Another sign of failed City policies is the near doubling of homicides in Norfolk. The City Manager and her assistants are trying to preserve substandard housing stock in crime ridden areas like Denby Park so they can proceed with their plans of tearing down Public Housing in the Saint Paul’s Quadrant area. The Greater Wards Corner Partnership will not stand still or remain quiet while the City Manager and Council continue on this course. Click on this link for the Pilot Online story.
Norfolk homicides almost double in 2007
December 31, 2007
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City Of Norfolk | Tagged: Denby Park, Norfolk Crime | 
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Posted by Wards Corner
Greater Wards Corner Comprehensive Plan meeting scheduled for Tuesday, January 15th at 7 pm
December 31, 2007I received the following email from Elyse Kalfus, President of the Greater Wards Corner Business Association:
Louis I have reserved room 202 at the Workforce Development Center on Tuesday January 15th from 7:00pm to 8:30pm to discuss the Wards Corner Comprehensive Plan. Hopefully we will be able to get a better attendance on a week night. This meeting is to discuss the plan the city has proposed, what people think or would like to see, and what our plan of action will be to get this plan put in motion now. It is time to become pro-active, and stop sitting by and letting the City Council do little in Wards Corner. We are a Gateway, not a dumping ground for what the City Council members don’t want to see in the other parts of the city, and it’s time to get organized and take action to make what our dreams of what Wards Corner should be a reality. We need to get all the civic leagues in our area to get their member at this meeting. Please post this meeting on Wards Corner Now, I will send notices to all the civic leagues involved.
Elyse
Please alert your civic leagues of this very important meeting.
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Man dies after being shot in front of video game store in Southern Shopping Center
December 31, 2007Pilot Online reports that a man was shot in front of the Game Stop store in Southern Shopping Center. In an unconfirmed police report, a suspect was apprehended in Denby Park this afternoon.
Comments Off on Man dies after being shot in front of video game store in Southern Shopping Center | crime, wards corner | Tagged: Denby Park, Wards Corner Crime | Permalink
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CBRE proposes NRHA headquarters in Central Business Park
December 26, 2007CB Richard Ellis Commercial Real Estate Firm has pitched Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority on relocating from Downtown Norfolk to Central Business Park next to the Walmart on Tidewater Drive. This move could be a boon to the redevelopment plan known as the Greater Wards Corner Comprehensive Plan.
The Hampton Roads Business Journal, “Inside Business” wrote:
CBRE made the pitch last week after learning that the housing authority is exploring options for its headquarters, which is now in Downtown Norfolk at 201 Granby St.
The three-story, 53,815-square-foot building, constructed less than two years ago, is located in Central Business Park, which is close to Tidewater Drive, Norfolk International Airport and Interstate 64. The housing authority originally developed the park for the city.
“This is a perfect opportunity for NRHA to stand behind one of the properties they were instrumental in developing and promoting,” said Jeff Parker, a vice president with CBRE who is marketing the property.
A CBRE flyer advertises a sale price of $6.6 million or rental rates of $10 per square foot, full service, with lease terms of either 5 or 10 years.
“The owners will be open to negotiations as to the rents or the sales price,” Parker said.
Norfolk Central Development LLC, a partnership between Pete Singh and Lennie Weaver of Dumfries, owns the property.
Parker said tenant improvements can be done in 60 to 90 days.
“The facilities committee has requested that staff look at the market and determine if there are existing properties that are cheaper to buy or lease,” said housing authority spokesperson Ed Ware.
NRHA is also considering a location in Broad Creek. Hopefully the Wards Corner area will get the attention that it deserves by a relocation of NRHA to Central Business Park.
Comments Off on CBRE proposes NRHA headquarters in Central Business Park | wards corner | Tagged: Central Business Park, Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, NRHA | Permalink
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Merry Christmas
December 25, 2007 
The folks at WordPress have brought snow to our site. No your eyes aren’t playing tricks. Enjoy the season.
Merry Christmas!
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Draft of Norfolk’s 2008 legislative priorities
December 15, 2007Below is a link to a draft of Norfolk’s 2008 Legislative Priorities:
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Another land assembly plan needs to be considered
December 13, 2007The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in it’s winter 2008 journal has presented an interesting alternative to eminent domain. Since eminent domain is pretty much off the table for the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority to use as a tool to spur redevelopment of Denby Park and property along Ashlawn Drive, they need to consider other strategies of land assembly. I am including the article for your review.
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The Greater Wards Corner Partnership Meeting
December 12, 2007The Greater Wards Corner Partnership Meeting
Where: The Norfolk Fitness and Wellness Center, 7300 Newport Avenue
Date: Saturday, December 15th, 2007
Time: 8:30 am
Agenda:
1. PACE Report
2. Committee Reports:
A. Economic Development
B. Beautification
C. Infrastructure
D. Codes
E. Business Association
3. Mayor’s Wards Corner Task Force Report
4. Unfinished Business
5. New Business
6. Adjourn
Please bring a breakfast food item or paper product to share with each other.
