The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(01-18-2018 12:19 PM)ODU_NYG Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:14 PM)ODU2017 Wrote:  The Light Rail was no worse than any other project VB has wasted money on. I loved Sessoms pretending that VB was in the running for Amazon's new HQ when one of their main criteria was robust public transport.

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What are some "other projects VB has wasted money on"? I swear some people ***** about VB just because it's cool. Fact is it's one of the best places to live in the entire US. Does that mean they get everything right? No, but they sure get a lot more right than they get wrong.

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Under what metric is this a "fact?" I mean, I don't hate VB or anything, but this is a ridiculous statement.

It's not a ridiculous statement;
http://wavy.com/2017/07/25/wallethub-vir...ities/amp/

http://wtkr.com/2016/09/07/virginia-beac...lies-list/

https://pilotonline.com/business/virgini...5aadd.html

(01-18-2018 12:35 PM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  

(01-18-2018 12:19 PM)ODU_NYG Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:14 PM)ODU2017 Wrote:  The Light Rail was no worse than any other project VB has wasted money on. I loved Sessoms pretending that VB was in the running for Amazon's new HQ when one of their main criteria was robust public transport.

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What are some "other projects VB has wasted money on"? I swear some people ***** about VB just because it's cool. Fact is it's one of the best places to live in the entire US. Does that mean they get everything right? No, but they sure get a lot more right than they get wrong.

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Under what metric is this a "fact?" I mean, I don't hate VB or anything, but this is a ridiculous statement.

It's not a ridiculous statement;
http://wavy.com/2017/07/25/wallethub-vir...ities/amp/

http://wtkr.com/2016/09/07/virginia-beac...lies-list/

https://pilotonline.com/business/virgini...5aadd.html

And those are just a few of the awards. There have been several others over the past few years as well, but I am lazier than you, and won't go find them.

(01-18-2018 01:29 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(01-18-2018 12:35 PM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  

(01-18-2018 12:19 PM)ODU_NYG Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:14 PM)ODU2017 Wrote:  The Light Rail was no worse than any other project VB has wasted money on. I loved Sessoms pretending that VB was in the running for Amazon's new HQ when one of their main criteria was robust public transport.

Sent from my SM-G930F using CSNbbs mobile app

What are some "other projects VB has wasted money on"? I swear some people ***** about VB just because it's cool. Fact is it's one of the best places to live in the entire US. Does that mean they get everything right? No, but they sure get a lot more right than they get wrong.

Sent from my Pixel C using Tapatalk

Under what metric is this a "fact?" I mean, I don't hate VB or anything, but this is a ridiculous statement.

It's not a ridiculous statement;
http://wavy.com/2017/07/25/wallethub-vir...ities/amp/

http://wtkr.com/2016/09/07/virginia-beac...lies-list/

https://pilotonline.com/business/virgini...5aadd.html

And those are just a few of the awards. There have been several others over the past few years as well, but I am lazier than you, and won't go find them.

Kudos. But it is sort of silly to compare what is basically a gigantic suburb with a tourist beach to actual honest to goodness urban cities. Of course its going to rate higher than Cleveland or Detroit. Im sure Suffolk would too. Its like comparing Reston to Washington, DC. It doesn't make Reston bad, but it would be interesting to see it compared to comparable places, like VB.

Again, I don't hate VB at all. I enjoyed my time at ODU, enjoy coming to visit my friends that live in VaB, and enjoy hearing good and positive things about the area...but there is nothing great about it and I don't see people reading statistics from WalletHub and moving there in droves. Actually all that would do is drive up housing prices and then VaB loses one of the metrics that gives it such a high ranking.

I believe VB gets its high rating due to the sheer amount of good neighborhoods, good public schools, good libraries, good rec centers, good fire/police, good entertainment choices, and a large beach. Prices are low. Traffic isn't bad. It really is a great city. The only thing that's missing is a big city vibe and that's obviously not for everyone. If you want the big city you'd live in a big city. VB is good for what it is.

VB is a good place to live. I prefer Chesapeake because housing is cheaper though. The majority of amenties that VB offers over Chesapeake don't hold much value for me.

