Wards Corner Business Association Meeting
Wednesday, January 8th, 2020
5:30 pm. – 7:00 p.m.
Guads Mexican Restaurant, 7515 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA 23505
CLICK HERE FOR JANUARY 2020 NEWSLETTER
Wards Corner Business Association Meeting
January 6, 2020
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Maury, Norview, and Granby among best high schools in the country!
May 15, 2018
From: Khalilah LeGrand
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2018 7:08 PM
Subject: News Release: Maury, Norview, and Granby among best high schools in the country!
Media Contact: Khalilah LeGrand
Office of Communications and Media Relations
Office: 757.628.3459
Maury, Norview, and Granby among best high schools in the country!
U.S. News & World Report released their annual list of best high schools in the country for 2018. Of those 103 Virginia schools, 23 are located in and around the Hampton Roads area. The schools are ranked with a national silver, gold or bronze medal based on student performance, graduation rates, test performance, and college readiness levels. This is the first year that graduation rates factored into the ranking system. Dr. Kipp Rogers, Chief Academic Officer, said, “we are pleased with the progress that NPS is making with respect to student achievement. This is a direct result of our district turnaround effort, #NPSRedesign, and an even truer testament to the exemplary and innovative work of our faculty and staff combined with the academic fortitude of our students.”
The district has benefited from stability in its leadership and a keen focus on leadership, literacy, and rigor, which has yielded significant gains in accreditation over the last two years. Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Melinda Boone, was excited, but not surprised to find several of NPS’ high schools on the list, she stated, “The wheels of progress continue to turn, I am beaming with pride that our teachers, students and support staff can revel in this accomplishment. We look forward to all of our high schools being named the best in the country very soon!”
Of 28,813 public high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, 20,548 schools met the established criteria to be ranked. Three Norfolk schools, made this prestigious list in the Silver Award category out of 28,813 public schools. Maury High School ranked #24 in Virginia rankings and #1197 in the national rankings, Norview stands at #38 in Virginia and #2369 nationally and Granby High School is ranked #41 in and #2418 in Virginia and national rankings respectively.
To view the list of schools click here https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools. For more information on the U.S. News & World Report ranking system visit https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/articles/rankings-faq.
2 Comments | Schools, Uncategorized, wards corner | Permalink
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Norfolk targets two neighborhoods for a multi-million dollar housing aid program
March 2, 2018
Great news for the Greater Wards Corner Area!! According to the Virginian-Pilot
The city plans to spend up to $8.7 million over five years to help strengthen two neighborhoods.
The Ingleside and the Monticello Village/Oakdale Farms areas will be the target of a pilot program where the city will give them special attention in hopes of improving housing conditions, bringing up property values and increasing homeownership.
The money would go toward programs including down payment assistance, improving rental housing and selling off unused city property to improve the availability of owner-occupied housing.
The funding would impact an estimated 22 houses, mostly through the city’s Renovate Norfolk program, which gives grants to homeowners for improvements such as facade work and structural repairs.
The program would focus first on bolstering blocks where property values are already strong and expand from there.
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McDonald Garden Market Opening In Wards Corner
March 7, 2017
McDonald Garden Center is opening a “McDonald Garden Market” at Wards Corner. These Garden Markets provide quality plants and garden accessories from mid-March through July.
McDonald Garden Center has signed a seasonal lease to open the temporary garden center in the parking lot of the Midtown Shopping Center at the Northeast Corner of Wards Corner.
The Center will begin to mobilize within the next week and will remain until July.
The Midtown Shopping Center is located at the northeast corner of Wards Corner and the Market will be located in the front parking lot.
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The Downtowner Features Ward 1 Councilman On Its Cover
October 27, 2016Have you picked up The Downtowner this week? An article on Martin Thomas Jr. is featured prominently on the cover! Councilman Thomas has been one of Wards Corners most effective advocates. Here are some highlights:
“With an educational foundation in urban planning, strong family ties to the Hampton Roads area, years of experience as an attorney, and a civic-minded background, Martin A. Thomas Jr. has the perfect credentials for city council. Jim English, longtime president of the Wards Corner Civic League, told The Virginian Pilot during Thomas’ campaign “Thomas knows how to negotiate, how the city works and how to get things done.” Don Musacchio, president of the Willoughby Civic League, told The Virginian Pilot that Thomas “has a knack for gathering the facts, asking questions and then convincing people of the right path forward.”
“Utilizing his educational and professional experience in public and urban planning, Thomas hopes to secure funding and execute the comprehensive plan in the best way possible. According to Thomas, work is “about halfway done at the moment.” He believes the plan is essential to the growth of Ward 1 and “we must continue to work this plan, period.”
Thomas aims to make Wards Corner an economically vibrant and family oriented destination. This will be accomplished with restaurants, small businesses, and neighborhood shopping centers. “A small business growing into a large business is the best thing that can happen for any local economy.”
