THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 22, 1994 TAG: 9409200136
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
City planners expect to begin discussing commercial revitalization strategies with neighborhood groups this month.
Recommendations for improvements could reach the City Council in December.
The commercial revitalization effort is aimed at creating pilot programs in three sections of Norfolk. Lessons learned from the models eventually will be applied citywide.
The pilot areas are:
East Little Creek Road between Southern Shopping Center and Azalea Garden Road.
35th Street in Park Place, central Granby Street near Riverview and north Colley Avenue. Planners are calling the combined area ``Midtown.''
The Southside communities of Berkley and Campostella.
The city hopes to hold organizational meetings this month with neighborhood and business groups in the East Little Creek and new Midtown areas, said Brian Townsend, a senior city planner.
Generally, the work this fall will include identifying problems facing the retail areas, proposing solutions and pinpointing resources, he said.
Townsend wants to get the recommendations to the City Council in December in hopes of getting project funds from the 1995-96 municipal budget.
Planning for commercial revitalization in Southside will take another track because the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority already is carving out a site for a small shopping center in Berkley.
Nevertheless, the Department of Planning and Codes Administration believes it can help organize a market study for Berkley.
The information also can be used later on, Townsend said, to determine what commercial efforts will be needed in the nearby Campostella section.
The planning department and Planning Commission began preparing for the revitalization pilot program a year ago on the suggestion of Vice Mayor Paul R. Riddick and City Councilman W. Randy Wright.
Last week, Mayor Paul D. Fraim praised the planning staff and commission for its speed. by CNB