The Ear

The Marathoner

At least someone is benefiting from the demise of the Bank of the Commonwealth.

Gadams, whose attempt to grace the skyline of downtown Norfolk with a super- luxury condo complex was thwarted by the federal government and the financial meltdown, is back with a vengeance.

Really. The man is on a roll. 

The former golden boy of Norfolk is fast becoming one of downtown Norfolk’s premiere property owners. (And his financial backers, as well.)

He’s renovating the Wainwright building, which he bought for pennies on the dollar in a bankruptcy.

He’s building two other apartment complexes – one at the corner of Granby Street and Freemason Street and one on a former parking lot on Bousch Street.

Word has it that he may also buy the former Franklin Condos on Brambleton Ave., the former Madison Hotel, which are now offices, and the Tazewell Hotel – all of which were financed by the defunct Bank of the Commonwealth. 

Should Gadams succeed, he will control a large chunk of residential property in downtown Norfolk, just as Harbor Group International controls a large chunk of premiere office space in downtown Norfolk.

Love him or hate him, give Gadams credit for gauging the market correctly and taking advantage of the Bank of the Commonwealth’s collapse.

This is the big one

Retailer Lumber Liquidators, based in Toano, is snooping around for a million square feet of space for a distribution center.

The publicly traded company now leases more than 600,000 square feet of distribution space in Hampton.

The street talk says LL’s distribution center may land in Richmond – actually just outside the port of Richmond on land owned by tobacco giant Universal Leaf.

Hurrah for Them

The Hurrah Players, the theater troop that every parent knows and aspires to have their children attend, needs more room.

So they may inhabit the former Texaco building at the corner of Granby Street and Olney Avenue.

The first arts group in a budding public arts district…

Got a brand?

Put it on a school. Let’s see…Maybe Coca Cola Larchmont Elementary School or Granby Verizon High School.

Maybe Cox Maury HS.

Offer to have brands slapped on the side of schools or field houses and stadiums so the city can raise money for education.

Wait.

I nearly forgot.

One City Council member already suggested that.

 And last, but most important, Veer magazine is getting some hot wheels. The Veer Vehicle. Check it out.