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Living in DC, I go to Virginia far more often than Maryland, just seems to be a lot more going on in Northern VA than Suburban MD. I don't know many people who live or work in MD, the border's a couple miles from my house, and don't think I cross it more than once or twice a year.
Baltimore is on the up and up aside from crime, which is major issue.
Just 800 housing permits issued last year in Baltimore. (vs. nearly 5,000 in DC) Not just the insanely high homicide rate you have, but all the abandoned buildings.
It would have been interesting to see what that looked like. Way before my time. I heard that Church st was a miniature version of Harlem back then. Not sure how true that is, but it looks like Norfolk overall was like any other city, just with shorter buildings.
By the time I had moved here they were removing the housing projects in Portsmouth and building the Cheesecake Factory out in Town Center.
Yes, I have heard from older people in the area that Church street "had anything a black man ever needed" back in the days. Lol. According to reports, Church Street had 3,000 to 5,000 homes that were demolished and replaced with nothing. Here is an article that expounds on the topic of Church Street in Norfolk. Documentary shows different Church Street | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com
Norfolk buildings never had the height of some other cities, but the city appeared much more dense before urban renewal.
This picture is Church Street in the 1940's. It is sad I cannot recognize anything from the picture.
Yes, I have heard from older people in the area that Church street "had anything a black man ever needed" back in the days. Lol. According to reports, Church Street had 3,000 to 5,000 homes that were demolished and replaced with nothing. Here is an article that expounds on the topic of Church Street in Norfolk. Documentary shows different Church Street | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com
Norfolk buildings never had the height of some other cities, but the city appeared much more dense before urban renewal.
This picture is Church Street in the 1940's. It is sad I cannot recognize anything from the picture.
3,000 to 5,000 homes? Sobering. Not sure if there are even 100 homes on that street now.
What is more likely to happen, is that Ghent grows, and it takes over Church St. Then people will be complaining about gentrification. This is how I see Norfolk growing in the future.
3,000 to 5,000 homes? Sobering. Not sure if there are even 100 homes on that street now.
What is more likely to happen, is that Ghent grows, and it takes over Church St. Then people will be complaining about gentrification. This is how I see Norfolk growing in the future.
Yes, it is not too surprising if you look at the picture posted of the area in the 1940's; the neighborhood looked like it could have been in Philadelphia. Are you able to see the photo? If not, here is a link to the picture: http://www.city-data.com/forum/membe...eetnorfolk.jpg. Most of the homes in the picture appeared to be row-homes or multi-family duplexes. I do not recognize any single structure from the picture, because 98% of the area was destroyed. I believe a key to Norfolk's success is to revitalize the other urban areas of the city besides Ghent (Park Place, Lamberts Point, Riverview, etc). If you research the history of the area, East Ghent was one of the worst slums in Norfolk before 1960, so it can be done with proper foresight and planning. Honestly, I'm not sure if the area will ever experience mass gentrification because of the transient military influence; most people seem more interested in the newer construction in Virginia Beach/Chesapeake/York County as opposed to rebuilding Norfolk, or the urban areas of Portsmouth and Newport News.
Yes, it is not too surprising if you look at the picture posted of the area in the 1940's; the neighborhood looked like it could have been in Philadelphia. Are you able to see the photo? If not, here is a link to the picture: http://www.city-data.com/forum/membe...eetnorfolk.jpg. Most of the homes in the picture appeared to be row-homes or multi-family duplexes. I do not recognize any single structure from the picture, because 98% of the area was destroyed. I believe a key to Norfolk's success is to revitalize the other urban areas of the city besides Ghent (Park Place, Lamberts Point, Riverview, etc). If you research the history of the area, East Ghent was one of the worst slums in Norfolk before 1960, so it can be done with proper foresight and planning. Honestly, I'm not sure if the area will ever experience mass gentrification because of the transient military influence; most people seem more interested in the newer construction in Virginia Beach/Chesapeake/York County as opposed to rebuilding Norfolk, or the urban areas of Portsmouth and Newport News.
There are apartment complexes going up throughout the city and some gentrification going on. A lot of these complexes there are few, if any, amenities nearby, so there is some interest. But I doubt it will be anything that could replace the infrastructure on the level of what we see in that picture. Also keep in mind, that for as many apartments go up in Norfolk, a similar amount of hotels and motels go up as well. I know that people sometimes live in those motels; I found myself in that situation for a few months.
You are correct that people are more interested in the newer construction in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. I'm not sure what is going on out in York County so I can't speak on it. In order to get that true hipster vibe Norfolk would have to reinvent itself into something other than a military town. HR's greatest challenge, will be in trying to find a way for the military to co-exist, while it transforms itself into something other than a military area. Efforts to do so have had mixed results and are often met with resistance, which is a large reason why diversity in this area is underground, and on a smaller scale (seemingly) than what you experience in other metropolitan areas.
I still believe that a professional sports franchise, even though I am not a paying supporter of professional sports, would be a move in the right direction. This has to be the largest region in America that does not have a professional team.
What I don't understand is that DC, with its federal influence, has still managed to pack a host of other things and activities into that town. Some might say that money has a lot to do with it and that people have more discretionary income but there are people with discretionary income here too.
You make a good point about Ghent. I mentioned Ghent because of its proximity to Church St, but as you mentioned, Norfolk has to start to revitalize other areas. They have done some interesting things where that new Harris Teeter is located. Can't remember the name of the neighborhood. Still feels 'hood over there but it is a lot nicer than it was when I first moved here. Neighborhoods can only get but so large, and this thing has to become contagious and spread out to other neighborhoods in other for the city to be taken seriously. Having said all of that Norfolk is still a very interesting city; not on the level of Baltimore or Philadelphia but if it does well with the little bit of land it has it should be okay.
I still believe that a professional sports franchise, even though I am not a paying supporter of professional sports, would be a move in the right direction. This has to be the largest region in America that does not have a professional team.
In terms of major league professional sports teams, I believe Austin, TX would be the largest metro without one with Hampton Roads right behind it.
It's important to note that Austin is in a state that has multiple professional sports teams. Virginia has *none*.
Also, those pictures look like nothing in Norfolk! That's bizarre. I don't understand how Norfolk keeps getting destroyed XD
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