psst … I’m a Realtor! Thanks for stopping by my website. I would love to help you find your dream home and community in the Hampton Roads or Williamsburg area or to sell your existing home. This website is authored by local resident and REALTOR, John Womeldorf. John is known around town as Mr. Williamsburg, for both his extensive knowledge of Hampton Roads and the historic triangle, and his expertise in the local real estate market. His websites, WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com and Mr Williamsburg.com were created as a resource for folks who are exploring a move to Williamsburg, VA , Hampton Roads VA and the surrounding areas of the Virginia Peninsula.
On his website you can search homes for sale , foreclosures, 55+ active adult communities, condos and town homes , land and commercial property for sale in Williamsburg, Yorktown, New Kent, Poquoson, and Gloucester, VA as well as surrounding markets of Carrolton, Chesapeake,Gloucester, Hampton, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth Mathews, Newport News Norfolk, Poquoson, Smithfield, , Suffolk, Surry, Va Beach, Yorktown and York County Virginia
You can reach John by email John@MrWilliamsburg.com or phone @ 757-254-813
North America’s Oldest Running Surfing Competition will return to the shores of Virginia Beach.
More than 200 professional surfers come to compete for their share of a $125,000 total pro cash purse and ASP 4-Star points in the surfing competition at the heart of the Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships (ECSC) beach sports festival. And, with nearly 1,000 entries in a variety of competitive levels, ECSC more surfers participating than any event in the world.
But ECSC is about more than just surfing. Over the past half century, ECSC has evolved into a unique weeklong celebration of beach sports, sounds and culture. Recognized for years as one of the top events in the southeastern U.S., hundreds also take part in other competitions including BMX biking, skimboarding, volleyball, an oceanfront 5K run, a swimsuit competition and more. Live bands also perform for free on an oceanfront stage throughout the weekend. Country star Natalie Stovall and The Drive will perform Thursday night, Aug. 21, The Voice semi-finalist Bria Kelly will perform Friday evening, Aug. 22 and the Plain White Ts will take the stage Saturday night, Aug. 23. There are fees to participate in competitions, but all other activities are free and open to the public. For full details and a schedule of events, visit SurfECSC.com.
Comcast-Spectacor, Live Nation and the Virginia Beach Development Authority recently made a presentation to the VA Beach City Council outlining the possibility of a 750,000-square foot, 18,500-seat arena adjacent to the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
Warren Harris, director of Virginia Beach Economic Development and Peter Luukko, president and CEO of Comcast-Spectacor, which owns the Philadelphia Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, made the presentation to Council on behalf of their organizations as well as Live Nation. Live Nation is the leading entertainment and e-Commerce company comprised of Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts and other subsidiaries.
If the city can reach a satisfactory agreement with the two companies, the new arena would be slated to open in 2015 and would host a professional sports team. The deal is contingent upon this happening. If it does, Comcast-Spectacor would lease, manage and operate the arena for at least 25 years.
Exactly who the sports tenant might be is unknown at this point. “Right now, there have been no discussions with any teams. We’re just getting started, we’re very positive, but we’ve got a ways to go,” Luukko said.
The Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships, got underway on Monday, August 20, 2012 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The event, which originally grew from a casual party for affluent teenagers in Gilgo Beach, New York during the summer of 1961, has evolved into a seven day beach sports festival.
The surfing contest will feature many of the big names, some of which the area hasn’t seen before.
That’s good news for surfing fans. But boards and waves aren’t the only reasons the ECSC has been attracting more than 100,000 to its yearly sessions.
Besides the pro surf contests, the weeklong competition features other surfing events, as well as skateboarding, BMX and motocross demos, beach volleyball clinics, exhibitions and competitions, flag football and cornhole tournaments, an 8K race, the annual Wareing’s Gym Beach Bum Classic and, of course, the Miss Coastal Edge ECSC Swimsuit Pageant hosted by the International Bikini Team.
ECSC will also feature a variety of bands – including singer/songwriter/surfer Donavon Frankenreiter, ’80s show band The Deloreans, ’70s party-centric The Right On Band and local favorites Butter and Cheap Thrills.
BMX Competition
ECSC will also feature the LXVI BMX Invitational presented by Vans on August 24th and 25th The LXVI BMX Invitational challenges twenty of the world’s best BMX riders including Scotty Cranmer, Ryan Guettler, Ryan Nyquist and Cory Nastazio as they compete in a triple box jump contest for their share of a $25,000 prize purse.
Hot off the Dew Tour in Ocean City MD expected Riders Include: Scotty Cranmer (2012 X-Games Gold BMX Park, 2012 Dew Tour Champion BMX Park), Ryan Guettler (2005 Dew Tour Champion BMX Dirt and Park, X-Games medalist), Pat Casey, Gary Young, Kyle Baldock, Cory Nastazio (X-Games medalist), Ryan Nyquist (numerous X-Games medals and Dew Tour championships), Brett Banasiewicz, Dennis Enarson, Jeremiah Smith, and Brandon Dosch.
BMX Contest Schedule – Best 2 out of 3 Runs
Thursday, Aug. 23rd 2PM – 4PM – Open Practice
Friday, Aug. 24th 12PM – 2PM – Qualifiers
Saturday, Aug. 25th 12PM – 1PM – Finals
BIG SCREEN SPORTS
The X-Life Film Festival will combine its stew of extreme-sports movies with the Coastal Edge ECSC. The film fest is screening seven films daily through Sunday at the Ramada Inn of Virginia Beach at 5th Street, along with special screenings at the Virginia Beach Aquarium IMAX.
