THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 29, 1994 TAG: 9412240122
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
SOURCE: MIKE KNEPLER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
It's the season to review the past year and to look toward the next.
Mayor Paul D. Fraim did that in a recent speech to the Downtown Norfolk Council, a group that promotes the central business district. (Excerpts on next page).
Fraim discussed some things to expect in downtown in 1995. He talked about the proposed MacArthur Center shopping mall, improved retail trade and Nauticus.
Committees will focus on ``different portions of Granby Street,'' on ``undeveloped segments of the waterfront and on the transportation network to serve downtown.''
The speech was notable, too, for what the mayor left out: ideas for more downtown hotels and a need to study the future of downtown public housing.
The city wants an upscale hotel to replace the SMA building, adjacent to MacArthur Center.
The hotel would serve out-of-town shoppers as well as conventioneers, although the city would rely on its facilities at the Norfolk Waterside Convention Center for major conferences, Fraim said.
Fraim said the update of the downtown master plan, due next summer, will include the hotel concept. He said there aren't any specifics yet or construction schedules. Other hotel improvements may be a large-scale renovation of the Howard Johnson on Monticello Avenue and redevelopment of the old Thomas Nelson on Granby Street.
It's too early to consider what financial incentives City Hall may give developers, Fraim said.
As for leaving out public housing, Fraim, in an interview, said: ``That wasn't intentional. . . Public policy on public housing is still very high on our agenda. I was trying to keep (the speech) to 10 or 11 minutes.''
Fraim also wanted time to tout regional cooperation, a favorite issue of his.
He added: ``You can't just say, `Hey, let's improve public housing,'' and leave it. It really deserves a full discussion and you really can't just slide it in in a couple of paragraphs. You really are talking about where people live and raise their families. It's a serious subject and we ought to address it in a serious fashion.''
Fair enough. But merely reminding people that public housing is an important topic doesn't mean you've shortchanged the subject.
Fraim further explained: ``Public housing needs to be improved, and I don't mean just painted. I mean opened up. I mean that public housing needs to become part of the fabric of the community.''
That's more reason why public housing should have been mentioned, even briefly, to a meeting of dozens of business folk.
If public housing truly is to become ``part of the fabric of the community,'' the weave must go beyond planning discussions about physical and social improvements.
Fraim has a chance to tailor a better understanding between people in different walks of life, be it public housing residents, downtown businessmen or homeowners in any neighborhood across the city.
Talk about public housing to downtown groups; talk about business issues, waterfront development and regionalism to public housing residents.
Help everybody feel they are part of the entire city.
Words are the starting point.
For the record, Mayor Fraim promised that public housing improvements will be included in downtown's updated master plan.
He reiterated his promise to create a task force on public housing. The City Council will discuss it in January, he said.
Your ideas for Norfolk and your neighborhood in 1995? Send them to ``Norfolk Goals,'' The Compass, P.O. Box 449, Norfolk, Va. 23501. by CNB