The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
Visions of a Westin Hotel and Conference Center in the heart of downtown faded with the economy, leaving a 2-acre vacant lot at Granby and Main streets as an unwelcome reminder.
Now, members of the Downtown Norfolk Council are ready to turn that symbol of hard times into a public space where people can relax or socialize under trees and sail shades. The plan calls for food vendors, outdoor entertainment and a half-size basketball court on the site.
It's a temporary fix but should revive the spot in time for visitors who show up for OpSail 2012, the tall ship event in early June.
Cathy Coleman, president of the council, said she saw a similar project in Rossyln, Va., and thought it could work here.
"People have not been happy with how the site looked, she said. "It's a gateway to the core of our downtown."
About a year ago, Coleman pulled together a group of architects and other professionals to come up with a plan to change that.
Thom White, an architect serving as project leader, presented drawings and details to members of the Downtown Norfolk Council on Wednesday. The main feature of the park will be a cut-through walkway that takes pedestrians more easily from the waterfront area to Granby Street and its businesses, he said.
The park is dubbed The Plot and will be designed with 12 individual plots arranged around different activities.
The Downtown Norfolk Council is working on a final cost for the project, which will be paid for by the council, sponsorship dollars and in-kind contributions.
Graphics at the park will explain how the public space was made with reclaimed materials from the lot itself and from other parts of the city.
Planters from the days when Granby Street was a pedestrian mall will help beautify the space, and timber from the recently demolished Boathouse will be used for park benches.
Staging platforms from Scope and bleachers recovered from other city venues will help form an amphitheater in the heart of the park. The backdrop for the stage and the anchor of the park will be a sculpture composed of shipping containers, positioned vertically as a monument to the city's port heritage.
The one catch to plans for the park: Locals might grow attached by the time a new developer is ready to plant a building there.
"We want everyone to recognize our ultimate goal is to see that piece of property developed," Coleman said.
Janie Bryant, 757-446-2453, janie.bryant@pilotonline.com
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Memorial
If the land is made into a park and hence, taken off the public tax rolls, an apt name for the park would be: The Paul Riddick Gardens.
I have a daydream.
Planters, umbrellas with vermouth adds , chairs, tables, hustling waiters, serving espresso, cappuccinos, sweet tea or fresh squeezed lemonade, perhaps a pasticceria, interesting people to ogle, a statue of St.So and So to stare at us in disgust for our impure thoughts, la dolce vita! Like that could happen here, right?
Sigh...
Sounds wonderful....
I love the idea of green
I love the idea of green spaces in the downtown area. You want people to come live in the downtown then you must have things for them to do outside, destinations. A good chance to add some outdoor art to the area also; wall paintings, sculpture. Something besided faded concrete planters, wilting pansies and ugly trash cans.
Do it right or don't do it.
say what?
Have you ever been to Manhattan or Boston? Both have quite a bit of green in the downtown areas. Makes for a nice mix of city vs. park.
uhm
Not sure how this got posted under the wrong post! Sorry!
I think...
The City of Norfolk should limit green space downtown. It already has a park anyway. Downtowns are supposed to be highly urbanized centers with some green space to blend in with the high density. Thankfully, this "Plot" is temporary. Otherwise, downtown would be looking quite naked and undeveloped.
I like it
I really like that the city is getting creative with the upcycling projects. It's very "Norfolk" and will give the spot a very natural feel to it. Not to mention the money saved on supplies.
This Deal was handled poorly
Right or wrong; the city needs to actively conduct a wide search for a developer that will use his own money to build a tax revenue producing property.
Developers
The city is shelling cash for certain vendors just to locate and sell in downtown right now, what makes you think they will be able to find a developer with enough cash and incentive to build anything from scratch in our "little-big city".