Hampton Roads, VA Development News

[Style™]

Here is a thread for all the news and updates of that large metro! :)

[Style™]

A glass wall of the Virginia Beach Convention Center looms next to the old Virginia Beach Pavilion, which will be torn down in the spring. BILL TIERNAN PHOTOS/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT.
http://media.hamptonroads.com/images/business/conventionbig.jpg

By JASON SKOG, The Virginian-Pilot
© July 22, 2004

VIRGINIA BEACH — The new $202 million convention center is the largest and most complicated project the city has ever undertaken, and it’s on time and on budget.

The glass curtain wall is nearly one-third done, all 15 of the 240-foot-long roof trusses are in place, and the first phase of the building is nearly half complete. By Oct. 1, the building is expected to be fully enclosed, allowing interior work to begin.

“I’m amazed it’s gone so smoothly,” said Dean Block , the city’s public works director and point man on the project. “So far, so good. I’m very pleased.”

Dean credits planning and coordination between the city and the project’s construction-manager firm, Turner Construction. He also gave a nod to the weather, which hasn’t caused any serious delays.

By October, the roof and walls should be in place, sealing the building from the elements.

“That’s a very important milestone because at that point we can begin working the interior aggressively,” said James L. Partin , the city’s construction manager on the project. “We have some very highly finished spaces, and that type of a space needs a dry climate and a lot of time to craft all of those finishes.”

http://media.hamptonroads.com/images/business/conventionmap.gif

Partin said there haven’t been many hiccups in the construction, but the building’s size and complexity have posed some challenges.

“We are trying to implement a lot of cutting-edge technology and various systems that are not run-of-the-mill,” Partin said. “As such, you’ve got a very complicated design and need extremely high levels of coordination.”

A public observation deck will cap a 150-foot tower that includes an executive conference room with video-conferencing, electronic window shades and a triangular conference table with 21 high-speed data ports.

In the ballroom, a digital lighting system will put 16 million colors at the touch of a button and provide custom color schemes to change the look and feel of the room. Along the main hall, a series of video walls 60 feet to 90 feet wide will project such things as pictures, videos and messages for visitors.

Up to 275 workers are at the site every day, including concrete and steel workers, masons, electricians, fire-proofers, glazers, carpenters and drywall hangers.

Meanwhile, bookings for the building are coming in, said James B. Ricketts , director of the city’s convention and visitors bureau.

J.J. Boykin ties reinforcing rods together on Friday for the armature for a concrete tunnel located under the exhibition hall at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
http://media.hamptonroads.com/images/business/convention1.jpg

Forty-nine conventions are scheduled from 2005 to 2010 , including the return of some groups that had outgrown the Pavilion, Ricketts said.

For 2006 , 114,000 hotel room nights have already been booked. Ricketts said one consultant’s study projected the building would attract 150,000 room nights, but not until 2009 . “And we’re still booking 2006 ,” Ricketts said. “I’m real confident about our pace.”

[Style™]

http://198.65.116.13/images/planEvent/lg_detailsL1.jpg

http://198.65.116.13/images/planEvent/lg_detailsL2.jpg

http://198.65.116.13/images/planEvent/lg_extWide.jpg


More information and renderings located here! :) (http://198.65.116.13/facilities/3200_newConventionCenter.asp)

[vdogg]

Bob Matthews Reporting
New Luxury Hotel Coming To Norfolk
Email to a Friend Printer Friendly Version
http://www.wtkr.com/Global/story.asp?S=2073760&nav=0oa8P3ot



(Norfolk, VA, July 22nd, 2004, 7:37 a.m.) In downtown Norfolk, everybody is buzzing about the possibility of getting a new luxury hotel along Main Street. Booster say it's just what Norfolk needs but others are worried about the cost, not just in dollars. Your NewsChannel 3's Bob Matthews has more on this story.

The new hotel would be across the street from the BB&T building on Main Street. And while the details are still sketchy, it could be as tall as 20 stories, which one person we spoke to thinks would make business busier than ever. He says, "Yesterday we had a port of call ship came in. It got here at ten and left at three. We had so many people coming from that boat came here to eat."

While nothing is set in stone the hotel would probably go in the parking lot of the BB&T bank. That's good news for historians because it would spare both the BB&T building as well as several other buildings like Selden Arcade on Plume Street. Harriett Collins, a Norfolk Historian says, "We tend to sluff off those things that aren't ancient or have their own particular following."

The good news for Harriett and other historians is that the proposed hotel would probably face BB&T which was built back in 1899 and was once Norfolk's tallest building. Whether the hotel actually gets built though remains to be seen. Sources at City Hall say the project is gaining momentum. City Council has talked about this project recently and it could be part of a bigger project that could include seven new developments by this time next year.

[vdogg]

I particulary like the part where they talk about 7 new develpoments by the end of next year. 7! I don't know what happened. This area seemed to be staggnating for years and now both va. beach and norfolk are going crazy with construction. Most of the new projects proposed lately have been highrises also which is a really interesting trend that I hope keeps up.

[vdogg]

Here is a link to some very good pics of downtown norfolk. I'll try to post all the pics here later if I get time. http://www.beyonddc.com/features/norfolk.html

[vdogg]

Printer Version Of Inside Business - Hampton Roads


INSIDER NEWS
Bank building switch paves way for hotel
BB&T plans to vacate site for space in 500 E. Main

By Peter Hull
Monday July 19, 2004

A new hotel is set for downtown Norfolk after a deal involving two landmark Main Street buildings will pave the way for development of a luxury hotel and conference center, throwing into doubt the future of one of downtown’s most historic buildings.

Branch Banking and Trust, commonly known as BB&T, will leave its location at 109 E. Main St. and occupy space in the former SunTrust office building, still known as the SunTrust Center, at 500 E. Main St.

The Winston-Salem, N.C.-based bank will lease about 40,000 of the 70,000 square feet left empty when SunTrust Bank relocated to 150 W. Main St. at the end of last year. SunTrust occupies 53,000 square feet on two floors and a branch lobby service in the building, the last major development built downtown.

As part of the deal, Harbor Group – a real estate investment group based in Norfolk at the 16-story SunTrust Center, which it bought from SunTrust in 1998 – will purchase the BB&T building.

Officials at neither Harbor Group nor BB&T would release details of the deal, but when BB&T bought the building at 109 E. Main St. at the end of 2002, the company paid $6 million for the property – nearly twice its assessed value at the time. The building was assessed for $3.8 million in 2003, and real estate experts predict the sale price to jump higher still this time around.

The 228,541-square-foot SunTrust Center has a drive-through banking facility and its own parking deck. Officials would not confirm details of the naming rights, but when SunTrust left the building, officials for Harbor Group said at the time the naming rights would be available to a new anchor tenant.

The deal means developers – thought to include Robert Johnson, majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats National Basketball Association expansion team, and William Fuller, a Norfolk native and former Pro Bowl player – now have a site for a luxury hotel on land behind the BB&T building where the bank’s drive-through service stands.

The seven-story, terra cotta-façade building was originally the Citizens’ Bank Building and then the Seaboard Citizens’ National Bank. Also known as the Life Building and the Wheat Building, it was the city’s earliest multistory structure.

It was originally constructed between 1897 and 1899 and was Norfolk’s first skyscraper. It became an architectural hot potato among preservationists in 1989 when the previous owners announced plans to sell it as a development site for the construction of a modern high-rise.

Fuller confirmed Thursday that negotiations on a potential site continue and that 109 E. Main St. is one option. He said he could not comment on what would become of the BB&T building – and adjoining businesses, including Prince Books – because the building does not form part of the hotel plan.

“There are several options we’re looking at, and yes, one of those options is where the BB&T parking lot is,” Fuller said. “As of this point, Mr. Slone does not have anything to do with our potential hotel deal.”

Jordan E. Slone is the chairman and CEO of Harbor Group.

The hotel is thought to involve a 20-story plus, 250-room four-star hotel with adjacent conference facilities. It will stand on the same street as the Norfolk Marriott Waterside hotel, a 24-story, 405-room hotel with 60,000 square feet of conference space.

Johnson said publicly in the spring that he was in discussions with the city to build a downtown hotel, with the Hilton name widely touted as the hotel’s operator. Last year, a consortium that includes Johnson’s company, RLJ Development, was awarded an exclusive negotiating agreement with the city of Baltimore for a 750-room Hilton to serve as the city’s convention headquarters hotel.

Johnson also stated that he’d like to help Norfolk lure a Major League Baseball team to the city, but city officials said the hotel deal was unrelated to baseball.

Johnson became America’s first black billionaire when he sold Black Entertainment Television, the cable TV network he founded, to Viacom for $3 billion in 2001. Forbes magazine ranked Johnson, a Mississippi native, 348 on their 2003 list of the world’s richest people with an estimated worth of $1.2 billion.

He is partnering with William Fuller’s Fulco Development on the project. Fuller, who sits on the board of the Norfolk Convention and Visitors Bureau, is an Indian River High School graduate and was a defensive lineman in the National Football League with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Diego Chargers in the 1990s.

Robert Johnson could not be reached for comment and Tom Baltimore, president of RLJ Development, did not return calls before INSIDE BUSINESS went to press.






A service of Richmond.com
All material copyright © 1999 - 2003 Richmond.com and Partners.

http://www.richmond.com/printer.cfm?article=3137307

[Style™]

sounds like an intresting switch all for one hotel to come in. sounds nice!

[bigbruiser]

I particulary like the part where they talk about 7 new develpoments by the end of next year. 7! I don't know what happened. This area seemed to be staggnating for years and now both va. beach and norfolk are going crazy with construction. Most of the new projects proposed lately have been highrises also which is a really interesting trend that I hope keeps up.


ditto

[vdogg]

http://www.divaris.com/rereview/TTCPlaza.jpg

Cheesecake Factory -- One of Many New Stores
Coming to The Town Center of Virginia Beach

VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA: The more The Town Center of Virginia Beach grows, the easier it has been to secure new tenants, according to Gerald Divaris, chairman and CEO of Divaris Real Estate, Inc. “We’ve turned down several offers because we are very cautious about getting the appropriate tenant mix. We could fill every square foot of space tomorrow, but we want to make it the most dynamic and exciting mixed-use development possible.”

The $300 million Town Center of Virginia Beach is proving to be the center of it all in Hampton Roads, a multi-city MSA located in southeastern Virginia with a population of 1.6 million. With 321,000 square feet of Class A office space, 42,000 square feet of retail space and a 1,284-car, city owned, free parking garage -- Block 4 is complete. Nearby, Block 5 has One Columbus Center, a 134,000-square-foot, Class A office building; a new 176-room Hilton Garden Inn; and Towne Bank, a freestanding 16,000-square-foot, two-story building.

Yet, 2003 was only the beginning for the project. Four new city blocks will increase the upscale urban lifestyle feel in the new city center, and give people more reason to want to work, shop, dine and live here. Ultimately spanning 17 city blocks, The Town Center will provide a mix of Class A office, multi-level upscale retail, deluxe residential, a performing arts center and an array of restaurants and business-class hotels.

