THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 30, 1995 TAG: 9511280096
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
What started out as a bitter dispute between a civic league and a church group wanting to help the homeless has turned into a partnership from which other neighborhoods can learn.
And now, with the Planning Commission's blessing in hand, it looks like New Hope Church Of God In Christ will be building a community center in Norfolk's Fairmount Park section.
At the behest of both church leaders and Fairmount Park Civic League members, on Nov. 16 the Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend rezoning to make way for the New Hope Center.
The center would offer a wide array of support services and activities for youths, the underprivileged and the elderly, including tutorial sessions for students, civic projects and adult education classes.
The church and the community had worked for months to come to an agreement.
``We wish the people in Washington, D.C., could negotiate like these folks,'' Commissioner Donald L Williams said. ``If they did, we'd have a balanced budget by now.''
The church proposed the center to the Fairmount community in September 1994. The neighborhood initially rejected the idea. Discussions between the parties began in June 1995, and it took months before there were any constructive talks.
The civic league sent a survey to 1,700 residents in and around Fairmount Park to get feedback on the proposed center.
``Our main objection was that the church wanted to bus homeless people in from outside the community,'' said Harold ``Butch'' Schupska, president of the Fairmount Park Civic League. ``Some other residents were worried about the center's effect on property values.''
After several more meetings, church officials decided to withdraw the busing idea. They also hired research companies to conduct real estate surveys, which showed that the center would not adversely affect property values.
``The main issue was to not bring in homeless people from other areas,'' said Joyce Harvey, chairwoman of the center's planning committee. ``The civic league asked us just to target the immediate community, and we eventually said, `yes.' There was a little distrust at first. We had to convince the community we would honor our agreement.''
Further negotiation and compromise outlined specific uses of the center. A total of 11 proposed activities and conditions were agreed upon, including summer youth programs, meal and food basket distribution drives, and counseling and guidance services. On Oct. 26, the civic league voted to approve the center, 23-1.
``The church has bent over backward to meet the community's needs,'' Schupska said. ``Hopefully, we can really get the community into this and start getting the neighborhood back up to par. Fairmount Park has seen considerable deterioration in recent years. There are a lot of vacant houses and crime.''
Schupska and Harvey both said they have learned and grown from the negotiations. They have recommendations for civic leagues and other city groups looking to find common ground on disputes.
``First, get the civic league board to talk about the issue,'' Schupska explained. ``Then put it on paper and send it out to the community. Find out what the people want and then sit down with the other party and be ready for a little give and take.''
Community dialogue also was a key element to success for Harvey.
``My recommendation is to first solicit input from the community,'' Harvey said. ``A community has to feel some type of ownership in any project. You need to build a sense of partnership.''
The proposed center's site is a vacant lot, owned by the church, on the southwest corner of Pershing and Brest avenues, diagonally across the street from the church at 3232 Brest Ave. The tract would be rezoned from multiple family to an institutional district. A nearby site at the northeast corner of the intersection would be rezoned from single family to an institutional district to provide a parking lot.
Final approval lies with City Council, which is expected to act on the Planning Commission's recommendation within the next few weeks. If approved, construction could begin by early spring.
The New Hope Church, which was established in 1979 and now has about 1,000 members, would own and operate the center.
``The community really needs this,'' said the Rev. Herman Clark Sr., New Hope's founder and pastor. ``A church of this size has a responsibility to move in and help.''
The planned 7,000-square-foot structure would be a multi-use facility, providing a nursing station, a chapel, a commercial kitchen, office space and conference and lecture rooms. The facility also could accommodate receptions and banquets. Cost estimates are approximately $500,000.
``We're now in total support of this center,'' Schupska told the Planning Commission. ``This will be good for the community and the city.'' by CNB