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Seeing how Hampton Roads has no culture, unless you count the Navy as "culture", I voted for Charelston. I assume the culture of Charleston to be similar to Savannah.
No contest. And I live in Hampton Roads and have no desire to move to Charleston.
But, I would not say that Hampton Roads does not have any culture. Hampton Roads does not have a cultural identity. Those are two different things. There are pockets of culture in Hampton Roads all over the place in plain sight. But it does not have that reputation, and it most likely never will. There is no unifying identity in Hampton Roads. There is no single thing that you can point to and say "yeah, that's Hampton Roads".
Transients have something to do with it. Same with military. But I sense that, all of that aside things would not be any different. I like to think of Hampton Roads as the biggest small town you'll ever visit. They say that Boston is a city of neighborhoods. I like to think of Hampton Roads as a metro area that is full of cities that act and operate as small towns.
I don't know if the cities aren't thinking big enough, lack the resources to bring anything to Hampton Roads in a major way, don't get along and refuse to collaborate on anything big or just do not have that vision that made cities in the earlier part of the twentieth century great. This isn't a post industrial area, so that's off the table, yes, it has all of these military installations, but how do you sell that to anyone that isn't affiliated with the military? No major sports teams here. Everything is small.
I even went out of my way to find out why the Chrysler is named the Chrysler. And that is a great story. But it is not enough to differentiate that museum from other museums in this country. We don't have a "Metropolitan" in this area. The bridges and tunnels are utilitarian, and an eye sore. The architecture is hideous. What is new seems inspired by the worst of seventies post-modernism. Even the newest construction; mid-rise condominiums and the two Town Centers that exist here, aren't much to look at. Other than nature, I don't know anything around here you can look at and say "that is beautiful, that is stunning". Maybe someone's million dollar house, or an antique automobile every now and again.
Somehow I think that the area just missed that era in American history. Not that it is alone; I'm not impressed with new architecture in general, anywhere in this country, I haven't seen anything built since the earlier twentieth century that is worth writing home about. Hampton Roads you just get in where you can fit in and find your own niche. I doubt there will ever be one single thing that is a driver for this region outside of the military; I don't know if that is a bad thing, or a good thing.
The area already has more shopping per capita than anywhere else. If this region can get a venue that is on par for its size and get the public transportation right it will be okay. We have a lot of small "me too" things happening in cities around this region. We need our own Madison Square Garden, Bronx Zoo, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Radio City Hall or something either on that level, or with that notoriety, that put us on the collective consciousness. Something, anything. Good grief this is the largest, most boring place I've ever been.
But don't say that there aren't any patrons of the arts in Hampton Roads because that is patently untrue.
No contest. And I live in Hampton Roads and have no desire to move to Charleston.
But, I would not say that Hampton Roads does not have any culture. Hampton Roads does not have a cultural identity. Those are two different things. There are pockets of culture in Hampton Roads all over the place in plain sight. But it does not have that reputation, and it most likely never will. There is no unifying identity in Hampton Roads. There is no single thing that you can point to and say "yeah, that's Hampton Roads".
Transients have something to do with it. Same with military. But I sense that, all of that aside things would not be any different. I like to think of Hampton Roads as the biggest small town you'll ever visit. They say that Boston is a city of neighborhoods. I like to think of Hampton Roads as a metro area that is full of cities that act and operate as small towns.
I don't know if the cities aren't thinking big enough, lack the resources to bring anything to Hampton Roads in a major way, don't get along and refuse to collaborate on anything big or just do not have that vision that made cities in the earlier part of the twentieth century great. This isn't a post industrial area, so that's off the table, yes, it has all of these military installations, but how do you sell that to anyone that isn't affiliated with the military? No major sports teams here. Everything is small.