The development is already looking like restaurant row with the first wave of merchants comprised primarily of nationally recognized restaurants. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Cold Stone Creamery, California Pizza Kitchen, Town Center City Club, D’Mustard Co. and Red Star Tavern have been drawing hungry hordes. Yet, patrons’ dining options are about to get even better.



California Pizza Kitchen
is one of many restaurants
open in The Town Center
of Virginia Beach.



On Block 3, The Cheesecake Factory has begun construction on its 11,507-square-foot restaurant, the first full-scale version of this major dining concept outside Northern Virginia. The Calabassas Hills, California-based casual dining chain is expected to pull in tons of traffic to The Town Center of Virginia Beach, as it has in the country’s 63 existing Cheesecake Factory restaurants. Typical sites generate $1,000 per square foot in sales, or twice the average of others in its category. The 200 items on its menu include 40 variations of cheesecake and desserts, plus pizza, gourmet salads, seafood and various Asian culinary specialties. The restaurants, which typically average about 10,000 square feet, feature rich, upscale décor, with hand-painted ceilings and wall murals, Egyptian columns, lots of cherry wood, limestone marble and handblown glass fixtures. This is surprising considering the average check is under $20!

In the next block from The Cheesecake Factory, Bravo! Cucina Italiana is building a 7,946-square-foot, restaurant on Block 8 with 1,200 square feet of outdoor patio dining area fronting an open public plaza with fountains and landscaping. Bravo Development Company, the parent company of Bravo! Cucina Italiana and Brio Tuscan Grill, operates several highly successful restaurants throughout the country.

A two-floor comedy club will occupy 9,500 square feet in Block 8, including 2,500-square-foot mezzanine level. Funny Bone is a concept developed by owner and founder, Mitch Kutash, who also runs a Funny Bone in Richmond, Virginia. Additionally, he operates five Improv Comedy clubs in Florida and Ohio as a franchisee. Kutash’s clubs feature the stand-up comedy acts of first-rate entertainers.

Occupying 6,225 square feet in the existing Block 4, at the opposite end from California Pizza Kitchen, is Red Star Tavern, an updated version of the classic American pub. The owner is Chicago-based, multi-concept operator, Restaurant Development Group (RDG), which owns 34 restaurants nationwide. Its portfolio of concepts includes: Bar Louie, Nick & Tony’s, Bluepoint Oyster Bar, The Grillroom and more. Red Star’s wide-ranging menu offers hearty sandwiches, salads, savory seafood and steaks. Accommodating 100 at the bar and 200 in the dining room, the interior conveys an intimate feel with design elements that include a fireplace, curved leather booths, wood-paneled walls, flagstone, custom lighting and eclectic artwork.

The Town Center City Club is a second-level, 8,368-square-foot private club, also on Block 4. The elegantly styled establishment features dining rooms, a bar, a cigar lounge and meeting rooms. Exclusive memberships are offered on an individual or corporate basis.

Luxury apartment homes in The Cosmopolitan will bring a built-in market to the Town Center tenants, and increase the 24-hour activity in the area. There will be 14 floors and 341 choices of chic studio suites, or one-, two- and three-bedroom city apartment homes with dimensions up to 1,576 square feet. Two floors of The Cosmopolitan will feature luxury penthouses, with views of both Downtown Norfolk and the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The $60 million building will include first floor retail on the street, and a public parking garage for 856 cars.

Apartments will all contain quick-touch fireplaces, granite countertops on kitchen islands, and top-notch lighting systems. A full array of services and amenities will be offered including a rooftop plaza with gardens, heated swimming pool and cabana; a fitness center; a community room with a catering and demonstration kitchen; a boardroom with high-speed internet access; and an after-hours doorman. Additionally, concierge services will help residents attend to many daily details. The apartments are expected to be available for occupancy in the summer of 2005.



Galyan's opened its 84,000-
square-foot store at The
Town Center of Virginia
Beach in April 2004.


Other shopping opportunities in The Town Center of Virginia Beach include Galyan’s Trading Company, a seller of upscale sporting and outdoor lifestyle goods. Galyan’s opened the doors to its 84,000-square-foot, two-story store on the corner of Columbus Street and Independence Boulevard in April 2004. The Plainfield-Indiana-based retailer targets both outdoor and traditional athletic market segments with an amazing 90,000 items from private-label and proprietary brands.

The 23-story Armada Hoffler Tower is fully occupied, with the biggest names in law, finance and technology. Office tenants in The Town Center include: Armada Hoffler; Morgan Stanley; Wilcox & Savage; Cherry Bekaert & Holland; Pender & Coward; Senator George Allen; Thomas Rutherfoord; Troutman Sanders; Legg Mason; Mass Mutual; Faggert & Freiden; Williams Mullen and the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development.

One Columbus Center, an existing 11-story Class A office tower is getting a facelift. The building was designed and built in 1983 with the new city center in mind, establishing a high-rise focus for the new Virginia Beach skyline. One Columbus Center has remained fully leased since it opened and is still in great demand. Its tenant roster is a Who’s Who list including Divaris Real Estate, UBS Financial Services, Bank of America, BB&T Insurance/Pioneer Title, Columbus Executive Suites, HBA Architects and Wolcott Rivers. Exterior and interior renovations are underway and expected to reach completion in the summer of 2005.

The entire central business district is benefiting from the investment in the area. Across Virginia Beach Boulevard, two new restaurants have opened on outparcels at Pembroke Mall. Romano’s Macaroni Grill and Max & Erma’s are taking advantage of the synergy between workers, shoppers and diners at The Town Center.

Patrons are already making the development their destination for an evening out. They start with dinner at one of the several eateries, then take a quick stroll to the movie theatre or a browse around Barnes & Noble, capping off the night with ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery.

The Town Center of Virginia Beach is leased and managed by Divaris Real Estate, Inc. and Divaris Property Management Corp. The project is being developed and constructed by Armada Hoffler. Divaris and Armada Hoffler are principals in the project.

Divaris Real Estate, Inc.
One Columbus Center, Suite 700
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
TEL: 757.497.2113 FAX: 757.497.1338
info@divaris.com

http://www.divaris.com/rereview/TTC04ad.jpg


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[oduguy1999]

New developments in norfolk
2 towers of 25 floors and 15 floors will be built on brambelton and granby street should take 36 months to complete.
http://media.hamptonroads.com/images/breaking/granbytowers.jpg
this doesnt include 20+floor hotel planned on Main.
http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=73711&ran=184013

[oduguy1999]

a 25 story and 15 story building by suntrust building behind world trade center
a 20 story tower by macarthur mall for a large publishing firm
a 20-30 story hotel planned in center

http://www.beachscreens.com/Norfolk/Norfolk-VA-Skyline-04-02-02-02.jpg
http://www.beachscreens.com/Image-Archive/Beach-Screens-Wall-Paper/update-08-03-2002/Norfolk-VA-Skyline-04-02-2002.jpg
http://www.beachscreens.com/Image-Archive/Beach-Screens-Wall-Paper/Update-2004-March/Norfolk-Moonrise-Skyline-12-08-2003-02.jpg
http://www.beachscreens.com/Image-Archive/Beach-Screens-Wall-Paper/Update-2004-March/Norfolk-Moonrise-Skyline-12-08-2003-01.jpg

[SChristopher]

That is so cool I cant wait to go back...reminds me of a cleaner LA stuck in the "honey i shrunk the city" machine...I like it alot

[vdogg]

Damnit, you beat me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was trying to post this as fast as I could :bash: .

[vdogg]

It appears that the competition between norfolk and va.beach is on again. Both cities have been announcing new buildings left and right. Extremely cool.

[vdogg]

Heres the article for those of us too lazy to click the link.

Two towers planned for Norfolk

The 400 condominium units would sell for between $250,000 and $400,000. MARATHON DEVELOPMENT GROUP


By BATTINTO BATTS, The Virginian-Pilot
© July 30, 2004

NORFOLK – A developer has a plan to take downtown living to new heights.

Literally.

Marathon Development Group announced Thursday that it wants to construct 400 condominiums in twin towers – one 25 stories, the other 15 – at the southwest corner of Granby Street and Brambleton Avenue.

The development, if approved by the city, would be the tallest residential complex in downtown. The units would sell for between $250,000 and $400,000 and the complex would also feature six stories of parking, 17,000 square feet of retail space, a pool, an exercise facility and a club area.

The planned $100 million project could take downtown’s renaissance to a new plateau, city officials said.

As outlined by officials and the developer, the complex would meet a pent up demand for downtown living while encouraging the redevelopment of Granby Street to continue north toward Virginia Beach Boulevard. The income bracket of the condo buyers could help the city attract retail development beyond MacArthur Center. And when grouped with other developments, it could dramatically change the city’s skyline.

“Downtown Norfolk and this region has a tremendous amount of momentum,” said Buddy Gadams, president of Norfolk-based Marathon Development. “We have been working downtown for a while and have a first-hand knowledge of people wanting to live here, but they just can’t find the product.”

“We are targeting the urban person who doesn’t want a lot of space, but wants to be in the center of it all.”

The developer will submit its plans to the city’s Planning Department for review. The project, which could generate about $3 million in annual tax revenue, must then be approved by the Planning Commission and the City Council.

Gadams projected that construction could begin sometime late next year with the first phase – the 25-story tower – completed possibly by the summer of 2007.

Depending on demand, construction of the smaller tower could be done concurrently, with completion in five to six years.

Marathon officials have shared their plans with some city officials, including Mayor Paul D. Fraim.

“This seems to be a project that is well conceived,” Fraim said Thursday. “Our experience with Marathon Development and Buddy Gadams has been very good. We have reason to believe he can deliver.”







Marathon Development has completed several projects in Norfolk, Suffolk and Richmond.

John B. Levy, a Richmond-based real estate investment banking company that has similar projects in Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Charlotte, N.C., is providing financing for the project.

That a project of this size will be financed entirely with private funds indicates how far downtown has come, Fraim and other city officials said. The city invested $100 million to help finance the construction of MacArthur Center in the mid-90s, seen by many as the catalyst for downtown Norfolk’s rebirth.

“We are on the radar screen,” said Cathy Coleman, executive director of the Downtown Norfolk Council. “It is validating all of the efforts thus far. Norfolk has been very patient and disciplined in its planning approach. It has been a determined effort that is really paying off.”

Coleman said she could not foresee any negatives.

“It’s a good developer, a good development in a strategic location. It can benefit a new part of downtown,” she said. “It’s going to put people in restaurants, people in stores and it’s probably going to enhance the opportunity to go after retailers.


“It enhances our ability to market downtown to unique retail outside of MacArthur. That has always been the goal to complete the streetscape and the offerings outside the center.”

Marathon Development has been working over the past few years to acquire the property. The site, which is zoned for high-density residential development, is home to an old bank building and parking lots.

The property had been mentioned as a possible location for an annex to the federal courthouse directly across Granby Street. But plans for an annex have not advanced, according to city officials.




The complex would also feature six stories of parking, 17,000 square feet of retail space, a pool, an exercise facility and a club area.


Rod Woolard, the city’s director of development, said Gadams’ project should produce “collateral development,” accelerating redevelopment on Granby north of Brambleton.