(01-18-2018 05:11 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  VB is a good place to live. I prefer Chesapeake because housing is cheaper though. The majority of amenties that VB offers over Chesapeake don't hold much value for me.

Yep. And that's all in the eyes of the beholder. VB homes sell/rent insanely fast if priced reasonably, and it can be a seller's market. I'm sure Chesapeake will get there too if it hasn't already.

(01-18-2018 03:55 PM)monarx Wrote:  

(01-18-2018 01:29 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(01-18-2018 12:35 PM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  

(01-18-2018 12:19 PM)ODU_NYG Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  What are some "other projects VB has wasted money on"? I swear some people ***** about VB just because it's cool. Fact is it's one of the best places to live in the entire US. Does that mean they get everything right? No, but they sure get a lot more right than they get wrong.

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Under what metric is this a "fact?" I mean, I don't hate VB or anything, but this is a ridiculous statement.

It's not a ridiculous statement;
http://wavy.com/2017/07/25/wallethub-vir...ities/amp/

http://wtkr.com/2016/09/07/virginia-beac...lies-list/

https://pilotonline.com/business/virgini...5aadd.html

And those are just a few of the awards. There have been several others over the past few years as well, but I am lazier than you, and won't go find them.

Kudos. But it is sort of silly to compare what is basically a gigantic suburb with a tourist beach to actual honest to goodness urban cities. Of course its going to rate higher than Cleveland or Detroit. Im sure Suffolk would too. Its like comparing Reston to Washington, DC. It doesn't make Reston bad, but it would be interesting to see it compared to comparable places, like VB.

This is a very personal take on what makes a great city. Many people would prefer not to live in an urban city.



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(01-18-2018 05:11 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  VB is a good place to live. I prefer Chesapeake because housing is cheaper though. The majority of amenties that VB offers over Chesapeake don't hold much value for me.

I tend to agree with this assessment. I actually live in downtown NFK, and really enjoy it, but my next move will hopefully be to Chesapeake.

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Holler if you need a realtor.

Posted from mobile device. Hopefully it's coherent.

(01-17-2018 08:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:14 PM)ODU2017 Wrote:  The Light Rail was no worse than any other project VB has wasted money on. I loved Sessoms pretending that VB was in the running for Amazon's new HQ when one of their main criteria was robust public transport.

Sent from my SM-G930F using CSNbbs mobile app

What are some "other projects VB has wasted money on"? I swear some people ***** about VB just because it's cool. Fact is it's one of the best places to live in the entire US. Does that mean they get everything right? No, but they sure get a lot more right than they get wrong.

Sent from my Pixel C using Tapatalk

Moving city hall comes to mind. Also building Town Center and not providing good public transportation to it. Also this oceanfront arena woth no parking. Va Beach is a fine place to live and it has the best schools in Hampton Roads. However the city government is as spineless and short sighted as anywhere else when it comes to future development.

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The city tried public transportation. Residents shut down

(01-18-2018 09:08 PM)ODU2017 Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:14 PM)ODU2017 Wrote:  The Light Rail was no worse than any other project VB has wasted money on. I loved Sessoms pretending that VB was in the running for Amazon's new HQ when one of their main criteria was robust public transport.

Sent from my SM-G930F using CSNbbs mobile app

What are some "other projects VB has wasted money on"? I swear some people ***** about VB just because it's cool. Fact is it's one of the best places to live in the entire US. Does that mean they get everything right? No, but they sure get a lot more right than they get wrong.

Sent from my Pixel C using Tapatalk

Moving city hall comes to mind. Also building Town Center and not providing good public transportation to it. Also this oceanfront arena woth no parking. Va Beach is a fine place to live and it has the best schools in Hampton Roads. However the city government is as spineless and short sighted as anywhere else when it comes to future development.

Sent from my SM-G930F using CSNbbs mobile app

VBs problem is it was created specifically to NOT be a city. Princess Anne County wanted to remain mostly rural and didnt appreciate the urban area (ie:Norfolk) annexing land and encroaching on them. So PA merged with the beach town of VB, becoming a "city" in name only, to stop encroachment and so they would not become part of the actual urban city. That is the foundation of VB and that line of thinking is slow to go away. IMO, a good thing for VB would be to split into two "cities" again. North of the green line and south of the green line. I think you'd see a lot more cooperation with the urban cities and north VB at that point because there are a lot of similarities and benefits that would come with that. Not so much in common with Pungo and Downtown, but there is with Town Center and Downtown, Aragona and Little Creek etc.

