Tuesday, March 8, 2011
CAREFUL KEVIN HUGHES - PEOPLE CAN BE FIRED FOR LESS
I come from a different time, back when if I could save a dime I would, you know, do it myself. Even laying out a quarter for a three-hour baby sitter was a factor for an evening out, small local restaurant and a movie. Paying someone to wash your dog never crossed anyone’s mind. That was an outdoors Saturday event involving catching the dog, soap and a garden hose. No sane dog would allow a wash in the winter months but today Pet lovers, and sports aficionados will be thrilled with new developments in the Harbour View East shopping center in North Suffolk. Note that now saying “North Suffolk” is acceptable. Saturday and Sunday at Horsespa, you see five-foot-tall women lovingly wash their 1300 pound horses, some little girls standing on a stool to reach and clean “Nightwind’s” ears. Seems to me that grooming is part of having a pet. But for those with a job and money there is Pet Smart, smart being the owners who can supply anything required to raise anything but a dinosaur, illegal in Virginia. And two other stores will require the Mayor’s ceremonial ribbon cutting. Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx from where my wife comes home with only God knows. I’m a bit worried about the effect of Kevin Hughes, Director of Economic Development, statement, “When I look at that entire development, it’s coming together for us,” said Kevin Hughes, director of economic development. “It’s becoming a retail destination for us in Suffolk.” How will the downtown retailers interpret that?
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24 comments:
I was reading the SNH editorial about Embracing the Differences and Harbourview East expanding. This was double economic punch to the head. Meaning downtown Suffolk is no longer the economic engine of our city. The next logical move is the partition of beautiful and sucessful North Suffolk from the withered limbs of Suffolk, Whaleyville, Holy Neck and Cypress boroughs.
Yea those forclosed signs up north are becoming an eyesore.
As one of those retailers I can tell you that we are not very happy about how we are always on the lowest rung with the present Mayor and her fellows. We are getting nothing to support downtown and they are letting our quaint little city rust and fall apart. The nurturing that was paid for in the past is long gone and it makes me mad as all get out! I knew there was going to be retribution by this bunch, but no one knew how bad it would get. I say fire the lot of them and let's start over again. Mr. Hughes is about as incompetent as they come and it dearly shows. Time to fire the young man and hire a real development director.
Has anyone seen Kevin up on the roof of Pet Smart waving a machette around yet? Its just a matter of time.
Anon 7:56pm; I grew up downtown. It's much better now than it was back in the 70's through late 90's. The biggest setback for downtown is the lack of a large employer. Planters and Lipton are about a third the size they used to be mainly due to technology replacing humans. Second, the city has to become serious about redeveloping the residential sector of downtown. There needs to be a serious effort to clean up the dilapidated housing and reduce low-income rentals. Low-income housing will not support the revitalization and stabilization of the downtown area. You have about a handful of homes with any historical value and that's about it. Development like big box stores and large employement centers like ease of ACCESS, ie. the interstate.
I live off Pruden Blvd. I go to downtown for a meal and a couple beers but that is pretty much it. Not sure what the answer s are but it does need a real plan. People want easy access, easy/safe parking, and a reason to go. Things to do. Shops that they know and like. A reason to go and spend time/money.
Some employers with lots of jobs would help.
Downtown could draw folks in from Isle of Wight, Franklin, and for quite a ways. Folks that do not want to drive up to Bower’s hill and on to find shopping and things to do. This area is a great location when you look at a map.
Can “downtown” provide all that without a wrecking ball and major development? It would be expensive and painful. I see lots of cars at Belk’s and Wal-mart just up the street. Open area and water too. I agree we need a real plan. I’m just not sure we have the will to do it.
I think Anonymous said it better than I did.
Which Anonymous you may ask? The one who grew up downtown.
I really would like for folks to come up with a name other than Anonymous. Just pick one and stick with it.
It would make for more interesting discussions.
Anon 6:18 well said. Does the city and administration have the ability and foresight to do what needs to be done. Former City Manager Steve Herbert was warned years ago that pretty sidewalks, planters and flags wasn't going to make it. For whatever reason he chose not to listen, so here we are.
Mr. Hughes is just following orders of the city administration. Promote the North end and leave the rest to whatever organic economic growth that may emerge.