Across Brambleton to the north, renovations have begun on a restaurant and lounge. Diagonally is the Greyhound bus station, situated on property owned by the city that Woolard said is prime for development.

Andrew Little, a principal investor with the financier, John B. Levy, said the Norfolk/Hampton Roads area is considered a hot market for multi-family development because of its job and population growth, demographics and economic base.

“I think there’s a fervor right now.

There’s really a lot of institutional interest in projects that are large,” Little said. “Norfolk happens to be a market where there’s a lot of institutional investors interested in getting into play.”

With a number of condo units planned for downtown, Little said there is a concern about oversupply in the market. “Right now it looks pretty good. It doesn’t appear out of balance at this point.”

The project, which the developers are calling “Granby Towers,” could be one of as many as eight or nine underway in downtown Norfolk within the next 12 months, Fraim said.

Such activity could force the city’s planning department to pay closer attention to the changing Norfolk skyline.

While growth is welcomed, it must adhere to the overall vision for downtown, said Tim Polk, city planning director.

“We recognize with a maturing city that we are going to the next level,” Polk said. “The girth and widths and heights are going to change. We’ve already got developments coming down the pike that are significantly taller than what we have downtown. We will have to set guidelines on how tall we want to be.”

City officials have discussed with Urban Design Associates, the Pittsburgh, Pa.-based consulting firm which has helped craft plans for downtown redevelopment, about colors, materials and finishes of buildings, Polk said.

“We will have to be prudent with this trend,” Polk said. “We want to keep the urban context of our town. We want to make sure we retain our view corridors and vistas.”

Reach Battinto Batts at 446-2642 or battinto.batts@pilotonline.com

[vdogg]

“We recognize with a maturing city that we are going to the next level,” Polk said. “The girth and widths and heights are going to change. We’ve already got developments coming down the pike that are significantly taller than what we have downtown. We will have to set guidelines on how tall we want to be.”
battinto.batts@pilotonline.com :)

[oduguy1999]

will u get to see those towers in skyline pics, i think they are all the way by the scope

[oduguy1999]

any renderings of other projects like the publisher building

[vdogg]

will u get to see those towers in skyline pics, i think they are all the way by the scope

you'll probably be able to see the 25-story one. I don't know about the smaller tower since its view from the river will be blocked by the larger one.

[vdogg]

any renderings of other projects like the publisher building
haven't found any so far.

[vdogg]

Keep in mind that they said other "significantly" taller projects r planned so even if this doesn't make a major impact on the skyline , the other projects will. I can only guess how high significantly taller is to them. I have a feeling that we'll find out shortly though.

[oduguy1999]

i wonder if a bank or something is trying to relocate to norfolk and plans a tall. significantly taller then the tallest existing building of 25 floors means at least 35 floors, in my mind atleast. i cant wait to see renderings, and plans.

[SChristopher]

I dont know why people play word games and make people wait for suspense. If you know you know and you announce it...if things are not for sure then dont build people's hopes up and come back to them with unclear information.

[bigbruiser]

It appears that the competition between norfolk and va.beach is on again. Both cities have been announcing new buildings left and right. Extremely cool.


Some how I new this would turn into a town center vs. Downtown Norfolk battle. I could see it coming a few years ago. I agree it is a good thing :)

[ScraperDude]

Is there a reason all of these buildings are 25 and 30 stories? height restrictions?
I think this metro has so much potential for an awesome commanding skyline.
Its there largest metro for mile along the Atlantic. It would be nice if it had some signature talls. :)

[vdogg]

Is there a reason all of these buildings are 25 and 30 stories? height restrictions?
I think this metro has so much potential for an awesome commanding skyline.
Its there largest metro for mile along the Atlantic. It would be nice if it had some signature talls. :)Actually there is no current height limit in the downtown norfolk area. We've just never had the property values/demand to build much higher that that. It appears now with all this new development that they have to build higher to get the most value out of the property. Maybe thats why there are so many significantly taller projects coming down the pike (as the city put it :) ).

[vdogg]

Process of building towers to begin with city meeting
http://media.hamptonroads.com/images/business/towerbig1.gif

An architect’s rendering of Granby Towers illustrates the vast $100 million project, which could bring 400 condo units priced between $250,000 and $400,000 to the northern edge of downtown Norfolk. HUMPHREYS AND PARTNERS ARCHITECTS, L.P.


By BATTINTO BATTS, The Virginian-Pilot
© August 3, 2004

NORFOLK — Officials with Marathon Deve lopment Group and the city’s planning department will meet Wednesday to begin the formal process of bringing a twin-tower condominium complex to Granby Street.

Projected water and sewage usage and parking will be among the likely topics of discussion regarding the $100 million project, which could bring 400 condo units priced between $250,000 and $400,000 to the northern perimeter of downtown.



The meeting is the first step toward winning city approval for a project that Buddy Gadams, president of Marathon Development, promises will be first rate.

“We are going to talk about the needs of that area and the development,” Gadams said. “We want to see how to build a development that is good for the city, good for the people who live there and for the developers.”


Background: Two towers planned for Norfolk

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Gadams said he doesn’t anticipate asking the city to make wholesale accommodations for his development.


“We bought this land and are going into the project without having to ask or demand anything of the city in terms of improvements,” Gadams said. However, Gadams said he would like to see sidewalk and streetscape enhancements in the general area.

It took several months and more than $2 million for Marathon Development to reach this point for the project, designed to meet a growing demand for downtown housing.

The first major step occurred about 18 months ago, when Marathon Development bought the land for the first tower at Granby and York streets. The 34,000-square-foot parcel, which contains a small church and 82 parking spaces, sold for $950,000, Gadams said.

The church, Integrity Heritage Church for All People, has a monthly lease with the developer on its space. The church, which fronts York, will be forced to move to make way for the first condominium tower, which would be 25 stories.

“We hate to displace anybody, but I think when you look at the magnitude of the project, the big picture, everyone one can be a winner,” Gadams said.


Officials with the church could not be reached for comment Monday, but Gadams said his company wants to aid in the move. “We want to help through real estate agents to find another space and possibly provide some financial incentives … in the spirit of being a good neighbor,” he said.

The entire complex, as planned, would stretch on Granby from Bute Street on the south to Brambleton on the north. It would occupy about half of the block bounded by Boush Street on the west.

If the project, now called Granby Towers, is approved by the city, construction on the first tower could begin in late 2005.

Depending on demand – Gadams said he is already getting phone calls from prospective buyers – construction on the second, 15-story tower could be done concurrently.


That tower, at Granby and Brambleton, would force The Vault, an off-site media rotation services company, to move. The business, which stores computer data for companies, is in a former bank building constructed around the late 1940s. Bob Henderson, owner of The Vault and an adjacent parking lot, said he sold the 26,000-square-foot parcel to Marathon Development in May for $1.25 million.

Henderson said he had been in discussions with officials three years ago about selling the property to the federal government for the proposed expansion of the federal courthouse across Granby. An appraisal was done on the property in preparation for a sale, but the talks halted following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, he said.

Henderson of Norfolk, who has a yearly lease with Marathon Development on the property, isn’t sure what he will do when the time comes to move. “I’ve been in business since 1982, so I don’t want to give up,” he said.

Henderson has witnessed a great deal of change since he bought the property in 1989. Years of decline had left the area a mishmash of empty buildings that lacked the cache brought on by recent revitalization several blocks south.

The idea of a condominium development of this magnitude on Granby would have seemed far-fetched back then, Henderson said. “That would have never been anticipated by anyone.”

Reach Battinto Batts at 446-2642 or battinto.batts@pilotonline.com




More Real Estate Articles
• Shifting control of association to owners - Aug. 2
• Two towers planned for Norfolk - Jul. 30
• Theme park proposal gives way to industrial park plan - Jul. 29

[vdogg]

Is there a reason all of these buildings are 25 and 30 stories? height restrictions?
I think this metro has so much potential for an awesome commanding skyline.
Its there largest metro for mile along the Atlantic. It would be nice if it had some signature talls. :)
Here is a much more complete answer to your question. As I understand from reading this zoning ordinance, there is no height limit for DT norfolk.
8-2 Downtown Regional Center District D-2.
8-2.1 Purpose statement. The D-2 Downtown Regional Center District is intended to accommodate downtown Norfolk's role as the regional business, economic and cultural center. Office buildings, government offices, regional retail, and hotels are encouraged. Residential and other downtown uses are permitted.
At the same time, however, an appropriate environment should be created around the historic buildings that give downtown Norfolk its distinctive character, such as the Customs House, St. Paul's Church, and MacArthur Memorial. The planning commission shall require new development near such structures to contribute to an appropriate setting, in accordance with the downtown plan and in accordance with review criteria in section 8-0.9 and 8-0.10, and in section 8-0.11 if applicable.
In addition, Main Street from St. Paul's Boulevard to Boush Street has been identified as downtown Norfolk's principal retail street. To reinforce this role, this ordinance includes provisions for encouraging active uses along the street frontage and build-to lines on Main Street.
8-2.2 Permitted uses. All uses listed as permitted in the D-2 District shall be permitted only after review and approval pursuant to the provisions set forth in section 8-0.8. Uses permitted in the D-2 District are set forth in the Table of Principal Uses for Downtown Districts found at section 8-5.
8-2.3 Special exception uses. The uses specified as special exceptions in the Table of Principal Uses for the D-2 District found at section 8-5 shall be permitted in the D-2 District with a special exception provided they are approved pursuant to the standards and procedures for special exceptions set forth in Article V, Chapter 25 and comply with all other applicable requirements of this ordinance.
8-2.4 Required use of ground floor areas. The requirements of section 8-0.13 shall apply to all buildings which abut, and which have facades oriented to, the following principal streets or pedestrian ways in the D-2 District west of St. Paul's Boulevard:
(a) Main Street.
(b) Plume Street.
(c) City Hall Avenue.
(d) Granby Street.
(e) Atlantic Street.
(f) Bank Street.
(g) Commercial Place.
(h) Monticello Avenue.
(i) Boush Street.
8-2.5 Accessory uses. Uses that are customarily accessory to the above permitted uses and clearly incidental are permitted.
8-2.6 Bulk requirements. Bulk regulations in the D-2 District include floor area ratio (FAR), building height, yard requirements, and lot coverage, and required public open space. The FAR, yard and building height standards for this district are as follows:
(a) Floor area ratio: Five for all uses; maximum adjoining permanent public open space included in gross lot area shall not exceed 100 feet.
***(b) Maximum building height: None, except that height limits may be instituted to protect specific adjoining historic structures pursuant to the provisions set forth in section 8-0.11. ****
(c) Yard requirements: None, except build-to lot line on 75 percent of street frontage along those segments of Main Street and Granby Street in the district.
(d) Maximum lot coverage by buildings: None
8-2.7 Required open space. Ten percent of net lot area; none for parking garages.
8-2.8 Off-street parking and loading. All loading and maneuvering space shall be concealed from streets, public open space, and pedestrian ways, and be located within building lines. No off-street parking is required in this district. Curb cuts on Main Street shall be discouraged to maintain the pedestrian environment. Alternative vehicular access points shall be used wherever possible.
8-2.9 Signs. Signs in this district shall be in accordance with the regulations set forth in Article III, Chapter 16.

