NORFOLK
Winds howled through steel support frames as developers and construction executives took in the view from the 22nd floor of the Wells Fargo Center on Friday afternoon.
Developers broke ground about a year ago on the $170.9 million mixed-use development, formerly called the Wachovia Center.
The project is a few weeks ahead of schedule and will open in about a year, said Tom Johnson, the project's developer and senior vice president of Norfolk-based S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. Its 258,000 square feet of office space is about 72 percent pre-leased, he said.
The law firm Willcox & Savage will occupy the 22nd floor - the highest floor to be occupied. Other tenants, expected to move in by June 2010, include S.L. Nusbaum and LTD Management Co. LLC, a hotel development and management company that is moving from Chesapeake.
Wells Fargo also leased 40,000 square feet and will move its local banking operations there, much of it from the World Trade Center, also downtown. The San Francisco-based bank acquired Charlotte-based Wachovia late last year, which resulted in the name change for the project.
Construction will begin late this summer on an additional 50,000 square feet of retail space and 160 planned apartments, Johnson said.
Wells Fargo Center will be the region's largest office building that is LEED-certified, a green building standard that sets guidelines on everything from construction materials to window tinting, Johnson said. It also will have some of the region's highest rental rates.
On Friday, about 200 construction workers gathered on the building's bottom floor for a "topping off" party, a tradition in construction when the top floor of a building is reached. Workers were treated with a lunch of fried chicken and barbecue.
Standing about 256 feet above Monticello Avenue, Johnson motioned toward a hazy downtown Norfolk and said: "The views up here are some of the best in the city."
Josh Brown, (757) 446-2318, josh.brown@pilotonline.com
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dc1105
I's between the Scope and MacArthur Mall
The skyline
Would really be awesome with Granby Tower. But the Westin is set to start construction in the Late Summer/ Fall so that will be a great addition. second tallest building downtown.
Granby Towers
Only if we had the Granby Towers project to top things off the skyline would be real nice!
Westin
Whats going on with the Westin Hotel project?
ready to
have all of these "overpriced apartments" filled up with young professionals, ready to have all of the new buildings occupied with strong corporations bringing corporate jobs for the young professionals living in the "overpriced apartments.
Sorry, young professionals
Sorry, young professionals don't get paid in the VA. Most of the higher dollar earners I know are older folks, that already own nice houses. The young are brought in because they are cheap. Young professionals expect a McMansion and a benz, not a $1600/month apartment that pencils out to $16/sqft. The apartment rents in Hampton Roads make it almost cheaper to try to rent and live in class A office space. Meanwhile, there are way better job opportunities for the young professionals in other markets, combined with lower costs of living, better looking housing, and less violent crime.
Hate me, the messenger all you want but don't wonder why all the smart people leave the area and the region is mostly lower wage service sector jobs. I'm just saying what I see and I know others that agree.
The Wells Fargo Center will
The Wells Fargo Center will be another jewel crowning the east side of downtown and a great addition, especially when the apartments are opened, to the Scope-Chrysler Hall-MacArthur Center corridor. With train service at its front door, this building is shaping up to be a centerpiece downtown and probably will be one of the more popular buildings. What a great addition.
When the economy rebounds
When the economy rebounds it's ready for what? To have empty overpriced apartments where the wealthy are trying to rob the young on housing, depriving them of ever saving a dime for retirement? A bank who made poor decisions and should have gone out of business, but due to back room deals our money is diverted to them and others like them? The whole flu story rubbed out the story where Hanky and Bernanke pushed the CEO of Bank of America to buy M. Lynch and not talk about it, which of course hurt the public shareholders of the bank. But all the execs get such fat bonuses either way it doesn't matter to them. I'm still debating if glass buildings full of lawyers, doctors, and bankers towering over the hungry masses is a good thing.
great article
i love the fact that the pilot took time to report on the good happening in Norfolk. the city is fighting through the recession and making investments so when the economy rebounds we will be ready. great job Norfolk. && Pilot, do you think someone could give us an article updating us about the 26 story westin supposed to be built on main street?
where is it
I went through downtown Norfolk today and didn't see it.