THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 18, 1995 TAG: 9503160299
SECTION: REAL ESTATE WEEKLY PAGE: 3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY KATHLEEN BUTLER
SPECIAL TO REAL ESTATE WEEKLY
LENGTH: Long : 159 lines
Living in Poquoson offers a quiet respite from the stresses of the 1990s, a brief escape from the hectic pace of modern urban existence.
``Poquoson is very small town,'' says Nancy Krauss, a Realtor with William E. Wood & Associates in Poquoson. ``It's almost a stopping in time.''
Yet this tiny haven is located in the heart of the busy Peninsula. Nestled between Hampton and York County, Poquoson is 15 minutes away from the area's important points - Langley Air Force Base, Newport News Shipyard and Oyster Point Industrial Park - and only a 25-minute drive across Hampton Roads to Norfolk Naval Base.
``We're just a bedroom community,'' says Rick West, a broker-owner with Coldwell Banker Suburban Realty in Poquoson. ``There's virtually no industry, just a couple of shopping centers. Most people work outside of the community.''
Indeed, Poquoson is small when compared with other Hampton Roads cities. The city encompasses 15.5 square miles and is home to 11,300 residents - less than a tenth the number of Hampton residents.
And, although the population continues to grow, Director of Planning and Community Development Jeffrey Mihelich says the population when the city is expected to top out at 18,000.
``We're a very small suburban city in the heart of Hampton Roads,'' he says.
But, with Heritage Cove, a 94-home development, under way in the northwest, and plans pending to create a specialty shopping district, real estate professionals say Poquoson is an attractive choice for folks who want to get away from city life while remaining close to employers, schools and shopping.
Originally settled in the early 17th century, Poquoson was part of York County for more than three centuries before it became an independent town in 1952 and then a city in 1975.
Poquoson is an Indian word meaning ``flat land'' or ``great marsh.'' And with about 4,400 acres of salt-marsh wetlands and 60 miles of shoreline, the city lives up to its name. Plum Tree Island National Wildlife Refuge, at Poquoson's northern tip, combines with privately owned salt marsh lands to create the largest saline marsh in the lower Chesapeake Bay.
For centuries the city has maintained its strong link with the sea. This time of year a boat lies in nearly every yard. A drive along Messick Road winds past scenic marshes, a public boat landing and a handful of retail and wholesale fish companies. Messick Point was once a vital port for shipping tobacco, the region's main export until the early 19th century, when seafood became dominant.
But today the city is also known for its high quality of life, excellent schools and low crime rate, Mihelich says.
And in an effort to boost economic growth, the city expects to create three new areas - a village commercial district, a general commercial district and a research and development district.
``The city is seeing growth and is looking to grow, specifically commercially,'' Mihelich says. ``We're putting our staff resources toward attracting new folks.''
The districts, which must still be approved by the city council, would be anchored by a new municipal building and library set to be built on 200 acres of undeveloped land in the heart of Poquoson. The village commercial district would re-create a downtown village with specialty shops and offices, Mihelich says.
``The village commercial district we're hoping will really take off,'' he says. ``We hope to build on the city's reputation as a safe place and hope people will choose to shop there.''
For now, the city continues to attract new residents from other cities on the Peninsula and beyond. Although demographics on new residents were not available, Mihelich says the city has had an influx of young families with military ties. And real estate broker West says he occasionally works with families - particularly Navy families - who choose to move from the Southside.
``A lot feel they can get to the naval base as quickly from here as they can from Virginia Beach,'' West says.
What attracts homebuyers to Poquoson. Above all else, residents and Realtors say the city's strongest selling point may be its schools.
When Blake Ryan and his wife were transferred from Texas in 1991, they settled in Poquoson, and although their children are young - one is now in pre-school, the other is an infant - he says Poquoson's reputation for academic excellence was part of its draw.
``We liked the schools and the small-town atmosphere,'' he says.
Poquoson students consistently score above the 70th percentile nationally on standardized tests. About 86 percent of Poquoson graduates continue their education at colleges or vocational schools.
But Poquoson's charm and its good schools come for a price, which can be a barrier for prospective residents, Krauss says.
``Homes under $100,000 are few and far between,'' Krauss says. ``For the most part, new construction is $170,000 and over.''
Also, because all areas of Poquoson are on low-lying land, most homes require flood insurance, Krauss says.
Poquoson boasts a wide variety of housing offerings, from apartment to townhouse to single-family home, from colonial to ranch to contemporary. But the majority of homes available are resales, not new, West says. And, though the city is surrounded by water on three sides, most waterfront property was developed years ago, he says.
New homes are available - and more will go on the market when Heritage Cove is built - but development is often on a smaller scale than in other Hampton Roads cities.
``There just isn't a lot of land left in the city,'' Mihelich says.
Bo Parrish, vice president of Virginia Land and Homes in Newport News, represents one of the newest projects, Poquoson Meadow on Forrest Road about a block from the water. Parrish says his company began building the subdivision of six ranches and two-story homes last year and expects to be finished by the summer.
The company decided to build in Poquoson in part because of the interest shown by prospective buyers. In addition to the schools, Parrish says many people choose Poquoson for its low tax rate - $1.07 per $100 of assessed value.
(Norfolk's rate is $1.38 per $100, Hampton's is $1.23 per $100.)
In addition, while many lots on the Peninsula run about 7,000 to 12,000 square-feet, Parrish says available lots in Poquoson are often larger - between a half-acre and one acre.
Despite its allure, Poquoson may not be for everyone. Part of what makes the city unique - the variety of housing and abundance of older homes next to new ones - may not appeal to some.
``You don't see a lot of neighborhoods like you would find on the outside,'' Krauss says. ``It has to be sort of a mind adjustment. It is not like Hampton and Newport News. If you can't adjust to having an old home next to a new home, this may not be the place for you. It's a totally different kind of atmosphere.''
Still, many Poquoson residents say they wouldn't dream about calling any place else home.
Carol Cain says she and her husband looked at other locations on the Peninsula when they moved from Texas three years ago, but chose Poquoson because they liked the area and its small-town atmosphere,
``You just don't have the traffic congestion. There's a relatively low crime rate. Shopping is accessible, but you're not living between strip malls,'' Cain says. ``It feels more residential. You're close to things without feeling like you're in the middle of a city.'' ILLUSTRATION: JIM WALKER/Staff [color photo]
The houses along Poquoson Road. The small Peninsula city contains a
mix of dwellings: Old often shares a street with new.
Bo Parrish's company is the developer of Poquoson Meadow on Forrest
Road.
A FEW FACTS
Area: 15.5 square miles.
Population: 11,300.
History: Settled in 17th century, became a town in 1952, a city in
1975.
Natural characteristics: 4,400 acres of salt-marsh wetlands and 60
miles of shoreline.
Ambition: 86 percent of high school graduates continue their
education at colleges or vocational schools.
Property assessments: Tax is $1.07 per $100 of assessed value.
Convenience: 15 minutes away from Langley Air Force Base and Newport
News Shipyard and a 25-minute drive to Norfolk Naval Base.
Photos by JIMMY WALKER
Above, scene along Poquoson Road. Right, real estate agent Rick
West, who says most residents work outside the city. ``There's
virtually no industry,'' he says.
by CNB