2 Comments | City Of Norfolk, The Greater Wards Corner Comprehensive Plan, wards corner, Wards Corner Business District | Permalink
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Collins to present final proposal at special meeting on January 20 at Fitness and Wellness Center
January 11, 2015
Proposed Site Plan including apartments to the bottom right and townhouses to the left
Collins Enterprises will present their final version of their apartment / townhouse / condo plan to be constructed on Newport Ave just north of Granby Elementary.
The meeting will be on January 20, 2015 at 6:30pm at the Fitness and Wellness Center. The meeting is a joint meeting of the Wards Corner Civic League and Talbot Hall Civic League. The public is invited to attend.
The meeting starts at 6:30pm and each civic league will take a vote during the meeting to advise the planning commission and city council on their support and concerns about the project.
Updated designs will be posted to Wards Corner Now prior to the meeting. Please attend and let your concerns be known.
Comments Off on Collins to present final proposal at special meeting on January 20 at Fitness and Wellness Center | economic development, wards corner | Tagged: Art Collins, collins enterprises, WaterMark, WestPort Commons | Permalink
Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.
WC History: October 29, 1947 opening of Midtown Shopping Center
October 30, 2014Images and text courtesy of the Virginian-Pilot:
67 years ago (October 29, 1947) 10,000 people crowded into the site labeled as the Midtown Shopping Center. Today, generally, we call the area Wards Corner – as many called it before the Midtown Shopping Center was constructed – and continued to call it after. Those on hand that evening witnessed the formal opening of the Shopping Center which was arranged by the developers, owners and operators of the 20-odd retail outlets there. The Principal speakers for the opening were Lt. Gov. L. Preston Collins, and the Norfolk City Manager C.A. Harrell. A second night of celebrations was scheduled for the 30th with an even larger crowd expected. Photos by Virginian-Pilot photographer Charles Borjes c/o The Sargeant Memorial Collection.
1 Comment | wards corner | Tagged: history, Midtown Shopping Center, virginian-pilot archives | Permalink
Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.
Rice’s and Hofheimer’s at Wards Corner
February 6, 2014The following is taken from the Virginian-Pilot Archives Facebook page:
It was 62 years ago [2/6/1952] tomorrow that the beloved Hofheimer’s and Rice’s opened at Norfolk’s Wards Corner.
It took over a year to construct the $350,000 building. Norfolk’s mayor Duckworth made an appearance at the opening ceremony where shoppers received balloons, lamb’s wool shoe buffers, key cases and Hawaiian orchids.
The Hofheimer’s store was the fourth in the shoe chain to be located in Norfolk proper. Some features that allowed customers to enjoy their shopping experience:
The store has its own 50 car parking lot. Comfort was assured while shopping as the entire store was cooled by air conditioning. The lighting was florescent and incandescent throughout. Flagstone floors and carpeting were found throughout both stores. Elevator service was provided to the second floor. On the second floor, children were delighted to find a supervised “Circus Playground” complete with a merry-go-round, slide, see-saw and hobby horse.
The most popular feature of the store and the one that seems to bring back the most memories of the establishment is the glass enclosed cage where two South American woolly monkeys were housed (On the Sewells Pt. Rd. side – now Little Creek). The cage was air conditioned at a constant 70-ish degree temperature for the comfort of the animals.
It seems that most locals remember one monkey – Lulu… and we scoured our photo collection for a picture of Lulu but came up short.
The building was demolished in 2000 and a Walgreens now stands at this location.
A large advertisement that ran in The Virginian-Pilot the day of the opening.
A rare shot of the location where the building would be constructed – photo taken in 1950. VP file photo.
A shot of the store just days before the Grand Opening. Virginian-Pilot photographer Charles Borjes snapped this photo on Feb. 5, 1952 as workers put the final touches on the store. Photo c/o The Sargent Memorial Collection.
Here is the building fully opened some time later. VP file photo.
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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.
Welcoming a new business to Wards Corner: Sentara Internal Medicine Physicians
November 22, 2013
I received the following press release today about the new Sentara Internal Medicine Physicians location at Wards Corner that is now open at the corner of Granby and North Shore Road:
Please join us in welcoming Jean Marie Kanyinda, MD to the Sentara Medical Group team! He will be providing care at our new Sentara Internal Medicine Physicians location at Ward’s Corner in Norfolk, opening November 18th. Dr. Kanyinda received his medical degree from the University of Padua, Italy, in 1978. He completed postgraduate training in gastroenterology and finished an internal medicine internship and infectious disease fellowship at Harlem Hospital in New York, NY. He then completed a second fellowship, in special immunology and specifically HIV, at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, FL. Dr. Kanyinda comes to us with over 20 years of experience providing comprehensive, quality healthcare.
Jean Marie Mpoy Kanyinda, MD
Internal Medicine
• MD – University of Padua
• Internal Medicine and
Infectious Disease Residencies –
Harlem Hospital
• Certified by the American
Board of Internal MedicineMon. & Fri., 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tues. & Thurs., 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Wed., 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm7401 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23505Jean Marie Mpoy Kanyinda, MD
Internal Medicine
757-388-9925
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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.