Sporting events, musical entertainment and access to Vendor Village are open to spectators FREE of charge; individual sports contestants may pay entry fee. Food and beverage concessions are available on site or at nearby resort restaurants.
ECSC is produced by volunteers of the Va. Beach Jaycees and managed by Resort Management LLC. Portions of the proceeds raised benefit the Jaycee’s many charitable projects.
WANT TO GO?
What Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships presented by Vans
Where Virginia Beach Oceanfront
When Through Sunday, Aug. 26
Cost Free and open to the public (except where noted)
Note For surfing competition standings and the most current information and schedule updates go to www.surfusa.org.
While Williamsburg VA still has no Whole Foods Market but residents of Va Beach will be able to shop at their new Whole Foods earlier than expected. The Virginia Beach store is now set to open on October 24th at 10 a.m, several months ahead of initial expectations.
This is the first Hampton Roads location for the popular grocer, known for its selection of specialty goods and organic and health products.
The closest Whole Foods store to Williamsburg at this time is in Richmond, in the Short Pump Area.
On opening day, the Va Beach Whole Foods plans to provide free tastings, live music and cooking demonstrations, the company confirmed Thursday in a news release. The 40,000-square-foot store at 1800 Laskin Road will operate daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m
The 2012 Virginia Flower & Garden Expo returns to the Virginia Beach Convention Center Jan. 20-22, in the Commonwealth’s most comprehensive event of its type. The Expo promotes horticultural education for everyone from professionals to the weekend enthusiast. This year’s theme is “Creating The Beautiful Tomorrow.”
Show Director Laurie Fox says, “We’re very excited about our show returning to early in the calendar year. The timing is ideal as that’s when most people begin planning their landscapes and thinking of their flower gardens. More than a hundred vendors, exhibitors and displayers provide guests countless ideas and products they can use to help create the beautiful tomorrow of their own.
"The big difference this year is that it’s not a home and garden show anymore. It’s a flower and garden show," show director Laurie Fox said. "It’s all green, all horticulture-focused."
“It’s the one time each year when Hampton Roads residents can get information on virtually every aspect related to flowers and gardening, at a single climate-controlled location. Experts and knowledgeable professionals will be there to discuss plants, plans, products and practices,” Fox adds.
Ten landscape companies plan spectacular indoor demonstration gardens based on the show’s theme, "Creating the Beautiful Tomorrow!"
Pick out your favorite horticultural plans for your spring garden as you browse landscape displays, spectacular floral displays, a European-style flower market, garden speakers and demonstrations, an art show by local and regional artists and over 100 garden vendors, exhibitors and displayers. .
Williamsburg VA started their Restaurant week on Jan 8th, 2012 Va Beach follows staring this Sunday, Jan. 15 to Sunday, Jan. 22 , more than 70 of Virginia Beach’s finest restaurants will be participating in – Virginia Beach Restaurant Week. Enjoy two-course prix fixe lunches for $11.12 and three-course prix fixe dinners for $20.12 and $27.12 throughout the week.
You can Indulge in pepper seared tuna, slow cooked prime rib, homemade crab bisque and unrivaled Lynnhaven oysters, not to mention desserts such as coconut flan and warm butter tortes. Appetizers and main dishes range from chicken and steak, to pasta, salmon, and many local deep-sea favorites.
Participants this year Include: Abbey Road Pub * Baker’s Crust * Black Angus * Burton’s Grill * Casby’s Sea Grill * Catch 31 * Croakers Neighborhood Grill * Doc Taylors * Eat an American Bistro * Eurasia * Gordon Biersch Brewery * Hot Tuna * Icehouse Restaurant * Just George’s * La Bella Italia * Lucky Oyster * Lynnhaven Fish House * Mahi Mah’s * Murphy’s Irish Pub * New Moon Cafe * One Fish Two Fish * Pasta and Pani * Rockafeller’s * Saffron * Sonoma Wine Bar * Tautog’s * Terrapin * Yanni’s Casual Greek … and MORE
In Norfolk, 22 restaurants are featured. They’re offering three-course dinner menus for either $20 or $30, and some locations are also offering a 2-course lunch for $10.
Websites include full menus. Click here for Norfolk.
2012 Virginia Index of Performance Awards Announced
Governor Bob McDonnell and the Board of Education announced today that 447 schools and two school divisions earned 2012 Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) awards for advanced learning and achievement. The incentive program recognizes schools and divisions that far exceed minimum state and federal accountability standards and achieve excellence goals established by the governor and the board.
“I congratulate the educators in these schools and divisions for their unwavering commitment to academic excellence and to the success of their students,” McDonnell said. “They put students first and maintain high expectations for instruction, learning and student achievement.”
The schools and school divisions earning 2012 VIP awards – which are based on student achievement and other performance indicators during 2010-2011 – include:
86 Virginia schools that earned the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence;
188 schools and two school divisions that earned the Board of Education Excellence Award;
171 schools earned the Board of Education Competence to Excellence Award; and
2 schools that earned the Board of Education Rising Star Award.
More condos sold at the Westin Virginia Beach Town Center Residences auction in about 30 minutes Sunday than during the past two years.
