Neighborhood Patterns

Neighborhood Patterns An update on Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s real estate initiatives Summer - Fall 2009 FY10 Volume 1

Introduction from NRHA Executive Director

Welcome to Neighborhood Patterns, a new publication from Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority that aims to keep residents and stakeholders up-to-date on new development projects, homebuyer programs and residential rehabilitation services. In addition, we will continue to publish our flagship newsletter Patterns, which covers the broad range of NRHA development and property management activities.

Inside This Issue...

• Neighborhood Spotlight • The Tide • Mission College • Hampton Blvd.

• Lifting Ocean View • Broad Creek Open House • NRHA Architect Profile • The Maplewoods @ Olde Huntersville • Wards Corner Revitalization • South Brambleton

Each Neighborhood Patterns will spotlight one neighborhood for more in-depth coverage and this issue features Lamberts Point. NRHA, in partnership with the City, is doing great things in Lamberts Point, including development of new senior apartments and acquiring land for the city’s new community center.

NRHA is working hard to deliver on its vision of “Quality housing where you want to live,” and mission of “Providing quality housing opportunities that foster sustainable mixed income communities.”

Through Neighborhood Patterns, we hope to share this progress with you as we make Norfolk an even better place to live, work and play.

• Campostella Heights • HomeNet

Shurl Montgomery

Neighborhood Spotlight Lamberts Point Overview Ongoing progress has been made in Lamberts Point, including 53 loans for rehabilitation projects for residents to improve their homes. Construction of sidewalks, curbs and gutters, as well as handicap ramps has made pedestrian travel easier and safer and created overall improvements to the area.

NRHA also coordinated the installation of 127 new streetlights in the community to further safety and visibility and to add to the visual appeal of the area, seventy-nine street trees have been planted.

A total of 29 single family homes have been constructed to date and 15 sub-standard structures have been demolished. A storm water retention pond was designed and constructed between 38th and 39th Streets to alleviate drainage problems north of 38th Street. A drainage analysis was performed for the southern half of the community (south of 38th Street) with further drainage improvements made. More work is headed for Lamberts Point, including street reconstruction and landscaping upgrades, as well as new townhomes.

New Senior Apartments to Rise in Lamberts Point NRHA will partner with the Retirement Housing Foundation of Long Beach, CA to develop a 40-unit senior apartment complex expected to open fall 2010. The complex will be adjacent to the Village Pointe apartments in Lamberts Point developed by RHF and NRHA in 2003.

Village Point built in 2003

The units will be available to families where the head or co-head of household is 62 or older and makes 50% or less of Area Median Income (AMI). Total development costs of $4.3 million are being offset by a $4 million HUD Section 202 grant, which NRHA assisted RHF in securing.

NRHA Assembles Land for Lamberts Point Community Center Coming this fall to Lamberts Point: a brand new 24,000 square foot community center.

NRHA assembled 36,149 square feet parcel, which was conveyed to the City of Norfolk for this new amenity. The community center will include a high school size gymnasium/basketball court, two locker rooms, a full-sized computer lab, and individual art, fitness and game rooms. The new center’s dÊcor will focus on outdoor adventure and, in keeping with that theme, a 25-foot tall rock climbing wall and large activity room will challenge neighborhood adventurers.

Two large connecting community/meeting rooms adjacent to a full food service kitchen will complete the facility. The community center will provide Lamberts Point residents with ample space to host gatherings and provide a variety of educational and recreational opportunities.

Neighborhood Spotlight Lamberts Point Conversations Ellen Harvey, President of Lamberts Point Civic League

Ellen Harvey has lived in Lamberts Point all her life and has been president of the Lamberts Point Civic League since 1983. Married for 60 years before her husband’s passing in 2006, the mother of seven has worked part-time at the Larchmont Recreation Center for 30 years, awaiting the construction of a new Lamberts Point Recreation Center to replace the one that was once held at James Madison School. Her dream will be realized with the construction of the Lamberts Point Recreation Center on 42nd Street in 2009. In 1982, Mrs. Harvey was named “Mayor of Lamberts Point” by Old Dominion University in recognition of her lifelong dedication to the neighborhood’s children and seniors.

Q: What has been your neighborhood’s greatest stride in the last two years?

A: Getting new single-family homes built and cleaning up the neighborhood.

Q: What is your neighborhood’s greatest challenge in the next two years?

A: Working on crime and continuing to build new houses, if possible, and continuing to be neighbors with ODU and help one another in whatsoever needs to be done.

