Wards Corner Now – Wards Corner, Norfolk, Virginia

Thanks to Karen Mayne for her note taking:

The Greater Wards Corner Task Force Meeting

June 12, 2014

Council Members Barclay Winn, Andy Protogyrou, and Terry Whibley were present.

Norfolk Public Schools

School redistricting is being studied by NPS; no changes will take place during the 2014 – 2015 school year, other than the temporary closing of Lafayette-Winona Middle School.  Lafayette-Winona will close for one year and its students will be placed at the other middle schools throughout the city except for Lake Taylor Middle.  The student census at the other middle schools can accommodate these students.  In the 2015 – 2016 school year, Lafayette-Winona will reopen as a “choice facility” for students in grades 3 – 8, with a focus on international studies and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

The high schools are the major focus of the school redistricting study.  NPS is considering changing the boundaries of the high schools and adding a CTE (Career Technical Education) high school.  NPS will continue to seek public input throughout the study process.

Department of Development

Mid-Town Shopping Center is in negotiations with the Original Mattress Factory and Liberty Tax but leases have not been signed.  A restaurant is also under consideration.

The owner of the Farm Fresh parcel (including the vacant building), Cedar Realty, has put the property up for sale.

K&K Square is still looking for a restaurant to fill the south end of the shopping center.

Department of Public Works

The City will be paving the intersection of Granby Street and Little Creek Road, including the replacement of the crosswalks.

Community Reports

Walgreens will conduct free HIV testing at the Wards Corner store on June 26 – 28.  Hours will be 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm onJune 26 – 27, and 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on June 28.  Flyers about the event are available at the store.

The Oakdale Farms/Denby Park Civic League had a successful week-long trash/debris removal event with the City of Norfolk Waste Management.  A large amount of trash was collected and removed at the curb throughout the week.

The North Shore Road bridges in Algonquin Park/North Shore Point will be repaired/replaced.  The construction plan no longer includes large sidewalks on the bridges at the request of the civic league since there are no sidewalks adjacent to the bridges.  This will save a significant amount of money.  One lane of each bridge will remain open during construction.

The Unimart at 1033 West Little Creek Road has applied for an on-site ABC license, which has been opposed by the Titustown Civic League.

The public art planned for Wards Corner has been delayed.  After the arts commission met with the artist and reviewed his proposals, they asked him to bring back additional concepts.  The commission felt that his concepts did not reflect a connection to the Wards Corner area.

The Task Force will not meet over the summer.  The next meeting will be September 11, 2014 at 8:30 am at the Norfolk Fitness and Wellness Center.