Armada Hoffler, the 38-story tower’s developer, hired an auctioneer to sell 18 of the 24 unsold condos at the Westin residences in a bid to stir up interest and find buyers.
Winning bids ranged from $181,000 for a one-bedroom unit to $750,000 for a penthouse suite..
Altogether, sales from the auction amounted to more than $7.5 million, he said.
The auction also spurred interest from potential buyers for some of the building’s remaining units. As a result, the developer is close to reaching a deal for at least one more of the penthouse units.
"The competition was genuinely great for every unit we put up there," he said.
Condos in the tower, the tallest building in Virginia, sold strongly after it opened in 2007. By March 2009, the developer had sold 88 of the building’s 120 units. Since then, sales had stagnated, with just eight more units selling in the two years before the auction.
An estimated 150 people attended the auction Sunday, with between 60 and 70 people bidding.
Armada Hoffler, a commercial real estate development and construction company, will auction off the remaining condominiums at The Residences at The Westin Virginia Beach Town Center, located in Virginia’s tallest building.
Accelerated Marketing will auction off 16 condos with access to four-star hotel services available through the Westin at the Town Center development. Minimum bids will range from $140,000 to $795,000.
The auction is scheduled for Nov. 13 at 2 p.m. at The Westin Virginia Beach Town Center hotel in Virginia Beach.
"We’re under absolutely no pressure to sell units," said Lou Haddad, Armada Hoffler’s president and CEO.
Condos in the tower, the tallest building in Virginia, sold strongly after it opened in 2007. By March 2009, the developer had sold 88 of the building’s 120 units. Since then, sales have stagnated, with just eight more units selling in the past two years.
The most recent asking prices for the 16 units range from $258,400 for a 750-square-foot, one-bedroom condo to $1.7 million for a 2,739-square-foot penthouse.
The condos scheduled for auction include five one-bedroom homes with minimum bids of $140,000 to $220,000; eight two-bedroom homes with minimum bids ranging from $250,000 to $385,000; and three penthouses from minimum bids ranging from $640,000 to $795,000, the prices are up to 56 percent below the last asking prices.
Under this auction arrangement, there are no hidden reserves or buyer’s premiums. Armada Hoffler said advanced registration is required and financing is available for qualified buyers. The auction information center and model homes will be open to preview daily through Nov. 12.
VA Beach-The 2011 Naval Air Station Oceana Air Show officially kicks off at 5:30 pm Friday evening, September 23rd, 2011 with the stunning Twilight Air Show. Don’t miss dazzling sunset and nighttime aerial performances and blazing pyrotechnics. During the twilight portion of our show, you’ll see performances by vintage U.S. Navy Warbirds as well as a military tactical demonstration by the F/A-18 Hornet. When the sun sets, you’ll be thrilled by heart-stopping night-time displays by Gene Soucy, Bill Leff, Bob Carlton’s Jet Powered Glider, the Shockwave Jet Truck and the British Red Devils jump team. Admission and parking are free and gates open at 5:00 pm. When the show ends, make sure you stop by the NAS Oceana Officer’s Club to enjoy a refreshing beverage in this legendary watering hole.
Whole Foods Market, the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket, is coming to Virginia Beach, its first Hampton Roads location
The lease was announced during the third quarter earnings conference call by John Mackey and Walter Robb, co-chief executive officers yesterday.
“Virginia Beach is excited once again to be the first in the market to announce the much anticipated plan to build a Whole Foods Market store in our city.” said Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr. “Whole Foods Market is a leader in the expanding natural and organic foods business. The Whole Foods Market brand has been built on consistently selling the highest quality natural and organic food products and maintaining high standards of quality, customer service and community involvement. The fact that we have attracted one of the most coveted retailers in the country to our community validates our strategy for growth and sustainability.”
Whole Foods Market signed a lease with S.J. Collins Enterprises for the construction of a 40,000 square-foot store at the former Saturn Dealership along Laskin Road in the Hilltop section of Virginia Beach.
“The Whole Foods Market is the perfect complement to the upscale retail and restaurant experience in the Hilltop area.” said Warren D. Harris, Director of Virginia Beach Economic Development. “We worked for over a year with the Whole Foods Market and their development team to pull together a redevelopment plan for their preferred site on Laskin Road. I can’t think of a better fit for our community than the Whole Foods Market.”
Scheduled to open by year-end 2013, the new Virginia Beach Whole Foods Market will be the largest natural and organic supermarket in the region. In keeping with Whole Foods Market’s national initiative to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the Virginia Beach facility will feature many green building standards.
The Villages at West Neck is the first age 55 or better community that was built in Virginia Beach. There are eight villages that are built around an Arnold Palmer championship golf course, The Signature at West Neck. Six of the villages contain single family detached homes and two of the villages are composed of condos. All of the villages are completely built out. There are approximately 528 single family homes and 408 condo units with a total resident population of about 1600 people in the community.
The community is conveniently located just off of West Neck Rd in the Princess Anne section of Virginia Beach near the city Municipal Center. Several things make the Villages at West Neck distinctive. The developer, Dick Foster of Baymark, had a vision for a senior community that evolved around beautiful grounds and golf course views that take advantage of showcasing the fourteen lakes on the course. Foster spared no expense in how the community is presented at the main entrance. The Signature Clubhouse, which is adjacent to the golf course, reflects this same grand building style. If you combine that with the 10,000+ knockout roses that bloom seven months per year and the 1600 annuals that are changed twice per year, the result is a showcase community. This pride of appearance carries over to the property owners in how well they maintain their homes and the grounds.