Q: How do you motivate your neighbors to take an active part in the community?

A: I ask them to attend the civic league meetings and participate in other neighborhood activities if possible. Activities include a block watch and annual neighborhood reunion.

We come together with the chairman of the block watch to plan activities for seniors and the residents. Not only homeowners, but renters also. We’re working on a newsletter.

Q: Given the limited resources of local government, what could be done to make your neighborhood an even better place to call home?

A: Work with the city officials or government on whatever they’d like for us to do with them and for them and they do likewise for us, for the neighborhood, especially when it comes to our youth and seniors. I’m very grateful and thankful that they’ve decided to build a recreation center for the neighborhood because our youth need someplace to go to get off the streets. You can’t fight crime without doing something for the youth in the community. Many, many thanks to the city for carrying out the project that is really needed in the neighborhood. We’ve been trying to get it done for 40 years. We’ve come a long way in Lamberts Point with the help of people at NRHA. Staff contact for Lamberts Point - Michael Clark - mclark@nrha.us

Neighborhood Spotlight New Townhomes Set for 26th Street New residential construction is coming to Lamberts Point on 26th Street between Hampton Boulevard and Bowden’s Ferry Road. A total of 14 townhouses will be built, divided into two seven-unit buildings.

NRHA met with the area civic league and received approvals from the Norfolk Planning Commission as well as City Council.

Over the summer, designs will be finalized for the units, which are expected to be a transitional style.

Another meeting with the civic league will be held in September.

The units will be two or three bedrooms, possibly two master suites, ranging from 1,300 to 1,700 square feet. Units will be serviced by private roads leading to garages and parking in the back, leaving on-street parking for visitors. Prices are expected to range from $160,000 to $200,000.

The townhomes will be built to green standards. Widening of 26th Street is also anticipated for this project, changing the width from its current 24 feet to 26 feet.

An RFP for the project is expected by late 2009 or early 2010 with construction projected by early spring.

The Tide Rolls in with NRHA Help

H

ampton Roads Transit’s 7.4 mile light rail project, The Tide, is under construction from Eastern Virginia

Medical School to Newtown Road. NRHA has acquired land parcels needed for project completion under a $5 million contract with HRT. The Authority was selected for the land acquisition portion of The Tide because of its expertise in assembling land for redevelopment purposes. NRHA, in addition to acquiring needed properties, is providing business and residential relocation services.

NRHA Renewal Services Department spearheaded acquisitions

Mission College Renovation Adds to Broad Creek Revitalization A $7.5 million upgrade at the 17-year-old Mission College Apartments, which has 260 units, is coming to completion. Located on 13 acres just east of downtown Norfolk, Mission College is an important component in revitalizing the Broad Creek area.

The renovation project covers interior and exterior improvements as well as common area additions. Renovations include a new entrance gateway, way-finding signage, energy efficient grounds lighting as well as new fencing and landscaping. Additional improvements will be made to the management office and maintenance building.

Individual unit renovations include new exterior doors, new flooring and fixtures, replacing plumbing and refrigeration lines as well as HVAC systems, high speed cable or wireless internet service and painting throughout. Other new amenities will include a community clubhouse and pool for exercise, meeting space and recreation.

Renovations to the property, built in 1990, began January 21, 2008 and are expected to be complete in 2009. At that time, 130 units will be rented at market rate with the remaining units rented to those earning $20,000 to $37,000 annually. The project utilizes $6.3 million in housing tax credits from the Virginia Housing Development Authority and private equity financing for the remainder.

Recent edition of The Virginian-Pilot featured an article on the plans and renovations at Mission College.

Court Upholds Hampton Blvd. Acquisitions In a July 23 decision, the Norfolk Circuit Court found that the Hampton Boulevard Redevelopment Project area was blighted, permitting NRHA to acquire properties in the project area. (Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority v. Arney, et. All CL08-1918; CL08-1919; CL08-37770; CL08-3771 [consolidated]).

Owners of the four parcels at issue in the case argued that the redevelopment plan, adopted by NRHA in 1998 and subsequently approved by Norfolk City Council, “was arbitrary and unwarranted in its determination that the area was blighted or deteriorated.” In his 29-page opinion letter, Judge Louis Sherman rejected the property owners’ argument, noting the substantive detail and documentation that led to the determination of blight, and ruling “that the Redevelopment Area is blighted” and that “the takings by NRHA of the [owners’] properties are proper . . . .”

The properties are: 3912‑3918 Hampton Blvd., 1083 West 40th St., 3822 Hampton Blvd., 3806 Hampton Blvd., 1072 West 38th St. and 1083 W. 41st St.

