The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
City officials will begin to make good today on promises made nearly a decade ago to help redevelop the deteriorating Wards Corner area.
City Manager Marcus Jones has negotiated the purchase of about half a dozen apartment buildings in the Denby Park neighborhood, Mayor Paul Fraim and other city officials will announce this morning. The apartments will be torn down and converted into open space, officials are expected to announce.
Councilman Andy Protogyrou made the redevelopment of Wards Corner the focus of his 2010 election campaign. Although his ward does not include Denby Park, he represents much of Wards Corner.
"This is something we've waited for years to happen in the Wards Corner area. It's the beginning all of us have looked forward to," he said.
"Marcus really deserves a lot of credit for making this happen. This shows we can make things happen when we have the political will."
Crime in Denby Park has been a major factor in the deterioration of the Wards Corner commercial area, city leaders have said.
"Until we take care of the crime issue in Denby Park, we're not going to make progress in the Wards Corner commercial corridor," said Martin Thomas Jr., vice president of the Wards Corner Civic League. "So this sounds like really good news."
Wards Corner was once a bustling commercial area second only to the city's downtown. Over time, its upscale retailers moved elsewhere. Now, vacant storefronts dot many of the area's mostly timeworn shopping centers.
The City Council approved a comprehensive plan for Wards Corner in 2003 that called for the purchase and demolition of hundreds of apartments in Denby Park. To date, the city hasn't purchased any apartments.
"There's a density issue, an amenities issue here," said Councilwoman Angelia Williams, who represents the neighborhood. "Those apartments were built so long ago. They're not attractive. People deserve better than that."
Wards Corner is at the intersection of Granby Street and Little Creek Road. Denby Park is just to the east and is bounded by Little Creek Road, Tidewater Drive and Interstate 64.
Denby Park was originally developed with modest single-family homes, but in the 1960s the remaining open space was developed into apartments.
Most of the apartments are surrounded by parking lots with little open space. The gradual deterioration of some has led to high crime rates, city leaders have said.
The neighborhood is home to a playground built three years ago by hundreds of volunteers with more than $100,000 in private dollars. Because of frequent drug activity and other crime near the playground, neighborhood leaders asked the city last year to move the playground to the nearby Monticello Village neighborhood.
Norfolk officials are negotiating moving the park with KaBoom, a national foundation that brings parks to low-income neighborhoods.
Williams said today's announcement is a good start on redevelopment. Still, she said, "We've got a long way to go."
Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
East Ocean view
I expected and have watched the decline of Ward's Corner, West Ocean View and Willoughby areas when the city razed thousands of units of multi-family housing in East Ocean View. What were once working safe working class neighborhoods have been turned into high crime ,open air drug markets. Unless the city has a plan which will effectively distribute the displaced population from the Wards Corner area they will only be running West OV and Willoughby further into the ground. This is not acceptable. The city needs to lay out a comprehensive plan that allows for safe affordable housing distributed throughout the city and not just continuing the practice of shuffling crime infested neighborhoods from one part of the city to benefit another while a handful
Loved the Ward’s Corner
Loved the Ward’s Corner area since childhood! Late 60’s runs to Giant Open Air for pizza or counter service to satisfy those weekend late night munchies - Getting your feet x-rayed at the Hofheimers and getting a balloon. Later years, what was the name of that big record store…Tracks?, I forget. I love this area and it would be wonderful to have another place to shop. Would be nice too not to have to dodge the hookers when driving through there late at night on the way home from work.
Tracks?
You are either a newcomer or else very young.:) That building was originally Crossroads Restaurant, then became the Hub men's clothing store and later a record store. I think the worst blow came when the Hofheimers/Rices building was torn down. The intersection lost its distinctive character when that change was made.
It's such a prime location, you'd think the city could figure out a better way to use it.
yeah tracks!
was the name of the music store on the corner of Little Creek Rd and Granby St. Well, you must be a newbie or very young...
Worked for Ocean View Area
My folks had two buildings of four units each and they paid $110,000 for each one. City of Norfolk came through years later and paid $225,000 for one as they thinned out the "Bay" streets to every other building. They took that deal real quick! Needs to happen in Princess Anne Plaza in Virginia Beach and Old "rundown" Town Suffolk.
What about the residents?
Where are the people that are currently living there supposed to move? Is other affordable housing available, or are we putting them on the street.
The police need to do their jab and clean up the crime. Tearing down a neighborhood is not the solution.
Looking back
For those who mentioned memories or had questions about things in days gone by: The movie theatre was The Suburban and was managed during my youth by Mr. Stanley Williams. It was a few doors in from what was then the Ben Franklin five and dime -- home of the world's skinniest Santa Claus. West's Pharmacy was opposite on the corner of Maycox and Granby. I can't remember if the High's Ice Cream was on that strip between West's and Sai Gai, or in the strip on the opposite side of Maycox. There was another High's well down Granby toward Ocean View. Just up Little Creek from Rice's monkey window was a hobby shop and a place I only remember as The Tavern. The strip behind Barnett's had an A&P, a bowling alley and a little diner called Buzzy's.
Buzzy's
My grandmother used to take us to Buzzy's for cheeseburgers. I had completely forgotten the place. I loved to go to West's to look at comic books, also the newsstand run by the old ladies.
West's
Wasn't there a Hub clothing store near Buzzy's and A&P? I loved going to West's for comic books and baseball cards. The treat was a small fountain coke. They were really nice to little kids in there. They even let me buy cigarettes there because they trusted that I was on an errand for my father -- and I was. Neighborhoods!!
Yes
The Hub was along the stretch near Buzzy's. My mother used to take my brother in to get his Cub Scout uniforms. I was always fascinated by the badges and the stuff for making crafts-popsicle stick kits, little colored wooden chips. But the Hobby Shop was the place to go for paint by numbers and jewelry kits. My brothers always got their Revell model kits there. Hard to believe they once sold real airplane glue to kids.
I had forgotten about the fountain at West's. What a great place that was.