The building has actually been painted over,

“201 Twenty One has more…more colors than a gay parade, and more materials than Home Depot. There are so many reveals and oddly-proportioned pieces of trim that it’s hard to focus…”

Should now be read as,

201 Twenty One should be thanked for either their good natured interpretation of my critique or own ability to see the error in their ways, either way the newly made over facade is more respectful of the context of the neighborhood and I commend what surely turned out to be a very expensive effort!

Retrospectively as I walk around Ghent, I can’t help but notice the Palace Shops which surely would have garnered a far more scathing review, but have become an integral part of the Ghent landscape. 201 Twenty One could surely have some bonus points if they came across some great ground level retail. Unfortunately, their price point will likely attract chain shops and restaurants. The disoriented, kitchy design could end up being to its benefit in the end, only time will tell. In the future we can only hope for some dignified, well refined designs for what is surely one of Virginia’s finest neighborhoods.

I take my dog for a walk down Manteo Street most days, and the design of the houses and apartments on this road are stunning. It makes me feel like this neighborhood is somewhere that I would want my kids to grow up. I wish that architects and developers would take more of a look to the past when investing in our future, there is a social responsibility of designers to act conscientiously and preserve a milieu, a spirit of place.

Who does this community belong to? Can anyone put anything, anywhere they wish? Those who have negative opinions about these developments should learn what they can do to influence them. How about a protest against poor design… bringing attention to the problem can help solve it.

Or shall I shall the former Kirn Library. Call me crazy, but I love Modern Architecture. I love its clean square boxes, interior floating stairwells, and reflective glass facades. Kirn was actually one of the few (decent) examples of this style in Hampton Roads…and I was very sad to see this era of architectural history destroyed, even if it was to build public transportation. Modern Architecture is at that precarious crossroads that all old buildings must face; where no one quite wants to champion the style as being historically significant and owners/potential buyers think it will be easier (and cheaper) to blow them up and start from scratch. Virginia has plenty of old Victorian, Federal, and Colonial-style buildings that are trumpeted and saved from the wrecking ball. But, I can’t help but wonder how long it will be before we wake up to the fact that Virginia’s architectural history didn’t die at the turn of the century???

The building on Granby was nixed for being too modern, too tall, too skinny, and not fitting in with the character of the buildings on Granby St – because as we all know nothing on Granby St has ever been torn down, and nothing ugly and modern has been built, certainly not the Federal Building or the TCC building.

The Christ & St. Luke addition was attacked by well-heeled neighbors who pretended to be concerned with the architectural integrity of the neighborhood, but were actually already hating the fact that C & St. L is an increasingly popular destination congregation (which makes it difficult for rich people with no off-street to park in front of their houses on Sunday), and they desperately fear that additional space at the church will increase the congregation’s charitable activities, especially participation in the NEST program and their soup kitchen – both of which attract unsightly homeless people to Stockley Gardens, which certain homeowners in the vicinity feel is, well, really theirs. (This was especially apparent during the deafening silence surrounding the massive expansion of Ohef Shalom, one whole block from Christ & St. Luke.)

At least 4 (maybe 5) good buildings have been torn down in that same time period, notable among the older ones was the Ikon building, which was solidly 19th century, and sported what I believe was the last Mansard roof in downtown Norfolk.

Then there was the truly tragic loss of the Kirn. There’s Modern, and there’s Modern, and the Kirn epitomized everything that was good about Modern architecture. It was hard to tell, I know, down-at-heel as it had become from decades of neglect, overcrowding, and the loss of visual perspective due to the erection of the monstrosity know as MacArthur Mall; but when you stood on the east side of the building looking through the open staircase into the lobby, you could see it, and from certain other street angles you could tell – it was exquisitely proportioned, graceful, and light, with homage to buttress and column built into the exterior. It’s a loss not yet properly understood, in the name of progress, thrift, and expediency.

But I digress.

Really, in short, the problem is this – Norfolk developers keep building ugly buildings because City of Norfolk’s design review board keeps approving them (while nixing good things), and idiots with money desperate to buy into what they perceive as the “alternative culture” of Ghent or the “downtown lifestyle” keep buying it. If that can be changed, we might be able to salvage the remainder of what good remains from the past, and avoid yet another block-sized pile of crap – which reminds me, the other loss was the simple, lovely Deco Sears Building, the corpse of which forms the core of the pitiable trifle we now know as “201 Twenty-One”.