Chris Perry to update Wards Corner Task Force on Thursday

January 7, 2013

Be reminded that the Wards Corner Task Force  meeting this Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 8:30AM at the fitness and wellness center.  This meeting is open to the public.  The agenda currently includes:

1.  Suburban Management Updates – Chris Perry,

2.  The Department of Public Works Updates – John Keifer, Director of Public Works

3.  Development Updates- Charles Rigney, Interim Director of Development

4.  Utilities Updates – Ken Turner, Engineering Manager, Department of Utilities

5.  Police Reports &  Community Reports

6.  New Business

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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.

Joint Planning Commission and City Council meeting scheduled for Harris Teeter project

March 30, 2012

A special joint meeting of the Planning Commission and City Council has been scheduled for April 24, 2012 at 7pm in City Council chambers.  The meeting was scheduled at the request of City Council in an effort to speed up the approval process for Chris Perry’s project at the southeast corner of Wards Corner which is slated to be a Harris Teeter anchored shopping center.  The public is encouraged to attend and express their concerns / opinions.

As previously reported here on Wards Corner Now, Chris Perry is asking for:

1.  Conditional Change of Zoning.  The applicant is asking to rezone the entire block to Conditional C-3 with conditions that the property shall be developed generally in accordance with the layout attached as Exhibit A, that the outparcel will be single user, and that the buildings constructed will be consistent with the appearance in the rendering attached as Exhibit B.

2.  Adult Use Special Exception for the sale of Alcoholic Beverages for off-premises Consumption.  The applicant is requesting to be able to sell Beer and Wine from 6:00AM to 12:00AM daily at Harris Teeter.

3.  Special Exception to Operate a Retail Establishment After Midnight.  The applicant is requesting to operate a full service Harris Teeter from 12:00AM to 12:00AM daily.

4.  Special Exception to operate a Commercial Drive-Through Facility.  The applicant is requesting to operate a branch banking facility with drive-through lanes to serve customers, including automatic teller machines.

5.  Special Exception to operate a Commerical Drive-Through Facility.  The applicant is requesting to operate a drive through out of the end unit of the shopping center serving food and beverages.  The hours of operation indicated are from 6:00AM to 11:00PM.  The exhibit to this request indicates a “COFFEE HOUSE” in that location.

The complete application can be viewed here (PDF).

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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.

Chris Perry files Application for rezoning, Harris Teeter, Bank, Drive-Through Coffee Shop

March 15, 2012
Exhibit A - Layout of Suburban Park Shopping Center

Exhibit A - Layout of Suburban Park Shopping Center

The City of Norfolk has received the following applications regarding the new Harris Teeter anchored shopping center planned for the southeast corner of Wards Corner:

1.  Conditional Change of Zoning.  The applicant is asking to rezone the entire block to Conditional C-3 with conditions that the property shall be developed generally in accordance with the layout attached as Exhibit A, that the outparcel will be single user, and that the buildings constructed will be consistent with the appearance in the rendering attached as Exhibit B.

Exhibit B - Suburban Park Shopping Center, Granby Street Elevation

Exhibit B - Suburban Park Shopping Center, Granby Street Elevation

2.  Adult Use Special Exception for the sale of Alcoholic Beverages for off-premises Consumption.  The applicant is requesting to be able to sell Beer and Wine from 6:00AM to 12:00AM daily at Harris Teeter.

3.  Special Exception to Operate a Retail Establishment After Midnight.  The applicant is requesting to operate a full service Harris Teeter from 12:00AM to 12:00AM daily.

4.  Special Exception to operate a Commercial Drive-Through Facility.  The applicant is requesting to operate a branch banking facility with drive-through lanes to serve customers, including automatic teller machines.

5.  Special Exception to operate a Commerical Drive-Through Facility.  The applicant is requesting to operate a drive through out of the end unit of the shopping center serving food and beverages.  The hours of operation indicated are from 6:00AM to 11:00PM.  The exhibit to this request indicates a “COFFEE HOUSE” in that location.

The complete application can be viewed here (PDF).

18 Comments | economic development, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.

Harris Teeter plans and design to be unveiled

January 25, 2012

Chris Perry, on behalf of Suburban Land Management, will be attending civic league meetings in Wards Corner, Talbot Park, and Suburban Acres in February to unveil his plans and design for a brand new Harris Teeter anchored shopping center at the southeast corner of Wards Corner.

The following meetings are open to the public to view the plans:

Suburban Acres Civic League meeting:
February 13, 2012 @ 6:30
Location: Suburban Park Elementary School, 310 Thole St.

Talbot Park Civic League meeting:
February 21, 2012 @ 7:00
Location: Royster Memorial Church, 6901 Newport Ave.