(01-18-2018 09:08 PM)ODU2017 Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:14 PM)ODU2017 Wrote:  The Light Rail was no worse than any other project VB has wasted money on. I loved Sessoms pretending that VB was in the running for Amazon's new HQ when one of their main criteria was robust public transport.

Sent from my SM-G930F using CSNbbs mobile app

What are some "other projects VB has wasted money on"? I swear some people ***** about VB just because it's cool. Fact is it's one of the best places to live in the entire US. Does that mean they get everything right? No, but they sure get a lot more right than they get wrong.

Sent from my Pixel C using Tapatalk

Moving city hall comes to mind. Also building Town Center and not providing good public transportation to it. Also this oceanfront arena woth no parking. Va Beach is a fine place to live and it has the best schools in Hampton Roads. However the city government is as spineless and short sighted as anywhere else when it comes to future development.

Sent from my SM-G930F using CSNbbs mobile app

Wow. I don't even know where to start. Town Center is a raging success by any standard, I agree they should have made light rail happen. Hate on the Oceanfront all you like, I do a lot myself, but if you have been to many major east coast beach resort towns, VB is MUCH nicer than all of them. Parking at the beach is a pain in the ass... Just like every other place that attracts tons of people every day. Just for fun go look at how many people visit VB every year then divide it by the 100 days that people are actually visiting VB. You will be shocked at the number of people at the Oceanfront every day. And the city hall thing never happened. You can't get mad at them exploring options.

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(01-18-2018 09:29 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  The city tried public transportation. Residents shut down

Also, the complaints about good public transportation and light rail are two different things. I agree light rail should have happened, but don't think for a second it could ever have provided good public transportation for VB. The sheer size of the city will always make public transportation undesirable to most people. VB has some absurd number of miles of road. I won't quote a number because I don't remember, but I was shocked when I heard it.

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(01-18-2018 09:42 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(01-18-2018 09:08 PM)ODU2017 Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:14 PM)ODU2017 Wrote:  The Light Rail was no worse than any other project VB has wasted money on. I loved Sessoms pretending that VB was in the running for Amazon's new HQ when one of their main criteria was robust public transport.

Sent from my SM-G930F using CSNbbs mobile app

What are some "other projects VB has wasted money on"? I swear some people ***** about VB just because it's cool. Fact is it's one of the best places to live in the entire US. Does that mean they get everything right? No, but they sure get a lot more right than they get wrong.

Sent from my Pixel C using Tapatalk

Moving city hall comes to mind. Also building Town Center and not providing good public transportation to it. Also this oceanfront arena woth no parking. Va Beach is a fine place to live and it has the best schools in Hampton Roads. However the city government is as spineless and short sighted as anywhere else when it comes to future development.

Sent from my SM-G930F using CSNbbs mobile app

Wow. I don't even know where to start. Town Center is a raging success by any standard, I agree they should have made light rail happen. Hate on the Oceanfront all you like, I do a lot myself, but if you have been to many major east coast beach resort towns, VB is MUCH nicer than all of them. Parking at the beach is a pain in the ass... Just like every other place that attracts tons of people every day. Just for fun go look at how many people visit VB every year then divide it by the 100 days that people are actually visiting VB. You will be shocked at the number of people at the Oceanfront every day. And the city hall thing never happened. You can't get mad at them exploring options.

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I agree that Town Center has been successful, if for no other reason than it spurred redevelopment of Pembroke Mall. Its a bit "Disney" for my taste, but a nice addition to the area. Ive had some fun there occasionally. I would disagree about the oceanfront though. I love the beach, surfed for decades, fish.. love it, but VB is not one of the nicest on the east coast by a long shot. Most folks I know say VB and Atlantic City are two of the more trashy beaches on the Atlantic. Certainly the all of the Outer Banks, Folley Beach, Myrtle Beach, Ocean City, Rehoboth, Hilton Head, Cape May are better. VB is better than most of the Jersey and NY beaches.

