THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 21, 1995 TAG: 9509180303
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Compiled by Scott McCaskey
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
Three Norfolk projects remain on hold months after readers of The Compass and The Virginian-Pilot first were told about them. This is a look at where these projects now stand:
Last December, attorney Peter Decker Jr. purchased the deteriorating Lafayette Yacht Club at the southwest end of the Granby Street Bridge. Decker hopes to redevelop the longtime eyesore of crumbling buildings, weathered boat slips and a decaying swimming pool. He has hired a structural engineering firm to analyze the property but wants to improve the site in unison with the city's long-range plans for the area.
``I've met with Norfolk officials to find out what they're going to do with the corridor,'' Decker said. ``I won't make any decisions without the city's approval.''
John Dugan, the city's director of planning, said that there has been some discussion on various uses for the property. Building a marina, a park or housing sites all are possibilities.
``What we're looking at would be best described as a mixed use development location,'' Dugan said. ``It's a gateway to the city, and we're considering something that would be pretty high scale.''
Decker said he envisioned a high-rise condominium, with supporting retail shops and stores. He also said that the boat slips could be restored easily.
Both Decker and Dugan noted that any development would take the zoo's upcoming expansion into consideration.
``We're going to have a world-class zoo, and I want to be a part of the corridor,'' Decker said. ``But I want to be a team player with the city. I've already turned down profitable offers to sell the property.''
City officials and Decker said plans for the site are being considered, but there is nothing concrete at this point. ODU Master Plan
Civic groups, business owners and citizens were briefed on Old Dominion University's Master Plan by school officials in March. The proposed face-lift calls for revamping a 75-acre area from Hampton Boulevard to Killam Avenue between 38th and 49th streets, scrubbing entire blocks, rerouting streets and forcing many existing businesses to relocate.
The new look would include a 10,000-seat sports center, high-rise garages, new academic buildings, parks and a Greek Row. The project could take 20 years to complete and cost tens of millions of dollars.
When the plan was presented, David Harnage, ODU's vice president for administration and finance, said that the earliest estimate for ground-breaking was 1998, but there was no timetable. Any movement would involve the city and possibly the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
There has been no action since the March briefing, and a timetable remains indefinite. Harnage said that many details need to be worked out and doesn't anticipate anything being done until at least the beginning of 1996. 37th Street Water Plant
In March, Norfolk's Department of Utilities held a meeting at the Madison Career Center on the proposed expansion of the 37th Street Water Purification Plant. The gathering brought contentious debate and objection from many Lamberts Point residents concerned about being forced to relocate. Others complained about noise and disruption and that the project would infringe upon the community's status as a Neighborhood Conservation Area.
Plans to enlarge and renovate the 75-year-old facility are necessary to meet higher federal standards for drinking water to be enacted in 1998 and again in 2005. The aging plant also needs repair. The project could take two decades to finish and cost $60 million.
Three alternatives were presented to the residents. The first alternative would use property owned by Norfolk Southern railroad, industrial property and city-owned land. The second proposal requires only industrial and city-owned property. A third scheme would encroach on six to eight residential sites. After rowdy exchanges among residents, only alternatives one and two were deemed initially acceptable, pending further discussion.
Louis Guy, director of the department of utilities, said that the federal deadline for higher standards has yet to be announced, giving his staff more time to look at the project.
``We haven't made any decision as to what we want to do,'' Guy said. ``We hope to definitely hold another meeting with the neighborhood before Christmas. We won't do anything without the neighborhood being involved.'' by CNB