Suffolk City in Hampton Roads gets a Massive Population Boom (Virginia Beach: low crime, how much)

[suffolkhr]

Hampton Road's Suffolk City learned of its population boom today when the Virginia Census Report came out. Here's a link to the article: 2010 U.S. census figures show population boom in Suffolk | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com

[papilgee4evaeva]

Wow.

I shouldn't be surprised, given all the new housing stock there, but... wow.

[RosemaryT]

I keep hoping and praying a way will open up so I can get OUT of Norfolk. It's so crowded here and so congested, and I often here gunshots coming out of Park Place (about four blocks away).

I often drive through Suffolk (the nice areas) and just DREAM of living in a place where I don't have to lock all the doors to everything I own *all* time time.

I'm stuck in Norfolk for a time (Work-related reasons) but I am dreaming and scheming about how to get out.

My point is, I am NOT surprised that Suffolk has enjoyed so much growth. Not at all. I'd be one of the people fleeing the city if I could make it so.

[papilgee4evaeva]

I guess it's because I remember when Suffolk was almost empty. No Obici Hospital (or any of the shopping centers around it), no King's Fork HS, no US 13 bypass around the west end of downtown. The closed Lowe's on Godwin Boulevard? I remember when it opened. And I even remember driving across the Kings Highway Bridge a time or two.

I say that to say that I never would have pictured Suffolk as more than a county-looking city full of cotton and peanut fields. Now it's on its way to being another bedroom city. I hope they manage the growth well if they keep it up.

Also, with the suburban growth, I wonder where most of the people work. If I could guess, it'd be split between Newport News and Norfolk.

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by papilgee4evaeva

I guess it's because I remember when Suffolk was almost empty. No Obici Hospital (or any of the shopping centers around it), no King's Fork HS, no US 13 bypass around the west end of downtown. The closed Lowe's on Godwin Boulevard? I remember when it opened. And I even remember driving across the Kings Highway Bridge a time or two.

I say that to say that I never would have pictured Suffolk as more than a county-looking city full of cotton and peanut fields. Now it's on its way to being another bedroom city. I hope they manage the growth well if they keep it up.

Also, with the suburban growth, I wonder where most of the people work. If I could guess, it'd be split between Newport News and Norfolk.

The majority of people aren't familiar with that part of Suffolk... I don't think that's what most people talk or think about when it comes to Suffolk, either.

North Suffolk is the new face of Suffolk.

[papilgee4evaeva]

Originally Posted by Coconut1

The majority of people aren't familiar with that part of Suffolk... I don't think that's what most people talk or think about when it comes to Suffolk, either.

North Suffolk is the new face of Suffolk.

True.

Last few times I've been home, I've seen that Isle of Wight is heading the same way... most new development popping up near the JRB.

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by papilgee4evaeva

True.

Last few times I've been home, I've seen that Isle of Wight is heading the same way... most new development popping up near the JRB.

Yes, that's a very convenient location just like North Suffolk. Low taxes, low crime, and easy access to NN and Hampton. As long as the JRB isn't cut off the area is very attractive, IMO.

[suffolkhr]

Originally Posted by papilgee4evaeva

I guess it's because I remember when Suffolk was almost empty. No Obici Hospital (or any of the shopping centers around it), no King's Fork HS, no US 13 bypass around the west end of downtown. The closed Lowe's on Godwin Boulevard? I remember when it opened. And I even remember driving across the Kings Highway Bridge a time or two.

I say that to say that I never would have pictured Suffolk as more than a county-looking city full of cotton and peanut fields. Now it's on its way to being another bedroom city. I hope they manage the growth well if they keep it up.

Also, with the suburban growth, I wonder where most of the people work. If I could guess, it'd be split between Newport News and Norfolk.

If you think that part of Suffolk has grown, you'll be completely shocked when you see what has happend in the northern end of the city. No longer are the days of farm fields and thinking of turning that area into that god awful oil tanker or whatever they had planned in the 70s and 80s. That place, now known as Harbour View has Suffolk's "other" Walmart, resteraunts, retail stores and even a Pet Smart and TJ Maxx coming along College Drive in that shopping center. Over by the ODU Tri Cities center, they have a big development called "Hampton Roads Crossing" coming, that will combine homes, businesses and shops in one community on the opposite end of College Drive.

Speaking of communities all in one, they have a planned Harbour View Towne Center planned next to the movie theatre like Virginia Beach's, and are currently deciding what to do with the old TCC campus by the shore of the James River, and are considering placing an "outlet mall" on Bridge Road.

Sometimes I can't believe how much the city has grown, but I like it, and the national recognition we recently got as one of the best 100 cities to live or something like that, but don't be fooled. Growth is in other parts of the city as well, and they're suppose to be expanding Holland Road soon.

I can't wait until the city finally decides to reopen the Kings Highway Bridge so that we all don't have to cram down Nansemond Parkway and Shoulders Hill Road to get from the cities south to the citys north and vice versa. Some people take the interstate which is faster (but at the sametime you get to Chesapeake first that way, and I'm sure impatient/ or gas savers take 11B to Chesapeake Square instead of that extra time to get to Harbour View further down.) I think the opening of that bridge will not only be more convenient for drivers, but unify the city more, if you know what I mean.

[papilgee4evaeva]

From what I understand, the Kings Hwy Bridge needs to be rebuilt and VDOT can't seem to justify the expense. They may need to if the city keeps growing.

If they keep developing that stretch of Holland Road west of downtown, it's gonna be a headache for both local traffic and long-distance travelers (which I am when I travel through there). They may need to bypass that at some point.

With all the development, though, I may need to drive through Suffolk again at some point.

[Coconut1]

That bridge has been out for years now. I don't see it getting rebuilt any time soon, either