Descriptions of the towns within the HR area? (Virginia Beach, Norfolk: appointed, oceanfront)

[maulotaur]

Originally Posted by forced_family_agenda

Virginia Beach, I wouldn't recommend. High cost of living, horrible traffic, non-pedestrian friendly, rude/finicky people, xtianity practised at a faux level, lack of culture&diversity, cut n paste style (or lack) format for the architectural design for subdivisions, shopping centers, and businesses in general, and the weather is unpredictable.

The town center area is very contained - for example you can not cross at the Independence Blvd near the abandoned box-store building without taking your life into hands...not even a crosswalk in sight there. A high-price, consumption-oriented pen of a bogus downtown with a few ugly buildings. Beyond that are the many miles of strip malls, repeating corporate chain shops, and parking lots along the main roads. Behind these places are the compact townhouse projects, mixed together with huge, aging developments cut-in with odd borders and unpredictable road patterns.

[forced_family_agenda]

Originally Posted by maulotaur

The town center area is very contained - for example you can not cross at the Independence Blvd near the abandoned box-store building without taking your life into hands...not even a crosswalk in sight there. A high-price, consumption-oriented pen of a bogus downtown with a few ugly buildings. Beyond that are the many miles of strip malls, repeating corporate chain shops, and parking lots along the main roads. Behind these places are the compact townhouse projects, mixed together with huge, aging developments cut-in with odd borders and unpredictable road patterns.

Well, it is refreshing to know that others have been unplugged from the matrix of delusion that has infiltrated in many minds that can't discern from otherwise. Very spot on assessment!

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by maulotaur

The town center area is very contained - for example you can not cross at the Independence Blvd near the abandoned box-store building without taking your life into hands...not even a crosswalk in sight there. A high-price, consumption-oriented pen of a bogus downtown with a few ugly buildings. Beyond that are the many miles of strip malls, repeating corporate chain shops, and parking lots along the main roads. Behind these places are the compact townhouse projects, mixed together with huge, aging developments cut-in with odd borders and unpredictable road patterns.

Town Center is a step in the right direction but I have a few issues with it.

Where are the hospitals, grade/secondary/high schools, police departments, libraries, and other functionality of an urban core within Town Center?

Where are the jobs, outside of the service sector?

Town Center has a for profit school, but where is TCC?

Town Center is for the upper middle class. Aesthetically, there is nothing for me there. I'm not asking for high-rise housing projects or anything, but affordable high-rise/mixed-use facilities for the rest of us would be nice. The ground floor in Town Center, is $1,300 a month, which is ridiculous considering that would be cheap in Brooklyn. If you're going to price as though it were downtown Norfolk, or Ghent, you have to give people the amenities to make it worthwhile.

[forced_family_agenda]

Also, to further expand, in the immediate surrounding vacinity of the 'Heart of VB", it contains nothing much more than just perhaps a mall and B&N, which is ok, but not really all that a metro-area in the making should provide. When it comes down to it, Town Center is really nothing but a bunch of overpriced restaurants, bars, apartments, and whatever else contained within a 2 block perimeter. I would say it's good for 10 minutes before it gets boring and repetitive.

[maulotaur]

Originally Posted by forced_family_agenda

Also, to further expand, in the immediate surrounding vacinity of the 'Heart of VB", it contains nothing much more than just perhaps a mall and B&N, which is ok, but not really all that a metro-area in the making should provide. When it comes down to it, Town Center is really nothing but a bunch of overpriced restaurants, bars, apartments, and whatever else contained within a 2 block perimeter. I would say it's good for 10 minutes before it gets boring and repetitive.

Have you seen the "Central Park" they have there? It is little more than a cess pond with a sidewalk going around it. There is a larger park nearby but you cannot possibly walk or bike to it - the only way to access the other side of the nearby interstate is a death trap of a giant interchange that is almost the size of the town center itself. Even if you tried to walk along the side of the highway it becomes like a tunnel with a vertical wall right up against the roadway. This place is the opposite of pedestrian/bike friendly - is there even a word for that?

[forced_family_agenda]

I have seen the 'Central Park' and it's a blatant insult to the real Central Park in NYC which consist of people hanging out and enjoying themselves which you never see anyone do here. As for the larger park nearby, they purposely make it to where people can't walk or bike there to keep them contained within the perimeters of Town Center. They could atleast make a bridge or some walkway to cross that intersection of Independence/ Va. Beach Blvd. safely, but the city could care less about that.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by maulotaur

Have you seen the "Central Park" they have there? It is little more than a cess pond with a sidewalk going around it. There is a larger park nearby but you cannot possibly walk or bike to it - the only way to access the other side of the nearby interstate is a death trap of a giant interchange that is almost the size of the town center itself. Even if you tried to walk along the side of the highway it becomes like a tunnel with a vertical wall right up against the roadway. This place is the opposite of pedestrian/bike friendly - is there even a word for that?

It would be pretty cool if they put a tunnel underneath the Interstate to connect Mount Trashmore with Town Center.

[forced_family_agenda]

Originally Posted by goofy328

It would be pretty cool if they put a tunnel underneath the Interstate to connect Mount Trashmore with Town Center.

I totally agree, but unfortunately for them, (the city) their precious bucks would be siphoned from TC if they ever implemented that or any other thing that would put the citizens interest before their pockets.

[maulotaur]

Originally Posted by goofy328

It would be pretty cool if they put a tunnel underneath the Interstate to connect Mount Trashmore with Town Center.

Sure.. - the tunnel-like arrangement mentioned is for the many high-speed lanes for cars only as it is now. But it appears that the interstate is not elevated enough to do that without some expensive modifications. Other places have walkways that go over top as narrow bridges - that would be more economical perhaps. But since nearly no one walks anywhere outside of the corral, not much demand for it here.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by maulotaur

Sure.. - the tunnel-like arrangement mentioned is for the many high-speed lanes for cars only as it is now. But it appears that the interstate is not elevated enough to do that without some expensive modifications. Other places have walkways that go over top as narrow bridges - that would be more economical perhaps. But since nearly no one walks anywhere outside of the corral, not much demand for it here.

Most cities have abandoned walk overs when the bridges don't go anywhere, that isn't unique to HR. But people would start to use it once they realized what the purpose was. If Virginia Beach is serious about creating an urban environment it needs to stimulate pedestrian activity. I understand what you're saying, but they don't cost that much and the city should be able to find the money.