THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 10, 1995 TAG: 9503090153
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY TONI WHITT AND IDA KAY JORDAN, STAFF WRITERS
LENGTH: Long : 177 lines
THE CITY COUNCIL has decided that turning dreams to reality is going to take the work of more than just a few officials.
So it is asking civic groups, business leaders, merchants and citizens to make the vision happen.
In the year since the council began giving focus to its new dream, they've cut some elements and had some successes.
The city had once hoped to fund its future with the stacks of money gambling was to provide. First it was revenue from a horse-track, but that soured when the Virginia Racing Commission selected New Kent County as the state's site for horse racing.
Its next attempt for gambling profits came with the idea of floating casinos. But the bill for riverboats was killed in the General Assembly; the council didn't embrace the idea, and the city and the casino company backed out of negotiations - for now.
In the region's only public hearing on the concept, Portsmouth residents overwhelmingly said they weren't interested in an industry that had the potential to bring crime and social problems.
While gambling won't fund the dreams anytime soon, the city has slowly begun building its future.
Its first success was the new Children's Museum of Virginia. The first two months of attendance has surpassed the city's expectations. Parents from all over the region are bringing their children to the city.
The Tidewater Community College Fine Arts Center opened this winter and is expected to bring hundreds of students to the downtown area, its restaurants and shops.
While there have been successes, the city continues to struggle financially and faces an uncertain future unless it can find more private funds and grants to pay for its vision. The city manager has recommended that the city borrow against future federal grants, as Norfolk has done in paying for its proposed downtown shopping mall, the MacArthur Center. Portsmouth has also found some grants.
But the council adopted a very slim building budget - $7.3 million - far less than most cities in the region and less than Portsmouth has borrowed in the past. The financial restrictions will be the city's highest hurdle. Its next step will simply be to find the energy to make those things work. In February, the city made its first moves toward corralling the talent and energy it will need.
One of its most important steps was adopting an Economic Development plan, Vision 2005, drawn up with the help of consultant Ray Gindroz and input from citizens.
After months in the making, the plan was adopted unanimously by City Council when Vice Mayor Johnny M. Clemons agreed to support it in exchange for a seat on the citizen committee that will be named to put the plan in motion.
``The problem I have is that it does not include the Galaxy Project specifically,'' Clemons said. He referred to a plan drawn up by Harvey Johnson Jr. to build a center for black businesses on an urban renewal site in the Effingham Corridor.
``I believe this plan is vital to the survival of the city,'' Clemons said. ``I will make the vote unanimous if I can trade a positive vote for a seat on the committee.''
The plan went through City Council with two changes proposed by the Planning Commission. One deleted all specific references to riverboat gambling, substituting pleasure boats instead. The second was minor, correcting the spelling of Park View and West Park View in the planning documents.
The plan encompasses a large area of the city from the Downtown waterfront to the Midtown area.
By the time it was adopted, the city already had begun work on several components.
It has applied for grant money to design and engineer proposed inlets at the foot of High Street. The inlets as envisioned by Gindroz would be dug on either side of High Street between the Seawall and Water Street. The median, the fountain and the American flag would remain in their present positions. Boats would be able to travel into the inlets, and the Elizabeth River Ferry would dock on the outer edge of the area.
It has entered into a joint project with the Olde Towne Civic League and Portsmouth Community Development to upgrade the 600 block of London Boulevard on the western edge of the Olde Towne historic district. Initially, the city had considered razing the block, but residents objected. Moderated by Gindroz, the city and the citizens worked out the plan to save the block which is a gateway into the historic district.
It included the relocation of Frederick Boulevard in its highway plan. Frederick would be straightened to run on the Hamilton Street right of way, creating a straight shot from Interstate 264 to a perpendicular intersection with High Street. The road project is the first step toward orienting the MidCity shopping area toward High Street and creating a neighborhood atmosphere.
Representatives of Sentinel Realty, a company that holds the MidCity shopping center, are expected to be in the city in the near future to view the plan and discuss changes with city officials and other Midtown property owners.
Norcom High School, a project that would help create a civic complex in the mid-section of the area encompassed by Vision 2005, appears to be on schedule with the adoption of the new Capital Improvement Plan.
The Economic Development Department is revising its request for proposals on the Scotts Creek plan that would create a pleasure boat haven on the north shore of the creek.
The city is looking at the Chestnut Street area as the future site for some city offices, as proposed by Gindroz.
A new plan for Riveredge on the outside edge of Midtown was drawn up by Gindroz for the Bush Construction Co. which owns the old World War II housing area.
The second step in preparing for the future was to recruit citizens for a steering committee that is charged with getting the economic development plan off paper and into the cityscape.
The council voted last week to appoint Steve Herbert, the assistant economic development director, as the project coordinator. Herbert will lead the committee of volunteers.
The steering committee will include city officials; Vice Mayor Clemons and one other council member; City Manager V. Wayne Orton; Chief Financial Officer Johnna Whitaker; Danny Cruce, executive director of the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority; a planning commissioner, and a School Board member.
Other members will include at least two civic leaders, and a representative from each of the following: the Portsmouth Partnership; the Chamber of Commerce; the Olde Towne Merchants Association; Norfolk Naval Shipyard; the industrial development authority; a resident of public housing, and a representative from the Galaxy project - a private group interested in developing the Effingham Street area.
Members of the committee will be asked to oversee projects including:
Renovation of the 600 blocks of London and High Street.
Development of the High Street inlet in which Veterans Park will be redesigned, the Kings Crossing condominium project would be completed, the Naval Shipyard Museum would be expanded and Portside would be relocated.
Renovation of the Effingham-/-Elm Street area, which would include remodeling the Ida Barbour public housing complex, construction of new housing between County and High streets, planning for a new civic center along Chestnut Street, improvements to the cemetery, extending Crawford Street past the Park View Elementary School; the development of a marina and residential development at Scott's Creek and Elm Street.
Construction of the new I.C. Norcom High School, designing the public space near the school and the Scott's Creek dredging and revitalization of Shea Terrace and West Park View.
Improvements to High Street near the midtown area, redevelopment of the MidCity shopping center area, and new road designs.
In its third move, the council reviewed its goals and objectives, which were developed with the help of citizens. The council plans to update the civic leagues on its progress and ask for further input from citizens.
The council may have lost the horse track and delayed riverboat gambling - two of its goals, but it is ready to tout progress on other plans.
Portsmouth has hired a new public relations director who has been asked to design and implement an active public information and marketing program.
The parks and recreation department, the library and the museums have begun a variety of programs to prevent juvenile crime and other problems.
The city and the School Board have begun exploring ways to consolidate services. They plan to combine the local access television programming, records management and lawn services.
The city has also finalized a deal to lease Sleepy Hole Golf Course to J.S. Baar, a private partnership. Jim Armentrout will continue to manage that course. The council has also begun a search for a private developer to lease and manage another city golf course, Bide-A-Wee. ILLUSTRATION: [Cover]
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Flo Newsome, 70, says she's morally opposed to bringing riverboat
gambling to the city. ``There are other ways to make money,'' she
says.
Staff photos by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Portsmouth residents brought signs to express their feelings about
gambling at the public hearing held at Willett Hall.
Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Portsmouth City Council meets at Willett Hall to conduct a public
hearing on riverboat gambling.
City Clerk Sheila Powell Pittman, left, and Mayor Gloria O. Webb
listen to a presentation on the city's new Capital Improvement
Plan.
by CNB