[vdogg]

Info above received from this link http://library9.municode.com/gateway.dll/VA/virginia/377?f=templates&fn=default.htm&npusername=10121&nppassword=MCC&npac_credentialspresent=true&vid=default. You've got to search for it thought. I realize the above post is a little long. The important part I put asteriks (sp?) around.

[verycoolnin]

Here is a much more complete answer to your question. As I understand from reading this zoning ordinance, there is no height limit for DT norfolk.
8-2 Downtown Regional Center District D-2.
8-2.1 Purpose statement. The D-2 Downtown Regional Center District is intended to accommodate downtown Norfolk's role as the regional business, economic and cultural center. Office buildings, government offices, regional retail, and hotels are encouraged. Residential and other downtown uses are permitted.
At the same time, however, an appropriate environment should be created around the historic buildings that give downtown Norfolk its distinctive character, such as the Customs House, St. Paul's Church, and MacArthur Memorial. The planning commission shall require new development near such structures to contribute to an appropriate setting, in accordance with the downtown plan and in accordance with review criteria in section 8-0.9 and 8-0.10, and in section 8-0.11 if applicable.
In addition, Main Street from St. Paul's Boulevard to Boush Street has been identified as downtown Norfolk's principal retail street. To reinforce this role, this ordinance includes provisions for encouraging active uses along the street frontage and build-to lines on Main Street.
8-2.2 Permitted uses. All uses listed as permitted in the D-2 District shall be permitted only after review and approval pursuant to the provisions set forth in section 8-0.8. Uses permitted in the D-2 District are set forth in the Table of Principal Uses for Downtown Districts found at section 8-5.
8-2.3 Special exception uses. The uses specified as special exceptions in the Table of Principal Uses for the D-2 District found at section 8-5 shall be permitted in the D-2 District with a special exception provided they are approved pursuant to the standards and procedures for special exceptions set forth in Article V, Chapter 25 and comply with all other applicable requirements of this ordinance.
8-2.4 Required use of ground floor areas. The requirements of section 8-0.13 shall apply to all buildings which abut, and which have facades oriented to, the following principal streets or pedestrian ways in the D-2 District west of St. Paul's Boulevard:
(a) Main Street.
(b) Plume Street.
(c) City Hall Avenue.
(d) Granby Street.
(e) Atlantic Street.
(f) Bank Street.
(g) Commercial Place.
(h) Monticello Avenue.
(i) Boush Street.
8-2.5 Accessory uses. Uses that are customarily accessory to the above permitted uses and clearly incidental are permitted.
8-2.6 Bulk requirements. Bulk regulations in the D-2 District include floor area ratio (FAR), building height, yard requirements, and lot coverage, and required public open space. The FAR, yard and building height standards for this district are as follows:
(a) Floor area ratio: Five for all uses; maximum adjoining permanent public open space included in gross lot area shall not exceed 100 feet.
***(b) Maximum building height: None, except that height limits may be instituted to protect specific adjoining historic structures pursuant to the provisions set forth in section 8-0.11. ****
(c) Yard requirements: None, except build-to lot line on 75 percent of street frontage along those segments of Main Street and Granby Street in the district.
(d) Maximum lot coverage by buildings: None
8-2.7 Required open space. Ten percent of net lot area; none for parking garages.
8-2.8 Off-street parking and loading. All loading and maneuvering space shall be concealed from streets, public open space, and pedestrian ways, and be located within building lines. No off-street parking is required in this district. Curb cuts on Main Street shall be discouraged to maintain the pedestrian environment. Alternative vehicular access points shall be used wherever possible.
8-2.9 Signs. Signs in this district shall be in accordance with the regulations set forth in Article III, Chapter 16.Well, I have another answer to this question. The Hampton Roads area is made up of seven independent cities (eight if you count Poquoson, but no one does) right next to each other and from what I know, five of the cities have their own downtown district. So instead of it all being in one area, it's all spaced out. Also if you look at downtown Norfolk in the early 80s, it was a dump. There have been vast improvments to waterside over the past 15-20 years. News of new towers to Norfolk keeps pouring in day by day.

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=73981&ran=131370

NORFOLK — BB&T announced Thursday it is moving its regional headquarters literally up the block, a development that could step up the pace of construction downtown.

The bank also said it will sell the parking lot across from its current location at 109 E. Main to the city. Its move to 500 E. Main St. and sale of the lot could set up a domino effect of development that promises to reshape the look of downtown.
The parking lot is the potential site of a 25-story Hilton Hotel that would be built by Robert Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television and owner of the Charlotte Bobcats NBA franchise. It would be tied into a small conference center built by the city.

Negotiations on the project are ongoing. City officials declined to comment Thursday.

A confidential city document obtained by The Virginian-Pilot indicates the city is also negotiating to purchase the nearby ICON building and a law firm run by Peter G. Decker Jr. “for the hotel and conference center.” The document was distributed to City Council members and other high-ranking city officials nearly two weeks ago.

Decker said he has had discussions with the city and negotiations continue. Johnson said several months ago that he’s interested in putting a high-end Hilton Hotel in downtown Norfolk.

The lot also has been mentioned as the potential site of a parking garage for the proposed Trader Publishing Building, to be built at the southeast corner of Granby Street and City Hall Avenue. A deal on that development is considered imminent.

BB&T’s move also creates an opening at 109 E. Main. Harbor Group International has an agreement to buy the property from BB&T as part of its lease of 500 E. Main to the bank.

All of this comes a week after a developer announced plans to build 400 condominiums in two towers at the intersection of Granby Street and Brambleton Avenue.

The activity is further indication of downtown Norfolk’s economic growth.

“These guys could have gone anywhere,” Mayor Paul D. Fraim said Thursday of BB&T. “This was an independent move by BB&T, and it continues to validate downtown as the business and financial core of the region.”

Others suggested there is more to come.

“There were definitely some people who thought that downtown was completed. It certainly is not complete. There is a lot more to do,” said Cathy Coleman, executive director of the Downtown Norfolk Council. “It is safe to say that this opens up a lot of opportunities.”

BB&T entered Virginia in 1995 by buying a Virginia Beach community bank, Commerce Bank. It acquired the 109 E. Main site three years later when it bought Life Savings Bank, a Norfolk thrift.

Based in Winston-Salem, N.C., the bank expanded its presence in Hampton Roads in 2003 when it bought First Virginia Banks Inc. BB&T also owns the brokerage firm Scott & Stringfellow Inc., which has offices locally, and the Norfolk money-management firm Virginia Investment Counselors.

Moving to 500 E. Main, a building occupied by SunTrust Bank until it moved to 150 W. Main St., gives BB&T a larger and more prominent presence in downtown.

The 16-story building is visible from Interstate 264 and the harbor. The bank’s logo will be displayed on two sides of the building, which also houses the Hunton & Williams law firm, Waterside Capital, the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance and the local office of the Virginia attorney general.

BB&T will occupy the bottom three floors and 40,000 square feet of space at 500 E. Main. Scott & Stringfellow is also moving to BB&T’s new location.

“That building gives us exceptional drive-through capability” for customers “and more than ample parking for our employees,” BB&T’s Regional President Robert Boyd said. By being in the larger building, the bank also gains access to a much larger pool of prospective customers than at its current location, he said.

The sale of the parking lot, seen by the city as a prime parcel for development, is still pending. “It has been the goal of the city for years to control the development of that site,” Fraim said.

Funds for the purchase of the lot, valued at more than $3 million, will come mostly, if not all, from downtown parking revenue, the mayor said.

Fraim declined to comment further about the status of discussions regarding Johnson’s proposed hotel or other potential uses for the parcel.

Decker’s law practice, at 201 E. Plume St., is next to the parking lot. Decker said he and his wife, Bess, have done a great deal of work on the building since buying it about 20 years ago. Selling it is “definitely not a done deal,” he said.

But Decker indicated a willingness to work with the city. “My wife and I will never do anything to stand in the way of the progress of the city of Norfolk,” he said.

“It’s kind of fun being in the middle of all of it.”

[oduguy1999]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=73981&ran=131370 (http://)

BB&T movement further up street opens up parking lot to development of 25 story hi end hilton hotel. This also opens up room for a new parking garage for the 19 story publisher building thats been approved. Plus the 25 and 15 story buildings just proposed are just the icing on the cake. theres more to come too.
Norfolk is going to have a real cool skyline soon. :)

[oduguy1999]

i made a pic of what i suspect the skyline might look like with the addition of 25 story hilton
25 story granby tower
15 story granby tower behind it
19 story publisher building
does not include more then 5 other projects that havent been revealed fully
http://hometown.aol.com/aanvb/myhomepage/norfolk1.jpg?mtbrand=AOL_US

[verycoolnin]

Nice photoshop work.

[Style™]

That looks awsome. Looks like its boom town. :D

[vdogg]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=74369&ran=150541

http://media.hamptonroads.com/images/business/tradermap.gif

Trader tower in Norfolk will bring 500 new jobs
By HARRY MINIUM, The Virginian-Pilot
© August 14, 2004

NORFOLK — Gov. Mark R. Warner has scheduled a news conference Monday to announce that Trader Publishing Co. will consolidate more than 1,300 employees in a new downtown office tower.

Officials in Warner’s office said Friday that he will attend a 2:30 p.m. news conference Monday in Norfolk to “make a major economic development announcement.” Sources who asked not to be identified say he will announce that Trader will build an office tower on the city-owned Federal Square parking lot at the southeast corner of Granby Street and City Hall Avenue.

More than 500 new jobs will be created, and the average salary for the 1,300 employees will be more than $45,000 per year, the sources said.

Hundreds of employees will relocate from Trader’s seven -story downtown headquarters on Plume Street and offices in Virginia Beach, Seattle and other cities.

According to a confidential memo distributed last month to city officials, Trader will spend $51 million on the building, which could be as tall as 19 stories. The memo notes that the Trader building will generate $38.8 million in city taxes and parking revenue during the next 20 years.

The city is expected to spend approximately $12 million on a parking facility for Trader, which would occupy the first seven stories of the office tower. It would be paid for in part with parking fees charged to Trader employees. It isn’t known what other economic incentives the city offered to lure Trader.

Word leaked out three months ago that Trader was negotiating with the city about building a 225,000-square-foot office tower. Sources say that rising construction costs drove the cost of the project much higher than expected but that a contribution from Warner’s Opportunity Fund sealed the deal several weeks ago.

Mayor Paul D. Fraim, City Manager Regina V.K. Williams and Conrad M. Hall, Trader’s president and chief executive officer, could not be reached for comment.

Luring Trader downtown is a coup for the city. Virginia Beach tried to entice Trader to Town Center, a new office, shopping and housing complex near Pembroke Mall. A Texas community that city officials have declined to name also negotiated with Trader.

City officials say attracting Trader is Norfolk’s biggest economic development project since the opening of MacArthur Center. Trader employees are expected to spend more than $7 million a year shopping and eating downtown.

The Trader building is just one of many recently announced projects expected to be built downtown.

Washington billionaire Robert L. Johnson has proposed building a 25-story Hilton Hotel that would be joined with a small conference center the city would build. A formal announcement is expected this fall.

