Virginia Beach Development

[vdogg]

I guess this will be retail on the ground level .. I need visualizations 

Looking at the scheme I can see that #6 will be the office tower but then if you look at #4 which is the retail that looks to be on the corner of Indy and the Blvd which is where a gas station is now .. unless its behind it or so. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm pretty sure 4 is part of the pembroke property itself because i've heard refrences to the retail as part of a mixed use component to this project (besides i don't think that gas station is giving up that prime location anytime soon). The map isn't the most detailed and those dots aren't exactly points . They cover a lot more territory than they probably represent.

[urbanvb]

You could be right there. I didn't think that gas station would give up that easily. But looking at the map #6 is going west down Broad Street which is where all of the Pembroke buildings are but yeah, maybe the map is just off.

[Former Resident of HR]

Personally, I find the numbers to look quite tacky (for a lack of a better word).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No kidding! To begin with, they were painted in some awful Air Force-ish color schemes (tan with brown trim?) and all they did was paint the tops blue. I will not be sad to see those ugly buildings fall.

[urbanvb]

Does anyone know when they were built?

[vdogg]

Does anyone know when they were built?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mid 70's i believe, though i don't know how they could consider them beautiful in any time period.

[urbanlife]

Virginia Beach is becoming a mini-Vegas with all the construction plans!

Can you imagine the explosive growth the beach would see if the approved casinos in the city? This will probably never happen in this conservative state but the oceanfront would have developers lining up to build casino hotels and condos would be going up in every direction. I think that I would like to see casinos come to da beach but only after we lay the foundation for other projects! Perhaps they could create a gambling district and still be able to have smart development too!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This will make you cuss, VB use to have casinos at the beach back in the day. It wasnt till about the early 1930 or so, Virginia outlawed gambling and the casinos at the beach closed down before they could ever take off Alantic City style.

[urbanlife]

That is actually QUITE a bit of real estate! They could fit a few buildings over there I bet even with parking garages. Ya know build upppp? LOL. Gee, that is prime real estate. I do hope they hold out for a grand project there. I closed my mortgage one in Pembroke I and I recall it was kinda old. But my attorney's office was located in the southeast corner and what an awesome view of developing TC and the CBD!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually if you look at the layout of the office park, you can see that it was meant to be a modernish downtown when it was created. But it seemed to stop after the original developer dies. Hate to see all those buildings razed, but I would love to see it be more urbanized.

[hoobo]

As i understand it, yes. Which to me is a much more sound business plan than just trying to do it all at once. Also, you seem very knowledgeable about this area, are you originally from here? Oh, and welcome to the forum, glad to have u aboard. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the welcome. Yeah, I grew up at the Beach. Lived in Cville while in college, then moved out to LA for grad school and stayed there after getting a job. Eventually, I hope to come back east either back to HR, the Triangle, DC, or Charleston, SC. I was back in HR this past Thanksgiving visiting the fam. Bravo was just starting waiter training. My friend and I hung out at Red Tavern. That place was pretty nice. On par with several of the higher end bar/lounge/restaurants in LA. I want to hit up Keegan's when I travel back in a month.

Anyway, when I was there in November, I got ushered off the top level of parking at AH Tower for security reasons (9-11/Suicide). The security guard was nice though. He told me that the original plans called for a restaurant/observatin deck at the top of the tower, but they changed that after 9/11. Don't know if that's true. Hopefully, one of the high rises going up or planned will have a top level restaurant or observation deck.

[vdogg]

He told me that the original plans called for a restaurant/observatin deck at the top of the tower, but they changed that after 9/11.  Don't know if that's true.  Hopefully, one of the high rises going up or planned will have a top level restaurant or observation deck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Grrr.... . That p**ses me off that that didn't go through. That would have been awesome. I would love to see that happen with the Westin. 38 stories above Va. Beach= vdogg in heaven

[hoobo]

V-P Article on Possible Convention HQ Hotel

If the Hyatt goes through and the Marriott finds the financing, then VB would more than double its upscale hotels from 3 (VB Resort, Sheraton, and old Cavalier) to 7 (add Hilton, Westin, Marriott, and Hyatt) in less than 5 years.

edit: This post has been edited because it violates the copyright rules of this site. You may not post a full article, only a portion of it, and there must be a link provided.

Sorry about that.

Edited June 6, 2005 by hoobo

[vdogg]

Sorry about that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's ok, you didn't know. I thought i had the policy posted in here but i didn't so there's no way you could have known. The Virginia forum as a whole (HR, Richmond, and main forum) has grown by about 15 members this week and many of them have posted full articles, it was getting hard to keep up with. With the ever increasing pace of development in HR we fully expect this forum to grow proportionally to that so i'm addressing the issue now before it becomes a problem.

[vdogg]

I really hope all these new hotels don't eat eachothers lunch. I'm kinda skeptical bringing another highrise hotel online right after the Hilton opens. I think they should probably test the waters on this one first.

[Former Resident of HR]

This will make you cuss, VB use to have casinos at the beach back in the day.  It wasnt till about the early 1930 or so, Virginia outlawed gambling and the casinos at the beach closed down before they could ever take off Alantic City style.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Atlantic City didn't have casinos until the around 1978. They were supposed to be a catalyst for revitalizing the city. Anyone how has been there knows that this is not exactly what happened, to say the least.

