Bon Secours DePaul Implements Valet Parking Program

April 29, 2013

Following concerns and complaints about the lack of convenient parking, especially for handicapped drivers, DePaul will begin a valet parking program immediately.  See the press release below for further information.

Norfolk, VA (April 29, 2013) Construction on Bon Secours DePaul Medical Plaza, the 103,700 square foot, four-story, office building that located on the campus of Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center has begun.  This is the second phase of a three-phase campus development plan by Bon Secours to improve Bon Secours DePaul through investments in programs and services.   During this phase of the campus development, parking directly in front of the hospital main entrance has been relocated.

In order to assist patients and visitors with difficulty walking, the medical center will be immediately offering a free valet parking service.  This new program operates between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday- Friday, and will transport patients’ and visitors’ vehicles to and from the front entrance of the hospital.  Operators will not accept tips.

Bon Secours anticipates that valet parking will continue until the opening of the Bon Secours DePaul Medical Plaza in Spring 2014.

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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.

Upcoming Tidewater Drive city projects

April 22, 2013

Tidewater Drive has five major construction projects planned between Little Creek Road and Roland Park over the next 2-3 years.  Some of these projects will result in lengthy and inconvenient detours.  The projects include the renovation of the intersection of Tidewater Drive and E. Little Creek Road, the installation of a 16 inch  water main in the area near the interstate, the installation of a 20 inch water main south of the interstate, and the renovation of the Roland Park overpass and ramp.  The city has provided the below handout (PDF) to remind everyone of the projects and the project timelines.

tidewaterdrive projects

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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.

Message to Norfolk City Council: Restore the funding to Wards Corner

April 19, 2013
WVEC Funding to help revitalize Wards Corner neighborhood slashed

WVEC Funding to help revitalize Wards Corner neighborhood slashed

WVEC is reporting on the reduced funding planned for the Wards Corner Neighborhood plan.  Their article and video can be viewed on their website.

I encourage you to contact City Council either by email or by attending the public budget hearing scheduled for Wednesday, April 24 at 6pm at Granby High School.  Their contact info is located on the City Council website: http://www.norfolk.gov/index.aspx?NID=533

The WVEC article:

NORFOLK — For years the City of Norfolk would allocate millions of dollars to revitalizing the Wards Corner area, but this year the funds are getting slashed.

City spokeswoman Lori Crouch says the City Manager was able to scrape and provide $750,000 for the proposed FY 2014 budget.

“The city is fiscally stressed,” said Crouch.

Here’s how the numbers break down:

Year                   Allocation for Implementation of the Wards Corner Plan
2014                  $750,000 (proposed)
2013                  $2,000,000
2012                  $1,000,000
2011                  $1,767,500

Less money being allocated to the neighborhood isn’t sitting well with residents, businesses owners or patrons of Wards Corner.

Martin Thomas Jr. says less money coming in now could jeopardize overall progress.

Previous funds were used to purchase and demolish blighted and crime-inducing properties in sections of Denby Park.  The City purchased 68 units in 2011 and demolished them in 2012. In addition, 37 apartment units were bought in 2013.  Once the tenants are relocated the units will be demolished.

Next year, a new shopping plaza featuring Harris Teeter is scheduled to open in Wards Corner.

Thomas is concerned if there is no effort in ridding blighted properties around the shopping center, it will have a negative impression on investors.

“If we can show those businesses that this is a nice place to open and you are going to get a good clientele, that effect will cause more and more redevelopment in the Wards Corner area,” Thomas said.

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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.

City Manager proposes less money for Wards Corner Neighborhood Plan

April 17, 2013

The City of Norfolk has posted its proposed 2014 fiscal year budget to the City of Norfolk website.  Disappointingly the City Manager has only proposed allocating $750,000 to the Wards Corner Neighborhood Plan.   That is the least amount of funding allocated to the Wards Corner Plan since 2007.

Year                   Allocation for Implementation of the W. C. Plan
2014                  750,000 (proposed)
2013                  2,000,000
2012                  1,000,000
2011                  1,767,500
2010                  1,010,000
2009                  2,121,000
2008                  1,010,000
2007                  505,000

Wards Corner Now, the Wards Corner Task Force, and the various civic leagues in the Wards Corner area have been resolute in their request that neighborhood plan funding be used to purchase and demolish the blighted and crime inducing properties in the Texas streets section of Denby Park.  In recent years the City has been successful in purchasing 37 units in 2013 and 68 units in 2011/2012.

Additionally, the proposed 2014 budget includes $500,000 to  provide for the design and construction of improvements to the Granby Street and Louisiana Drive intersection.  This is a part of the intersection improvements required by Harris Teeter for the new shopping center in the business district.

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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.

5 shot in attempted robbery in “Texas streets” area of Denby Park

April 15, 2013

The Virginian-Pilot is reporting:

Seven people were shot late Saturday in two separate incidents that happened about 20 minutes and 2 miles apart.

None of the injuries was life-threatening, police said.

The first incident occurred about 11:30 p.m., in the 7800 block of San Antonio Blvd. Five people were taken to a hospital, including two men who have been charged.

The two are suspects in an attempted home robbery that apparently led to the shooting, a news release said. The three other shooting victims appear to have been the robbery’s targets.

Trenton J. Ore, 25, and Joven K. Covington, 23, both of Norfolk, face charges including eight counts of use of a firearm, four counts of robbery and three counts of malicious wounding.

The second shooting happened about 11:50 p.m. in the 1300 block of nearby Johns­tons Road.

Detectives said two men had been in a verbal altercation with another man during a family gathering. The two men followed the third man after he left a home on Johnstons Road, but the third man later shot the other two, police said. A bullet also struck an occupied vehicle, but nobody inside was injured.

Darryl Lee Speller, 22, of Norfolk faces charges including two counts each of malicious wounding, shooting into an occupied vehicle and use of a firearm. He is related to the two shooting victims, police said.

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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.

Wards Corner Task Force meeting reminder

April 9, 2013

This is a reminder that the Greater Wards Corner Task Force Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 11th at the Norfolk Fitness and Wellness Center (8:30 a.m.).

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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.