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OV put us on the map at the turn of the century and historically takes a back seat in city funding; now it's worse-- planned by those who 'see gold' and profit, rather than those who treasure it-- as home, for our children. We want to believe this "uncut gem" will rise for it's indomitable spirit, despite those who are too quick to tear down, and put up cardboard boxes on postage stamp lots that go for nearly a half million --for housing which wouldn't include our neighbors. What (or who) is next? There was once an infamous spy, who was so stupid as to sell his "home" brick by brick. |
In the mid 1920's waterfront residents in the 1000 block of
East Ocean View petitioned Norfolk County for a series of jetties to extend 30 feet into
the water; the request was denied. Norfolk City felt the same, though admitting trains and
tourism business greatly enhanced city coffers. So they did it themselves: $1,500 each
came from private citizens, Mr. Lapetina, Mr. Clark, Dr.
Leigh, Mr. Salomonski and Mr. Dauber. Today, that would be tens of thousands each; and if
you want to discover the legacy of these folk, go to any home in that block, and get
permission to dig down from where the seawall was in 1936. You'll know because of the
cement bags; this was also done in the 900 block although the only participants we know of
were Mr. Hickman and Mr. Drewry. We know all this, thanks to Henry Driver (of
writing and landscaping note). In the early 1990's we learned that they wanted to Save the Spit (photos, left). There was likely more public funding since Willoughby is a gateway for commerce and is physically, an integral support of the Hampton Roads Tunnel. It marked the first time for manmade beach development in our city; though in 1984 the city of Norfolk paid $468,000 to replenish the shoreline. The project would cost $1.4 million by estimates and of that Norfolk's share was $445,000; with the state contributing a matching grant and another $521,000 made available in an agreement between Virginia and the state of Maryland from a 1989 Cape Henry channel-dredging project. Surviving physically and economically, costs a great deal. In the 1970's the Norfolk City Council appropriated $1.5 million in revenue sharing funds for the acquisition and demolition of areas around First View and WOV for construction of our present day shopping center. By 1975 most parcels of land had been purchased and groundbreaking took place in 1977, with completion in 1979. The Amusement Park site was purchased and in June of 1979 during the filming of Death of Ocean View Park, it took three separate explosions to blow up the Skyrocket; with footage of the destruction appearing in the movie.
Petitions were signed for a citywide election to block NRHA and the change of zoning required to erect upscale housing at the old park site; the city had already refused to act on a petition bearing signatures of more than 2,000 voters; had they advance notice of the plan, there would have been at least, double that. A development plan for WOV was unveiled July, 1980; residents were dismayed over scheduling of a public hearing so quickly following release of the plan. There was no time for study, that a Virginia Beach development firm was to build a condo on part of the old park site; prompting Ernest (Ernie) A. Morgan (then chairman of the Ocean View Coordinating Committee as quoted in the Tidal Times) to state:
>Why should so few make all the decisions for our neighborhood? Seems we should have more concern for those few, than for Mother Nature, in altering OV. We are all for demolishing ruins-- but not our cherished structures, in paving the way for greedy developers. Ocean View voters, take heed. |
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was 1,300 feet, but a
storm in June, 1977 tore away 700 feet. The postcard (right) is a view from the old Ocean
View Pier, courtesy of 
