THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 19, 1996 TAG: 9606190375
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 97 lines
A grass-roots business revitalization effort that began with two merchants commiserating on a gravel parking lot has won the support of city officials, who hope to transform long-neglected East Little Creek Road into a model commercial district.
On Tuesday, the Norfolk City Council gave the go-ahead for a strategy that includes landscaping parts of East Little Creek Road and creating a matching-grant program to improve commercial property. The city has committed at least $360,000 and promises more.
``East Little Creek Road is a diamond in the rough,'' said Kent L. Winquist, president of the Little Creek East Business Association. ``This is the start of bringing East Little Creek Road into the year 2000.''
It will be first time that Norfolk has deployed matching grants for aesthetic improvements to businesses. Residential property in Ocean View has benefited from a similar program for several years.
Merchants or property owners can get grants of up to $15,000 to match equal investments of their own for work such as facade improvements, landscaping, awnings, parking lots, lighting and signs.
The city is starting the grant program with a $100,000 pool, which should help seven or eight businesses, said Brian Townsend, Norfolk's development services manager.
The initial work will be evaluated after six months, but Townsend and other officials expect the program to prove popular enough for more funding. The first grants could be issued this fall.
The revitalization plan is the first fruit of a partnership that has included business owners, civic leagues, the Navy, Norfolk State University, City Hall and the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
The merchants and property owners formed a business association that has grown to about 80 members; Norfolk State conducted a marketing study; the city has committed at least $360,000; and businesses, civic leagues and the Navy continue to talk with each other about common concerns.
``We've worked on this project for two years. We first started the business association in a gravel parking lot with a meeting between two business owners who wanted to get attention to East Little Creek Road,'' said Winquist, recalling his initial talks with Richard Hickman, who then owned an auto-body shop. ``It's mushroomed and grown.''
The first phase of revitalization strategy targets East Little Creek Road between Shore Drive on the east and Azalea Garden Road on the west. This key stretch serves as a gateway for many commuters from Virginia Beach and is one of the closest commercial areas to the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base.
Gravel roadside shoulders, potholes, gaudy outdoor promotions and the lack of sidewalks helped foster an unsavory reputation that extended from those first few blocks to the entire corridor.
``East Little Creek Road has a very negative image for the young Navy enlisted man who is transferred to Norfolk,'' Winquist said. ``I've talked to enlistees that were advised to stay off East Little Creek Road.
``That's not a directive from the Navy, that was just hearsay circulated, rumors circulated that Norfolk along East Little Road is not a nice place to be. We want to change that image.''
Possibilities for improving the image took hold as researchers from Norfolk State's School of Business developed statistics showing the marketing potential.
The study area - about 4 1/2 miles from Shore Drive to an Interstate 64 overpass - included more than 425 businesses doing about $403 million in annual sales. The research also revealed a customer base of 158,000 people, including commuters.
But the study also underscored other perceived problems, such as the need for more midscale family-oriented restaurants and tenants for long-empty department-store buildings.
Visible changes, such as drainage improvements and landscaping, will begin to counter the image, say business owners and city officials.
``We feel this is the way to attract businesses that aren't there on East Little Creek Road and to keep the ones there now, and to attract customers that otherwise won't ordinarily stop,'' Winquist said.
Winquist said he also was buoyed by a directive from Mayor Paul D. Fraim to city staff on Tuesday.
Fraim said money for East Little Creek Road revitalization efforts should not subtract from ongoing plans for routine road and infrastructure improvements. ``I've seen that happen too many times before,'' the mayor said. MEMO: Norfolk's East Little Creek Road Revitalization Strategy
So far, Norfolk has committed $360,000 to the project, including
$100,000 to start up a matching-grant program for merchants and
commercial property owners. Grants will be issued for up to $15,000 to
match equal private investments for permanent improvements to facades,
landscaping, parking lots, outside lighting and signs. The Norfolk
Redevelopment and Housing Authority will administer the grants.
The project's first phase will target East Little Creek Road between
Shore Drive and Azalea Garden Road.
City efforts also will address drainage problems, rutty roadside
shoulders and dreary-looking median strips. Also planned is the removal
or consolidation of 30 to 50 road signs to reduce visual clutter.
Merchants and property owners will lead volunteer efforts to clean up
litter, remove weeds and maintain trees and shrubbery.
The Little Creek East Business Association is headed by Kent L.
Winquist, owner of the SSS Car Wash, 587-5892. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by RICHARD L. DUNSTON, The Virginian-Pilot
A pothole on East Little Creed Road in Norfolk by CNB