Planning council makes recommendations on food trucks...and kinda misses the point.

 

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/12/food-trucks-norfolk-get-yellow-light-agency#comment-1491519

 

The public areas referred to (i.e. Scope, "The Plot") are cool, but I don't think having a food truck on Granby would hurt the businesses the way this planning council thinks. Honestly, during lunch hour, what restaurants are people in DT Norfolk flocking towards? Those places get businesses during the dinner hours.

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My opinion (and I own a restaurant) is that food trucks should be permitted on private property.  If the trucks are operating on any public property then the city shall collect fair value rent on the property being used.  I wonder if the cupcake truck that stops in downtown pays any Norfolk food taxes?

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Exactly. I love that Norfolk is thinking big city...but I just don't think everything needs to be stretched out for weeks and months. Sometimes you just gotta pull the trigger. To me, this is a low risk investment. It reminds me a lot of the little carts that would come on campus for Homecoming weekend. I had food better than most restaurants could provide!

 

@tuffsim I meant no harm with my post, so if I came across as accusatory, please accept my sincere apologies. I'd just love to see this succeed.

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Sounds like a good redevelopment and might be something more within his realm of what he is able to accomplish.  A 5 story building is much easier to do that a high end tower.  Also I am usually against tearing down building to build new buildings, especially when there are open lots and parking lots to build on, but this building is a one story single use building that has lost its architectural integrity a long time ago.

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Sounds like a good redevelopment and might be something more within his realm of what he is able to accomplish.  A 5 story building is much easier to do that a high end tower.  Also I am usually against tearing down building to build new buildings, especially when there are open lots and parking lots to build on, but this building is a one story single use building that has lost its architectural integrity a long time ago.

 

The buildings he is tearing down, if ever historic (I don't think they were) were completely stripped of any ornimentation and were blighted. 

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Considering who's proposing this project, if this ever sees the light of day, I'd consider it a miracle. Doesn't he still owe people who put down money on the building across from the Federal Building?

 

The GSA had a HUGE hand in preventing Granby Tower from rising.  He had all intentions to build.  He was driving piles in when it was finally canceled.  The GSA put a hold on the development until the economy collapsed and he lost all financing.  That was not Buddy's fault, it was poor timing caused by the GSA.  Now, the great GSA is going to leave it a vacant grass lot for the next 20 years.

 

Buddy has done some great projects in Norfolk.  There is one in Ghent I alwasy enjoy driving by which looks straight out of New Orleans. 

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Yet another apartment building may be in the works downtown  http://norfolklive.blogspot.com/#!/2012/12/even-more-apartments-downtown.html

 

Excellent looking filler!  Excellent location.  Another great find by Ghentite!

 

Also, if you look at the flier posted on Ghentite's website, http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=b385ee73e7b465ded957fce3f&id=20a81572a1&e=3382bd2766 you'll see they have modified the plans for 401 Granby as well, adding more brick. 

 

I am very pleased with DT Norfolk's design and material standards they seem to be brining with these projects.  These are the infill projects we have needed to finally push DT expansion westward.

 

GREAT NEWS!

Edited by mistermetaj
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Man, between the stuff going on in vb and now DT Norfolk it looks like this area is heading towards another 2004-2006 style building boom. I'm just hoping this fiscal cliff/ military cuts nonsense doesn't derail all of that.

 

What is also interesting is how inter-related projects are with one another.  Look at Va Beach.  The 19th St. entertainment complex was resurrected (found financing) because of the POSSIBILITY of having the new areana.

 

Likewise, the Westing Hotel and Conference Center may be ressurected because of the Waterside revitalization.  This in turn is leading developers to bring more apartments downtown.  I like the idea of major projects spurring the infill projects this area needs.

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Nice article about the President of the Downtown Norfolk Council, who plans to step down next year. From what I can see in the article, the city needs more people like her, especially on the council. I agree with her 100% about the following...

 

 

Granby needs a better diversity of businesses, including some unique art and retail establishments, she said. The downtown area needs to step up development north of Brambleton Avenue, and the area needs to further develop rail options, both local and out-of-town.
Edited by BFG
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I'm really excited for the future growth of DT Norfolk. Both the library and courts building are making significant progress, all the new apartments and infill projects will be sure to help support more retail, chrysler museum renovation is about to be underway, new amtrak station is under construction, St pauls plan is about to be finalized by council in early 2013, the waterside redevelopment will be huge for drawing in people from the surrounding areas..the hotel/conference project on main would be HUGE for the city, hopefully it could be tall enough to make a significant impact on the skyline.

 

St. Pauls, N of Brambleton, Fort Norfolk, and Harbor Park should all be built-out one day. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
I'm really excited for the future growth of DT Norfolk. Both the library and courts building are making significant progress, all the new apartments and infill projects will be sure to help support more retail, chrysler museum renovation is about to be underway, new amtrak station is under construction, St pauls plan is about to be finalized by council in early 2013, the waterside redevelopment will be huge for drawing in people from the surrounding areas..the hotel/conference project on main would be HUGE for the city, hopefully it could be tall enough to make a significant impact on the skyline.

 

St. Pauls, N of Brambleton, Fort Norfolk, and Harbor Park should all be built-out one day. 

Its seems as though they are hard put on making spq back into some kind of public housing mix, so I wouldn't even waist my prays there.

I would however agree with Fort Norfolk. To me, that is were all the investments need to go and ASAP. Great location, great potiental and really the only chunk of land outside of spq that can change the landscape of Norfolk if it is done right.

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I could see Fort Norfolk becoming a nice little area, especially Front Street, which overlooks the river and leads to PETA's headquarters. I worked along that street, when warehouses lined the row. Those were eventually torn down, revealing a concrete pier and nice view of the Portsmouth side.

 

Developing that into a mixed use complex, with restaurants on the river and even a "river walk" would be awesome. Fort Norfolk needs more to compliment the retirement high-rise there, as well as the converted Kris-Pak plant.

 

Virginian-Pilot's archives has a fan page on Facebook, featuring some shots of Ft. Norfolk/Atlantic City, before it was all torn down.

 

This one is my favorite...

259915_387023364701668_2066481852_n.jpg

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http://hamptonroads.com/2013/01/norfolk-council-discusses-stricter-rules-food-trucks

 

Does anyone on Norfolk City Council understand how food trucks operate, or the point of having them?! Wait, Theresa Whibley does.

 

As I commented on the article, Shame on those pesky food trucks! Threatening the brick and mortar shops. Same ol' same ol' from Norfolk City Council, and same ol' micromanagement that's killed so many other business endeavors. It's no wonder the city can't make any moves...if the council's feet aren't sore from dragging them on projects, they definitely hurt from shooting themselves in the foot so many times.

Edited by BFG
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AltDaily is trying to get folks to email city council.  It seemed to work with the City Planning Commission so it doesn't hurt to try this.  In my latest blog, I include their email addresses.  I'd urge anyone in favor of food trucks to just drop them a short line saying how great they'd be for the city.

 

http://norfolklive.blogspot.com/#!/2013/01/city-council-wants-limitations-on-food.htmlhttp://norfolklive.blogspot.com/#!/2013/01/city-council-wants-limitations-on-food.html

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Yeah, I caught that on AltDaily's FB page, and did just that. Got a very short reply from Barclay Wynn: "Thanks for your input." Replies like that tell me that council's mind is already made up on this one...kinda like the pointless Waterside survey from a few years ago.

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