Redevelopment
Redevelopment is an important economic development tool for Newport News and this will only grow in importance over time. Before 2030, renewal and rehabilitation will be the primary economic development activity of the City. Because increasing amounts of attention are to be paid to renewal and rehabilitation of developed areas in the City there will be opportunities to improve the overall water quality of the James River and its tributaries. More detailed information on improving water quality through land redevelopment is contained in the Environment Chapter of this document and a supplemental technical support document developed to meet the requirements of the State's Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act.
The City and its Economic Development Authority have a successful record of project-specific redevelopment. Project-specific redevelopment has a greater chance of occurring because it directly responds to end-user demand. A site or building is redeveloped for a known user. An example of a project-specific redevelopment by the NNEDA/IDA is the redevelopment of the former Kings Department Store site for a new Police headquarters.
Three areas of the City are identified for redevelopment and economic revitalization--Downtown, the Southeast Community and the Upper Warwick Boulevard Commercial Corridor in Denbigh. Other areas that will require full or partial redevelopment to reverse or prevent significant economic deterioration include the Parkview/Newmarket area along Jefferson Avenue around and south of Mercury Boulevard, the Ivy Farms/Beaconsdale area and the Greater Hilton Area. These three areas are in the City's Mid-City Enterprise Zone, which was designated in 1995. Map 2-2 shows the location of the existing and potential commercial redevelopment areas.
Newport News City Council has also approved a resolution to petition the Virginia General Assembly to expand the City's Enterprise Zones. If approved, the Enterprise Zones will expand business opportunities in strategic areas throughout the city. The proposed Enterprise Zones are found on Map 2-7
Downtown
Downtown has ceased to function as a traditional central business district. The new central business district for the City and for the Peninsula is Oyster Point. However, historic Downtown Newport News has embarked on an economic transition that will continue and mature, leading to a more economically diverse employment center. Several important projects have been successfully completed in the Downtown, including the modest introduction of new retail activity in the Downtown Engineering Center. The City must now move forward, guided by the Maritime Center Plan produced by the LDR Group. The Plan calls for:
- continued cooperation with Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding,
- enhanced development of the MaritimeCenter waterfront--including a waterfront park,
- capitalizing on existing and future new office development to attract restaurants and other commercial amenities and
- new residential development within appropriately defined settings in the Downtown.
The success that has been experienced in revitalizing the Downtown has come about through a combination of public initiative and market forces, with public-private partnership.
Southeast Community
"The Southeast Community Urban Waterfront Design Plan" provides a framework for future redevelopment and revitalization efforts south of 25th street. Other redevelopment efforts include the attraction of appropriate development to a site owned by the NNEDA/IDA at 39th Street and Marshall Avenue and the development of the Southeast Commerce Center and lower Jefferson Avenue for mixed use development and a grocery store. Jefferson Park should be redeveloped into a higher quality housing community east of Jefferson and commercial and industrial uses west of Jefferson Avenue.
Warwick Boulevard Commercial Corridor – Denbigh
The City has begun an initiative to revitalize the Warwick Boulevard Commercial Corridor in Denbigh. This corridor north of Denbigh Boulevard has suffered from declining retail interest and disinvestment. Though this decline has not yet resulted in dilapidated conditions, the City recognizes the early warning signs of decay and has begun taking measures to reverse the decline of the corridor.
The Upper Warwick Boulevard Corridor Study guides revitalization activities in that area. Actions include purchase of the Denbigh Toyota site for a new north district recreation center at the entrance to Stoney Run Park. The City has received federal funds for visual improvements within the public rights-of-way. It is hoped that this will leverage private investment.
