When Does Norfolk Get its Happy Ending?
Words Jesse Scaccia
Tuesday, July 19th, 2011 at 8:27 am
Henry James makes illegal visit to Granby St.
Apparently they were rubbing out more than just knots at a spa on Granby St.
According to WVEC’s Karen Hopkins, Crystal Spa at 401 Granby Street was shut down after city inspectors said spa employees were performing sexual acts inside.
Let’s get the ugly out of the way: Illegal things are, by and large, bad. Human trafficking is real, horrible, and happens here in the United States, so anytime I hear about a story like this, my first thought is to pray in my secular way that the acts were performed of the woman’s own free will.
Not that kind of happy ending.
With that out of the way, this is just the kind of news Downtown needed (stay with me). I say this over and over and over, but if Hampton Roads is going to reach its potential, Downtown Norfolk needs to be seen as the urban center. To accomplish this it needs to be attractive to the future of the 757: high school and college students. Right now–real talk–it’s not. It’s a city crafted for adults. It’s so clean. There’s no graffiti. There are no street people hassling the passerby. Which is all great, and the Downtown Norfolk Council and the NPD deserve their fair share of credit.
But with the grime something else is lost: the feeling that you’re in a real live city.
Right now, bless it’s soul, Downtown is a little bit too Kraft singles for the up and coming crowd’s taste. There’s no mystery in Downtown Norfolk. No mystique. No sense of, ‘I can’t wait to go around this corner to see what’s happening next.’
Okay, so hand jobs aren’t the answer, as they so rarely are. But I want kids growing up in Hampton Roads to believe that something is brewing in Downtown NFK. I want kids from the surrounding suburbs to want to skip school to head Downtown. Because if they view Downtown as this mysterious, exciting, intriguing place as a teenager, they’ll instinctively want to go there as young adults, spend a bunch of their parents money, and ultimately make it their home. I grew up in a Connecticut suburb of New York City. The City was it when we were growing up. And once we were grown up, you know what me and my friends did? A fair percentage of us moved to the city, where we got jobs, added to City’s tax coffers, volunteered, gave back, loved it, and kept that place feeling alive with our young blood. It’s the same story all over the world when you have a city that feels like a real live city.
Here’s a new slogan for the DNC if they decide they want to start attracting the next generation of people willing to fight for it: Downtown Norfolk: Rubbing Out Your Boring Suburban Existence
This is about more than just fun. It’s about attracting the best and the brightest, the future entrepreneurs that will fuel the next wave of our economy. According to an article in the New York Times about Detroit’s renaissance, census data shows that 94% of college graduates initially move to cities. You have to be a city to have a city. Given that, according to The Kauffman Foundation, nearly all net job creation in the US occurred from firms that were less than five years old, Downtown would be smart to keep the college crowd–our educated, forward-thinking core–good and close.
Being able to pay someone to get to second base on you isn’t the solution, but it’s not exactly the problem either. How do you give your city intrigue without sacrificing a sense of security? That’s not an easy trick (no pun intended). It’s doesn’t have to include danger. If Downtown could attract some of the more interesting businesses around here–O’Connor Brewery, The Heritage, XVD Longboards, Aardvark Glass, Path, Kerouac Cafe, etc.–to come Downtown, you can build that mystique in a way that makes everyone feel comfortable. An Urban Outfitters wouldn’t hurt so bad either.
In any case, here’s to a Downtown where you feel like there’s at least a possibility that memories like this could be made.
Another heat wave for Hampton Roads
SUMMER RULES.
House to vote on tea party-backed debt plan
It feels like only months ago that the Tea Party felt like a trifling political joke that wouldn’t stay hot much longer than a cup of tea does. Now the House of Representatives is letting them take the lead on a monumentally historic issue.
The lesson: Have a defined ideological vision, work hard, do a little fundraising and you will find a place in American politics. It’s that easy.
Hampton Roads 48 Hour Film Project
Pic | 48 Hr Film Project
It’s almost that time again. This is one of the coolest things that happens around here, especially in the local film scene. Be a part of it this year, because you know you can do better than half the stuff playing at Mac Mall right now.
Latest Updates on Phone Hacking Scandal
The New York Times is running a live stream of the phone hacking scandal, courtesy of Britain’s Channel 4 News.
Public meetings on Tuesday to discuss future of Fort Monroe
I say we turn it into a McDonald’s play castle. The DP tells us “the meetings will be held at the Hampton Roads Convention Center on Coliseum Drive in Hampton. The first meeting is scheduled for 2-4 p.m., and the second is scheduled for 6:30-8:30 p.m.”
Sean Hoare, News of the World whistleblower, found dead, Guardian reports
“The police told the Guardian that they do not know how Hoare died, but do not believe the cause of death to be suspicious.”
Funny timing though, wouldn’t you say.