West Neck Homes & Real Estate Numerous builders have constructed homes at West Neck including McQ Builders, Ashdon Homes, Affordable Homes, Monaco Homes, Lawson Homes and Deford Companies, Chesapeake Homes is currently building in the Rosecrest neighborhood of West Neck
Chesapeake Homes offers a variety of detached new homes at Rosecrest . When complete, over 112 cottage-styled homes with all-new, never-before-seen designs will grace the peaceful streets of Rosecrest. The spacious homes feature two and three bedroom designs with the ever-popular “master down” floor plan which puts luxury living on the main level of one’s home for absolute comfort and convenience. Ten different models are offered ranging in size from 1600 to 3000 square feet . Prices start in the low $300’s
Wordsworth Village Condominium is one of the Villages of West Neck. It consists of 50 buildings with a total of 300 units. The condos offer expansive floor plans with 1,535 to over 1,900 square feet of living area, ergonomically designed gourmet kitchen with breakfast area, expansive 17’x14′ master bedroom with walk-in closet, and master bath with jetted tub and shower, spacious living room with fireplace, and some units also offer an elevator with direct access from the oversized double car garage to the 2nd floor living area.
Browningstone Villas are located within the active adult community of West Neck, and offers expansive floor plans with 1,535 to over 1,900 square feet of living area, Art Deco style, and an extra large double-car garage. Some units also offer an expansive 17’x14′ master bedroom, master bath with jetted tub and shower, spacious 15’x15′ living rooms with gas fireplace, ergonomically designed kitchens, and beautiful golf course, water, or wooded views.
Amenities
The Villages at West Neck has a State-of-the Art Fitness Center for the use and enjoyment of all West Neck Residents. It is located inside the Village Hall. This fabulous facility has small conference room, a library, social rooms, commercial grade kitchen, and a large event room. clubhouse that includes a beautiful pool, fitness center and social rooms that host many events and activities.
Sure, we want to make it difficult enough where good players will be challenged, but our main focus is on the average golfer. We’re also careful to preserve the natural beauty of the place. We don’t look at it as taking away from the environment, but more like giving something back.” Arnold Palmer on his design philosophy at The Signature
The Arnold Palmer Signature golf course is destined to become a timeless classic. It features expertly maintained Tifsport Bermuda tees and fairways and smooth A-4 bent grass greens. The stone-walled bulkheads fronting the 11th and 18th greens are truly spectacular while beach bunkers offer a unique visual appeal and challenge. Five sets of tees make the course fun for golfers of all skill levels.
Lifestyle
Residents at Villages at West Neck will enjoy an active lifestyle. The community’s social clubs revolve around special interests—such as, travel, wine, or reading—and are a great way for residents to get to know their neighbors.
With its great location in the city of Virginia Beach residents will also find plenty to do outside of the community. The area has a wide variety of shopping, dining and recreational activities to interest any active adult. The VA Beach Oceanfront is less than 15 minutes away – Sandbridge Beach – less than 10 minutes away… NC Outer Banks – 1.5 hours away. Lots of shopping areas area nearby (Lynnhaven Mall, Red Mill Commons and McArthur Mall (Norfolk) .
Nearby VA beach, Norfolk, Newport News, Yorktown and Williamsburg provide rich cultural attractions, including museums, performing arts centers, and much more. Between its prime location and the full array of amenities offered within the community, Villages at West Neck offers it’s residents an exciting, active adult lifestyle.
Search For Homes For Sale in West Neck
Directions: Directions 264 to xit 17A Independence Blvd toward Princess Anne, go to S. Independence take a left on Princess Anne Rd. Turn right on Nimmo Pkwy cross over N. Landing,1 mile turn right into community.
If you have any questions and/or would like to view homes for sale in West Neck or other communities in Hampton Roads or Williamsburg I am here to help. Contact me at 757.254.8136 or John@MrWilliamsburg.com
Want to get an idea of what your West Neck home might sell for ? Want to discuss our “No Surprises” Listing Program ? Fill out the form here
Do you live in West Neck and want to keep up with home prices in the neighborhood ?
Talk back: Are you a current or past West Neck resident? We’d love to hear about your experiences in the neighborhood. Please leave your comments below.
psst … I’m a Realtor! Thanks for stopping by my website. I am a Realtor & real estate consultant and would love to help you find a dream home and community in the Hampton Roads or Williamsburg area or to sell your existing home
This post was authored by local resident and REALTOR, John Womeldorf. John is known around town as Mr. Williamsburg, for both his extensive knowledge of Hampton Roads and the historic triangle, and his expertise in the local real estate market. His websites, www.WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com and www.MrWilliamsburg.com , were created as a comprehensive resource about living in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads, with the hopes of selling a house now and again. You can reach him by phone at 757 254 8136 or email John@MrWilliamsburg.com
If you don’t want to end up like Charlie Brown this year you might want to take a day and visit one of the many Christmas Tree Farms in the area.
I can assure you the quality will be much better than that of the wild cedar trees we cut in Lexington Va when I was a child.
Here are some of the most popular Christmas Tree Farms in the Hampton Roads/ southeastern part of Virginia. Please call them before visiting to confirm their opening hours.