Marathon Development recently announced that it will spend $100 million building 400 condominiums in two towers – one 25 stories and another 15 – at the southwest corner of Granby Street and Brambleton Avenue.

Several other projects have been approved or are under way: a 17-story retirement center in Atlantic City; a 12-story condominium, grocery store and office complex on Boush Street; a $41 million cruise ship terminal next to Nauticus; a 300,000-square foot, $94.5 million heart center at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital; and a 338-unit , $38 million apartment and condominium project that Bristol Development is constructing on Monticello Avenue just north of downtown.

Trader is owned jointly by the Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises Inc. and Norfolk-based Landmark Communications, Inc., publisher of The Virginian-Pilot.

Founded in 1991 , it produces more than 650 publications, such as Auto Trader and Yacht Trader. It has nearly 10,000 employees, including 1,000 in Hampton Roads split between downtown and the Convergence Center I in Virginia Beach. Most or all of the 440 employees in Virginia Beach are expected to relocate to downtown.

Reach Harry Minium at 446-2371 or harry.minium@pilotonline.com

[oduguy1999]

new rendering for 20 story trader publishing building and article
http://media.hamptonroads.com/images/business/traderbuildingbig.jpg
http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=74413&ran=4295 (http://)

[vdogg]

It's almost too much to keep up with. I can't wait to see the rendering for the new hotel.

[vdogg]

oduguy, that link didn't seem to work, so I'm posting the arcticle that went along with the picture of that office tower here.

By HARRY MINIUM AND BATTINTO BATTS, The Virginian-Pilot
© August 16, 2004 | Last updated 2:07 AM Aug. 17

NORFOLK — Calling it a “signature watershed event” that reaffirms downtown’s position as the business hub of Hampton Roads, Mayor Paul D. Fraim joined state and local officials Monday in announcing that Trader Publishing Co . will build a new office tower for its electronic media division .

The new building will stand 19 or 20 stories and will bring 600 new jobs to Hampton Roads, many of them dedicated to Trader’s expanding Internet presence . It also will retain 550 existing jobs, including 400 moving to Norfolk from Virginia Beach , that would have been lost had Trader moved out of state.

“This is a company that could have relocated its offices to any major city in the country,” Fraim said. “Instead, it was determined to stay where its roots are, and to bring hundreds of jobs that will translate into hundreds of millions of payroll dollars over time.”

Trader, founded in 1991 in Norfolk, operates Internet and classified advertising publications in more than 300 field offices in 177 cities , among them The AutoTrader and TruckTrader magazines. It is jointly owned by Cox Enterprises Inc. of Atlanta and Norfolk’s Landmark Communications Inc., publisher of The Virginian-Pilot .

Trader will spend approximately $51 million to build and outfit the 270,000-square -foot facility, which will include 25,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space and 440 parking spaces on the lower floors.





Background Coverage:
Trader tower in Norfolk will bring 500 new jobs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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The building, which will have a capacity to house 1,300 employees , will rise at the southeast corner of Granby Street and City Hall Avenue on the city-owned Federal Square parking lot . It was designed by CMSS Architects , the Virginia Beach firm that designed that city’s Town Center development near Pembroke Mall .

Trader’s current headquarters , located on Plume Street within a short walk of the Federal Square lot , will remain open as Trader’s national headquarters , said Conrad M. Hall , Trader’s president and chief executive officer . Hall, a Norfolk native , acknowledged that building downtown could be more expensive than in other locations.

“Norfolk is the economic engine for Tidewater,” he said. “As Norfolk is strengthened, the region becomes stronger.”

Gov. Mark R. Warner, who gave the city $1 million from his Opportunity Fund to help subsidize Trader’s new building, said the addition of 600 jobs to Hampton Roads will be a major boost to the economy. Most employees will make in excess of $40,000 , he said.

Trader’s new building is expected to increase the demand for housing downtown. That’s good news for developers such as Buddy Gadams , who has a number of residential projects under way, and has proposed building 15-story and 25-story residential towers at the corner of Granby Street and Brambleton Avenue .

“I think what just happened with today’s announcement is the pent-up demand just got greater,” Gadams said.

Monday’s announcement capped more than a year of at-times frantic negotiations between city and Trader officials about the new building. Fraim especially drew praise from Hall.

“We would not be here today were it not for his direct, personal involvement in helping us get this project done,” Hall said. Hall said construction will begin in January or February and that the new building should be occupied by 2006 .

Virginia Beach is among several cities, including locations in Washington , Ohio and Texas , that Trader Publishing negotiated with before deciding to expand in Norfolk. Hall said the traffic congestion at the Town Center was a factor in his decision to locate downtown, but that the clincher was a survey done of Trader employees .

“Our younger employees especially indicated a preference for a downtown location,” he said. “This is where the restaurants and the night life are. This will make it easier for us to recruit and retain employees.”

Hall also expressed the hope that Trader’s decision will help begin to end the so-called “brain drain” of young, high-tech workers from Hampton Roads to other regions.

“We hope that Trader and many other companies in our region will together form the economic critical mass that will make it possible for our children … to find a challenging and rewarding job,” Hall said.

The news conference drew a who’s who of Norfolk’s power elite, including three former mayors , six members of the City Council and most other elected officials. Parts of two city streets were closed off, and a video feed of the news conference was watched by hundreds of Trader employees in a makeshift tent on Plume Street . Officials hope to bring the same group together for an announcement this fall or winter about a downtown hotel.

The City Council will vote today to spend $3.5 million to purchase a parking lot from BB&T Bank located on Main Street and will authorize City Manager Regina V.K. Williams to negotiate with two nearby property owners.

The city plans to build a parking deck with about 850 spaces on the properties. Many of those parking spaces will be utilized by Trader employees, Hall said .

However, officials also hope the garage will be topped off by a small conference center and a high-end Hilton Hotel to be developed by Washington billionaire Robert L. Johnson .

“We continue to have very positive discussions with Mr. Johnson,” Fraim said.

Reach Harry Minium at 446-2371 or harry.minium@pilotonline.com.

Reach Battinto Batts at 446-2642 or battinto.batts@pilotonline.com.

[oduguy1999]

heres a new skyline pic i made with 25 and 15 floor granby towers, 20 floor publishers tower, and a 25 floor hilton, as well as 12 floor apt and new cruise ship port.
http://hometown.aol.com/aanvb/myhomepage/new2.jpg?mtbrand=AOL_US

[SChristopher]

loves it, loves hampton roads and everything it has to offer..I was gonna live in ghent but life brought me to louisville....hopefully i will live there someday..it is definatly a coastal city in renaissance..praise the new norfolk and all its sisters

[vdogg]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=74488&ran=241379

Norfolk council approves incentives for Trader tower
By HARRY MINIUM, The Virginian-Pilot
© August 18, 2004 | Last updated 9:46 PM Aug. 17

NORFOLK — The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to spend a maximum of $13.8 million over 20 years to entice Trader Publishing Co. to build a downtown office tower.

Trader announced Monday that it will build a 19- or 20-story , 270,000-square-foot tower at a cost of $51 million . It will bring 1,100 employees downtown, officials said.

The city’s incentive package, which includes $2.5 million for the contribution of the building site on Granby Street, wasn’t announced until Tuesday.

The city will also provide $11.3 million over 20 years as part of a performance-based grant . If Trader meets yearly criteria for generating tax revenues and economic activity, it will receive a grant .

That number is factored for inflation. In 2004 dollars, the value of the grant would be $7.3 million, said Roderick S. Woolard, the city’s director of economic development.

Woolard said Trader will produce $40.7 million in tax dollars and parking revenue over 20 years.

“Out of that nearly $41 million, we would be returning $11 million as an incentive for the development of the Trader tower,” Mayor Paul D. Fraim said.

“Those are funds we would not receive without this development.”

Donald L. Maxwell, director of economic development in Virginia Beach , which also competed with three outside cities for the Trader building, said he was happy that Trader will remain in Hampton Roads. But he said he was concerned that Norfolk may have used incentives to lure jobs out of Virginia Beach .

More than 400 Trader employees likely will leave the Convergence Center I in Virginia Beach for downtown.

“I’m happy, because we have a lot of people who live in Virginia Beach who work for Trader,” he said. “But I have a concern with incentives being given.”

Maxwell said Virginia Beach also offered Trader incentives.

“But once they said they were considering moving out of the area, you use your best effort to keep them here,” he said.

Fraim noted that Trader is a company founded and headquartered in Norfolk and that the city offered incentives not to take jobs from Virginia Beach, but to preserve jobs in Hampton Roads.

“The economic development arena is very competitive,” he said. “Trader was offered substantial incentives by a number of competing localities.

“It is a fact that it will cost them more to do business in the city of Norfolk, because of parking costs, than it would in other locations. But because they determined they wanted to be in downtown Norfolk they were prepared to bear that additional burden.”

Robert Ruhl , business development and marketing manager for Virginia Beach , said he is glad Trader will remain in Hampton Roads.

“Obviously, if we couldn’t get them to stay in Virginia Beach, we wanted them to stay in the region,” he said.

But he bristled at comments from a Trader official indicating the Town Center wasn’t selected in part because of traffic congestion.

“Downtown Norfolk isn’t any better, traffic-wise,” he said. “Just look at what happens when there’s a bridge lift or the circus comes to town.”

Staff writer Chris Dinsmore contributed to this report. Reach Harry Minium at 446-2371 or harry.minium@pilotonline.com

[oduguy1999]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=74523&ran=37304

[vdogg]

It kinda makes one wonder if they are purposefully trickling information on a day by day basis. There has been a new announcement every day this week, literally.

[SChristopher]

It kinda makes one wonder if they are purposefully trickling information on a day by day basis. There has been a new announcement every day this week, literally.

For the sheer excitement and anticipation!? Hehe, I am very interested in Norfolk and the entire hampton roads area, as it seems to be an awesome growth spot and very progressive with growth in mind... AND THERE IS WATER AND A BEACH!. I cant wait to see what downtown Norfolk becomes. I have thought about moving there many times, keep me posted with all the growth info you can, I love reading it. Also any advice on going there , some tell me to stay away that it is a conservative wasteland that hardly gets anything done and some say it is a friggen blast all year round...anyways keep me posted...thanks!!

[vdogg]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=74575&ran=3038

Cheesecake Factory set to open Aug. 31 in Town Center
By JANET DUNPHY, The Virginian-Pilot
© August 22, 2004

VIRGINIA BEACH – A major player opens for business in the Town Center arena on Aug. 31, leading the way for other newcomers this fall.

After two invitation-only practice lunches and a posh charity event Saturday, The Cheesecake Factory will make its Virginia Beach public debut.

The restaurant, at the corner of Virginia Beach Boulevard and Central Park Avenue, will employ 300 people, said Howard Gordon, senior vice president of business development and marketing.

But don’t look for any advertising and don’t try to make reservations to eat there. Gordon said the company doesn’t need either tactic for success.

“We try to stay ahead of the curve,” he said, adding that the chain was one of the first to use pagers to alert waiting patrons that their table is ready. “Guest satisfaction is our highest priority. When one table gets up, another is seated. It’s that simple.”