(01-18-2018 10:11 PM)monarx Wrote:  

(01-18-2018 09:42 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(01-18-2018 09:08 PM)ODU2017 Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:52 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(01-17-2018 08:14 PM)ODU2017 Wrote:  The Light Rail was no worse than any other project VB has wasted money on. I loved Sessoms pretending that VB was in the running for Amazon's new HQ when one of their main criteria was robust public transport.

Sent from my SM-G930F using CSNbbs mobile app

What are some "other projects VB has wasted money on"? I swear some people ***** about VB just because it's cool. Fact is it's one of the best places to live in the entire US. Does that mean they get everything right? No, but they sure get a lot more right than they get wrong.

Sent from my Pixel C using Tapatalk

Moving city hall comes to mind. Also building Town Center and not providing good public transportation to it. Also this oceanfront arena woth no parking. Va Beach is a fine place to live and it has the best schools in Hampton Roads. However the city government is as spineless and short sighted as anywhere else when it comes to future development.

Sent from my SM-G930F using CSNbbs mobile app

Wow. I don't even know where to start. Town Center is a raging success by any standard, I agree they should have made light rail happen. Hate on the Oceanfront all you like, I do a lot myself, but if you have been to many major east coast beach resort towns, VB is MUCH nicer than all of them. Parking at the beach is a pain in the ass... Just like every other place that attracts tons of people every day. Just for fun go look at how many people visit VB every year then divide it by the 100 days that people are actually visiting VB. You will be shocked at the number of people at the Oceanfront every day. And the city hall thing never happened. You can't get mad at them exploring options.

Sent from my Pixel C using Tapatalk

I agree that Town Center has been successful, if for no other reason than it spurred redevelopment of Pembroke Mall. Its a bit "Disney" for my taste, but a nice addition to the area. Ive had some fun there occasionally. I would disagree about the oceanfront though. I love the beach, surfed for decades, fish.. love it, but VB is not one of the nicest on the east coast by a long shot. Most folks I know say VB and Atlantic City are two of the more trashy beaches on the Atlantic. Certainly the all of the Outer Banks, Folley Beach, Myrtle Beach, Ocean City, Rehoboth, Hilton Head, Cape May are better. VB is better than most of the Jersey and NY beaches.

I would classify most of those beaches differently than VB. I think major beach resort cities are AC, Ocean City, VB, Myrtle. Out of those I think VB is the least trashy. The others I think of as beach towns. Hilton Head may be in line with my first group, and I would definitely agree that it is nicer than VB as far as vacationing goes.

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Norfolk is having a pretty big week concerning development news. JANAF sold to a developer for $85 million;
http://pilotonline.com/inside-business/n...389e3.html

And the city council approved the redevelopment of the public housing downtown. Now, they have to get HUD approval (reportedly, a very long process) to tear them down;
https://pilotonline.com/news/government/...7969a.html

(01-24-2018 10:10 AM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  Norfolk is having a pretty big week concerning development news. JANAF sold to a developer for $85 million;
http://pilotonline.com/inside-business/n...389e3.html

And the city council approved the redevelopment of the public housing downtown. Now, they have to get HUD approval (reportedly, a very long process) to tear them down;
https://pilotonline.com/news/government/...7969a.html

All great news. Id love it if they moved forward on a true renovation of Scope (or a regional arena at MC) and toss in some money towards ODU stadium too. If they ever get that area around Harbor Park (where Stone Brewery was supposed to go) in order, that place has great potential too.

(01-24-2018 10:22 AM)monarx Wrote:  

(01-24-2018 10:10 AM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  Norfolk is having a pretty big week concerning development news. JANAF sold to a developer for $85 million;
http://pilotonline.com/inside-business/n...389e3.html

And the city council approved the redevelopment of the public housing downtown. Now, they have to get HUD approval (reportedly, a very long process) to tear them down;
https://pilotonline.com/news/government/...7969a.html

All great news. Id love it if they moved forward on a true renovation of Scope (or a regional arena at MC) and toss in some money towards ODU stadium too. If they ever get that area around Harbor Park (where Stone Brewery was supposed to go) in order, that place has great potential too.

They just got a $500k grant to work on the area around Harbor Park;
http://altdaily.com/city-of-norfolk-look...ouse-site/