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Please help Norfolk get the $25,000 Playful City USA grant
December 12, 2007 
The City of Norfolk is competing for a $25,000 grant to bring “play” back into children’s lives. Please register on the kaboom.org website and vote for Norfolk’s entry. Below is a letter from Deborah Morton, Assistant Director of Recreation, Parks and Open Spaces: (note: anyone can vote for Norfolk’s entry)
Good afternoon:The City of Norfolk was chosen along with 21 other communities across the country to compete for a $25,000 grant from KaBOOM, a national non-profit organization bringing “play” back into the lives of children by funding play-related community projects.The department of Recreation, Parks & Open Space needs your help. We would like every employee to vote for Norfolk, VA for the $25,000 grant! The directions are below. There is no cost and they will not send you any emails if you don’t ask for them. The votes are 30% of the decision of who gets the grant!! Our video is not glamorous or glitzy but we really could use the money for our kids!!!Vote from work and home!! We need at least 5,000 votes. You can e-mail from your work computer.It will only take a few minutes. The deadline for voting is December 20, 2007. So please hurry!!! Get as many friends, family members, students, clubs, church groups, co-workers, neighbors as you can to vote. The site to go to is www.kaboom.org. Make sure you vote for Norfolk!! Look for the mermaid!
Thanks.
Deborah Morton
Assistant Director City of Norfolk
Recreation, Parks & Open Space
757-441-2400
1 Comment | City Of Norfolk | Tagged: Playful City USA Grant | Permalink
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Wards Corner Cleanup a success in partnering
December 10, 2007
Granby High School students with the help of folks from the Greater Wards Corner Business Association had a successful cleanup of the area around the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks on Saturday. We received the following letter from Jennifer Lanz of Granby High School:
I would like to share with you all the latest efforts in “Keep Our Corner Clean.” Four Granby Students, Laura Thom (North Shore Sports and PT) and her mother and John Knight (Book Exchange) and myself picked up trash along the railroad this Saturday. It turned out to be a perfect day for this. Laura was the key player in communicating with Norfolk Southern and putting the pressure on them to provide permission slips and supervision so that we would be all safe and had permission to be in that area. It was a mess! But it was beautiful after just 3 hours of hard work. Kroger provided water and snacks for the volunteers.Even though the student turnout was low, I hope to have a large crew again…probably late Jan. / Early Feb. Keep Norfolk beautiful should have the Adopt -A-Spot signs up soon for us.
Again, Granby students are interested in supporting our local businesses and if you can think of how we can partner up in different areas, please feel free to contact me. There is a staff of 200 here…I would be glad to have my students stuff mailboxes with coupons / advertisements. Students would gladly accept donated business attire for field trips and competitions that we participate in and of course monetary donates are gladly accepted to help our club put on activities for these students. In March, we will be attending the regional FBLA conference and competition and in April we will participate at the state conference.
February 15th is our Career Fair date. It will be from 9-12:30 in the school library for vendors to display education / training programs as well as jobs that are available.
Attached are John Knight’s pictures from this Saturday’s efforts.
Jennifer Lanz
Business and Information Technology
Granby High School
7101 Granby St
Norfolk, VA 23505
(757) 451-4110
FAX 451- 4118
jlanz@nps.k12.va.us
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Huge Navy housing project begins in Norfolk
December 7, 2007PilotOnline reports that construction has begun on a huge Navy housing project for single sailors.
The roughly $336 million project will provide 2,366 new beds in a combination of “manor-style” residences and midrise apartment buildings with clubhouses and other amenities, Hampton Roads PPV LLC said in a news release. In Norfolk, the units will be located at Camp Allen, adjacent to Interstate 64 near Willoughby, and Camp Elmore, off Terminal Boulevard. Housing also will be build on a 5-acre parcel in Newport News near the Northrop Grumman shipyard.
Our hopes are that this project may spur new private development dollars to be spent in the revitalization of the Wards Corner Business District.
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City Council to vote tonight on Wards Corner initiatives
December 4, 2007City Council is scheduled to vote tonight on a number of issues that affect the Wards Corner Partnership Area :
1. The establishment of a rental inspection district in Denby Park,
2. The creation of a “Special Service Area Program”,
3. The inclusion of Denby Park, Monticello Village, and Oakdale Farms in the “Special Service Area”, and
4. The establishment of the Department of Neighborhood Preservation.
Comments Off on City Council to vote tonight on Wards Corner initiatives | Project Focus | Tagged: Denby Park, Neighborhood Preservation, Special Service Area | Permalink
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Wards Corner Now - Wards Corner, Norfolk, Virginia 