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Inside, The Cheesecake Factory is lavishly outfitted with marble floors, cherry wood booths, hand-painted murals and hand-blown glass fixtures.

Gordon said the restaurant’s portions are generous, sharing is encouraged and most people take enough food home for a second meal.

Town Center’s full-service Cheesecake Factory is unlike the one in the food court at MacArthur Center in Norfolk, which is leased to HMS Host, Gordon said.

Town Center is a partnership among Armada Hoffler, the builder, Divaris Real Estate and the city of Virginia Beach. Kris Inderlied , director of marketing and public relations for Armada Hoffler, said three more restaurants, one retailer and a comedy club will open nearby in the near future.

Three streets will open in the fall as well, Inderlied said. Bank and Commerce streets will run through from Independence Boulevard to Central Park. Bank Street, formerly Potomac Street, will be one-way east and Commerce Street, formerly Cleveland Street, will be two-way. Market Street, formerly called Garrett Drive, also will reopen.

The building that houses The Cheesecake Factory will also have G.F. Keagan’s, an Irish pub, on the opposite corner at Bank and Market streets.

Three other retail sites on the building’s first level are available and there are two prospects for the office space on the second and third floors, Inderlied said.

Next door a public plaza will share a block with a building that will be home to Ruth’s Chris Steak House. That restaurant will take up a good portion of the second level and have outdoor balcony seating. An escalator will run from the public plaza to the restaurant, said Inderlied.

The Funny Bone Comedy Club & Restaurant, set to open in October, will occupy the rest of the second level.

Bravo! Cucina Italiana will be on the first level, complete with patio seating. Gerald Divaris , CEO of Divaris Real Estate, would not confirm that Ann Taylor Loft has committed to space on the first level, but a sign there announces the location. One retail space remains, Divaris said.

Mitch Kutash, owner of The Funny Bone, described his venue as a “dinner show,” but said patrons don’t have to dine. With about 9,000 square feet, the comedy club can hold 350 people, he said.

“This is a high-end comedy club. We have high hopes for this club,” said Kutash. “We’re centered around the nicest restaurants in the area.”

A Funny Bone opened in Richmond one year ago and the Town Center location will be No. 12.

Although the 341-unit Cosmopolitan apartments on the adjacent block won’t be ready for occupancy until 2006, Divaris said four tenants have signed leases for the first-floor retail spaces, which will be available in November 2005. Three of them involve fashion, which Divaris would not name, and the fourth is the Vie de France, a coffee and dessert shop.

Stewart Bazemore, a regional property manager with Drucker & Falk, the leasing and management agent and a partner in The Cosmopolitan, said some units have already been assigned. People from as far away as Chicago and New York City have inquired about the apartments. Some who’ve placed deposits are empty nesters, current apartment dwellers and professionals who work in Town Center now or expect to in the future.

The block across from the apartments, currently a parking lot, could eventually become an office tower, said Inderlied.

The smaller block on the opposite side of the apartments, currently a construction area, could become condominiums.

Two large, similarly sized sites are marked for “future development” on the master plan. One is located at the corner of Virginia Beach and Independence boulevards and is occupied by Taco Bell and The Virginian-Pilot. It is not included in current planning for phase three, said Lou Haddad, Armada Hoffler’s chairman and CEO. The second lot is at Independence and Columbus Street.

The city’s Performing Arts Center will be located in-between, and a third lot marked for development faces Independence. The future of that space depends on the city’s plans for the arts center, Haddad said.

“We’re not far enough along to say 'here’s the element and here’s the square footage.’ We’re evaluating what will be involved and making sure it complements what currently exists,” he said.

[oduguy1999]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=74790&ran=75015 (http://)
more apt proposals for norfolk
plus further talk about 17 story retirement community in atlantic city

[vdogg]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=74790&ran=75015 (http://)
more apt proposals for norfolk
plus further talk about 17 story retirement community in atlantic city

Arghhh! That link doesn't work.

[vdogg]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=74790&ran=75015

Old storage building in Norfolk could become apartments

The old cold storage building is across the street from the PETA headquarters, on the south side of Brambleton Avenue. This view from near the Elizabeth River looks north at the building. L. TODD SPENCER/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT


By BATTINTO BATTS, The Virginian-Pilot
© August 26, 2004 | Last updated 1:21 AM Aug. 26

NORFOLK — The downtown housing boom could be spreading west to the old Atlantic City neighborhood with a plan to turn a former storage building into an apartment complex.

The Wright Co., the developer of several projects in downtown Norfolk, is making structural repairs to a building at 517 Front St. with the intent of seeking the city’s approval for residential development there.

That approval is contingent on the city declaring the building structurally safe. It sits near the banks of the Elizabeth River, and because of a damaged bulkhead , water flows under the building at high tide, according to the city.

Lenny Newcomb, zoning services manager for Norfolk, said the city has had contact with the developer.

“We have met with them on site, toured the building and reviewed their preliminary plans,” he said. “They are currently reinforcing structural components of the building. They have not submitted plans and engineering studies or future uses for the building, though we probably anticipate them.”

Construction began recently and is expected to be completed sometime next year, said Christopher Malendoski, marketing director for The Wright Co. The four-story complex would feature 30 units with either one or three bedrooms, he said. Parking would be available on the ground floor.

Rental prices have not been determined, Malendoski said.

A number of residential projects are under way downtown, several of which involve The Wright Co.. The demand for housing in and near downtown is expected to increase, particularly once the new Trader Publishing Co. building is completed and it brings additional employees downtown.

Atlantic City is 30 acres of industrial riverfront on the south side of Brambleton Avenue between the Freemason neighborhood in downtown Norfolk and the regional medical complex that includes Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters.

It was once a thriving neighborhood of shipbuilders, longshoremen and other blue-collar workers.

The city recently targeted the area’s dilapidated buildings and idle waterfront for redevelopment into an urban waterfront village with mixed commercial and residential uses.

Construction is expected to begin in a few weeks on Harbor’s Edge, a $106 million, 17-story retirement community that will act as the cornerstone for the revitalization of the area the city now wants to call Fort Norfolk.

The retirement community is scheduled to open in 2006.

The area’s history and the redevelopment plans made it attractive to The Wright Co., Malendoski said.

The developer purchased the building from CHKD for $720,000 on June 1, according to city records.

“That’s definitely an up and coming area,” Malendoski said of Atlantic City. “We are trying to fit into the puzzle.”

But that will require overcoming the city’s concerns about the building’s structural integrity.

Malendoski is confident that will happen.

“The city has been very supportive of what we have done so far,” he said. “We all have the same goal, which is to create a nice place to eat, work and play.”

Reach Battinto Batts at 446-2642 or battinto.batts@pilotonline.com

[vdogg]

^^^^ What ODU guy tried to post w/updated link.

[vdogg]

As Oceanfront hotel rises, stakes are high for city and developers
By MARISA TAYLOR, The Virginian-Pilot
© August 23, 2004

VIRGINIA BEACH — If everything goes according to plan, a 20-story luxury hotel will open here on New Year’s Eve, creating a new source of pride and excitement at the resort strip.

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=74683&ran=104712

But so far, little has gone according to plan for the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

As developer Bruce Thompson recently talked about his hotel at 31st Street and Atlantic Avenue, he rattled off a list of what could go wrong in the $79 million public-private venture: Signs might not be finished in time. A park next to the hotel could be scaled back. Worst of all, the city might miss its Jan. 31 deadline for completing the public garage, which is supposed to provide parking for hotel guests.

“Nothing has gone perfectly on this project,” Thompson said. “Nothing.”

Thompson’s worries aren’t a simple case of opening-night jitters. After seven years and $31.5 million in municipal funding, the stakes for the city and the developers are daunting.


The Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront is about to be completed. Here are some facts about the hotel, the result of a public-private venture:
Total cost: $79 million

City’s share: $31.5 million

Developers’ share: $47.5 million

Number of Rooms: 295

Tentative soft opening date: New Year’s Eve

Public garage deadline to provide parking to hotel guests: Jan. 31

Amenities:

Rooftop zero-edged pool

Indoor pool

Private lounge with concierge services

Multilevel dining area

Outside cafe

A fine-dining restaurant with oceanfront private cabanas

Sources: City of Virginia Beach and Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If the hotel succeeds, it will woo upscale tourists with its two restaurants, two rooftop pools, valet parking and sweeping views of the beach. That, in turn, could help fill the city’s new $202 million convention center with national bookings, encourage developers to revamp rundown shops and bars elsewhere at the Oceanfront, and generate $30 million in additional tax revenue over 25 years – above and beyond the cost of the project.

If the project fails, it could cost taxpayers and Thompson’s company millions of dollars.

Further complicating matters, the city and the developers continue to bicker even as the hotel’s opening draws near.

“Ever since this project got started, people have been scratching their heads wondering what’s going on,” said Kevin E. Martingayle, a lawyer who represents several hotel owners opposed to the project. “One minute there seems to be great harmony between the city and developer; the next minute, great acrimony.”

According to public documents, Thompson has repeatedly sent the city a list of what he sees as sticking points, including the escalating costs of the public park. Accusing city officials of foot-dragging, he has hinted in letters to Beach officials that he could have grounds to sue the city for what he claims are unfulfilled obligations.

When asked recently about the negotiations, Thompson blamed a slow-moving city bureaucracy for the holdups.

“I’ve heard 'whoops’ so many times that it makes me nauseous,” he said. “I sit in a meeting, we find out all the details. Two months goes by, three months goes by. I say, 'Where’s the document that affirms what we said?’ They say, 'Well, we really can’t do that.’ ”

Beach officials said the wrangling over details is understandable given the importance and size of the project, and they point out that they have resolved countless other disputes to the satisfaction of both sides.

“This is just the nature of the beast,” City Manager James Spore said. “Once the project is done, we’re going to have a nice park and a nice project and people are going to be happy with it. Hopefully all of these issues will be worked out before the project is done.” At least every couple of weeks, a list of Thompson’s demands arrives at city hall and is circulated among the Beach’s top officials.

Although Thompson’s complaints have changed little over the past six months, the tone of his letters shifts between appeasing and litigious.

One of Thompson’s main concerns is how much the city will spend on the 1.32-acre public park. According to the city’s preliminary estimates, the park is expected to cost roughly $700,000 more than the $1 million already budgeted.

That figure doesn’t include extra items such as a $400,000 base for a statue of Neptune, a paved service driveway, lighting and trees. With the extras, the city estimates the park could cost as much as $2.4 million.

Beach officials say they are unlikely to approve the additional items because they need to stay within the budget. The city is spending $7.6 million more than expected on the public garage, which will include parking for hotel guests. The garage now costs $19.8 million.

At the same time, the city doesn’t want to be seen as skimping on the park, which is perceived as important for the public’s support of the entire project. In 2000, voters approved a nonbinding referendum that called for a park – not a hotel – at the 31st Street site. But the City Council went forward with the hotel and smaller park saying it was too late to back out.

Barbara Messner, an activist involved in the referendum, said the park that ended up being approved is too small for the public to get any real use out of it.

“That’s not a park,” she said. “It’s just a constant slap in the face for the people who said they didn’t want a hotel there.”

