On Tuesday, Bruce Thompson is gonna tell the Virginia Beach City Council what he would like to do with the Old Cavalier site. We already know that he thinks it would cost "tens of millions" to restore the hotel built in 1926, so I'm gonna go ahead and sound the cav-alarm loud and clear so everybody can get used to it - The Old Cavalier will be demolished. Smashed to bits. Then smashed into smaller bits and hauled off to some landfill somewhere, save for a few bricks that end up as doorstops on people's porches, then thrown away or misplaced when they're moved to an assisted living facility.
I'm guessing that most of you have only looked at the Old Cavalier as you zoomed by on Pacific Avenue, so you might want to slow down a little, glance a little longer, and maybe wave at it, because in a short matter of time, it will be totally gone and replaced by a bunch of cool new condos and stuff. Maybe, and please don't get your hopes up about this, just maybe another Buffalo Wild Wings location. Would that not totally rock the entire universe?!
All of the rickety houses and dinky motels that have been demolished at the Oceanfront over the last 30 years to make way for brand new hotels and shops and condos are anthills on a sandbar compared to this big bricked daddy. The crumbling of this "Colosseum O' Cobwebs" will send shock waves from the tip of Knotts Island all the way to that gross sex shop place on Newtown Road letting everyone know - The New Era of Virginia Beach has Dawned. The Past is Meaningless. Get Over It. Move back to Wash Woods Wussies.
Want history? Go to the DeWitt Cottage. There's never more than 2 people there. Or go check out the Adam Thoroughgood House. Sure, the George Thorogood house would be cooler, but he lives in Delaware. Or, if you want to talk about preserving things, what about Seashore State Park, or First Landing State Park as some weirdos call it. 2,888 acres of somewhat pristine, undeveloped, moss dangling all in your face nature. Go run around, ride your bike, or wade up to your ankles in the gross water. Have a blast. Just don't get caught up in any weird Navy murder/suicide thing.
This is now baby. We are in the future. Let's do this. I anxiously await what Bruce Thompson proposes. It's gonna give lots of people lots of things to do, there will probably be awesome wi-fi all over what ever it is, and in 2100, a bunch of people will get sentimental and try to save it from being torn down and replaced with something even better!