Williamsburg, VA This year’s Veterans Day ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Williamsburg Community Building on N. Boundary Street. The event offers those participating a special time to honor all military veterans, living and deceased, and is sponsored by the Greater Williamsburg Combined Veterans Organizations. Read about other Veterans Day events in Williamsburg, Hampton Roads and Richmond VA
A builder has told homeowners in the Highland Parish neighborhood in VA Beach that it thinks some of their homes may have been built with tainted Chinese-made drywall.
John Ainslie, Ainslie Group president for construction, sent a letter to some homeowners in the Highland Parish community stating that Chinese produced drywall may have been installed by a subcontractor without the builder’s knowledge. Highland Parish is a community of 81 homes, located in the Southern Kempsville area of Virginia Beach, Virginia. was built by Virginia Beach-based Ainslie Group.
According to Ainslie , The Ainslie Group’s contract with its drywall supplier required the supplier to use U.S. Gypsum drywall or an acceptable substitute.
The builder said it planned to inspect homes to determine whether the drywall is present but gave no indication in the letter that the company planned to remediate the homes if the tainted building material is found.
Ainslie who is a past president of the Tidewater Builders Association,(TBA) was named to a task force of homebuilders from across the nation to advise government agencies investigating the effects of Chinese-made drywall. The group, will act as a resource for government agencies involved in the investigation and will also advise national legislators on policies and legislation designed to address the problem.
He has been a builder developer in Hampton Roads since 1984, and also serves on the Virginia State Building Codes Technical Review Board, an appointment from Governor Mark Warner.
One Highland Parish homeowner , Greg Woodson, who purchased his home in August 2006 for $595,000 has had numerous electrical appliances fail and has had to replace several air conditioning coils.
Woodson, who lives with his wife and two children in the four-bedroom home, said he hopes Ainslie will offer to fix the home.
Signs You Have Chinese Drywall
Just Beyond Sight
Defective Chinese drywall itself has no visible defects, which in turn can make it difficult for consumers to tell by the label whether or not they are to be affected. It’s not until the consumer has moved into their home do they experience the defective signs of the drywall.
Metal Corrosion
The toxic emissions then take over expensive household appliances like air conditioning units’ and their evaporator coils, TV’s, refrigerators, plumbing and gas appliances, electrical outlets, and circuit breakers. Copper pipes and wires are corroded and a black coating is present due to a hazardous chemical reaction caused by the emissions. Other non-safety related symptoms include tarnishing and degrading of other metallic components like pictures frames, light fixtures, silver jewelry and mirrors.
The U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has had multiple organizations propose that sulfur-reducing bacteria may be a source for sulfur emissions from problems drywall.
Affected Locations
Warm and Humid Climates Hit Hardest
In the United States, most complaints concerning Chinese Drywall have come from states in the Southeast, where a warm and humid climate seems to encourage the emissions. The states of Florida (59%), Louisiana (20%), Mississippi (6%) and Alabama (5%) made up 90% of the 3,082 cases reported to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as of April 2, 2010. More than 700 complaints had been filed with the Florida Department of Health. Sources estimated that from 60,000 to 100,000 homes could be affected.
Number (and Percentage) of Reports by State
To date, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has received about 3,602 reports from residents in 38 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico who believe their health symptoms or the corrosion of certain metal components in their homes are related to the presence of drywall produced in China. State and local authorities have also received similar reports.
Consumers largely report that their homes were built in 2006 to 2007, when an unprecedented increase in new construction occurred in part due to the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005. Common features of the reports submitted to the CPSC from homes believed to contain problem drywall have been:
Consumers have reported a "rotten egg" smell within their homes.
Consumers have reported health concerns such as irritated and itchy eyes and skin, difficulty in breathing, persistent cough, bloody noses, runny noses, recurrent headaches, sinus infection, and asthma attacks.
Consumers have reported blackened and corroded metal components in their homes and the frequent replacement of components in air conditioning units.
Chinese Versus American Drywall
Contaminated With Sulfur
Due to the U.S shortage of plasterboard and drywall following the string of hurricane disasters that hit Florida homes, building contractors’ outsourced materials from China help keep up with the construction demands at the time. Prior to the natural disaster, drywall had before been imported from China without defect problems. Investigations by the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) discovered that the defect in drywall is parallel with sulfuric levels found in Chinese “gypsum” mines, where the material is extracted from beneath the ground. The center of the Chinese mine controversy is located in the LuNeng mine, within the ShanDong province. The gypsum ore and the finished Chinese drywall are both sources of unpleasant sulfur-like odors. American Drywall samples contained similar substances, but generally at much lower levels and certainly did not exude the foul smells.
Subject to Rigorous Testing
American Drywall companies’ are commonly located in North America where they use synthetic gypsum material, or gypsum mined in North America, or a combination of both in their manufacturing. Right now, these companies are making considerable efforts to show consumers that they are both aware of the Chinese Drywall lawsuits, and have absolutely no associations with the problem Chinese made drywall. USG Corporation, one of the leading American gypsum companies, further stresses their regular product testing for purity, safety and production standards by company scientists and well as third party laboratories. These tests include chromatography, electron microscopy, spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction testing. American Drywall manufactures like USG Corporation are busy emphasizing the high-quality of their synthetic gypsum products to American consumers.