I was looking to open a buisness in downtown and hired a out of town lawyer out of Richmond who was a SHS graduate. He on my behalf began a dialog with city officials regarding the downtown area. He was steered away from downtown and was asked why would one want to open a business in the DT area? He was taken for lunch up in the other Suffolk that lies north. The city offical was pushing for a north location.At no time he reported to me did the city actually push the DT area. Nor the east west or south. The city isnt looking to revitalize DT at any cost.One other question that was ignored was tax breaks for downtown but was told that a tax break could be considered for a location up north.Teh city refuses to provide intrastructure to attract business DT.
This city is promoted only one way NORTH.
Wade . . . come up with a valid point and that would make for a more interesting dicussions. Some of us have to use "anonymous" because of our employer.
There is another reason why Anonymous is frequently used. If the Tea Party gang learn your name they will have no recourse but to leave the buffet line and protest in front of your place of business.
As I said before, I own a small business downtown and I am at my wits end with this administration. They seem to do everything they can to step on businesses downtown and push for up NORTH. This is directly due to Linda Johnson and her crowd of followers. I really have a worse name to identify them in private.
Since she became mayor it has been all downhill for us. We need to get rid of her and we all need to band together behind someone like Mr. Powell. HE is a young guy that will work for us. Just look at what he recently did with that old building on East Washington. Now there is leadership. I also have alwyas had a soft spot for Mr. Leonard. Many did not understand that he really did have alot of good ideas and real complaints, but just that most did not want to hear the real issues he defined so well. Powell is still here and Lenard has moved on so we need to get Powell to run for mayor as a one on one with Johnson. Maybe then we will have a real MAYOR!
Mr. Hughes takes his marching orders from City Hall. Downtown Suffolk has been on a downward spiral since the departure of Elizabeth McCoury. Job creation and capital investment creates revenues and downtown does not offer anthing other than sub-standard housing, no foot traffic and government owned or leased buildings. The Economic Development Department had an experienced team in place a couple of years ago with a vision. Unfortunately, that team and time has passed.
Hey it's not all bad news for downtown, look at the bright side there still is the tourism office. If anyone is lost or needs to use the WC or is searching for idle time reading material like one of their many glossy pamphlets, they are available at very reasonnable cost to the taxpayer. It's unfortunate that North Suffolk hasn't earned the city's respect to deserve tourism office of their own. Alas you can't have it all.
Why waste more dollars on another loser. There is nothing up north you can actually call a tourist attraction.
Who cares if there is any tourist attractions up north, they have shopping. Downtown has none other than rip-off shops that charge too much for the junk they sell.
North Suffolk tourism eh? Pig Point Battery, Hill's Point Battery, Mattanock Indian Village, Dumpling Island, the Villages of Chuckatuck, Eclipse, Crittenden, Driver, Driver Daze, Eclipse's 4th of July Raft Race and fireworks, Bennett's Creek Park, Obici House & Golf Course, Nansemond River Golf Club, Planter's Club, restaurants, shops, lakes and rivers for fishing and watersports.
Anon 7:26 you are absolutely correct, these aren't tourist attractions except maybe Mattanock (hopefully). Clearly North Suffolk does not deserve the recognition that downtown enjoys hosting the office of tourism. You can keep them with our collective blessings.
I would never shop in any of the downtown eateries or shops. Bad food and high prices. Even the Taste of Suffolk thing that Big Charlie Parr pushes is a farce and only going with city money. Time to pull the plug.
Hypocricy of N. Suffolk, you didnt want the city to act on the Obici estate, you were not excitied how that whole process was handled, remember the tax base is the North.Now keep those dollars coming.
As North Suffolk pays and downtown spends there a critical tipping point when either the North stops paying or downtown stops spending. Someday soon this will change. North Suffolk being an economic engine will roll on just fine. Downtown however, will roll up and blow away like last autumn's leaves. It's already happening.
With so many being deadset on no money for the DT region, when will the north folks have the cajones to go ahead and formulate a plan to just annex out and go on its own. Your tax base could never support that on it by itself.
1:12 lets hope we get the chance for a change to prove NS can stand alone.
Downtown is like a dried up old gal that puts on bright red lipstick, heals and a tight dress to prove she still has it. Unfortunately the old girl is more of an embarassment than an attractive option for most. She is a seedy bloch of rundown bulding and slums, a few old restored buildings, and a clanish white neighborhood that is slowly dying off as the kids move to the North end or out of town. Suffolk is no longer downtown, it is the North end of town and some farms.
I say fire Mr Hughes and his useless type. He and his like do little to help Suffolk. He gives sound bites to our idiot mayor to use to preen her political claims with to get votes. It is not like they are toiling away to get control of a runaway nuclear reactor or something, they are just office hacks.
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