If they were to allow casinos here in VA I would be very surprised. VA Beach has been clamping down hard on bars and clubs and probably sees casinos as fitting in with the "unwholesome" stereotype. It might be a draw to bring in more tourists though, so who knows. Mississsippi has a few on the Gulf Coast and I know that Harrah's opened one in New Orleans.

[hoobo]

If they were to allow casinos here in VA I would be very surprised.  VA Beach has been clamping down hard on bars and clubs and probably sees casinos as fitting in with the "unwholesome" stereotype.  It might be a draw to bring in more tourists though, so who knows.  Mississsippi has a few on the Gulf Coast and I know that Harrah's opened one in New Orleans.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A businessman back in the 90's wanted to turn what is now Long Pointe into a riverboat casino. The city said no. So he countered with a proposal to homeport a vessel there that would take daily trips to nowhere (3 miles offshore) at which point the casino would open. The city countered with a resolution or law prohibiting any vessels with casinoes from operating out of Virginia Beach waters. That was the end of gambling in VB, although the state would also have to legalize it which it hasn't.

[urbanvb]

I can't imagine VB ever legalizing gambling really as it is such a conservative community.

[urbanlife]

Atlantic City didn't have casinos until the around 1978.  They were supposed to be a catalyst for revitalizing the city.  Anyone how has been there knows that this is not exactly what happened, to say the least.

If they were to allow casinos here in VA I would be very surprised.  VA Beach has been clamping down hard on bars and clubs and probably sees casinos as fitting in with the "unwholesome" stereotype.  It might be a draw to bring in more tourists though, so who knows.  Mississsippi has a few on the Gulf Coast and I know that Harrah's opened one in New Orleans.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh I agree, just saying the oceanfront use to actually have casinos on the beach before the state became a conservative state.

[vdogg]

V-P Article on Possible Convention HQ Hotel

If the Hyatt goes through and the Marriott finds the financing, then VB would more than double its upscale hotels from 3 (VB Resort, Sheraton, and old Cavalier) to 7 (add Hilton, Westin, Marriott, and Hyatt) in less than 5 years.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Didn't we just have a change of zoning that limits development like this at the Oceanfront? Didn't take long for that to go out the window.

[urbanvb]

Well, hey I am all for a 300 room Hyatt.. if it would bring more people in and could be self sustaining!

[metalman]

I'm pretty sure 4 is part of the pembroke property itself because i've heard refrences to the retail as part of a mixed use component to this project (besides i don't think that gas station is giving up that prime location anytime soon). The map isn't the most detailed and those dots aren't exactly points  . They cover a lot more territory than they probably represent.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So long as #4 doesn't TOUCH the Village Inn! That place freakin' rocks! How many of you agree? It the best place for breakfast foods and there cakes and deserts are awesome, especially there rhubarb pie. I been to the village inn after or for sooo many occasion- For breakfast, for dinner, lunch, desert, breakfast for dinner, breakfast for desert, grub after a VB Amphitheater concert, grub after a gig, after bar grub, after church breakfast , a coffee and bullsh**ing outing, dates , and even an after bachelor party sobering up grub . Now tell me... where else can you do that ....and do even try to compare them to IHOP

Now discuss...

Oh, and as far as the Convention Center "headquarter hotel"- Did everyone forget about the 12 or so story Double Tree that is like 10 feet away from it? That is pretty damn headquarters if you ask me. Just build a sky walk or tunnel and there, is there headquarter hotel.

Metalman

[urbanvb]

I like Village Inn too. You get so much food for so little money - and it is good too. Have to agree with ya there!

[okinawatyphoon]

Right now on Pilotonline, the poll that asks:

Should Virginia Beach pursue a public-private partnership for a hotel at the new convention center?

55% no

23% yes

could there be some people that don't want this? haha. There will be more people to vote so we will see the final outcome, but it is interesting nonetheless.

[willy]

I think people are voting NO for this public/private venture because we've been down this road before. We the citizens of VB get raped almost every time we get in to things like this. The city bends over backwards to make the deal happen. Millions of our tax dollars go to something that we as citizens will probably never use or need.

If Hilton, Hyatt, Westin, Ritz, or what ever wants to build at the ocean front, let them. Offer the land and maybe some SMALL incentive. Don't do something stupid like build them a $35-40 million parking garage or give them $10 mill. just to have them here.

[rusthebuss]

Right now on Pilotonline, the poll that asks:

Should Virginia Beach pursue a public-private partnership for a hotel at the new convention center?

55% no

23% yes

could there be some people that don't want this? haha. There will be more people to vote so we will see the final outcome, but it is interesting nonetheless.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why wouldn't they want it???? Some people around here say no just to say no. You've got to remember alot of old people read that site and are NIMBY's.

[willy]

I want it, I just don't want to hand over my first born to get it LOL.

[rusthebuss]

Who cares it generates tax dollars for the city, what's wrong with them kicking a little money to help the process. The city will make a good investment if they choose to do it. It will promote more events to the convention center, which in turn generates millions of tax dollars for the city. If bigger events come they might just venture to the oceanfront and spend a little more money and might just come back to stay at the ocean front.

Edited June 7, 2005 by rusthebuss