Millions of Sheets of Chinese Drywall Imported to U.S.
To date, the CPSC has confirmed that 5,503,694 sheets of Chinese Drywall were imported to the United States during 2006 alone. This is not the total of all defective imports as CPSC staffs are continuing to verify more shipments via the Customs and Border Protection databases. Unfortunately the CPSC’s effort in tracking an exact total is difficult, due to the duel use of same commodity code as acoustic or ceiling tiles.
Your Legal Options
If you or someone you know has installed drywall products in their home or commercial property since 2001 and experienced a strong sulfur odor or “rotten egg” smells, you should contact a physician immediately.
If you have suffered a personal injury and/or any property damage, and feel that you may need legal representation in this matter or are interested in more information on Chinese drywall litigation, please contact us, toll-free and an experienced attorney with Seeger Weiss LLP will assist you in evaluating your case concerning Chinese drywall.
Get the help you need
Attorney consultations incur no obligation on your part and all initial consultations are free of charge. Seeger Weiss LLP has office locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and California.
Duke of Gloucester Street, Hilton Village in Newport News and The Boardwalk in Virginia Beach have each been named Great Streets, Great Neighborhoods and Great Public Places of America by The American Planning Association
Each was one of only 10 selected in 2009
The American Planning Association (APA) has announced that Duke of Gloucester Street has been designated one of 10 Great Streets for 2009 by APA’s Great Places in America program. There will be a ceremony to mark the achievement Saturday, October 31 at 9am on Duke of Gloucester Street. APA singled out Duke of Gloucester Street for its unique ability to evoke the past at the same time it maintains a lively mix of modern-day uses. Early visionaries, with the financial backing of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., transformed Duke of Gloucester from a vehicle-dominated U.S. Highway to a pedestrian street that recreates the Williamsburg of 200 years ago. While it is a living history museum, Duke of Gloucester is also a vibrant community street for residents and the College of William and Mary.
"We’re very excited to single out Duke of Gloucester as one of this year’s Great Streets," said APA Chief Executive Officer Paul Farmer, FAICP. "While many people think of Duke of Gloucester as just part of a historic district, it actually serves present-day needs with Merchants Square. There aren’t very many streets in America like this, and we commend city leaders and citizens for their thoughtful and grand vision to revert this once-U.S. highway into a living museum," he added. Located at the center of Williamsburg, founded in 1699, Duke of Gloucester Street is home to restored and reconstructed houses, shops, religious and governmental buildings erected in their original locations during the 18th century, as well as the modern day shopping district known as Merchants Square. Flanked by the reconstructed Capitol Building to the east and the College of William and Mary’s historic campus to the west, the street has been visited by historical figures both early and late including former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Working with historic preservation advocate the Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, Rockefeller began acquiring privately owned properties along the street in 1926. The purchases, along with the support and backing of the town, eventually led to reconstruction of more than 80 buildings along the mile-long street based upon archaeological investigations and historic records. In addition to Rockefeller’s major investment, Duke of Gloucester Street has been shaped by six comprehensive plans and related measures dating to 1953. Outcomes of these plans included closing the street to motor vehicle traffic beginning in 1969 and requiring review of new buildings and building alterations by the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals and Architectural Review Board. Other steps involved locating parking on the interior blocks of Merchants Square so cars would not detract from the colonial views and atmosphere recreated along the street.
Hilton Village in Newport News was the first of some 100 federally financed housing projects during World War I. Historic Hilton Village today remains much as it did when it was first planned and built in 1918-19. On the east bank of the James River about three miles north of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., the village is patterned after principles and designs of the late-19th century Garden City movement begun in the United Kingdom by Sir Ebenezer Howard. The city established a historic overlay district for the village in 1969, the same year the neighborhood was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The village is compact with amenities and commercial areas within easy walking or bicycling distance of the homes, which are mostly in the Jacobethan, Dutch Colonial, and Georgian Colonial architectural styles. A streetcar originally transported workers between the neighborhood and the shipyards.
VA Beach Boardwalk was originally from wooden planks during the nation’s Gilded Age, the five-block promenade attracted thousands of Victorian vacationers. Today, more than 2.2 million people visit the three-mile-long concrete boardwalk each year and it is an integral part of the City of Virginia Beach’s economy, which relies heavily on tourism. As such, the boardwalk has been the focus of numerous improvement and planning efforts, the most recent of which explores extending a light rail line from Norfolk to the boardwalk.
The boardwalk extends 40 city blocks between Rudee Inlet to the south and 40th Street to the north.
Popular among residents and tourists alike, the Virginia Beach Boardwalk offers an abundance of cultural, recreational and historical events and activities. From its de rigueur amusement park and fishing pier to the Naval Aviation Monument, the boardwalk presents an unparalleled range of sights, sounds and diversions.
Since its construction in 1888, the boardwalk has been a community treasure. Reminders of the boardwalk’s historic past are the 1895 deWitt Cottage — the oldest beach house along the city’s oceanfront — and the 1903 Coast Guard Station, which stands on site of the waterfront’s original 1870s Seatack Life Saving Station.
APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live. They are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. They are places where people want to be — not only to visit, but to live and work every day. America’s truly great streets, neighborhoods and public spaces are defined by many criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement
For more information about these areas and , as well as lists of the 2009 APA 10 Great Neighborhoods, Streets and 10 Great Public Spaces, visit www.planning.org/greatplaces.
