VB Redevelopement (Pembroke, Independence, Cleveland: mortgage, environment, rent)

[the4pits]

I live in Kempsville, where the area is about to see major road construction and the developement of the "Historic Kempsville" distict. In digging through the cities website for info on such projects, I discovered plans for a city-wide redevelopement in several phases. It included Kempsville, Newtown road area, Green Run/Rosemont Rd. area, all of the undeveloped areas around Oceana, Diamond Springs area, and of course Town Center area. I had heard that Town Center was eventually coming through the Industrial area to Withchduck, but these plans talk about making Cleveland St. a major road that connects Newtown with Independence with upscale housing,shopping,etc. Has anyone heard of these plans, or have any info to ad to this?

[tvpirate05]

I think some of it's road expansions to Kempsville Rd., but some of it is also for the upcoming light rail system.

[vdogg]

Originally Posted by the4pits

I live in Kempsville, where the area is about to see major road construction and the developement of the "Historic Kempsville" distict. In digging through the cities website for info on such projects, I discovered plans for a city-wide redevelopement in several phases. It included Kempsville, Newtown road area, Green Run/Rosemont Rd. area, all of the undeveloped areas around Oceana, Diamond Springs area, and of course Town Center area. I had heard that Town Center was eventually coming through the Industrial area to Withchduck, but these plans talk about making Cleveland St. a major road that connects Newtown with Independence with upscale housing,shopping,etc. Has anyone heard of these plans, or have any info to ad to this?

I actually have the entire strategic master plan, made in 2003, on my computer. The file is bigger than what they allow to be uploaded to the site however. I'll see if I can work around it somehow and post at least the pertinent information here.

[vdogg]

The file is 3.73mb. If you want the full thing send me a pm and I'll email it to you. This was revised in December of 2005. What I'm posting here is just the most pertinent info.

[vdogg]

Keep in mind, this is going to happen over a long period of time. The plan is to develop the kempsville area and work east, and the old HQ property and work west. Theoretically, after a couple decades time, they would meet in the middle and you'd have a continuous urban environment stretching from Newton to Pembroke. Same thing goes with developing from rosemont to Pembroke. This is a suburban city, and it'll be very hard to change these land use patterns. Some property owners are resisting the change, and still developing incompatible uses such as strip malls. The Beach is trying to buy as much property in the area as it can to guide the development, but they have little say over land that is privately owned. Over the next decade you'll likely see the immediate Pembroke area become highly urbanized, but it'll probably take 50 years for the rest of this to play out.

[the4pits]

Thanks vdogg, that is the same info I pulled up. i am really excited about Kempsville, just hope it doesnt create a traffic problem the road work was supposed to relieve ,as the plan suggests.

[j-elzic]

I'm less worried about the traffic than I am the quickly escalating cost of living in the area. The monthly rent or mortgage and taxes are nuts around here already. I was looking into buying a home when I moved here last year...the monthly taxes alone were higher than my previous mortgage. yeesh.

[the4pits]

Originally Posted by j-elzic

I'm less worried about the traffic than I am the quickly escalating cost of living in the area. The monthly rent or mortgage and taxes are nuts around here already. I was looking into buying a home when I moved here last year...the monthly taxes alone were higher than my previous mortgage. yeesh.

I moved back to Kempsville 6 yrs ago. Bought a house in 01, right before the boom. 3 yrs later, sold it for double and moved 3 miles to the other side of town. 3 yrs later, it has gone up 100k. I think the market has topped out, but it will hold in Kempsville. The construction over the next 5-10 yrs is gonna be tough, but I think it would be great once its done. Kinda like VB's version of Ghent.

[bbguy05]

Originally Posted by j-elzic

I'm less worried about the traffic than I am the quickly escalating cost of living in the area. The monthly rent or mortgage and taxes are nuts around here already. I was looking into buying a home when I moved here last year...the monthly taxes alone were higher than my previous mortgage. yeesh.

I hope they (the city) bring in high paying jobs or at least better compensate those in existing jobs in this area, so the residents can AFFORD to live here when this all is finished.

[citydweller]

The 'last big thing' for the city was Amerigroup and that was some time ago.