VIRGINIA BEACH
Two Oceanfront landholders are shopping around a half-billion-dollar concept to create a mixed-use village, complete with a light-rail station, on what is now the Colony Mobile Home Park.
The developers call their idea Ocean Center and note it could be the resort area's equivalent to Town Center, the designed downtown that city officials hail as their jewel of redevelopment.
"That sits on 20 acres," said Whitt Sessoms of Cape Development and Real Estate Co., referring to Town Center. "We're talking about 50 acres."
Sessoms teamed with Eddie Chaplain, whose family owns the trailer park, to form a property bounded by Virginia Beach Boulevard and Norfolk Avenue.
Although it's just talk now, the idea has made its way into the Resort Area Master Plan. The City Council is expected to adopt the $300,000 master plan soon, including the drawings of the unnamed, mixed-use development where the mobile home park sits.
Sessoms and Chaplain have met with Sasaki Associates Inc., the Massachusetts firm that drew up the city's plan. Beach representatives have also met with the developers, pushing for a broader concept.
"The larger you make the parcel," Councilman John Uhrin said, "the grander the vision can be."
The use of public funds has not been heavily discussed, and council members have not talked about the plan as a group.
Preliminary site drawings depict Ocean Center with offices, shopping, restaurants and homes. Those plans include a 320-room hotel, 800,000 square feet of office space and about 600 townhouses or apartments. The cost is estimated at anywhere from $500 million to $1 billion.
Sessoms and Chaplain haven't decided how to divide their land or which developers to work with. Sessoms said they are looking for national firms that specialize in mixed-use development.
Any developer would have to talk with the Navy, Sessoms said, to ensure the plans don't conflict with Oceana Naval Air Station.
The plan would need rezonings from the city and the eventual approval of City Council. And the light-rail line is years from happening, if at all. Still, city officials believe the plan could change the face of the resort.
"It's probably the only area in the resort area - maybe even in the Beach district as a larger component - that has 50 acres of underdeveloped property," Uhrin said. "There's just some great opportunities there."
The proposal isn't the first for the trailer park, one of the largest potential redevelopment locations near the resort. In 2004, officials flirted with condemning the Chaplain family's land to make room for a middle school. The plan was scrapped after resident outcry.
Sessoms says replacing the trailer park with Ocean Center would spark a mass redevelopment. He argues it would link one of the largest available redevelopment tracts in the city to the Boardwalk - less than a mile east - and the Virginia Beach Convention Center - just two blocks north.
"They have tremendous potential if they look at it in the context of the Oceanfront," said Jack Whitney, the city's planning director.
Sessoms said the plan combines about 8 acres he co-owns and the 35-acre trailer complex owned by the Chaplain clan. But it also incorporates a public parcel that tax records show covers 2.5 acres.
"We're all ears," Whitney said. "We think that investment in the Oceanfront - as investment in Town Center and Princess Anne Commons - returns on itself to the community."
Sessoms' site plans show parking on public land across 17th Street, which is known as Virginia Beach Boulevard west of the resort. No serious talks have moved forward on that idea.
Sessoms and Chaplain talk about their plan as a catalyst to stretch the resort area west along 17th Street, which city officials often call a gateway to the beach.
"This project would be the springboard of redevelopment for that whole area," Sessoms said. "It would create upscale users who want to be around and in the 17th Street corridor, the 19th Street corridor and the Birdneck Road corridor. Activity breeds activity."
One urban land planner isn't convinced.
Steve Wilson, senior associate for Sasaki Associates, said the city should focus on the redevelopment of the old Dome site and the 19th Street corridor before tackling 17th Street. He said remaking 19th Street and Laskin Road into "walkable, pedestrian districts... makes Virginia Beach even more of a destination."
"You have to pick your priority areas," Wilson said. "Early on, we have to be careful we don't do competing projects. We need to do one well."
Chaplain said Ocean Center wouldn't compete with city priorities. It would work to complement and feed off of the Convention Center.
He said the plan would not be abandoned if the light-rail line being built in Norfolk never spreads to the Beach.
"It wouldn't kill the deal," Chaplain said. "But it's more attractive with it."
Richard Quinn, (757) 222-5119, richard.quinn@pilotonline.com
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Oceana is toast. .
The city needs to move along and get some other sources of revenue. BRAC already said..."the future of aviation is not Oceana. . ." Moreover, the JSF (F35) is due around 2011 and will NOT be stationed at Oceana, and this will conclude Oceana as a MJB.
Oceana revisited......
Oceana is as good as gone Henry.... The writing was on the wall in the aforementioned BRAC report.
Read the article?
All you have to do is note the names. Sessoms. Enough said. Mr. developer with a family member running for mayer who is being financed and puppeted by developers. Anyone with half a brain can figure out where that will lead.
"The use of public funds has not been heavily discussed, and council members have not talked about the plan as a group." But it has been discussed, and based on council's track record, taxpayers will be picking up the pieces.
