How would you all divide the urban/suburban cities/areas up in Hampton Roads? (Virginia Beach: employment)

[Kbank007]

Most cities have a primary city and counties/suburbs so it makes it easier to define the difference between the urban and suburban areas. Nonetheless, what cities or areas of cities would you say composes the urban core of Hampton Roads Va in contrast to the suburban cities or areas? For example, would you only consider Norfolk the urban core of the region?

[Babe_Ruth]

Originally Posted by Kbank007

Most cities have a primary city and counties/suburbs so it makes it easier to define the difference between the urban and suburban areas. Nonetheless, what cities or areas of cities would you say composes the urban core of Hampton Roads Va in contrast to the suburban cities or areas? For example, would you only consider Norfolk the urban core of the region?

Interesting..
Chesapeake & Virginia Beach are basically the Southside's suburbs. Virginia Beach built a pseudo-downtown (Town Center), but Va. Beach is still where most people live for a suburban lifestyle (a lot of Navy families, etc).
My take, the Southside's urban core would be Downtown Norfolk, and parts of Norfolk & Portsmouth that are on the water, where you see the ships & industry etc.

[Pink Jazz]

I would disagree about Virginia Beach being a suburb. That may have been true in the past, but Virginia Beach has built up its own self-sustaining employment core in that it no longer needs to be dependent on Norfolk to thrive. I would consider the Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Portsmouth to be the central cities on the Southside and Chesapeake and Suffolk to be the suburbs. On the Peninsula, Newport News is the main urban core.

[Babe_Ruth]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

I would disagree about Virginia Beach being a suburb. That may have been true in the past, but Virginia Beach has built up its own self-sustaining employment core in that it no longer needs to be dependent on Norfolk to thrive..

True, Virginia Beach hasn't really 'needed' Norfolk since the 70s.. but Virginia Beach is still basically/culturally a giant suburban neighborhood (minus Pungo/rural areas).

What large areas of VB do you see as urban?

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by Babe_Ruth

True, Virginia Beach hasn't really 'needed' Norfolk since the 70s.. but Virginia Beach is still basically/culturally a giant suburban neighborhood (minus Pungo/rural areas).

What large areas of VB do you see as urban?

My guess is you have a different definition of urban. I consider economic independence and having a self-sustaining employment core as my definition of urban. My guess is you consider having a downtown skyline as your definition of urban. I consider the former to be far more important than the latter.

[Kbank007]

The responses you all provided made me think of a similar question to the original question. If you had the opportunity to make the Hampton Roads area into one city, what would you include as the main city and what would you change into a county or suburb?

[Dthraco]

In my opinion Norfolk, Virginia Beach’s Towne Center and Waterront are the primary city centers. Lots of suburb and strip mall areas between them.

Similar to Dallas/Fort Worth, if you excluded anything east of Arlington. Arlington being similar to Virginia Beach and Fort Worth being similar to Norfolk. (where DFW is much bigger overall)