The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
The Federal Aviation Administration will block the city from moving forward with several high-profile projects near the Oceanfront, including the Convention Center hotel. That's unless the federal government agrees to move the giant radar facility at Oceana Naval Air Station, which could cost at least $12 million.
The agency has determined that any building taller than 110 feet - roughly 10 stories - at the Oceanfront would obstruct a surveillance radar used to protect the Eastern Seaboard. The locations include the Rudee Loop and sites next to the 31st Street Hilton and the Convention Center.
Several buildings already interfere with the radar, which looks like a giant golf ball, and the cumulative effect of more such buildings would make things worse, FAA officials wrote to the city.
"It's a very serious loss of potential," Deputy City Manager Steve Herbert said. "It's not something that we can live with in the long haul."
The decision forces the city to rethink its plans for the Convention Center hotel. Beach officials are reviewing two proposals, and both call for a hotel almost double the height of the FAA recommendation.
"Obviously, this is a disappointment to the city, and we will be pursuing several avenues to remedy what we consider to be an unfair determination," City Manager Jim Spore wrote to the City Council.
The 10-story limit could also curb plans to redevelop the resort's skyline with taller, denser buildings to make the most of the small amount of developable land left at the Oceanfront. It also would make it difficult to build wind farms off the coast, said Councilman John Uhrin.
The city has known since early 2008 that the FAA had concerns about the proposed height of the convention center hotel.
Last winter, the city spent $22,500 to hire a former FAA employee as a consultant and sought staff from Sen. Jim Webb's office to work with the FAA.
In January, the city resubmitted its application for the hotel, along with potential structures at sites such as Rudee Loop.
The FAA gave the same negative answer for all the sites, which is simply a recommendation, said Arlene Salac, spokeswoman for the federal agency. It does make it difficult for a developer to get insurance or financing, she said.
Beach officials plan to talk to the FAA and congressional representatives about moving the radar and will do studies of how much tax revenue the city could lose because of the height restriction, Herbert said.
"We understand the importance of national security," he said. "The city has outgrown the radar. It's a natural phenomenon."
Other communities near airports face similar problems, Herbert said.
Still, it would be unusual for the FAA to agree to the move. Beach officials know of only one other instance: In 1991, a long-range radar installation was replaced in Florida because a hurricane destroyed the old one.
The cost of moving a radar facility is unclear, because it's rarely done. Replacing an air-traffic radar in Massachusetts recently was estimated at $12 million to $15 million.
"They were put at the site for a reason, for the coverage they provide," Salac said. "They could certainly come to us with that proposal. That would be a very expensive undertaking."
Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com
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Never should have been built at Oceana
I thought that this radar had been there for a long time - like the 50's. Any clear thinking in 1984 would have seen the development of the waterfront in years to come. The radar should be moved at Federal expense because they screwed up. There is federal property right on the waters edge that could support this radar. So move it and get it over with. As for the future of Oceana, either use right of eminemt domain and solve the problem of noise and the OLF --- or start the planning to close Oceana with the intro of the F-35
Tall buildings Short sighted
Where's the Beach? Is it a good idea to build skyscrapers on the oceanfront so folks will feel right at home (like New York, Chicago, Atlanta, etc.) or might they come to Virginia Beach for the BEACH and the vacation feel of cottages and white sand? Someone mentioned that taller buildings attract more upscale travelers. Incredible! Taller buildings are only built so the developers building them can maximize the use of VERY EXPENSIVE land. And while they are at it they convince our city government to grant variances for the number of parking spaces the law requires them to have for the number of people expected to occupy the premises. Oceanfront parking is not provided for employees of businesses so they are forced to circle the streets to find onstreet parking. The employee parking permit system occupies a whole city department. Is our city government so deeply in the pockets of developers that now they intend to disregard NATIONAL SECURITY and interfere with radar providing the our first line of defense?
The radar belongs to whom?