The developers are concerned that the city will sacrifice quality for cost, but they also don’t want to kick in any more money for the basic plans for the park. They argue that the city should have anticipated and planned for an increase.

“We have $160 million worth of development in one phase or another, and I’ve never had a budget that’s come in exactly right,” Thompson said. “Now they’ve made these statements that it will not be one dime over. I shudder because what that really means to me is that they’re going to cut something.”

The developers are also pressing the city to offer hotel guests special beach service, which they describe as essential to a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign billing the hotel as a resort and spa. They want more expensive chairs and umbrellas, water and towel service for guests and beach toys for children.

“Failure of the City to not provide its moral, if not contractual obligation in this regard would force the Developer to reprint all its marketing products and possibly put our resort designation with Hilton in jeopardy,” Chad Poultney, one of the developers’ representatives, wrote in a letter to the city in June. “We request written assurance that Beach Service will be provided ...”

But city officials want to make sure that they can provide special beach services for the hotel without additional cost to taxpayers. If they find a way to accomplish that, they want to be able to offer the same service to other hotel owners as well.

“We agree in principle,” Spore said. “We just want to make sure we don’t end up losing money.” Park costs and enhanced beach service are just two sticking points in a long list of differences between the city and the developers.

For months, Thompson did not notify the city of the hotel’s opening date. Beach officials said they needed to know in order to avoid paying damages if the garage opened late. In June, the matter was resolved when the developers announced the opening date and promised not to impose fines before Jan. 31.

“There were some terse discussions over that issue,” City Attorney Leslie L. Lilley said. “We’re partners on this project. There should not have been any need for that.”

But Beach officials also think some conflict is healthy in any public-private venture because it proves the city isn’t caving to unreasonable demands. They point out that Thompson has a reputation as a perfectionist and a tough negotiator, characteristics that can make for a difficult partnership.

“He’s a strong advocate for his position,” said City Councilman Peter Schmidt, who thinks that the hotel will benefit the resort in the long run. “That advocacy has caused us to have some flare-ups.”

City Councilman Richard Maddox , who represents the resort district, said occasional friction is natural between opposing interests accustomed to different ways of operating.

“Developers are used to being able to look the partner in the eye and saying, 'Do you want this, yes or no?’ ” he said. “But when they ask the city manager something, the city manager has to ask 11 other people.” Years before Thompson got involved, delays and controversy had impeded the hotel project. In 1988, the Virginia Beach Development Authority bought the first piece of property east of Atlantic Avenue between 30th and 31st streets for $3.4 million. When developers didn’t immediately express interest in building on the site, city officials argued over how to proceed. Some wondered whether a hotel would ever be built.

Plans for a new, much larger convention center to replace the Pavilion resurrected the hotel proposal. Proponents argued that without a luxury hotel, the city wouldn’t have enough high-quality rooms for conventioneers when the center opens next year.

In June 1997, the city solicited bids. Of three proposals submitted, the city chose a proposed four-star hotel by Thompson and his partner, Edmund Ruffin.

But opponents continued to object to the city investing in the hotel project when the public had voted for a park. They also expressed concern that Thompson and Ruffin would end up profiting at the city’s expense.

“There was a perception that this was governmental funding of competition,” Martingayle said. “It wasn’t necessary for the city to get involved and put this deal together with special treatment and concessions.”

Despite their public-private partnership, the city and the developers didn’t end up with a conflict-free relationship. While Ruffin opted out of day-to-day decision making, Thompson emerged as the public face of the project. Behind the scenes, Thompson quickly clashed with Beach officials over issues large and small.

In December, the city’s project manager became so frustrated that he swore at Thompson during a meeting. The city found another project manager, but the friction continued. Several times this year, Thompson has accused the city of increasing his share of the costs by refusing to agree to his demands.

“What is the forum for the debate and resolution. ... Is it the court?” Thompson wrote Spore in one e-mail in January. “I pray not. ... A vote from council? Not very efficient.”

On June 22, Thompson called an emergency meeting with Beach staff to discuss his list of demands. The two-hour session ended without resolution. “It’s been very time-consuming,” Spore said of the discussions with the developers. “It’s a much finer level of detail than I typically get involved with.”

With the project nearly completed, Spore is conciliatory. He laughed when asked about Thompson’s reputation for sending ranting e-mails. In one, written in March, Thompson said negotiations had reached an impasse. “The arguments and debates etc. have quite frankly wore us out ...” he wrote. “We can not and will not participate in this process any further.”

Spore is the one who sounds tired. “There’s no evidence that they’ve been worn out,” he said. But he remains upbeat about the project, calling Thompson a hero for his role. “If it hadn’t been for Ed’s and Bruce’s commitment to the resort area and their absolute tenacity, this project wouldn’t have happened,” he said.

Once the hotel opens, the test will be whether it leads to redevelopment at the resort, encouraging tourism so that the city can recoup its investment.

“The whole thing has been messy and time-consuming, and it has never been clear what the city stands to get out of this project,” Martingayle said. “But the last chapter still isn’t written.”

Reach Marisa Taylor at 222-5108 or marisa.taylor@pilotonline.com

[vdogg]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=74859&ran=132019
http://media.hamptonroads.com/images/business/beachmarriottmap.gif

Luxury hotel proposed to replace Dunes at Oceanfront

A local businessman is negotiating with the Marriott chain to build a 14- or 15-story, 250-room luxury hotel that would replace the Dunes Oceanfront, above. GARY C. KNAPP


By MARISA TAYLOR, The Virginian-Pilot
© August 27, 2004

VIRGINIA BEACH — A local developer has approached the city with plans to build a luxury hotel on Atlantic Avenue across the street from the 9th Street public parking garage.

Thomas Lyons, chairman of Tidewater Hotels & Resorts, is negotiating with the Marriott chain to build a 14- or 15-story, 250-room hotel that would replace the Dunes Oceanfront. The proposal, which is expected to be considered by Marriott International Inc. next month, has prompted city officials to rethink their plans for Rudee Loop. Jim Ricketts, director of the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, briefed the City Council on Lyons’ proposal during Tuesday’s closed session. Council members saw preliminary sketches of a hotel with a curvy glass design.

“The plan they have is one of the most impressive I’ve seen in my time on council,” City Councilwoman Reba McClanan said. “It’s very elegant looking. It’s the kind of design you see in a major resort town in Florida or in Las Vegas.”

Tim Stiffler, president of Tidewater Hotels & Resorts, would only confirm that his company was in negotiations with a “major flag hotel.”

“It’s too early to say anything more,” he said. “I would confirm that we plan to develop an Oceanfront hotel that we think would be a complement to the convention center.”
Another high-quality hotel at the Oceanfront would provide rooms needed to attract bookings for the new $202 million convention center set to open next year, city officials said.

A study commissioned by the city concluded that the resort area needs at least 800 more convention-quality rooms. The 295-room, 20-story Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront under construction at 31st Street and Atlantic Avenue is supposed to help fill the gap, but the city is banking on other hotels being redeveloped at the resort area.

If approved by Marriott, the project would be the chain’s third luxury hotel in Hampton Roads. It also operates the 405-room Norfolk Marriott Waterside hotel and the 244-room Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel and Waterfront Conference Center.

Virginia Beach began buying property at the southern end of the resort strip in 1998 for a proposed public-private venture that would include a hotel and park. So far, the city has spent $11.5 million to buy 3.6 acres for the project.

But Beach officials said they are now considering putting off their plans for building a hotel at the site for at least five to 10 years. Council members said they want to see the results of the proposed Marriott, the new convention center and a $79 million partnership with the developers of the Hilton, which entails $31.5 million in public funding.

The Hilton is scheduled to open on New Year’s Eve, and the convention center will open next year.

“I would be very hesitant to put taxpayer money into another project right now,” City Councilman Peter Schmidt said.

As part of Lyons’ proposal, the city would lease to his company 300 of the 610 parking spaces at the 9th Street parking garage.

The developers also plan to allow the city to create larger public easements on both sides of the site for better beach access. In exchange, they hope to build a larger pool that would encroach on the public green space in front of the hotel. Such an arrangement would be precedent-setting along the Oceanfront.

Richard Maddox, the councilman who represents the resort area, said the city would have to ensure that any parking lost to the hotel would be quickly replaced by public surface parking at Rudee Loop.

“To me, this entire deal needs to be contingent on public parking at Rudee Loop for this to pass the smell test,” Maddox said. “You can’t take away half of a parking garage and lease it to a private interest without doing something else for the public.”

The city would also extend the boardwalk to Rudee Loop and accelerate the development of a public park at the site, Maddox said. In the past several years, residents who live in the Rudee Loop area have lobbied for a larger park at the site instead of a hotel.

City officials, enthusiastic about the prospect of another new convention-quality hotel – this time with no major public investment – said they hope to work out the details to make the Marriott project happen. According to the city’s estimates, a Marriott would generate $48 million in additional tax revenue over 20 years.

Lyons, who is Virginia Beach’s top hotel developer, owns two Courtyard by Marriott hotels and a Fairfield Inn & Suites, another hotel associated with the Marriott chain, which is expected to open next week. All three hotels are located in the resort area.

His company has also filed plans with the city to build a Residence Inn by Marriott at 33rd Street and Atlantic Avenue.

The Marriott hotel and an adjacent 28-unit condominium would be operated in partnership with the owners of the Dunes Oceanfront, who declined to comment.

The latest proposal is not the first time the Marriott has considered building a luxury hotel in Virginia Beach.

The developers of the 31st Street site negotiated with Marriott but never cemented a deal.

Reach Marisa Taylor at 222-5108 or marisa.taylor@pilotonline.com

[vdogg]

http://www.beachscreens.com/Image-Archive/Beach-Screens-Wall-Paper/Update-05-06-2003/Towne-Center-05-06-2003-10.jpg

http://www.beachscreens.com/Image-Archive/Beach-Screens-Wall-Paper/Update-05-06-2003/Towne-Center-05-06-2003-04.jpg

[vdogg]

http://www.beachscreens.com/Image-Archive/Beach-Screens-Wall-Paper/Update-05-06-2003/Nauticus-Portsmouth-Naval-Hospital.JPG

http://www.beachscreens.com/Image-Archive/Beach-Screens-Wall-Paper/Update-05-06-2003/Downtown-Norfolk-Virginia.JPG

http://www.beachscreens.com/Image-Archive/Beach-Screens-Wall-Paper/Update-05-06-2003/USS-Wisconsin-00.jpg

[vdogg]

This is the building the new hotel would be replacing.
http://media.hamptonroads.com/images/business/duneshotel.jpg

[oduguy1999]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=75046&ran=164414 (http://)

[vdogg]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=75046&ran=164414 (http://)

I can't get to that link. What is it too?

[vdogg]

Never mind. I see it. For some reason the link above doesn't work for me but this one does. I still can't figure out the difference though. :dunno:
http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=75046&ran=164414

[vdogg]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=75105&ran=224154

By BATTINTO BATTS, The Virginian-Pilot
© September 2, 2004

VIRGINIA BEACH — It’s an icon that has been many things to people during the years.

An observation point to watch the sun set beyond the Chesapeake Bay.