Taking Down Obsolete Ocean View Apartment Building Raises the Neighborhood On Wednesday morning, April 15, a blighted 16-unit apartment building at 9430 First View Street was razed. In its place, three singlefamily homes will be built, bringing about a much needed change according to local residents and West Ocean View Civic League members.

To commemorate the event, Norfolk City Council, NRHA Board of Commissioners and West Ocean View Civic League hosted a continental breakfast at the site with brief remarks followed by the start of demolition.

NRHA purchased the property in July 2008 when 13 of the 16 units were occupied.

The property will be divided into three lots for homes ranging from 1,600 to 1,800 square feet with projected price ranges of $175,000 to $250,000. Construction is expected to be complete for all three units by spring 2010.

Broad Creek Promotion Boosts Home Sales An open house event, to showcase new for-sale townhomes and single-family residences, was held Saturday and Sunday, May 3031. The builders, Tivest Development, L & M, Richardson Homes, and Real Developments, had their properties open for viewing. The event also included radio broadcasts on 105.3 KISS FM and 106.9 The Fox. Lenders were on site at the Tivest sales center as well as NRHA’s welcome center. HomeNet also assisted potential firsttime home buyers in learning more about programs and special incentives.

The two-day affair resulted in a lot of traffic of interested potential buyers. Seventeen sales contracts resulted within 30 days of the open house event.

Broad Creek, Hampton Roads’ first mixed-use, mixed-income community, is located 1.5 miles from downtown Norfolk. It is a walkable urban village, with retail amenities and abundant open space, built in the tradition of Norfolk’s most cherished architectural designs.

To date, 400 apartments and 85 homeownership dwellings have been constructed. The city has completed the linear park and street improvements at the intersection of Ballentine and Virginia Beach Blvds.

NRHA Renewal Services Department spearheaded acquisitions

(As printed in The Virginian-Pilot March 21, 2009)

The Maplewoods @ Olde Huntersville Will Be Virginia’s Largest Green-Built Townhome

L

ater this year, twenty-seven new townhomes, built to EarthCraft/Energy Star standards, will rise in the 1500 block of the revitalized Church Street corridor. This will be the largest green-built townhome community in Virginia. The dwellings will start at $155,000, making them the best residential value in Hampton Roads, where new townhomes average $265,000.

Of the 27 units, 12 are three-story with approximately 2,100 square feet and 15 are two-story of 1,500 square feet. Floor plans range from 3 bedroom, 2.5 baths to 4 bedroom, 3.5 baths. Plan types offer variety and options such as a first floor bedroom. Twenty units have 1- or 2-car garages. Others have parking pads or storage sheds, but may add a garage as an option. The townhomes are served by a mews system that allows rear parking, improving streetfront quality and livability. All units have private, fenced yards. Townhome exteriors are 75% brick veneer; with remaining materials being durable fiber cement siding.

The residences are diverse in appearance with a different style and presence created on each of the three streets.

Going green in construction is the most readily accessible means of reducing energy consumption and improving air quality. Buildings account NRHA Board Chairman Shep Miller for 48% of U.S. energy consumption and unveils Maplewoods logo use 76% of electricity produced in this country. Furthermore, buildings are responsible for 40% of carbon dioxide emissions. Residential structures account for 21% of that share of emissions.

The EarthCraft House program is Virginia’s highest performance green building standard. Certified residences must satisfy stringent criteria for energy performance and conservation measures as well as achieve resource efficient design. Certification requires field-verification and diagnostic pressure-testing by a third-party EarthCraft Technical Adviser, attaining at least 15% energy savings over a standard code-built residence. Beyond being energy efficient, these homes have superior indoor air quality, reduced carbon emissions and consume less water.

Wards Corner Program Revitalizes Three Neighborhoods A program funded by the City and implemented by NRHA provides loans and grants to make interior and exterior home repairs and improvements to qualifying residential property owners in Denby Park, Oakdale Farms and Monticello Village. The three programs designed specifically for these neighborhoods are: ● The Norfolk Home Rehabilitation program serves homeowners below 120% of area median income to accomplish needed repairs and exterior aesthetic improvements.