Okay people, as “VB2NC” stated, this is NOT the Navy’s radar, it doesn’t control traffic landing at Oceana…that would be their ASR-11 (terminal radar), and so even if you do get rid of Oceana and “their” jet noise, doesn’t mean you will be getting rid of the ARSR-4 (Long Range Radar). I have read here…”the Navy needs to do something about this!” Again it is not the Navy’s radar, in fact, the ARSR-4 is a “Joint Surveillance Radar”, and though it is primarily operated and maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), it provides communication and radar data to both FAA and the US Military. Further, it is a Joint Surveillance System funded by the FAA and the USAF (not the Navy)! This radar system supports defense of the national airspace and provides initial coastal civil air traffic control…in other words…your first notification that someone who “ain’t your friend” is coming to visit (that’s how the military uses it) and the FAA uses it for all en route flights. That’s not to say it can’t be used to control terminal flights…that is just not its intended purpose. So, you can get rid of the Navy, and jets at Oceana…but you will
Kill two birds with one project...
plan to put the radar in top of the new Convention Center hotel!
While we are at it - I think we should require all new hotels to built on the land side of Atlantic Avenue. In time, the beach will be open once again for viewing and the enjoyment of locals.
Higher hotels make for a better Oceanfront
Certainly, as many have mentioned, VB attracts a low end traveler, who drives here, stays in the cheesy hotels that line the boardwalk like a solid wall, buy cheap trinkets, and eat in all-you-can-eat buffets. Our average summer room rate is ridiculously low for a beach resort, and our restaurants have low average checks. All of this means that while we get all of the traffic and congestion a beach resort attracts, we don't get anywhere near the property and sales tax revenue we should from this valuable asset.
Taller hotels attract a higher end traveler. A convention center hotel will attract year round visitors -- a critical need to generate revenue outside our current thirteen week season. Look at the high end beach resorts around the country, and you will see high rise hotels and condos. People pay more money for sweeping views. No quality beach resort has our configuration of a solid wall of eight story hotels stretched for blocks.
If you want tax revenue to pay for Kempsville projects or anything else, then support the ability of VB to build a "higher" end product. That radar protects all Americans -- the "cost" of having it shouldn't fall just on VB residents by
but if the military leaves...
who will VBPD harass in the offseason?? all those DUIs, tinted window tickets, speeding tickets, public intox, etc etc etc. That is a huge source of revenue. then there is the other stuff like taxes, federal money for schools, home owners, apartment renters, sales tax purchases, etc etc etc etc etc etc. personally, i think the 1950s were a cool period of history to look back on, but that doesn't mean i want to regress to that around here. VA Beach is not bigger than the US. The last time southerners had that attitude, it ended badly. suck it up and build 2 shorter towers.
Quantity Or Quality...We Can Have Both
More hotel rooms? A Convention Center ?
First things First.
Focus on upgrading the Oceanfront in order to attract a more upscale visitor to add to the current tourist base. Fact is the only tourists that currently vacation here drive here by car. Quality resorts have airline arriving guests and we don't. Face the facts.. the resort area has little to offer any convention of substance. Trashy, in a word describes most of the resort area with only one very notable exception which is the PHR property on 31st Street between Atlantic & Pacific.
That's our gold standard (Big developer but give them credit when it's due).
Personally, I would prefer to keep the radar and lose the jets and their noise but thats a decesion better made by the security agencies.
Va. Beach City officials
Have the City of Virginia Beach not learned from Sept 11, 2001? Have they not looked at the importance of Radar and its function, Do they not remember the issues surrounding Oceana's exhistance is still not totally resolved. Ehat the heck are they thinking? You want to run a resort town then go where that is totally possible without endangering millions of lives as you do it. Stupid and defiant officials? I say yes!!
Who is their builder friends? How many promises have they already made? Just go away somewhere else where you are not as transparent with your dealings.
If Virginia Beach allows these buildings to go up
as the developer wants I will limit my VA shopping and patronizing restaurants to Chesapeake and Norfolk. Will this hurt Virginia Beach, NO, but it will make me feel better.
Ocean development
What a stupid discussion! Oceana was there first...national security comes first...developers hopes of million dollar profits should come last. End of discussion !!