Colony
I moved my trailor from Chesapeake last summer , I'm on Social Security for Seizure condition, I think the city need s to care more about residents and not big $$ and tourist
BRAC Ordinance
For City Council to approve Ocean Center would be a flagrant violation of the December, 2005 BRAC Ordinance enacted by City Council. In it the City reserved the right to redevelop the Resort Area...but outside the 70 decibel line. Being that this property is inside, the Navy will never approve.
If you say "Yes" to Ocean Center say "Goodbye" to Oceana.
Families
All in favor of the park being sold. Have you any idea on how many families live here?
Have you given thought to where these people are going to move?
Do you realize that some have put their life savings into affording a place here and know very well there isn't any parks left that will make moving the 200/300 families into.
I say NO to this plan. Think of people before you think of padding the bank accounts of those who don't really need the money! Doesn't Virginia Beach have enough homeless people?
Development
Taxes are ALWAYS part of the plan when a developer wants to build something. Don't fool yourself, we the tax payer will help these guys get richer with taxpayer funded parking garages and perks. Just look at the 31st CITY Owned GARAGE, it has a sign on top that reads Hilton. We bought it for the developer and he got rich.
YES - Ocean Center: Resort revitalization for evolving tourism
When I read the article, I did not see any mention of the City of Virginia Beach using citizen taxes for this project. I think the people commenting on a story should read twice and stick to the facts presented. Lets stop making up junk to always be negative. Take a Prozac... .
Secondly, (YES to Ocean Center)- This development is a great, much needed concept, which will compliment the great efforts of the City of Virginia Beach, and the 32nd street development teams (Hilton and Ocean Beach Club). These North end visionaries have done a supurb job raising the resort strip to the vacation destination this region needs, and market demands. This development will also compliment the great job done on VB Town Center development, again that the City of Virginia Beach and the Armada Hoffler teams have done.
The Facts: The Virginia Beach Resort Strip is showing its age. Tourism needs have changed, mai
Glad to hear from two self
Glad to hear from two self identifying boo birds who clearly did not follow my earlier advice. So what else is new. The Sasaki representative should also take note that this plan follows to a large degree that strategic plan written by Skidmore Owens Merrill when they did the design and the planning for the new Virginia Beach Convention Center. The city is proceeding with plans for the Dome site and for the convention hotel, and I hope redevelopment of 19th street occurs as well. But the lots along 19th street are generally owned by discreet individual owners of each 50'x 140' parcel, and the possibility of high value new development in this scenario is nil and none. In the case presented here, the land is owned by two owners working together; there is a much better chance of that going forward than the other.
hey mikey...
what part of private development and private money is it that you just don't understand???
I could have predicted that
I could have predicted that Mike would be here. Can I park in front of your home yet?
What about the over 300 families that will be homeless
Some people are just too quick to judge and stereo type. These are working class people that live where it is affordable. Where will all these people go in a city that is over rated,over priced and over taxed?Is the city going to develope a neighborhood for which is affordable for them to live in? I doubt it. So, lets just demolish their homes and wish them good luck! I never knew that we had such Insensitive people living amongst us. There are circumstances that could put anyone into living in a mobile home. Been there and done that, and let me say, I had the best neighbors I have ever had. Before you mail your next donation to someone in another country,who probably hates us, send it to someone in your own community that may be homeless and will ove you for it.
Vollie
Vollie - no, but it's more about watching nationwide trends. I don't know what the office vacancy rates are in Hampton Roads, I assume more companies will be going out of business as the economy sinks further. It takes a while for the faltering consumer spending to catch up with the businesses. I *do* know that just about every other building in downtown Norfolk has a for-sale sign on it, as all of the investors try to dump their properties after missing the peak. I do know that in Vegas right this moment, very large, half built projects are going into foreclosure. Steel skeleton rusting in the skyscape, memories of a mania run amuck. UBS is blaming their 19.2 billion loss on American Subprime loans? Can you believe that? Why don't they blame it on lender stupidity.
4 VBTom and Selzjj
Have you ever lived outside of VB? Do you really know how little you actually pay for all that you get? I am so tired of people complaining about the tax and spend council when everything that I have seen so far seems to have brought in a huge revenue to the city and has allowed the city to keep our taxes relatively low. Our schools are tops in VA, our resort area continues to attract tourists, and the Town Center, 31st Street hotel/shops/etc. are always bustling. So what are you complaining about? They could just sit on their hands and watch everything fall apart and become outdated. Is that what you want?
What an incredible shame
What an incredible shame that many of the posters herein can neither read nor comprehend. You see the same posts from these boo birds no matter what is actually written in the preceding article. That is, no more development, no payment to the developer, they must have paid off the council, etc. etc. What bunk. Here two private developers show their plans for a private development in which they would invest, and already their plans are condemned by these folks who regularly populate these boards. Makes one wonder if citizens are that poorly educated, or if their prejudices simple overwhelm their understanding. Transit oriented development is an imperative for this community. It will raise the value of real estate assets by a factor of from 20-50 times. That increase in the tax base will keep our tax rate lower. Please, read and understand first; post later.
This is hilarious. .
