Dominion Enterprises - Day 79

Moses Myers @ Night

The last in my month long daily series of Norfolk @ Night photos is the Moses Myers house at the corner of Freemason and Bank Streets. Built by Moses Myers a merchant of Dutch-Jewish ancestry who moved to Norfolk from New York, the house was occupied continuously by members of his family until 1931 when it was opened as a museum. Today it is operated by The Chrysler Museum and contains a large quantity of period furniture of American and English design, portraits of Moses Myers and of his wife, Eliza Judd by Gilbert Stuart, and a Thomas Sully portrait of their eldest son John. Canon G15, 1/13 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 800.

Winter Carnival

The Winter Carnival at Norfolk Virginia's MacArthur Center is a new addition this year along with the popular MacArthur on Ice public ice skating rink. It sure makes for a nice scene during the deep purple sky of twilight.

Canon G15, 0.6 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 200.

Wisconsin Sunset

The battleship Wisconsin silhouetted by the setting sun. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/250 sec @ f/9.0, ISO 400, 100mm focal length.

Then & Now

- THEN - May 1940, 401 Monticello Avenue in Norfolk Virginia was home to Sears, Roebuck & Co. Sears occupied 110-112 Freemason Street around 1930 and in 1939 acquired the corner lot and built an expansion designed by noted Richmond architect Marcellus Wright. Sears remained in the buildings until they moved to 21st Street in the 1950's. The building was then home to the Nelco Department Store. Historic photo courtesy of Sargeant Memorial Collection – Norfolk Public Library.

- NOW - In the mid 1990's the City of Norfolk acquired the old Sears store and the adjoining former Rices Department Store at Freemason and Granby all which had been vacant for some years following the flight of retail from downtown to the suburbs. The City renovated all three buildings to create the Granby Municipal Building now home to the Bureau of Neighborhood Quality and Building Safety, and the Departments of Public Utilities and Information Technology. My office is the third floor corner office directly behind the street lamp globe in the center of the photo. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/500 sec @ f/11.0, ISO 200.

Lion Facade

- This lion's head is part of the facade of one of the Victorian era buildings in the 100 block of Norfolk Virginia's Granby Street. These buildings are collectively referred to as "heritage row" and represent some of the oldest of Norfolk's remaining commercial buildings from the late 1800's. Similar neighboring buildings fronting Main Street were torn down in 2007 to make way for a hotel/convention center that never came about leaving a vacant fenced in lot on the site. The lot now referred to as "The Plot" is being converted into a pop-up park using shipping containers. That's progress, I guess. Canon G1X, 1/125 sec @ f/9.0, ISO 200, 60mm focal length.

Wake Forest

- The historic downtown of Wake Forest North Carolina. This is the 200 block of South White Street. Cindy and I paid a quick visit on our way home from a weekend in Raleigh. Canon G1X, 1/500 sec @ f/13.0, ISO 400.

Dominion Fisheye

- Got to take a trip up to the 20th floor of Dominion Enterprises in Downtown Norfolk Virginia today. It was cold and windy out on the deck. The 20th floor says a lot about the company who reserved the best space in its office tower for employee training and education. While you are up there learning you can enjoy some of the best views of the Elizabeth River waterfront. iPhone 4, 1.469 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80, Olloclip fisheye lens adapter.

A View From The Top

- A fisheye view from the top floor of Norfolk City Hall. Main Street in the center, the Elizabeth River waterfront to the left and the Wells Fargo Center and Scope to the right. In the foreground you can see the Circuit Court Building and the long shadow of City Hall looming over it. iPhone 4, 1/769 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80, Olloclip fisheye lens.

Down to the Last "s"

- The sign on the old location of Harry's BBQ on Norfolk Virginia's Granby Street. is down to just one "s". They moved around the corner on Tazewell Street in 2007 but their old sign has remained lit for almost 5 years. iPhone 4, 1/120 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 125, Camera+ app.

Indirect Light

- This picture features indirect lighting. The sun is coming up in the east behind the Norfolk Southern Building, the tall one in green glass and hitting directly on the Bank of America Building which is brightly reflected in the green glass. It also produces nice silhouettes of a tree on the right and the Norfolk Confederate monument with "Johnny Reb" standing on top to the left side of the frame. The scene is located in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. iPhone 4, 1/250 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 80, Camera+ App, Clarity Scene, Freeform Crop, and Vibrant EX Effect.

Temples of Finance

- Early in the Twentieth Century banks were designed as imposing structures to instill confidence with depositors. This is the Virginia Club (formerly Virginia Bank and Trust) Building located at the corner of Granby and Main streets in Norfolk Virginia. Today it is home to Trilogy Bistro, one of our favorite downtown restaurants, and the Virginia Club one of Norfolk's oldest private social clubs. Completed in 1909 the building is excellent example of Beaux-Arts neo-classicism; an eclectic mix of classical Greek and Roman forms. Here you can see one of the engaged Ionic columns and Doric pilasters on the east facing facade. Next time you are walking down Granby Street look closely at the architectural details of the remaining classic downtown buildings. Too many have been lost recently but this restoration is worth a dinner at Trilogy just to see the inside and have a great meal. Canon G11, 1/1600 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 100.