A gathering spot for food and drinks with friends and family.

A place where couples look each other in the eye and profess their love.

But Duck-In and The Beach Club , which sit on one of the area’s most admired and coveted parcels of land, will exist only in memory after Aug. 14, 2005.
After that, its panoramic views will be reserved for condominium dwellers.

A group of developers has a contract to buy the property and plans to replace the restaurant with a $100-million condominium complex to be named Point Chesapeake.

The 158-unit development, which could open in late 2006, is being formally announced at 11 a.m. today at The Beach Club at 3324 Shore Drive.

“We were not looking to sell. We were not marketing the property,” said William R. Miller III, owner of the business. “Over the years, we have had several offers. This was an offer made by people of substance, and it was a substantial offer.”

Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed, but the 7-acre property is assessed at $5.08 million, according to city records. Another business, Deep Blue Marine, leases part of that property and will be forced out by the development.

Miller asked that this not be a eulogy for Duck-In.

“We have had a great run,” said Miller, who assumed ownership of the business from his parents 23 years ago.

“We’re going to have a lot of fun in this last year,” he said.



For the Terry Companies, this is a chance to build a high-profile complex that will meet a growing demand for distinctive condominium living.

“This piece of property is one of the prime pieces on the East Coast,” said Vincent Napolitano, president of Napolitano Homes, a partner in the Terry Companies.




A group of developers has a contract to buy the Duck-In and The Beach Club and plans to replace it with a $100-million condominium complex to be named Point Chesapeake. The 158-unit development could open in late 2006. CMSS Architects, PC.

The new community will be designed in the colonial revival style, the developers said. The mid-rise buildings will be connected by covered walkways and landscaped to create a village-style community.

Each of the six buildings will offer views of the Bay or the Lynnhaven River, the developers said.

Units will range in size from 2,000 to 4,000 square feet. Pricing has not been determined, but the developers said it would be marketed to empty nesters, older professional couples and retirees.

Duck-In started in 1952 as a roadside diner next to the old Lesner Bridge. The name is the result of an informal contest held in the restaurant one night, according to its Web site. Duck-In was chosen because the place was so small that you had to “duck-in” and “duck-out” of the door.

Miller bought the business from his parents 1981 after a career as an educator at his alma mater, Norfolk Academy. During his tenure, the business has quadrupled in size. Its most recent expansion, The Beach Club, opened in 2001. The establishment now has a staff of 175.

As it has grown, the business has remained committed to providing food in a fun atmosphere, patrons said.

“The atmosphere and service are excellent,” said John Weeks, manager of Shore Drive Marine, who has been in the area since 1979. “It’s always been excellent. The Duck-In has been there for years and just about everyone hates to see it go. It’s definitely a landmark.”

Mark Anderton , 55, owner of Shore Drive Shell, has watched the Shore Drive corridor grow during the years. He isn’t overly excited about increasing the density, even though more traffic might be good for his business.

“I can imagine anything happening in this corridor. Anything that would create a condo sounds like something they would do. Anything to increase the population density. It’s just a way of life here. You just have to accept that,” he said. “I would hate to see the Duck-In go. On the other hand, I know condos are what make people money.”

Richard “Tuck” Bowie also has been a frequent patron of Duck-In, drawn there by the ambience of the sunsets and the Bay.

As one of the developers, he also sees the property’s potential.

“It’s a piece of property that we thought would present a tremendous opportunity to create a beautiful community in that location,” said Bowie, president of Terry/Peterson Residential, a partner in the development.

The Terry Companies is a joint venture between Napolitano Enterprises Inc. and Terry/Peterson Venture Ten LLC. The companies, both based in Virginia Beach, have built numerous residential communities in the Hampton Roads region.

The developers submitted plans for the condominiums to the city Wednesday to formally begin the process of receiving a conditional use permit needed for Point Chesapeake.

The property is zoned for residential use, but any multi-family development in the Shore Drive Overlay District needs to apply for a conditional-use permit. The city’s planning department will review the plans and report to the planning commission. That commission will make a recommendation to the City Council for approval or denial. The council will make the ultimate decision.

City officials who have seen the plans support the idea.

“It appears to be a very high –quality project,” City Manager Jim Spore said. “It’s what the zoning permits. I think there’s a lot of people who would like to see the Duck-In continue. But if it is going to redevelop, the proposal looks pretty solid.

“They showed sensitivity to the site with the number of buildings and the height and the density. They are below density. Those are all what I would consider a positive. It is not just a high-rise building putting every possible unit on the site.”

Traffic has long been a concern along that stretch of Shore Drive, and there are plans to widen the Lesner Bridge. The developers have agreed to make accommodations to allow for the widening of the bridge, which isn’t expected for at least another 10 years.

And the developers plan to grant the public access to the more than one acre of beach front on the property. It is now open only to restaurant patro
http://media.hamptonroads.com/images/business/duckcondos.gif

Revelers gather at the Duck-In on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach. Many pull their boats right up to the beach to join the party. File photo by Martin Smith-Rodden / The Virginian-Pilot.

Miller, 59, said he is prepared to move on to another stage in life, one that could possibly include law school or politics.

“I have a desire to be an advocate for small businesses,” he said.

He knows that his establishment has provided many memories to people over the years, including himself.

The parties, the oyster roasts, the couples who met and exchanged nuptials there.

That’s why he wanted to remain open for another year, to honor each of the bookings that have been made and to make more memories. Duck-In is still taking reservations, but none beyond Aug . 9 .

“We could have done this a year ago,” Miller said. “I have a commitment to my customers. We would not have done it this year if we had to cancel one party.”

Miller plans to erect a notice to Duck-In fans who pass by the business.

It will say: “Only 11 more months to make memories.”


Reach Battinto Batts at 446-2642 or battinto.batts@pilotonline.com.

[verycoolnin]

When does construction begin on the Norfolk skyscrapers?

[vdogg]

When does construction begin on the Norfolk skyscrapers?

Harbors edge starts construction in october, The Trader tower in January. Granby towers won't begin construction till late 05' and there is as yet no specific date set for construction of the hotel.

[vdogg]

:) Changes Coming For The Norfolk Skyline
http://www.wtkr.com/Global/story.asp?S=2277218


(Norfolk, VA, September 9th, 2004, 7:27 a.m.) The Norfolk skyline is about to go through a change. Over the next year, seven new high rise construction projects are scheduled to go up and on Thursday, the city will begin making room for those developments.

The building that used to be the Mary Jane Bakery will be demolished on Thursday. The bakery closed its doors in 2001 and that ended the three generations of baking on Granby Street. Two hundred people once worked in the bakery and now it will become a place to live rather than a place to make a living.

Three blocks of businesses from the Ghent Antiques Store to the Mary Jane Bakery will be turned into luxury condominiums as part of the redevelopment of Downtown Norfolk. Just down the street, at the corner of Granby and Brambleton, Marathon Development plans to build two high-rise buildings worth about one hundred million dollars.

The two towers, fifteen and twenty-five stories tall, would include residential and retail space, an exercise facility, and six floors of parking. In addition to those projects, the Atlantic City Retirement Community will begin soon. And a luxury hotel is in the works on Plume Street. Further down Granby, Trader Publishing will build a nineteen story office building.

Today's demolition event is being called a symbolic event and will begin at 11:00 a.m. And we're being told it will take place rain or shine.

[oduguy1999]

Norfolk is doing a great job of improving itself, im very very impressed. it :) really is a beautiful city.

[vdogg]

http://media.hamptonroads.com/images/business/lifestylecenter.jpg
http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=75439&ran=119273
Virginia Beach’s Town Center features a P.F. Chang’s restaurant on the left in the tower building and The Cheesecake Factory restaurant on the right. One block behind these restaurants is The Cosmopolitan Apartments at Town Center, a 341-unit building that will be completed late next summer. CHARLIE MEADS/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT


By BATTINTO BATTS, The Virginian-Pilot
© September 12, 2004

David Smith was in the market for a new residence.

The attractive interest rates had Smith thinking about buying a single-family home, but he considered the time demands of his career and changed his mind.

He needed a place that would fit the lifestyle of a 49-year-old single man who works in the aviation industry and doesn’t have the time or inclination to mow a lawn.

Smith found what he was looking for at Virginia Beach’s Town Center, though the “what” isn’t really there, yet.

He put a deposit in for The Cosmopolitan Apartments at Town Center, a 341-unit building that should be completed late next summer. Smith was enticed by the idea of living close to his job and literally steps away from restaurants and shops. And by doing so, he became part of a trend of people looking to add convenience to their lives by sleeping, working and having fun all in close proximity.
Smith is a future resident of a lifestyle center, the real-estate industry’s response to that trend.

“There’s a lot of amenities that I like that they are going to offer right there within a few blocks,” said Smith, who lives in another part of Virginia Beach now.

If Smith sounds like someone ready to move into midtown Manhattan, then the developers have hit their target.

The goal of a development like Town Center is to create an urban environment in a suburban setting. The concept has been around for nearly 20 years, but has been fueled recently by the comebacks of America’s downtowns, including Norfolk’s. Residential development such as The Cosmopolitan is a new wrinkle developers are throwing into the mix to help generate clientele for the lifestyle centers’ restaurants and shops.

And as land becomes more scarce in Hampton Roads, it is likely that more of these mixed-use developments will appear in the area, real- estate officials said.

“As we run out of desirable land, density is going to be an answer to the problem of sprawl,” said Lou Haddad, the president and chief executive officer of Armada Hoffler, the developer of Town Center. “We may be a bit behind the curve in Hampton Roads because of the abundance of land we’ve enjoyed. I think change happens slowly and gradually. It’s a reality that our population is going to face.”

Lifestyle centers are defined in the retail industry as affluent, main street concept shopping areas. They are open developments, ranging in size from 80,000 square feet to 1.3 million square feet, and include landscaping and parking close to the stores.

The opening of the Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown, Tenn., outside of Memphis, marked the first development built as a lifestyle center per se. Since then, similar projects have sprouted across the country, with the majority of them in the South and Midwest. There are now about 100 of these developments in the United States, including some of which were aging retail areas that were redeveloped. About one in five of all new shopping centers are being developed as lifestyle centers, according to the National Research Bureau.

“Each decade, there was a development of choice,” said Patrice Duker, a spokeswoman for the International Council of Shopping Centers. “In the 1970s and 1980s, it was the enclosed mall. Then it was power centers in the 1990s. Currently, it’s lifestyle centers.”

Lifestyle centers differ from so-called power centers in the size of the stores. With power centers, you get the Wal-Marts and Targets. Retailers such as Chico’s, Talbots, Williams-Sonoma and Banana Republic are among the top lifestyle center merchants.

Lifestyle centers have traditionally been developed to work in concert with enclosed malls, said Duker of the Manhattan-based trade association. Research by the International Council of Shopping Centers shows that lifestyle centers perform better than traditional enclosed malls in terms of sales per square foot and operating costs.

The centers are thought to generate a higher frequency of shopper visits per week and less common-area maintenance costs due to their open formats, according to industry research.

“They are gaining popularity because they are atmospheric. They are very architecturally designed,” Duker said.

Larger ret