Revonna Bieber of Monticello Village writes in with the following:
According to the NRHA Fall 2009 issue of “Neighborhood Patterns [PDF]” On Wednesday morning, April 15, a blighted 16-unit apartment building at 9430 First View Street was razed. In its place, three single family homes will be built, bringing about a much needed change according to local residents and West Ocean View Civic League members. NRHA purchased the property in July 2008 when 13 of the 16 units were occupied.
The property will be divided into three lots for homes ranging from 1,600 to 1,800 square feet with projected price ranges of $175,000 to $250,000. Construction is expected to be complete for all three units by spring 2010.
So why aren’t these improvements being made in our neighborhoods? Blight is quite apparent, especially in the apartment complexes, in the areas of Denby Park, Monticello Village, and Oakdale Farms. Why can the city buy and raize apartment buildings in Ocean View, Lamberts Point,on Hampton Boulevard, and Broad Creek but not in Wards Corner?
Wards Corner Now - Wards Corner, Norfolk, Virginia 
Yes the eminent domain laws are more strict, they do however still apply to blighted housing. It just has to be taken one bulding at a time and if that is what it takes, it is still worth the effort to get grants and assistance from the the city to improve these areas.
The city can do it. They need the ammunition (literally and metaphorically).Keep calling in everytime you see something wrong. Call it in, give the bean counters some stats to back up action. Zero tolerance for crime and vandilism. That means we as residents need to keep our own properties neat, repaired and worthy of the attention. Renters don’t get a pass either, to the passing eye a property is a property. The City won’t want to make an effort for people who park on their lawns and have 2′ of grass growing out front.
There are 3 apartment buildings for sale on San Antinio and 1 on East Little Creek Road, The City just bought a trailer park on Pretty Lake for $750,000 and are planning on another big purchase in Ocean view and if I’m not mistaken there is another one they have also made or about to make that is in the millions. Yes when they want to do some thing they can sure find the money to do what they want. Mayabe we should be asking Regina V.K. Williams why nothing is happing in Denby Park.
How long have members of the Wards Corner community tried to plead our case with the City only to see conditions here continue to deteriorate? What I can’t understand is why the City is apparently not the least bit interested in the potential for tax revenue this busy area has! What a sound investment it would be! Think about the huge volume of traffic that passes through these couple of intersections every day!
These types of improvements are being made all over the city. To see the Fall report just click on the Norfolk Patterns Link above.
Elyse is the eminent domain talk still planned for this saturday at Workforce Development?
just sold my house!!!!! i feel sorry for the ones left to have to deal with a city coucil that does nothing for us and should have been voted out long ago!!!!
The talk for Saturday has been canceled due to a scheduling conflict with the senator, but he will be at the Workforce Center with me breifly on Friday between 11:15 – 11:45 a.m. for those of you that can make it, bring your questions with you because he is on a very tight schedule. I will be taking him on a quick tour of the neighborhood before the question & answer session.
Elyse,
That is very unfortunate my husband and I were very much looking forward to the speakers and their take on eminent domain. Will you or someone else be bringing the information to the next Partnership meeting? Thanks.
Yes we will, and we will also try and bring one or both of the other two speaker to the meeting also. The problem really isn’t that we don’t have the means to do what is needed to get our revitalization done in Denby Park. Our problem is that the city has no real interest in our area and our four council representatives aren’t doing much to promote our cause.
10/7/2009, 7:15 pm, multiple shots from the apts between Munden and E. Little Creek, people running, laughing. Very close by. Called 911 but someone beat me to it. Things are getting worse, not better. 100 FT Police asigned to Denby Park only could not stop this business but one man with a bulldozer can.
Elyse,
Thank you for the information in advance. I will be sure to attend the meeting. I look foward to helping in joining the cause to assist this area and make it a safer place to live.