NORFOLK WILLOUGHBY IMPROVEMENTS
Showcase Condos Likely to Get OK
Council to Vote Today on Ocean View Development at Foot Of Bridge-Tunnel
BY HARRY MINIUM THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Reach Harry Minium at (757) 446-2371 or harry.minium@pilotonline.com.
NORFOLK –– The City Council is expected to give final approval today to a condominium project that will remake the area near the entrance to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. The council would rezone 15 acres to allow Virginia Beach developers to build 327 residential units, a small amount of retail or office space, a marina and a restaurant at the foot of Willoughby Spit. The development would replace a marina, small hotel and restaurant. Developer A.R. RickGregor Jr. said sales will begin next month and construction will begin in January on the $150 million development, called The Spectrum at Willoughby Point. The condominiums and townhouses will sell for $300,000 to $1 million, Gregor said. When Gregor initially announced the project in March, he described it as tentative, saying test pilings needed to be driven to make sure the soil could support the condominium buildings. Now, he said, There's no doubt that this project is going to be built. The project represents about 10 percent of the 3,000 housing units expected to be built in Ocean View by the end of this decade. Gregor met with the Willoughby Civic League on Wednesday and the project received unanimous approval, City Councilman Donald L. Williams said. Gregor has modified his original plans considerably at the suggestion of Raymond L. Gindroz, a Pittsburgh urban designer retained by the city. He changed the exterior of the buildings and downsized, from 10-story towers to fourand six-story buildings. Gregor has been very cooperative in trying to design what the city wants and what the developer wants,Williams said. This project will be the first thing people see when they're coming to Norfolk from Hampton. We want it to be a statement about our city. Williams said he expects the rezoning to receive unanimous approval at todays council meeting. Williams said Gregor has overcome a number of problems in recent months. Among the latest was concern expressed by the Fire Department that there's not enough water pressure in Willoughby to fight a major fire. Gregor agreed to build water holding tanks, Williams said. Gregor said the first of the 327 units, including 30 townhouses, will be ready for occupancy in early 2007. We've always loved developing waterfront property,Gregor said.That's been our niche. But it's getting harder and harder to find. That is precisely what is driving demand for housing in Ocean View, Williams said. At the civic league meeting, perhaps 15 people approached Rick and asked about reserving condominiums,Williams said. Our population is growing, but the supply of waterfront property is finite.
COX KLIEWER & COMPANY PC
THE SPECTRUM AT WILLOUGHBY POINT
Work on the $150 million development is expected to begin in January. The first of the 327 units, including 30 townhouses, would be ready for occupancy in early 2007.