Likely candidates for TarMac meeting places.

The first location (and our current temporary meeting place) is the Open Door Chapel (ODC) meeting room at
3177 Virginia Beach Blvd
Virginia Beach, VA 23452

We will be paying ODC $2 per head per meeting. That amounts to approximately $74 per meeting and it will pay for room use, high speed internet, and access to the coffee maker. By paying $2 per person, the amount we pay can vary from meeting to meeting but attendance has been running around 37 people in the 4 meetings we held in ODC this year. Also, TARMAC is committed to improving lighting in the ODC parking lot. We will be working with the ODC staff to replace and/or improve current fixtures.

We can use the room until 10 pm.

The ODC has several advantages. It easily seats 40+ people and the room has a comfortable homey feel. We will pay $2 per person per meeting for room rent which amounts to approximately $74 per meeting. There is ample parking near the door. They have a coffee maker. The windows have blinds to cut down on light (during the summer)that would interfer with presentations.

There are a number of disadvantages. There is no internet connection but the ODC has agreed to install the service. The location is hard to find and sits back off the road. We have to provide a projector and screen. The room is in poor condition which affects seating and our meetings in general.

Seating area looking from the speakers location

Meeting room as seen from the back

Hampton University

On January 26th, Lyle, Jamie and Ray looked at several rooms in the Hampton University (HU) campus in Town Center in Virginia Beach. They are located at:

253 Town Center Drive
Virginia Beach, Virginia
in the office building above the P.F. Chang's restaurant.

Hampton University has two rooms. The larger room is the 100-seat Lecture Hall which can seat that many in chairs only. Presently it has several rows of long tables that we could not fill up! The second room is the Medium Training Room which seats 30 and will not accommodate our membership.

There are vending machines and bathrooms just down the hallway. Members can park for free in the garage above P.F. Chang's and use the north elevator on any parking garage floor. The elevator exits right at the entrance of the HU doors. Hardly any walk at all.

There is little use in the summer months and they suggested they would try to work around us for scheduling for the room since we had the same set schedule year round. There were few if any classes after 7PM at night there. They have asked us to sign a 12-month contract.

They have no closing time so can use the room as late as we need.

Here are Hampton University's advantages. We have a choice of two modern, high-tech rooms. The largest easily seats 100 people. Each room has wired internet and a projector & screen. Free parking in the garage with an elevator to the classroom area. The building is close to the interstate. The larger room has no windows.

There are also a number of disadvantages. The rooms have a classroom-type setting with tables and chairs. The larger room will cost $90 per meeting and we'll have to take a year contract. This will create a negative cash flow for our treasury. There is considerable traffic in the area around Town Center.

Large classroom looking from the speaker's location toward the back of the room.	Large classroom, looking from the back toward the front of the room. (Note the projector on ceiling, screen, and sound system.)
Closer view of speaker's area.	Room Size: 50"x25" Seating Capacity: 100

Royster Memorial Presbyterian Church

On February 8th, Lyle, Jamie and Ray looked at the large meeting room in Royster Memorial Presbyterian Church (RMPC) near Wards Corner in Norfolk. They are located at:

6901 Newport Ave
Norfolk VA 23505

RMPC has a large room that would easily seat 100 at long tables similar to ODC. We would fill approximately half the room for a meeting. The hall will provide tables and chairs in the hall but we may have to set them up and take them down. This will require members to assist before and after the meeting.

The room has tall windows that may affect the projection screen during the summer. There is a soda vending machine and bathrooms just down the hallway. Members can park on the street near the church or in a grass lot accross the street for free.

The room is large with a high ceiling so it isn't as cozy a feel as ODC. We would have to find a new method of mounting our screen, but that may not be a problem if we put some hooks into the wall. (Others have done this before us.) They have internet installed so we would have access after running a CAT 5 cable and wireless router.

They close at 9:20 pm.

Here are Royster Memorial Presbyterian Church's advantages. They have a large room that easily seats 100 people. High speed internet is installed and we'd have to extend it to the meeting room. Free parking area. The building is as close to the interstate as ODC. Cost would be a flat rate of $65 per meeting.

There are also a number of disadvantages. The room has a church hall-type setting with tables and chairs. There are no window coverings so summer evening light may affect presentations.

Looking from the back of the room toward the front door.

Looking from the front door toward the back of the room.