PORTSMOUTH
This city doesn't have much cash to entice developers. But it does own some strategic parcels that could spur economic growth. And Portsmouth has access to state, federal, and local incentives that can drive investment in the city.
That's what members of City Council heard during a retreat Saturday as they developed a strategy to jump-start economic development over the next three to five years.
Council members prioritized four industry areas they would like to attract and retain, building on the assets the city already has: Retail and small businesses; health care and life sciences; technology-based modeling and simulation; and maritime-related businesses.
"You've got the potential, you've got the land, you've got the incentive money," said B.J. Taylor, president of Taylor & Associates Inc. "You've got a lot of things other cities don't have."
City leaders hope eventually to reduce the city's real estate tax rate. Portsmouth residents face the highest local tax burden in the region, at $4,477 per year. The next closest city is Norfolk, with an annual tax payment of $3,915.
"We've got to bring the real estate tax rate down," Councilman Charles B. Whitehurst Sr. said.
City leaders also face the prospect of additional state cuts and declining local tax revenue.
Developer and former Portsmouth City Manager Bob Williams told the council that the city has many strengths to help spur redevelopment. In addition to land the city already owns, Portsmouth is home to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, Maryview Hospital and port terminals.
The 40-acre site that used to house Woodrow Wilson High School adjacent to Maryview could one day have doctors' offices or other health-care related businesses, Williams suggested.
The former Cradock High School on George Washington Parkway could be redeveloped to house a contractor that works with the shipyard, given the site's proximity. And the parcel east of Victory Crossing Shopping Center could be developed into more retail, instead of additional residential development, Williams said.
Portsmouth has access to an array of incentives to spur redevelopment, said attorney David Tynch, chairman of the Greater Portsmouth Development Corp.
"We have some of the finest and best incentive zones in Hampton Roads," Tynch said.
Williams told the council that it should establish relationships with federal entities to identify potential economic development for the city.
The council should make sure it has a representative on the governor's international economic development trips, Williams said.
He also recommended simplifying the process for developers by getting department heads together to vet projects and address potential obstacles at one time. The council plans to formalize the economic development initiative with a vote on Nov. 24 that will authorize City Manager Kenneth Chandler to develop a plan.
Chandler said he anticipated the plan would be ready by Jan. 1.
Jen McCaffery, (757) 446-2627, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
City Council
Everyone needs to remember that in May we as voters have a chance to help change at least a portion of the council. Rather than voting one of the incumbents in or someone's crony, elect someone else. I plan on running and anyone else who has problems with the current council should consider running as well.
the only thing
Portsmouth is building is a new Oasis. A bigger better place for the tax burdens to hang out. The only positive is they are moving it off High Street to County so I don't have to watch the daily parade of BMW's and Lexus bring in the folks that draw 2,000 a month in Social Security to smoke and joke on the sidewalk. When the few taxpayers that are left get tired of spending 51 million a year to attract gangs Portsmouth will change. Until then let Holley and Lucas run your city.
Retreat?
Where was this retreat, and how much did it cost me?
location
Retreat was held at YOUR new Churchland Branch Library, High St & Cedar La.
Cost should have been minimal, to cover drinks, snacks and staff time.
AND SO IT GOES IN P-TOWNE
Marie Arnold: You'd better get used to seeing the new Holiday Inn site just as it is today for the next few years. Kind of a symbolic gateway to P-Towne. The City Council gave the developer Final Approval to build it before he had any permanent financing in place. The chances of him obtaining financing for a hotel project are slim and none. Maybe the City will bail him out. They already extended his permits another year. And so it goes in P-Towne...
In another P-Towne "coincidence", the Pilot has reassigned Downtown reporter Jen McCaffery to the Virginia Beach beat just as she was getting initiated in the ways of P-Towne's Good Ol' Boy politics. Just like when Lou Hansen got too close to some insider goin's on. Jen's the reporter who revealed that Louise Lucas was going to be the only one to profit from the Hotel deal. And so it goes in P-Towne...and at the Pilot.
My advice: Hang on and enjoy the ride! Dr. Lydia Pettis Patton plans to run for Council along with one of Louise Lucas' daughters. Now we'll get that "black" hotel the mayor keeps wishing for - courtesy of the Taxpayers. And so it goes in P-Towne...
consolidation
Compare Norfolk and Portsmouth. What are the differences? Cities that have been left behind. Citizens need to realize that they are not the suburbs and are not the vestiges for family living. (yeah sure there are areas that are family oriented). But the crime rates and a majority of citizens who are retired or low income do not have the tax power to develope anything but high rise office buildings. It is time to become Portsfolk or Normouth.
Or Chesapeake could
Or Chesapeake could consolidate with us...they have SoNO (South Norfolk)....Portsmouth would then be SoPo.