On Wednesday, Take Five Minutes to Vote for Wards Corner
October 15, 2012
Louis “Uncle Louie” Eisenberg
By: Louis Eisenberg
On Wednesday, October 17th between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm at the Masonic Temple, 7001 Granby Street, the Democratic Party will be holding a primary to fill the 89 th District House of Delegates seat vacated by Kenny Alexander. (Anyone living in the 89th can vote) The winner of this primary most likely will be the new representative for the 89th District, because as of now, there is no Republican candidate announced for the Special Election.
You will have the choice of voting for Yvonne Allmond, Senior Vice President of Towne Bank, who is a friend of Wards Corner or former City Councilwoman Daun Hester, whose record for 14 years on Council showed her lack of interest in the Wards Corner Business District and our surrounding neighborhoods.
This Wednesday, take five minutes of your time to vote for Yvonne Allmond and Wards Corner.
Yvonne Allmond is endorsed by Mayor Paul Fraim, Senator Ralph Northam, Councilwoman Angelia Williams, Commonwealth Attorney Greg Underwood and Sheriff Bob McCabe among other friends of Wards Corner. Food and refreshments will be served in the Masonic Temple parking lot.
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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.
“Guads @ Granby St.” to open in the old Bobbywood location at Wards Corner
July 2, 2012Many thanks to Vicky Haskell, owner and operator of the forthcoming “Guads @ Granby St.”, for providing the following information about her new restaurant.
Guads @ Granby St. is planned to be a family restaurant serving mexican fare. This will be the third “Guads” as there is a location at Hilltop and a seasonal location on 21st street at the Virginia Beach oceanfront. The Guads restaurants are not affiliated with Guadalajara Mexican restaurants located elsewhere in Hampton Roads.
Guads @ Granby St. will be located at 7515 Granby Street which was formerly Bobbywood, A.J. Gators, and briefly the Wards Corner Pub. Haskell plans for a renovated and rejuvenated look on the inside to include new tile flooring around the bar. The area used by A.J. Gators for billiards will be re-purposed as a party room for groups of 25-30 and will feature new flooring as well.
Parking for Guads @ Granby St. is anticipated to be both in the front of the restaurant and in the rear of the building. The parking lot in the rear will be re-graveled. A new coat of bright yellow paint is expected to adorn the exterior of the restaurant within the next few days. The blue awnings currently on the building are expected to stay.
Haskell indicates that she will be serving lunch and dinner 7 days a week. The hours have not been finalized but based on operations at the other two Guads locations, she expects Guads @ Granby St. to close at 10pm Sunday – Thursday and at 11pm on Friday and Saturday.
No entertainment of any kind is planned. Haskell’s goal is to open the restaurant in early-to-mid August.
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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.
Farm Fresh at Wards Corner to begin renovations
April 15, 2012
There has been a rumor for some time that the Farm Fresh at Wards Corner would be undergoing renovations in anticipation of the new Harris Teeter.
The Virginian-Pilot is reporting that a 2 million dollar renovation is expected to begin soon and wrap up by this coming fall. Farm Fresh, according to the Pilot article, is keeping quiet on the details of the renovation by only saying “[i]t will include interior and exterior work”.
The Virginian Pilot article: Farm Fresh in Wards Corner to undergo renovation
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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.
Norfolk Collegiate Center for the Arts Groundbreaking on Friday
December 15, 2011
2 Comments | Uncategorized, wards corner | Tagged: Norfolk Collegiate Center for the Arts, Norfolk Collegiate School, wards corner | Permalink
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Norfolk Collegiate Center for the Arts groundbreaking
November 8, 2011
Norfolk Collegiate Center for the Arts
Great news for Wards Corner. Norfolk Collegiate has scheduled a groundbreaking for their Center for the Arts. The groundbreaking will be on December 16, 2011 at 9:15am.
This 31,000 square foot fine arts center will have a 425 seat theater, an on-site student art gallery, classrooms, workshops and practice studios. The facility will be made available at night to the community for a slight charge for security and janitorial services.
The floor plan can be viewed here.
1 Comment | economic development, wards corner | Tagged: Norfolk Collegiate, Norfolk Collegiate Center for the Arts, Norfolk Collegiate Fine Arts Center | Permalink
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plaNorfolk 2030 coming to Wards Corner
October 6, 2011
Draft Future Land Use Map
The Planning Commission, Planning Department Staff, and the City have been working for months on a draft copy of the new General Plan for the City of Norfolk.
A community meeting will be held in the Wards Corner area on November 3, 2011 from 6-8pm at the Workforce Development Center, 201 E. Little Creek Road.
Join us to discuss and critique the plan.
The draft chapters and the draft land use map can be found here.
The flyer advertising the various plaNorfolk 2030 community meetings is here.
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Wards Corner Now - Wards Corner, Norfolk, Virginia 