DATE: Wednesday, November 12, 1997          TAG: 9711120499

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   83 lines

ARCHITECTS DESIGN WAYS TO CONNECT NORVIEW NEIGHBORS THE AREA NEEDS OUTDOOR AMENITIES AND PUBLIC MEETING PLACES, VOLUNTEER TEAM SAYS.

Norview area residents saw their hopes for a safer, better-looking and more neighborly community begin to form Tuesday night as a team of volunteer architects issued a long-awaited series of recommendations.

The volunteers - all members of the Young Architects Forum - proposed a web of ideas to improve physical and emotional connections among the 12 neighborhoods that make up Norview.

``If we came up with one word for a theme to revitalize the community, it would be `connections,' '' said Lisa Moritz, a leader of the Young Architects.

``We want to link the 12 different neighborhoods so they won't be thinking as much as isolated neighborhoods but as parts of a whole community,'' Moritz said. ``We want to get people thinking past the borders of their own neighborhoods.''

The connections largely would take shape in improved sidewalks, better outdoor lighting, more landscaping and public benches, more-accessible recreation areas, and by creation of a long pathway for walking, jogging and bicycling.

The pathway would wind through wooded and wetland areas, from Philpotts Road to the Norview Middle School off Sewells Point Road.

``Once people get on the streets they'll start visiting Norview's central businesses more often and participating more in organized activities. Then you'll establish a sense of identity for the entire community,'' Moritz said. ``For us, that's the number one solution to crime.''

Norview is near the center of Norfolk. The community's 12 neighborhoods surround the major Five Points intersection, which serves Sewells Point Road, Chesapeake Boulevard and Norview Avenue.

The Young Architects steered clear of proposing any changes to the Five Points intersection.

All told, the Young Architects made 44 recommendations. Besides those for public improvements, the volunteers urged owners of business property to dress up the shops with awnings, take down signs that clutter the streetscape, and restore older architectural features.

The architects also urged the community to try to attract businesses where people may feel comfortable gathering, such as neighborhood eateries, doughnut and coffee shops, and a movie theater that shows classic films.

Recommendations also concerned Sewells Point Road between the Five Points intersection and the Norview Recreation Center. Proposals called for attractive sidewalks to promote greater use of existing indoor and outdoor recreational areas.

Other important recommendations included:

Improving the pedestrian crosswalk across Chesapeake Boulevard to make a safer link between East Norview and Norview Elementary School.

Developing a ``town commons'' on the open space in front of Norview Middle School.

Deterring commuter traffic and trucks from cutting through East Norview's Alexander Street.

Having high school students build and maintain community kiosks where neighborhood and recreation notices would be posted.

More than 80 residents and merchants also attended the meeting . It was held at Norview Presbyterian Church, and also drew City Council member W. Randy Wright and several city planners and police officers.

Wright, who grew up in Norview, said he'd like the community to decide which recommendations to support, set priorities and work with city planners on polishing the ideas.

The Young Architects first met with Norview community leaders exactly a year ago, Nov. 12, 1996. Over the months, they spent hundreds of volunteer hours touring the 12 separate neighborhoods, meeting with residents, merchants and educators and holding a large public workshop in June.

The Young Architects Forum is part of the Hampton Roads chapter of American Institute of Architects. Forum members are professionals with less than 10 years' experience, interns and students.

``This is a great starting point,'' said Bobby Hughes, president of the Norview Civic League. ``Now, the community needs to get more involved to make this a long-term plan. . . . And people need to stick with it.''

The volunteers are preparing a workbook for the Norview community to use.

The next meeting on the recommendations will focus on ideas for attracting neighborhood-oriented businesses.

It will be held Jan. 5 in the Norview United Methodist Church, 1112 Norview Ave. ILLUSTRATION: TO LEARN MORE

For more information, call Beverly Sell, coordinator of the Five

Points Partnership, 857-1794.

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