DATE: Friday, October 31, 1997              TAG: 9710310648

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   81 lines

WORKSHOP ABOUT CHURCH STREET IS ENCOURAGING FIFTY PEOPLE TURNED OUT TO SHARE IDEAS ON THE REBIRTH OF THE VITAL NORFOLK CORRIDOR.

While differences remain, a consensus slowly appears to be emerging about how to revive Church Street, a once-vital corridor within the city's black community that fell on hard times.

About 50 residents, property and business owners, and other interested citizens turned out Thursday night to share their visions for the street with officials from City Hall and the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

They broke down into small groups to discuss the street's future, and even though disagreements were apparent, all had a chance to share their opinions. The openness of the meeting left many feeling encouraged that their voices finally were being heard.

``I'm going to be living in this community, and I just want to clean it up and bring back the revenue and just build it back,'' said Sylvia Allen, who said she is buying a new home off Church Street in the Olde Huntersville section.

``The first, right step is me being here, and the other voices around that feel the same way.''

Alton Robinson, a resident of Huntersville Village, agreed.

``It makes you feel equal and that you have rights and that there'll be justice,'' Robinson said.

City Councilwoman Daun S. Hester called for the meeting to gather community input as the street undergoes a final phase of widening. The southern half of the street already has been widened and redeveloped with shopping centers and new homes, churches and businesses.

The final stage of widening the street to four lanes, an $18.2 million project scheduled to begin in the summer of 1998, will widen a 1.2-mile section between Goff and Granby streets. The work is displacing a stretch of businesses on the street's west side between Goff and 18th streets.

Up for discussion Thursday were five sites that housing authority and city officials have recommended redeveloping with a mix of single-family homes and commercial activity.

While not all residents agreed with the recommended uses at each of the sites, there seemed to be a general consensus for decent, single-family homes that people in the community could afford, an expanded commercial district that would bring income into the neighborhood and the need for a residential facility for senior citizens.

Many residents contended that four sites on the east side of the street, including the old Champale brewery site, should be developed commercially. Suggestions ranged from a movie theater and a recreation center, to medical and law offices, and retail and grocery stores.

The housing authority has recommended that only one of the four sites be developed commercially.

``I think we need to concentrate on the commercial side,'' Allen said. ``People need a place to shop and to be entertained. I feel that's going to bring revenue back to the community.''

Many said providing more commercial space would provide a home for black-owned businesses that were being displaced.

``It would give our people a chance to come back to the neighborhood, and that would bring people out of their homes to Church Street for some entertainment,'' said Luther Adams Sr. of O'Keefe Street.

On the west side, the only site being discussed is a large vacant lot that has a storm-retention pond and backs up to Elmwood Cemetery. The city has recommended a small park around the pond and single-family homes for the remainder.

Most of the groups leaned toward putting houses on the tract, but some argued for leaving it as green space for community festivals and recreation.

Hester said that all of the groups' suggestions would be reviewed to ``figure out where we go and what our next moves are.''

David Rice, executive director of the housing authority, cautioned that compromises may have to be made. He also warned that many of the ideas for commercial development will depend on interest from private developers and financiers.

``We will do what's within our power to make that happen,'' Rice said, ``but it takes a lot of work and a lot of time.''

Despite those reservations and the differences that remain, many residents left feeling better about the Church Street's future.

``I feel like we're definitely moving forward,'' said Vicki Flood, a resident of B Avenue in Olde Huntersville. ``We got something done. I think it's put a lot of us to rest. I really see the partnerships coming together.'' KEYWORDS: CHURCH STREET

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