I even went out of my way to find out why the Chrysler is named the Chrysler. And that is a great story. But it is not enough to differentiate that museum from other museums in this country. We don't have a "Metropolitan" in this area. The bridges and tunnels are utilitarian, and an eye sore. The architecture is hideous. What is new seems inspired by the worst of seventies post-modernism. Even the newest construction; mid-rise condominiums and the two Town Centers that exist here, aren't much to look at. Other than nature, I don't know anything around here you can look at and say "that is beautiful, that is stunning". Maybe someone's million dollar house, or an antique automobile every now and again.
Somehow I think that the area just missed that era in American history. Not that it is alone; I'm not impressed with new architecture in general, anywhere in this country, I haven't seen anything built since the earlier twentieth century that is worth writing home about. Hampton Roads you just get in where you can fit in and find your own niche. I doubt there will ever be one single thing that is a driver for this region outside of the military; I don't know if that is a bad thing, or a good thing.
The area already has more shopping per capita than anywhere else. If this region can get a venue that is on par for its size and get the public transportation right it will be okay. We have a lot of small "me too" things happening in cities around this region. We need our own Madison Square Garden, Bronx Zoo, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Radio City Hall or something either on that level, or with that notoriety, that put us on the collective consciousness. Something, anything. Good grief this is the largest, most boring place I've ever been.
But don't say that there aren't any patrons of the arts in Hampton Roads because that is patently untrue.
I do think that things are starting to change (or that the seeds of change have, at the very least, been planted), but you're right. I think a lot of it comes from the absence of personal investment on the part of people from HRVA. For a lot of people, they just don't have a lot of pride for the area (and it's deserving of some, at the very least).
I get the feeling that HRVA has a crapton of unrealized potential, and that it could become something great, but it'll take a lot of work, creative solutions, and not just doing what other cities are doing.
I do think that things are starting to change (or that the seeds of change have, at the very least, been planted), but you're right. I think a lot of it comes from the absence of personal investment on the part of people from HRVA. For a lot of people, they just don't have a lot of pride for the area (and it's deserving of some, at the very least).
I get the feeling that HRVA has a crapton of unrealized potential, and that it could become something great, but it'll take a lot of work, creative solutions, and not just doing what other cities are doing.
If you're still here after 5, 10, or 15 years then why not have a sense of pride about the area? That is what I don't understand. You have families here that purchased back in the seventies, for military reasons, that are going on two, if not three, generations here. And they are not originally from this part of Virginia (if they're from Virginia at all).
So yes you bring up an excellent point that one can be here forever, or spend a larger amount of time here than they have wherever they grew up, that still do not identify with the area and still consider themselves to be transients. This isn't the type of area that continues to remind you that you are an outsider. No one really cares around here, this is a "live and let live" type of place. So why not embrace the area?
Is it because the area does not provide anything to take pride in? That is a chicken and egg type of argument. Or do people simply take pride in the region and create something they're proud of? That is a discussion that occurs at least two or three times a year in the HR forum. I do agree about the lack of philanthropy and personal investment in this region. But yet, HR cannot do what other cities are doing because it is not like other metros. Virginia Beach and Norfolk may have to lead the charge. Perhaps, when VB or Norfolk approach three quarters of a million, or half a million residents, respectively, you may see enough economic capital where a single city can make things happen in the region without the cooperation of the surrounding cities. But we have no way of knowing if things will ever play out that way; for all we know all of the cities could end up with a uniform population across the board, for various reasons.
It's really unfortunate that identity of the area where the country's future was birthed has become so entwined with Uncle Sam's need for a major East Coast naval base, that it is seen as having no culture. This is the region's fault on its own. Charleston is rich in its sense of cultural identity, but I do think it is a bit much to place its cultural offerings on a pedestal. It's a tad overrated and I think people would enjoy Savannah just a bit better. If anything, a lot of Charleston's appeal is the result of excellent historical preservation, meanwhile Hampton Roads, with the exception of the Historic Triangle (Jamestown, Yorktown, Williamsburg) has bulldozed the past.
The thread would probably be more apt as Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, Williamsburg, Hampton, Suffolk, VA and Kill Devil Hills, NC vs. Charleston, SC (Charleston, North Charleston, Summerville, Mount Pleasant, etc).
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