Places to Live in Norfolk

[HalfBreed]

I recently graduated from Intermmediate and am hanging around the squadron standing watch until I move to Norfolk for E-2s. I'm just trying to get a feel for where I should live once I get there. I've already talked to a few people and I get different opinions. Some of the older guys who have spent a few tours there say that some places they used to think was bad are where all of the O-1s are staying (i.e. it might be better now). Other have said that living near the beach is better, but I'm worried that it might be a long drive.

Any advice?

 

[jrUSNA05]

It all depends on what you are looking for. There a bunch of different options. You can live at the beach, it can be between a 20-30 minute drive. Or you can live in Downtown Norfolk in the Ghent area. Thats within walking distance of the bars in downtown. I just moved up here in June and class up in october. When are you classing up?

 

[rare21]

if you decide on an apartment first (which i doubt) do not live at Gates of West Bay outside Gate 4, it was a nightmare

 

[Pags]

I live down at the beach in a nice apt complex, Saltmeadow Bay...which I'm looking to get out of (time to buy a house), so if you're interested in living close to the beach (~.5mi), PM me. It's about a 20-30min drive on most days...45 on the worst I've ever seen.

 

[greysword]

When I was there in the early 1990s as an enlisted guy, the best place to live was Virginia Beach area. The crime was fairly low and the place was far enough from the Navy that you could forget about it for a while. Then again, Oceana was close, so it was there if you wanted something. Remember, Va Beach is a resort town as much as a Navy place.

The morning interstate traffic pretty much flows toward the base, and they have a dedicated HOV lane heading into the base (I-564). The traffic reverses in the evening to get home. There are many nice apartments, houses, condos, and townhouses in the city of Virginia Beach to rent.

Someone mentioned Ghent, which is an old Norfolk area and that is nice, too. It has the feel of a college town type area, with lots of small bars and shops about. Old Dominion University is here, so you will get the college age crowd. Ghent is also pretty close to the main Navy base.

Places to stay away from are Portsmouth and Norfolk proper. These places are a bit run down, and some parts had a little gang activity during my time there.

You can call the Navy Family Support Center on one of the bases or the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society to get some detailed info on the area and where the best places to stay would be.

If you have a sponsor at your new command, they would be a great help as well.

Hope this helps.

P.S. I should add that I was in Va Beach this June for my two weeks reserve training, and the neighborhoods pretty much looked the same as when I lived there in the 1990's, so this isn't totally old info.

 

[griever]

i hear the houses on east oceanview are rather nice

 

[thenuge]

I used to live right out the back gate of Oceana, right off Dam Neck. When I got off work, I was home in five minutes. While guys that lived in Norfolk were sitting in a traffic jam , I was spending quality time with my beer.

I would stay near work. You leave home and your there in five. The beach is nice, but not that nice. Plus in the winter it’s depressing and does not offer much. Dive to it on the weekend if you want.

 

[ChunksJR]

Then again, Oceana was close, so it was there if you wanted something. Remember, Va Beach is a resort town as much as a Navy place.

That's changed quite a bit. VA Beach is the largest resort town in the US. A 45 min. drive from corner to corner and you'll stay in Va Beach the entire time. Much less Navy now IMHO. With the encroachment, the entire populace has gone much more civilian.

I lived 2 miles north of Oceana. It was a 35 min drive with or without traffic. The Oceana commissary was key. The HOV didn't help much in the morning, but it was great to use the excuse "I need to hit the HOV before it goes to mandatory 2 pax at 1600" as a reason to leave work. Most unmarried friends had apartments in Ghent.

 

[greysword]

Yeah, I guess "close" is relative, but Oceana is closer than NOB. I lived near Princess Anne Rd and Independence Rd. This is still a nice neighborhood, close enough to the beach and Oceana if needed, but far enough away from NOB (Navy Operations Base) if you didn't want to play Navy on the weekends

I would definately choose somewhere in Va Beach to live and commute into NOB if I lived in the area again. Then again, Ghent is a college area....

 

[1rotorhead]

Depends on what you are interested in. There are some nice areas near the base (Downtown, Ghent, Larchmont, Lochaven) that are good for family and close to nice restaurants, bars. Traffic won't get any better in Norfolk so the farther away you are, the longer the drive. VA beach is nice, buy it's a long commute.

 

[HalfBreed]

Thanks for all the advice.

jrUSNA05: I'll be classing up at the end of October. (at least thats what they tell me)

 

[BigIron]

If you need a good realtor, pm me and we'll go from there.

 

[flysupertomcat]

I go to ODU in Norfolk and I personally like Virginia Beach better. Not that I dislike Norfolk, I just think the atmosphere is better IMO, quality of life would probably be a little less hit or miss in VA beach than Norfolk. But if you can find a place that you like in Norfolk, go for it because traffic on 64/264 can be bad sometimes. Someone mentioned Independence Blvd. in Va Beach, there is a fairly new Town Center there now and that area is really becoming nice, all new apartments (maybe Condos) being built right there and it's almost right in between NOB and Oceana. It's pretty close to the major highways in the area (64 and 264) and once you learn your way around you'll find there's at least a couple different routes to get to them. It's not quite the distance of living near Oceana or at the beach and not living in a questionable part of Norfolk. That would be ideal for me. A mall, several excellent Restaurants, Best Buy among other things.

 

[squorch2]

If you're looking to live in Town Center, be prepared for higher-than-average rent and purchase prices, but a cool and thriving pseudo-big-city feel is also there.

 

[ChunksJR]

Ocean View is under going some serious new home construction... I'd check out that area. Close to Ghent, just up Shore Drive from Chicks Beach, easy drive to Chambers.

...and still guaranteed 3 drive-bys/month! Be VERY careful where you go up there...