Surry nuclear power station emergency exercise scheduled
I wonder what the emergency exercise looks like when uranium is found in our drinking water.
Port of Hampton Roads receives its biggest ship ever
According to the Pilot‘s Robert McCabe this thing is “longer than two Westin Virginia Beach Town Centers… Big enough to float the battleship Wisconsin in its hull.” Neat.
If you want to know what’s going on in local politics…
You need to be reading Vivian Paige.
American Masterpieces from the Batten Collection at Chrysler Museum
This story, from ARTFIXdaily, is on the first page of a Google News search for “norfolk, va.” Thank you for bringing positivity to the region, Chrysler.
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ABOUT THE WRITER
Jesse is the editor in chief of AltDaily, and he's going to take this bio seriously, but not so seriously that he's going to continue in the third person. I've been involved with a bunch of local projects and civic groups in various roles, including: Hampton Roads, The Canvas; Art | Everywhere, Street Performance in Norfolk; Survive Norfolk; Hampton Roads Pride/Out in the Park; Bike Norfolk; re:Vision Norfolk, and such.
I originally came to Norfolk as a Perry Morgan fellow in ODU's creative writing program. Before that I bummed around quite a bit, writing stacks of books that never got published, hitchhiking, couchsurfing, riding the Greyhound up down and back across this country. Some of my favorite jobs and volunteer gigs have included working on organic farms in Ireland; being first mate on an old sail boat in Holland; working at a long-term home for young men in South Africa; being a journalist and high school teacher in New York and California; washing dishes in Yosemite National Park; teaching English in DC and swimming in Florida; and interning at ESPN in Bristol, which was much less cool that you'd want it to be. My career highlights have been having three of my op-eds run in the New York Times, and being the executive producer of a six-part docu-drama on BET. Because school is cool I have three master's degrees (ODU for MFA, NYU for magazine journalism, University of Connecticut for secondary English education). I live in Norfolk because I believe in its potential. Email your ideas or nicely couched criticism to jesse@altdaily.com.
Other posts by Jesse Scaccia.
Other posts by Jesse Scaccia.
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Stop writing.
“Funny timing though, would you say.”
STELLAR REPORTING
“I wonder what the emergency exercise looks like when uranium is found in our drinking water.”
Whoa, so deep, man. So. Deep.
Hey Anonymous-why are you so anonymous??
Anonymous is my name :(
My mom didn’t like me very much
Jesse Scaccia
Jesse is the editor in chief of AltDaily, and he’s going to take this bio seriously, but not so seriously that he’s going to continue in the third person. I’ve been involved with a bunch of local projects and civic groups in various roles, including: Hampton Roads, The Canvas; Art | Everywhere, Street Performance in Norfolk; Survive Norfolk; Hampton Roads Pride/Out in the Park; Bike Norfolk; re:Vision Norfolk, and such. I originally came to Norfolk as a Perry Morgan fellow in ODU’s creative writing program. Before that I bummed around quite a bit, writing stacks of books that never got published, hitchhiking, couchsurfing, riding the Greyhound up down and back across this country. Some of my favorite jobs and volunteer gigs have included working on organic farms in Ireland; being first mate on an old sail boat in Holland; working at a long-term home for young men in South Africa; being a journalist and high school teacher in New York and California; washing dishes in Yosemite National Park; teaching English in DC and swimming in Florida; and interning at ESPN in Bristol, which was much less cool that you’d want it to be. My career highlights have been having three of my op-eds run in the New York Times, and being the executive producer of a six-part docu-drama on BET. Because school is cool I have three master’s degrees (ODU for MFA, NYU for magazine journalism, University of Connecticut for secondary English education). I live in Norfolk because I believe in its potential. Email your ideas or nicely couched criticism to jesse@altdaily.com.
This is damn near longer than the article. Wow.
I’m also a Yankee. It’s a true travesty.
This is the most disgraceful, sordid thing I’ve ever read. Your ideas of what a “real live city” is are disgusting. If you want crime and danger so bad go the fuck back to New York, I’ll buy you a one-way ticket to Hell’s Kitchen. As a woman working a minimum wage job I would move out of here in a heartbeat if you had your way. People work hard their whole lives (we all know you don’t) to move into a safer city like this one (and to spend their own money, not their parents trust fund), so quit trying to fuck it up. Some of us are trying to raise a family.
I pray you get shot in the face in your quest for corruption. Would that be real enough for you?
The most annoying thing about just about everything Jesse writes (that I’ve seen here on altdaily) is that he doesn’t even believe what he’s saying – or at least would realize that if he stopped for 2 seconds to examine the ramifications of the bull shit he spouts off. He’ll write anything just to have people read it.
