The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
The City Council unanimously approved a deal Tuesday to build the new headquarters of the Virginia Arts Festival in a downtown area city officials say has become the region's center for the arts.
The $7.8 million, 20,000-square-foot building will be built adjacent to Chrysler Hall, the city's 2,500-seat performance venue. It also will be within steps of the former Norfolk Academy building, the future home of the Hurrah Players theater group. It is also close to the theater district, including the Wells and Roper theaters.
City officials have long-range plans to develop a concert hall to the west of the arts festival headquarters, behind the Wells Fargo Center office tower now under construction.
"It's a great location for us," said Rob Cross, executive director of the arts festival.
The arts festival produces plays, concerts, dance performances and other artistic events throughout Hampton Roads. The group originally planned to build its headquarters in Ghent. Mayor Paul Fraim instead suggested a land swap to bring it downtown.
The development had one vocal critic.
Alice Allen-Grimes, who spoke on behalf of the Norfolk Preservation Alliance, protested that the building will be so close to the former Norfolk Academy building that it will "ruin" the historic structure.
The Norfolk Academy building, built in 1840, was designed by Thomas U. Walter, who designed the dome of the U.S. Capitol. It was most recently occupied by the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce.
"The proposed Virginia Arts Festival Building will sit right up on the Norfolk Academy," she said.
Allen-Grimes said the Norfolk design review board recommended 6-0 in 2007 that the Planning Commission reject the design of the project. The Planning Commission instead voted to approve.
Cross said that the arts festival agreed to a series of changes the city sought, including shifting the location of the building on the site and incorporating a two-story glass atrium that will allow the Norfolk Academy building to be viewed from the street.
Ray Gindroz, a Pittsburgh architect under contract to the city, made other recommendations, including upgrading materials used on the exterior that were incorporated into the design.
Nonetheless, Councilwomen Daun S. Hester and Theresa Whibley expressed consternation after hearing Allen-Grimes.
"I thought this had all been worked out before this came to us," Hester said. "Of course I'm supportive of the arts festival, but I didn't realize about the positioning of the building until just now."
Added Whibley: "I feel a little blind-sided."
Fraim reacted sharply to Allen-Gimes' comments, saying: "It is not up against the building under any set of circumstances."
The city is providing a $1.7 million donation to help fund the arts festival building.
Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com
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new leadershp
If Allen-Grimes is crazy, then so are all the experts on the City's Design Review committee, who voted unanimously against the proposed building because of its siting so close to an historic building. Thank goodness for the pushy preservationists, because if not for them Fraim would tear down every historic building in town. He has no understanding of the importance of these old buildings to the City's character. Let's get some new leadership downtown.
Nonsense
Norfolk has terrible streets, two broke down tunnels, a large amount of mentally ill and homeless people, a huge juvenile gang problem, a huge drug problem, a police department that cannot handle the amount of crimes going on every day, fires every week somewhere in the city, and century old plumbing and sewers.
Where did they get the idea anyone would want to come to Norfolk for anything, let alone a 7.8 million dollar fine arts center? Hampton Roads is not NYC or Los Angeles and Norfolk is a working class Navy town with big city problems. Building the center will be a waste, just like MacArthur Center.
At least they are not using the money to give themselves raises.
you think?
"a large amount of mentally ill and homeless"
A large portion of the mentally ill, drunks and homeless in Norfolk are VETS. It's a sad fact but true. The other sad fact is residents of Norfolk, and Hampton Roads don't understand the mentally ill and choose to ignore the street drunks and the homeless.
Every city has the same problems, but Norfolk needs tourist $$'s, and the arts will bring those $$'s to Norfolk. We have all the Hotel's downtown that we currently need, but people are not going to fill those rooms just to sit and look out the window.
The other problem is a large number of locals don't appreciate the arts, maybe they are the blue collar and Navy that you speak of. I'm not sure about that!
No, I think
the mentally ill & drunks you speak of are those who voted for Fraim & Obama and have come to realize their mistake.
So ya don't think us blue collar, former sailors appreciate de arts, do ya? I'll have you know I got every velvet Elvis painting ever sold in any gas station on Shore Drive and a framed original of those dogs playing poker.
did you guys read the article?
Well maybe you need to go back and read it again.
7.8 mill for a BUILDING and 11 mill for a park?
I am scratching my head here. $7.8 mill for that whole building and they managed to spend $11 mill on Town Point Park? Wow. In any case, the Norfolk Historic Preservation stands in the way of too many projects. It's better to have a dense city center than large empty lots all over. MacArthur sits right on the Moses Myers house. It still manages to keep its charm. Once the light rail is ever built look for a lot more projects downtown filling in what little space is left.
arts festival
First of all to be a politician in Norfolk you first must check your
common sense at the door.
With the number pot holes and failing water mains etc. 1.7 millon would be better spent on infrastructure upgrades.
Bottom line fix whats needed most then play thats whats most of us have to do in life.
Well, that's just fantastic!
I don't how we've lived in Norfolk this long w/o a HQ for the arts festival! OMG! I didn't know we were so underprivileged! sarcasm A new artsy, fartsy place is just what Norfolk needs, meanwhile kids still are getting killed and everybody and their brother are broke from the high real estate taxes! Yay! Perhaps the arts will take those people's minds off of their state of homelessness.
I like the arts, but give me a break already!
MORE WASTED $$$
I'm tired of hearing about city cash crunches and then watch something as silly as a $7M arts center get city council approval. A more prudent move would be to consolidate regional arts into the newest building (Sandler Arts Center) locally in VB. That particular bldg is not being utilized to its fullest extent and never will. Its time we look at sharing the tax burden as a region and not trying to one-up each other with who has the biggest and best toys. As with any toy, its gets old and thrown to the side. This new project is no different. WASTEFUL!
Norfolk's Plan for Arts Fest building
I feel as a visitor to Norfolk many attractions that DOWNTOWN is crowded enough & parking is a nightmare! Just another thing to make getting to the attraction more work to do! Please support the local establishments currently there - example ~ The new Hurrah Players building, Scope with its own maintenance issues & TCC Roper with the on-going maintenance there. The city is not being wise & investing in current projects before taking on a new one - BUT THAT IS THE AMERICAN WAY!!! We as of late do not finish what we start!!! Oh council give your $ to current projects & don't congest downtown anymore!!!!! We love Norfolk, here us & look at the Pilot's on-line survey ----- do what you are elected to do and do things that the people want!!!!