Maximum assistance is up to $35,000 for rehabilitation and up to an additional $20,000 for lead remediation on surfaces directly associated with the planned rehabilitation. With no interest and no monthly payment, the amount to repay ranges from 50% to 100% and is due on transfer. ● The Residential Façade and Aesthetic Improvements program (Home Appeal program) provides financial incentives to residential property owners, including both homeowners and investors, to undertake significant improvements or renovations that will enhance the aesthetic quality of residential properties. Assistance is a matching grant for 50% of eligible costs, up to $15,000 for structures with 1-4 legal dwelling units; and up to $25,000 for structures with 5 or more legal dwelling units.

Before

After

● The Model Home Demonstration program (Home Style matching loan program) is designed to assist homeowners add significant new spaces, such as room additions or expansion of existing living spaces to their home. Eligible applicants may receive a matching due-on-transfer loan with no interest and no monthly payments for 50% of the cost of eligible improvements up to $25,000.

Beginning last fall, City officials, working with NRHA, approved a plan that offers $1 million in revitalization assistance for more than 1,200 residential properties in the three neighborhoods. NRHA’s Residential Rehabilitation Services Department processes applications, oversees construction and coordinates financing. Within six months the first $1 million was committed to assist 21 homeowners.

The success of the programs generated approval of an additional $1 million for fiscal year 2010, which will be committed to as many as 38 applications in “the pipeline”. Due to such a phenomenal response, NRHA had to resort to a waiting list pending additional funding for fiscal year 2011. To date, there are 17 hopeful residents on that list.

See related Virginian-Pilot article:

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/07/howeownersthree-wards-corner-neighborhoods-benefitcity-grant-money

South Brambleton Redevelopment Moves Forward Property acquisitions in the 142-acre South Brambleton redevelopment area are in full swing and expected to be completed by summer 2010. This redevelopment is bounded on the north by Brambleton Avenue, on the east and south by the northern banks of the Elizabeth River, and on the west by the Norfolk and Southern Railway. The properties acquired, or soon to be acquired, are:

• Hunter Foods factory at 1512 Brown Avenue • Gas station at 1625A East Brambleton Avenue • Pollards Chicken restaurant at 1625B East Brambleton Avenue • Family Car Wash at 1601 East Brambleton Avenue

Next steps include a market study to evaluate various potential land uses.

NRHA will work with the Department of Planning and Community Development as well as Norfolk State University to produce a master land use plan.

Elizabeth River

General focus of South Brambleton redevelopment

New Residences Set For Campostella Heights In collaboration with the Campostella community, an aesthetic focal point announcing the neighborhood will be added along Campostella Road between Arlington and Montclair Avenue. The gateway design was presented to, and approved by, the civic league during their May 2009 meeting.

The gateway will feature four-foot tall fencing with brick columns at Arlington Avenue and Montclair Avenue and brick piers spaced 40 feet apart. As suggested by the civic league, a brick center wall will have neighborhood signage. A new six foot-wide sidewalk will run along Campostella Road along with a 10-foot grass verge with shade trees. A 10 foot planting bed with ornamental trees will be on the interior side of the fencing.

A sheltered bus stop will be relocated to the new neighborhood center per the neighborhood’s request. Public right-of-way improvements will be completed by the City.

In addition to the new gateway, three single-family homes will be constructed; one will be built on Arlington Avenue and two on Montclair Avenue.

The house plans selected from the NRHA Plans Library are complementary to the existing homes in Campostella Heights.

The houses range in size from approximately 1,600 square feet to 2,500 square feet with sales prices estimated at $180,000 to $250,000. Representative house elevations were well received by the community.

The project was awarded to Associated Contracting Services (ACS) based on their successful track record on previous NRHA projects. Final plan selection and design review is expected later this summer. Construction is expected to begin by early 2010.

The HomeNet program, a partnership between NRHA, local lending institutions, housing developers, real estate firms, financial counselors as well as local, state and federal housing agencies, serves as a housing resource center, linking families to the many housing choices in Norfolk, as well as to the resources needed to make their dream home a reality.

The mission of the HomeNet Homeownership Center is to demystify the home buying process and empower participants to make informed decisions during the often complex home buying process.

The program includes credit and purchase counseling, a VHDA-approved first-time home buyer education class, qualified lenders, realtors and attorneys and SPARC interest rate discount.

For more information, call 314-4202

Vision

Mission

Quality housing choices in neighborhoods where you want to live.

Provide quality housing opportunities that foster sustainable mixed-income communities.

About NRHA: Founded in 1940, NRHA a national leader in community revitalization and fostering sustainable mixedincome communities. As the largest redevelopment and housing authority in Virginia, NRHA plays a key role in making Norfolk the city of choice to build, work, live and play.

Published by NRHA Communications and Marketing Department 757-314-1645