Environment
Restoring the Old – Herman Court Condominiums
Nov 4th
Herman Court Condominiums
Here is yet another example of a developer renovating an old, dilapidated building and converting it into a modern space. Formerly an abandoned apartment building, the building, now Herman Court Condominiums, is made up of 16 condos ranging in price from $149,900 to $184,900. This method is much more effective than tearing the building down and hoping for new construction, as the city has done in the past. This project was started by Metro Housing Group with a partnership with the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority. While I do not like the idea of having a surface parking lot taking up the lot next door, I do understand that, for the time being, off-street parking is almost a must unless the site is in an established walkable community. I was also happy to see that the condos were not the only ‘new’ on the block. There were multiple houses on the block and dozens in the immediate area that have been renovated.
When I was little, I was always confused when we played the game Monopoly. I always would ask, “why is Park Place the second most valuable property?” This confused me because the only Park Place I knew was definitely not going to get in the top group on any scale. Now, however, it is changing. A lot of new development and renovations have taken place there. If you have not been through lately, it is time you stopped by. I am not saying that it is at a peak yet, but it has certainly started the journey upwards. There are many homes left to go that need some fixing up. Not all of these I would call blighted or anything like that. These are just homes that, in some cases, have only had one owner for the past 50 years and just are in need of some updating.
Good job Norfolk. Good job NRHA.
If you are interested, please contact Linda McBurney at 757-289-5674. With financing by the Virginia Housing Development Authority, you could own one of these for little or no money down. It is within a walk to the park and the zoo. It is within a 5 minute bus ride to Downtown Norfolk. Not bad for under $1000/month.
Good Navy News
Nov 3rd
For example, if you were not in an agency participating in the program or had not read the flagship, would you have known the the Navy had a program it calls i-ENCON, or the Incentivized Energy Conservation program? Even if you had heard of it, would you have known that through this program, the Navy saved 1.36 million barrels of oil FY 2009? That is equivalent to taking over 53,000 cars off of the road.
Another story: The Navy’s new Macon Island amphibious assault ship was designed with fuel efficiency in mind as well. It is estimated that it will save $250 million in fuel cost over its lifetime.
Who knew the Navy was so committed to saving fuel? These savings will surely be good on the environment and fuel prices closer to home. Last thing I found out in the Flagship that was neglected in the Pilot: The Navy’s new ship, the New York was not only docked in Norfolk on Thursday but it will actually be home-ported here. for those who do not know, the New York was built with recycled steel from the World Trade Center after September 11th.
"Parkway's Prospects Dim"
Oct 26th
Norfolk Recycling
Oct 26th
A couple of topics regarding recycling in Norfolk:
First, at some point this fall, Norfolk’s Waste Management Division of the Department of Public Works will start a new program allowing residents to drop off recyclables not normally collected through the curbside recycling program, including cell phones, computers, televisions, batteries, and other electronics. In addition to this, they will also be accepting household hazardous waste for disposal including used motor oil, paint, solvents, and compact florescent bulbs. This program should help residents find a simpler alternative to disposing of hazardous materials in their regular trash can.
Speaking of recycling, if you have not heard, SPSA is supposed to end its curbside recycling programs in 2010. This is not a problem in Virginia Beach, where they started recycling with a third party back in 1996. Chesapeake has said that they are not concerned and that they were already looking into other solutions. While I am not sure of how the other cities are planning for this event, I do know that Norfolk has stated that they are committed to continuing current recycling programs after the SPSA plan ends.