If the city were crime-ridden, dirty, and “gritty” he would be writing an article complaining about the failure of the Norfolk City Council to clean up their mess. If all these “interesting” businesses moved to Granby, he would then complain that there aren’t enough cool spots along Colley Ave (which was a source of complaint only just last year when Skinny Dip opened).
The city in which Jesse wants to live seems to be one where every business (sorry, let’s make this every “interesting” business – interesting as defined by Jesse, of course) exists on both Granby St, and Colley Ave. A city which is both dirty, gritty, crime ridden, and yet clean, progressive, green, with vast expanses of park space; where everyone is equal in class and status (except for Jesse – we must all always keep in the forefront of our minds how hip, edgy, and cool he really is) – well, except for all the homeless people we would need to keep Norfolk feeling like a real, exciting, city.
Jesse is a critic – someone without the means, ability, or motivation to actually do the work required in creating something of value; but still feels entitled enough to spew his shallow opinion to anyone who will listen. As a critic he doesn’t have to look too hard at his own opinions because no one will ever have to view them in the hard light of practical reality.
Good God, I do my best to avoid Altdaily, and I’ve been so successful for months, but every once in a while Jesse manages to out-do himself and a helpful friend ruins my day by pointing me towards the latest embarrassment.
Seriously, Jesse, your journalism is non-existent, and your editorial/op-ed is embarrassing. Just stop. You’re clearly opinionated, but most of this nonsense is best kept in a private setting – shared with your personal friends (and hopefully not in a written format, which people can point back towards and laugh at when you’re inevitably caught up in your own conflicting opinion or hypocrisy). You do have personal friends that will listen to your bull shit, right?
Your Mother – Wow way to miss the entire point. I pray you get the hug you so obviously need.
Then clarify. Frankly I don’t think Mr.Scaccia understands what he’s asking for.
Here is your clarification –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtext
Think you might have stopped reading before this paragraph?
How do you give your city intrigue without sacrificing a sense of security? That’s not an easy trick (no pun intended). It’s doesn’t have to include danger. If Downtown could attract some of the more interesting businesses around here–O’Connor Brewery, The Heritage, XVD Longboards, Aardvark Glass, Path, Kerouac Cafe, etc.–to come Downtown, you can build that mystique in a way that makes everyone feel comfortable. An Urban Outfitters wouldn’t hurt so bad either.
In any case, email me. jesse@altdaily.com. I’m a real live person. Let’s get a beer and realize that everything’s going to be okay, and that I probably stand for values that represent you much more than a lot of the people calling the shots right now.
I agree, wholeheartedly, with every single thing Jesse writes.
No, not so (see? Jokes! Life is not serious!). But I do agree with his underlying premise, and I support him as a writer who has the subtlety to convey an overarching point without stating it directly over and over and over again ad nauseum, but rather painting a picture to convey it in a more holistic manner.
Like so: no one wants Norfolk to be nasty and crime-ridden (not even Mr. Scaccia, here! Did you see the caveats? Did you read all the sentences?). What we want is for it to be interesting. No one wants culture to exist only on 2 streets, but as it stands, that is where the culture has clustered, so come now, let us support this thing whilst encouraging its growth!
Finally, I am consistently impressed with the caliber of trolls this web site now attracts. Growth in leaps and bounds, leaps and bounds.
Congratulations, altdaily trolls. You have successfully killed anonymous. Long live “you must be logged in to comment!”
+1
Ah.. I come to this late in the game…but here’s some food for thought for those who care to read all the way down (bare with me) interesting, unconventional thoughts from one of the most well respected planning critics of all time.
“Slums and their populations are the victims (and the perpetuators) of seemingly endless troubles that reinforce each other. Slums operate as vicious circles. In time, these vicious circles enmesh the whole operations of cities. Spreading slums require ever greater amounts of public money- and not simply more money for publicly financed improvement or to stay even, but more money to cope with ever widening retreat and regression. As needs grow greater, the wherewithal grows less.
Our present urban renewal laws are an attempt to break this particular linkage in the vicious circles by forthrightly wiping away slums and their populations, and replacing them with projects intended to produce higher tax yields, or to lure back easier populations with less expensive public requirements. The method fails. At best, it merely shifts slums from here to there, adding its own tincture of extra hardship and disruption. At worst, it destroys neighborhoods where constructive and improving communities exist and where the situation calls for encouragement rather than destruction.”
-Jane Jacobs, the death and life of great american cities
so in other words (along with my opinion) let’s not aim to be a ‘leave it to beaver’ community and instead embrace this idea that we are a dynamic area that can foster controversy and excitement.
If you don’t feel right about this…do something and get more involved in the community
I was going to read the article, but after reading your bio, I ran out of time…
:[
I realize you are trying to revitalize Norfolk and I think AltDaily does a lot of great things, but there is a lot more to this city than downtown and I’m not sure you can measure our city’s success by one section of town.