Wards Corner Civic League meeting:
February 27, 2012 @ 6:45
Location: Fitness and Wellness Center, 7300 Newport Ave.

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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.

VP Editorial on Wards Corner

January 20, 2012

Michelle Washington, a reporter and editorial writer for the Virginian-Pilot and apparently a resident of Wards Corner, wrote an editorial in today’s edition of the paper about Wards Corner.  The article can be read here.

Selected portions:

Once again, we are all, old residents and new, eyeing the future of Wards Corner with hope.

The city’s confirmation last week that developer Chris Perry would bring a new $18 million Harris Teeter to the southeast corner of the intersection brought me wild imaginings of what else the development might draw. Perhaps excitement about a grocery store is merely a strong indicator of how much time I spend at the grocery store. It could also be an indication that folks nearby will support not only an upscale grocery store like HT, but a number of other restaurants, bars and retailers that would benefit from the foot traffic generated by a supermarket.

Instead of a string of disappointments, Wards Corner residents have recently witnessed a series of victories. Last summer the city bought seven apartment buildings in Denby Park, an area that has long struggled with blight and crime. Norfolk Collegiate School is constructing an $8.5 million arts center on Granby Street just blocks from Little Creek Road.

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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.

Chris Perry revealed his timeline for Harris Teeter

January 12, 2012
The new shopping center will replace the entire block, marked in red.

The new shopping center will replace the entire block, marked in red.

Chris Perry, on behalf of Suburban Land Management, attended the  Wards Corner Taskforce meeting this morning.  Suburban Land Management now owns the entire block bounded by Granby St on the West, E. Little Creek Road on the North, Virginian Drive on the East, and Louisiana Drive on the South.

Mr. Perry and his partners, who attended the meeting, provided an  approximate timeline for the demolition and construction of the new shopping center.  Harris Teeter is expected to be the new anchor.  According to the Virginian-Pilot, Harris Teeter has agreed in principle to build a 53,000-square foot outlet and the entire investment on behalf of Harris Teeter and Suburban Land Management will be $18 million.

The plan is for Mr. Perry to attend civic and community meetings in February and go before the Planning Commission and City Council and March and April, respectively.  The project must go before the Planning Commission and Council because a number of properties that will be included in the new development need to be rezoned.

Demolition is expected to begin in the summer of 2012 and Mr. Perry is hopeful that the new shopping center will open in 2014.

Wards Corner Now will be posting a schedule of civic and community meetings in the near future where Mr. Perry and Suburban Land Management are expected to reveal initial designs of the new development.

 

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Posted by Martin Thomas Jr.

Harris Teeter to Wards Corner?

September 15, 2011

The Virginian-Pilot is reporting that Chris Perry has plans to begin demolishing a dilapidated shopping area in Wards Corner within six months. He would replace it with a shopping center anchored by Harris Teeter.

Read the article here.

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Posted by Wards Corner

ForKids proposes Thrift Store for Wards Corner

November 21, 2010
ForKids, Inc. has proposed a Thrift Store in Wards Corner

ForKids, Inc. has proposed a Thrift Store in Wards Corner

Thaler McCormick, CEO of local charity ForKids, presented her organization’s Wards Corner based Thrift Store proposal on Saturday at the monthly Wards Corner Now meeting.

The store, which is slated to occupy space in the shopping center at the southeast corner of Wards Corner (commonly referred to as the Perry Property), would include 7500 square feet of retail space and 3500 square feet of warehouse space in the former Sports Zone location.  That space has been vacant for 18 months according to the landlord, Chris Perry, who also attended the Saturday meeting.

Major concerns with the proposal included a thrift store not being the direction that the business district needs to move in and the appearance of donations being left in front of the store.

Ms. McCormick indicated that she understood that the eventual plan is to redevelop the shopping center and a clause will be included in her lease that will require her to move out upon six months notice.

Mayor Fraim, who was also present at the meeting, offered support for Ms. McCormick and her organization but indicated he understood why some people have concerns.  The Mayor suggested that Ms. McCormick meet with the civic leagues individually before any decisions by Council are made.

To open a thrift store a special exception to the zoning must be approved by City Council.  Another concern was that the zoning change would allow other thrift stores to open up in the same shopping center or that ForKids could sell the store to a different operator.  Mayor Fraim indicated he would have the city attorney research whether the special exception can be tied to the particular owner.

Other details of the proposed project:

  • The Thrift Store will be owner operated
  • Two full time paid staff, 5 part time paid staff, plus volunteers
  • Hours: Mon-Sat 10AM-7PM, Sun 12PM-5PM
  • Investors: Hampton Roads Community Foundation, The Parsons Foundation, Suburban Asset Management
  • Project Director:  Bill Young, former owner of Taste Unlimited

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Posted by Wards Corner

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