They just don't quit. I'm all for getting rid of trailer parks and even vinyl sided houses, but there is one fly in the ointment: Oceana. Who is going to want to eat, stay, and shop in an area where the sound levels are >75db on average???? Virginia Beach wants to be two things; They want Oceana for taxes and they want to be a major resort player. You can't do both. I baffles me why anyone would come to this backwater town for vacation, when you can go to say South Carolina or or Florida. Hey City Council when you condemn Oceana (Or BRAC will eventually) then you can pretend to be a resort town.
We Are Here
As a citizen of this runaway, tax'em, and develop more Virginia Beach council, I feel like a citizen of Whoville instead of VB. Maybe we all need to scream at the same time "WE ARE HERE - WE ARE HERE"
Get Real
I always have to laugh when people say "Not with my tax dollars". The idea is to increase tax revenue through developments. Who pays the majority of taxes? It's not John Q Public living in his 3 bedroom 2 bath brick ranch just minutes from the beach. Your tax dollar is a tenth of a quarter of a penny against the taxes businesses contribute. We as a city need more revenue from businesses to support the projects we want like better roads and parks and infrastructure we see as our right. Well it takes money, I don’t want to ask my neighbor (that’s you) for more of his so I’ll go where the real money is (businesses) and try to keep my neighbor (that’s you again) happy.
radical re-development
Is not the proposal a bit too much? Certainly, getting rid of a dumpy trailer park is a good idea, but the proposal is way over the top. More modest reconstruction would be preferable. Moreover, taxpayers should not subsidize the developers in any shape, way or form. Those who would profit from the venture should shoulder the entire cost - that's the American way. We taxpayers are already overburdened with corporate socialism - local, state and federal.
Go Whitt!
This has been a long time coming. Now if someone will do the same for Atlantis Apts . . .
No Thanks!
Can you say jet noise? No thanks! Nobama, keep the change!!!!
about that trash
The comment made in reference to "trailer trash" shows what a pathetic stuck up society Virginia Beach has become. I lived in Colony as a single mom put myself through college and have bought two houses in the past six years. There are several elderly people who sill reside in colony and have been there over 40 years. I do not believe they are considered trailer trash. Yes, maybe the people who reside in colony are not our upper class snobs, but they are the folks that clean the hotel rooms, wait the tables at the oceanfront and do the jobs that the snobs will not do. Before you pass judgement on people who live in trailer parks do your homework. Those people pay there taxes just like everyone else. They work just like everyone else and deserve to own a home wether it be a house, condo or trailer just like everyone else. Personally I have had more problems living in snobby housing developments with unru
re: evadsti comment
This trailer park sits across the street from the convention center’s parking lot. The area they are referring to is the convention center area and yes they need another hotel nearby and shops and restaurants for the convention goers
Hold onto your wallets (if you can)
The fun bunch hasn't wasted any huge sums of money in a while and the little bit left is burning a hole in their collective pockets.
Let the developers pay their own way!
Anyone Goggle them?
I went to check out "Cape Development and Real Estate Co." on the Internet, to see what types of business their currently involved in.
Guess what? Nothing. No website. The only mention of the company in the entire world of Google was for this very newspaper article.
Doesn't give me a whole lot of confidence.
As to the project itself, we are about to enter a period of government layoffs, program cutbacks, lower property values and local tax increases, as the economy continues to sour.
I don't think that this is the time to commit even more taxpayer dollars to another Crown Jewel.
This is not Northern Virginia.
Ethan. The question is how much new, unused office space there is down here. Nova has nothing to do with our market. Last I checked office vacancy rates in this area are historically low. There are only 2 major projects in the works, that being Wachovia Center and the Gateway Tower. I'm thinking we should be able to absorb the space from this project just fine. The only thing is, and i'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet, is that this project will never get past the Navy. I mean never. Va. Beach can't even get a convention center hotel past them so the thought that a major project will make it through is laughable. In the end, this will all just be a lot of time and money spent for nothing.
NO MORE VB PUBLIC FUNDS FOR DEVELOPERS!
VB Government, please stop the public funds give-away insanity! Citizens, these are our tax dollars the city wants to give away, again, to the developers. Aren't our property taxes high enough already?
No, not too much
Actually, this particular area would fill up quickly. Plus the plan would eliminate the biggest eye sore at the beach. Nothing done by a private company could aid redevelopement faster than this project. It would be a success. However, the Chaplan clan and the city do not mix very well. Usually for valid reasons on the city side. A great deal of oversight would be needed. In the end though, it is private property, they should be allowed to do what they want w/ their own money and land.
Oversupply?
Is there demand for commercial office space? The blog I watch that has all of the good information about the housing and real estate markets has reports from larger areas like Northern Virginia. People were saying that there is so much new, unused office space in Northern Virginia it's not funny.
Why are funding private development?
The city of Va Beach needs to use our tax money for projects that will benefit all citizens of the city. With the downturn in the housing market, this seems like an ill-advised project at this time...and another opportunity for the "haves" of Va Beach to get more. Private developers should spend their own money and not our tax money. I'm sick and tired of essential services going without and the mayor and her co-horts giving their cronies tax money needed by the citizens. Whatever happened to the big indoor parachuting park at the former Dome site? Oh...it was a scam, just like this and the Sadler's project that ousted families out of the trailer park on Baxter Road.