After a recent prospect came to town looking for a home in a 55+ community in Williamsburg I assumed as I always do that they would want to live here in Williamsburg, VA. To my surprise they chose VA Beach over Williamsburg. ( A rare occurrence) It seems that they wanted to be closer to their kids who live in VA Beach so they purchased a home in West Neck a 55+ golf community in Virginia Beach, Virginia .The West Neck community sits on a quiet 620 acres and features a beautiful 18 hole, 72-par, Arnold Palmer Signature golf course, designed by Arnold Palmer and Palmer Course Design Company, that presents holes ranging from 5,031 to 7,010 yards. Eight distinct villages with a total of 930 homes comprise the West Neck community.
To that I end I have compiled a list of most of the 55+ Active Adult communities in Hampton Roads. This includes the Chesapeake, Gloucester, Franklin, Portsmouth, Smithfield, Suffolk, VA Beach, and Yorktown VA areas.
Chesapeake, VA -Eagle Pointe at Cahoon Plantation, One Ford Place, Legacy at Washington Arms, The Retreat At Greenbrier, Riverwalk, Monarch Walk, The Commons at Hunningdon, Sommerton
Gloucester , Va– Villas at Gloucester- Coming in 2010
Franklin, VA-Village at Woods End
Portsmouth, VA-Villas of River Pointe – Portsmouth
Smithfield, VA– Villas at Smithfield, Church Square
Suffolk, VA-The Seasons on Lake Meade
VA Beach, VA-Bay Village Condos, West Neck, Chelsea Place, Atlantic Shores
Williamsburg, VA-Colonial Heritage Gated Active Adult Community, Villas At Five Forks, The Settlement at Powhatan Creek
If you would like an email with prices and specifications for all homes , town homes, condos in 55+ communities in Williamsburg or Hampton Roads VA click here
This post was authored by local resident and REALTOR, John Womeldorf. John is known around town as Mr. Williamsburg, for both his extensive knowledge of Hampton Roads and the historic triangle, and his expertise in the local real estate market. His websites, www.WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com and www.MrWilliamsburg.com, were created as a comprehensive resource about living in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads, with the hopes of selling a house now and again. You can reach him at 757.254.8136 or John@MrWilliamsburg.com.
If you could create the ideal community to raise a child in, what ingredients would you include? First off, you’d probably want a low crime rate. A strong school system would also be key. From there, you’d need lots of other children, expansive green spaces to play in, and plenty of nearby family events. Toss in an abundance of artistic and recreational activities, and all of a sudden you’ve got one heck of a place to grow up. At U.S. News, we wanted to find out if any communities like that already existed—and if so, where they were located. So we dug into our database of 2,000 different places all across the country and pinpointed the locales that met these criteria. We then examined these communities more closely to determine which places offered the best combination of safe neighborhoods, fun activities, and top-notch educators. Our selections appear below, in our list of America’s 10 Best Places
While I’m not a huge fan of Zillow and their Zestimates. There does seem to be a rational basis for these findings.
When buying a home, according to Zillow, buyers should “look for communities with a strong job market and stable housing values. Some common threads: cities with military bases, state capitals and college towns all fare well because they are more ‘recession proof.’”
Here’s what Zillow is seeing…
In Virginia Beach:
Median home value: $223,800, down 1 percent from a year ago.
Property values are up 7 percent compared to five years ago.
Houses cost an average of $139 per square foot.
Buyers are paying 2 percent less than the listing price.
In Richmond:
Median Home Value: $ 207,000, down 7 percent from a year ago.
Property values are up 5 percent compared to five years ago.
Houses cost an average of $119 per square foot.
Buyers are paying 3 percent less than listing price.
Golf Course Map Listing for Richmond, New Kent, Gloucester, Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth, West Pont, Va Beach. Chesapeake, Suffolk, Williamsburg, Cape Charles and Hampton Roads VA.
Here is is short five minute video From Golfweek and GolfTV that will give you a feel for both Colonial Williamsburg and the multiple award winning Golden Horseshoe Golf Course.
Well, Newport News and Williamsburg got their’s first. VA Beach is next.
Construction is underway on the first Trader Joes on the southside. Located in the Hilltop area of Virginia Beach at Hilltop Plaza
If you haven’t shopped there here is a brief description of our favorite store.
Just what is this thing we call Trader Joe’s? Well, its a grocery store, sure, but really so much more. The shelves are stocked full of delicious foods and beverages from the basics like milk, bread and butter to more exotic fare like imported cheeses, organic produce and hand-tossed pizza from Italy. We taste every product before we decide to sell it, and we guarantee you’ll like it.*
You might expect indulgences like these to come with unbecoming prices. But at Trader Joe’s, we’re as much about value as we are about great food. In other words, we keep our costs low, cut out the middleman whenever possible and pass our savings on to you in the form of terrific everyday prices. So you can afford to be adventurous without breaking the bank.
Our new MLS Portal feature enables you to login to a free online “Portal” to your property information. Through this portal, you can send me questions about the specific home/ neighborhoods. Save them for future review and many other tasks. It’s also fun to use.
It works like this : I send you a list of homes for you to review. We are then able to communicate back and forth between each other using the portal. It allows you to ask questions about specific homes with out having to reference the MLS number or the address.