LOUISE LUCAS AT THIS TROUGH
Louise LUCAS will have her nose stuck in this TROUGH of good developement news. She is just waiting for the chance to have the City Council gain members to vote her way. Lets just hope we loose HOLLEY soon, and that position is filled with a responsible person. Recall James Holley NOW!!!
Yawn...dreams, dreams,
Yawn...dreams, dreams, dreams. We'll see what, if anything, comes to fruition.
If Portsmouth is so gung-ho on redevelopment, why didn't City Council take the money wasted on the traffic circle on Crawford Street and put THAT into redevelopment? Yeah, the city should ask for money to misappropriate!
not dreams--stupid choices
The traffic circle WAS for development, moving Crawford created a large enough parcel(old "Desks Inc" site)to be developable. City requested proposals, attracted a developer, accepted the developer's proposal, THEN decided to build courthouse on the site, paid the developer $55,000 to NOT BUILD so to allow City to build couthouse, THEN changed their mind and decided to move courthouse out of downtown and into Portcenter, into the building the City(our tax $$$) built, sold at no profit to developer who in turn sells it back to City at a large profit.
So traffic circle was for development---the "Desks Inc" development site the circle construction created sits fallow and awaiting development.
Coulda had a tax generating building on the site and justified the circle.
Coulda, shoulda, woulda, didn't.
Thanks Council....
Don't take all the
baseball and football fields away from the kids, when your building these offices at the Old Wilson or the taking over the old Cradcok building, which also has a recreation center, football and baseball field. These guys want to know how come the crime rate is high, how come we have such young kids in gangs, the city is taking away their access to youth sports programs by eliminating the fields that they play on and not replacing them.
No controls
The kids are out of control, in gangs etc. because the parents are disinterested and uninvolved, the teachers are relegated to referee, the criminal 'justice' system is a joke esp. concerning juviniles- go to a high school sporting event and see for yourself. These sporting events will be a thing of the past-soon.
Portsmouth Real Estate Assessments
"We've got to bring the real estate tax rate down," Councilman Charles B. Whitehurst Sr. said."
Hmmm, Quite an understatement...
According to the Portsmouth Office of The Real Estate Assessor:
"The Assessor’s Office administers real estate assessments under the authority of the Constitution of Virginia, the Code of Virginia and the City of Portsmouth Code. Virginia State law requires real estate assessments to be at 100 percent of fair market value. (Code of Virginia Title 58.1 Taxation 58.1-3201). The definition of "fair market value" is: the price which a property will bring when it is offered for sale by one who desires, but is not obliged, to sell it, and is bought by one who is under no necessity of having it."
Well according to these "professionals" my house has been taxed at $285,000.00 for two years, thus far.
However my home's property value by three internet home value sites are:
Estimate by Zillow.com: $246,500.00
Cyberhomes estimate: $237,451.00
RealEstateAbc.com estimate: $245,500.00
A search of all the comparative home sells in my neighborhood leads me to think the internet sites' estimates are far more accurate and the city's assessors are
Internet Assessments
What comparable sales did they use? Did they inspect your property? Did you read their disclaimers?
Here's the amazing thing!
These people live here, they work here, they have been on the City Council for years, doing City business. YET, they hire consultants, go on expensive retreats and PAY the consultants to tell them what they should already know! If by now they didn't know what they paid the consultants to tell them, we are in more trouble than I thought we were. This is SAD! Are City Council leaders so inept that they actually have to spend taxpayer money to be told what they have and how to use it? Hey City Council --- need some cash? Try collecting personal property taxes on the boats! There are MILLIONS of dollars sitting in the Marina right behind your offices! Yes you have my permission to look out of your window!
What happened to that 'big' planned hotel right before the tunne
I certainly hope they never give a contract to whatever company that is that was to prepare the site for the new 'Holiday Inn' at the entrance with to the downtown tunnel. What a sorry mess that is!
And, at the old site...there is still trash.
There has got to be better planning and especially better choices on contracts.
And please, no more Lucas surprises!!
"The former Cradock High
"The former Cradock High School on George Washington Parkway could be redeveloped to house a contractor that works with the shipyard, given the site's proximity. And the parcel east of Victory Crossing Shopping Center could be developed into more retail, instead of additional residential development, Williams said."
Just give the Cradock residents plenty of notice so we can board up our windows and move out.
Seriously! Cradock High School is ripe for Senior Apartments or Student/Faculty Apartments.
Willy-Nilly, consultant-happy Council will just keep planning and never accomplish a darned thing!
I wouldn't be against it if
I wouldn't be against it if it were offices....industrial mess...different story. Additional workers will give the local businesses a boost...and may even give the residential area a boost.
But, hey! At least the proposal isn't a nudie bar this time!
Okay...good point, e-e. I
Okay...good point, e-e. I concede. I just want to see this residential area bolstered, not muddled with mixed-use mayhem.
2025 Comprehensive Plan
I hope Council will remember its commitment to the Comprehensive Plan...and be sure these ideas are in alignment with it...instead of going off in yet another entirely different direction.