THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 20, 1996 TAG: 9609200624
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS AND MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 94 lines
Time was, Lisa Wilkins' world was a lot smaller.
Two decades ago, everything that mattered was just a hop, skip and jump from her home in Berkley.
Now, Wilkins' universe is much expanded, and it's not just because her adult vision has enlarged.
Two or three times a week, this 34-year-old mother must board a bus for Chesapeake or downtown Norfolk just to pick up the basics, such as groceries. That's because of the dearth of stores and service businesses in Berkley.
Neighborhood leaders and city agencies hope that a small neighborhood shopping center, with a supermarket, will be developed.
Still, it's a far cry from the good old days, when Berkley was largely self-sustaining, Wilkins said.
It's this image of the past that old timers and neighborhood activists hope will energize a new vision for the future. To this end, they've invited neighbors past and present to come together at Saturday's Berkley Day, an all-day affair with free food and live entertainment, at Berkley Park on East Berkley Avenue.
The goal is to inspire newcomers by having them mingle with those who remember the old days.
``You name it, we had it,'' said lifelong resident Matthew Austin Sr., 69.
``It was in the '50s people started moving away. We used to have hardware stores, doctors, lawyers, dentists offices. Now, to get a decent pair of socks, you have to go across the bridge (into downtown Norfolk) or to Chesapeake.''
For many Berkley residents, the paucity of neighborhood-based businesses wounds their pride.
``Trying to get groceries and handle the kids is a little difficult,'' said Wilkins, who must ride the bus 20 minutes each way, then wrestle with bags while trying to keep her 3- and 6-year-olds safe.
But she's young. It's her elderly neighbors she worries about, especially in the winter.
Berkley also has been losing population and housing units.
The 1990 Census shows 3,528 residents, a decline from the 4,229 in 1980. Over the same period, housing units decreased to 1,476 from 1,699.
But Berkley leaders also like to point to the neighborhood's recent progress and the promise of more opportunities.
With help from the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, many older houses are being renovated and new homes are being built.
Also, the proposed neighborhood shopping center would be built on a six-acre tract the redevelopment authority is assembling between South Main and Liberty streets and Fauquier and Berkley avenues.
The shopping center plans include a supermarket, said R. Patrick Gomez, NRHA community development director.
It's costing more than $1.5 million to buy and clear the property and relocate occupants, Gomez said. The money comes from federal, state and local governments - the first time Norfolk is using such a combination for redevelopment, he said.
The shopping center would be similar to Church Street Crossing, at Church Street and Brambleton Avenue, but construction won't start until at least next spring, Gomez said.
Meanwhile, city officials even see some positives in the loss of residents and housing units.
``Part of our strategy in the 1980s was to reduce the amount of overcrowding, take down dilapidated housing and put back homeowners, for the most part,'' said Juanita Buster, a senior planner who works with Berkley. ``It's also a reflection of what's happening everywhere - smaller household sizes.''
The city also may address the housing issue with its occupancy-permit program, which aims to prevent overcrowding while preserving gains brought by housing rehabilitation, Buster said.
Here's how it works: If a housing unit is occupied for a year or more and then gets a new resident, it must pass a new city inspection.
The program, Buster said, also would help Berkley brace for any large-scale tenant relocations from other redevelopment areas, such as East Ocean View.
The neighborhood, she said, is ``worried about overcrowding, and if there's overcrowding, then the units could become abused if they're not maintained. They're also worried that Berkley could become a haven for cheap rents.
``Periodic inspections are a way to make sure that deterioration doesn't start to creep in again. That's a key part of it.''
City officials explained the program to a gathering Monday of more than 250 Berkley residents and landlords, Buster said. There should be another community meeting this fall, along with an explanatory mailing, she said.
``There are new houses, young families coming back and former residents moving back,'' Austin said.
Folks like Austin want Berkley Day to be every day. ILLUSTRATION: Map/The Virginian-Pilot
Area Shown: Berkley
Graphic
DETAILS
What: Berkley Day community gathering with free food and live
music
Where: Berkley Park, East Berkley Avenue, Norfolk
When: Saturday, 10 a.m. to sundown by CNB