The way the portal is set up, with absolutely everything available on every house. It is continuously updated in real time. If a home goes under contract you can see that by looking at your portal. No more wondering” I wonder what happened to that house ?” All status changes are made in real time within the MLS / Portal
Once you have a portal account with me for the Williamsburg Va MLS every email your receive with listings will allow you to to mark your favorites, send messages about the houses to me and use your dashboard as a central place to save/ retrieve all of your home search information.
Rather than attempt to describe how it works or outline all of the features, I’ve included a link to a video tutorial that you can watch before you get started.
If you’re ready to begin searching for a home and you’d like to have your own personal portal login please email me and I will set you up.
The 18-hole “Signature” course at the The Signature At Westneck facility in Virginia Beach, Virginia features 7,280 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. Designed by Arnold Palmer, the Signature golf course opened in 2001. Thomas Stevenson, PGA manages the course as the Director of Golf.
“We wanted to design a course where the average golfer can come out and spend a day with his family and have a good time enjoying the game of golf. Sure, we want to make it difficult enough where good players will be challenged, but our main focus is on the average golfer. We’re also careful to preserve the natural beauty of the place. We don’t look at it as taking away from the environment, but more like giving something back.” Arnold Palmer on his design philosophy at The Signature
With a fabulous two-story, 24,000 square foot clubhouse designed by the renowned architects of Chapman, Coyle, Chapman it features a covered veranda and terrace with views of the golf course. The clubhouse offers Men’s and Ladies locker rooms and a fully stocked Pro Shop. The Signature Grille features a casual, full service bar and grill as well as an elegant dining room and is available for private parties and receptions.
Centrally located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, West Neck is one of the first age-qualified communities (55 years and better) in the area. Residents are able to escape to their very own retreat right here in the community, perhaps on the golf course or beside one of the sparkling blue water lakes. Walk along one of the many trails passing through the natural parks West Neck in VA Beach Va is full of the experiences that make life both rewarding and relaxing.
When complete, over 112 cottage-styled homes with all-new designs will grace the peaceful streets of Rosecrest at West Neck in Virginia Beach VA. The spacious homes will feature two and three bedroom designs with the ever-popular “master down” floor plan which puts luxury living on the main level of one’s home for absolute comfort and convenience. Homes in Rosecrest start in the $300’s
In The Grove at West Neck secluded 10,000 square foot lots are nestled along the beautiful West Neck golf course, offering the last few lots with tastefully styled single family homes for a select few.
Four models are available with brick facades, ten foot ceilings, generous storage space and creative, stylish floor plans available in single-level-living. Each three bedroom, two bathroom home boasts over 2,000 square feet of quality constructed living space with options and upgrades available to tailor your home to your exact desires and specifications. Homes at The Grove start in the $400,000’s
JERSEY BOYS ROCK: “Live in Concert: The Smithereens . The Smithereens don’t play arenas these days. But the New Jersey band, which enjoyed big hits in the late ’80s, is on something of a roll again.
For the past 25 years, The Smithereens have toured non-stop, recording and releasing Gold and Platinum albums that spawned Top 40 radio hits such as “A Girl Like You,” “Too Much Passion,” “Blood And Roses,” “Only a Memory” and “Behind The Wall Of Sleep.”Live at The Court takes us back to that hallowed ground and brings back the energy and edginess that was present at the beginning of The Smithereens’ career. The club was packed for every performance, and the love and energy for the Smithereens is evident on each track. Smithereens’ power-pop crunch hasn’t aged a day, nor has singer-guitarist Pat DiNizio’s British Invasion-influenced, noir-tinged songwriting.
On the road off and on, the Smithereens return to the area to perform Friday Augusr 22 at the East Coast Surfing Championships in Va Beach VA. The STage is at 2nd St at the oceanfront.
ECSC is North America’s Oldest Running Surfing Competition and the second oldest continuously-run surfing contest in the world. More than 100 of the world’s top professional surfers, male and female, and an estimated 300 amateur surfers will travel to Virginia Beach to “ride the curl” at the Oceanfront and compete for combined cash prizes of $15,000.
Held annually in Virginia Beach, Virginia since 1963, EastCoast Surfing Championships ( ECSC) is more than just surfing. Dozens of people also take part in other competitions including skimboarding, volleyball, an oceanfront 5K run, a swimsuit competition and the extreme sport of skateboarding. Live bands perform for free on an oceanfront stage throughout the weekend. A cost is involved to participate in competitions, but all activities are free and open to the public.
Warren Harris, director of Virginia Beach Economic Development and Peter Luukko, president and CEO of Comcast-Spectacor, which owns the Philadelphia Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, made the presentation to Council on behalf of their organizations as well as Live Nation. Live Nation is the leading entertainment and e-Commerce company comprised of 
The Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships, got underway on Monday, August 20, 2012 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. 
The 2012 
“It’s the one time each year when Hampton Roads residents can get information on virtually every aspect related to flowers and gardening, at a single climate-controlled location. Experts and knowledgeable professionals will be there to discuss plants, plans, products and practices,” Fox adds.
Armada Hoffler, a commercial real estate development and construction company, will auction off the remaining condominiums at The Residences at The Westin Virginia Beach Town Center, located in Virginia’s tallest building.
VA Beach-The 
Well, Newport News and Williamsburg got their’s first. VA Beach is next.
Mr Williamsburg, Revolutionary ideas on real estate!Hampton Roads Virginia 
