Redevelopment/Revitalization

With little or no vacant land available, the City must focus on redevelopment efforts.  Multiple land ownerships, obsolete structures and infrastructure, higher land costs, demolition and site clean up costs, and relocation costs, will make redevelopment opportunities challenging.  Redevelopment is harder and more expensive than developing vacant sites; but, redevelopment can improve and reshape the City, return economic and social vitality to deteriorated areas (including Brownfields and Greyfields), enhance quality, and improve the City's image. Where possible, public and private sector partnerships should be utilized as an opportunity to alleviate these obstacles and help facilitate redevelopment efforts throughout the City.  The City should remove obstacles to redevelopment initiatihttp://nngov.limehouse.com/creation/#ves. 

Revitalization Opportunities

There are three major areas of the City where revitalization efforts are needed: 

  • The northern part of the City along Warwick Boulevard;
  • The southern part of the City along the Jefferson Avenue south of Mercury Boulevard, including the Southeast Community and Downtown (includes implementing the LDR plan); and,
  • The older neighborhoods scattered throughout the City which are in need of reinvestment strategies.

Redevelopment of Denbigh (Warwick Corridor)

The Warwick Boulevard corridor north of Oyster Point Road to Fort Eustis Boulevard has many areas, both commercial and residential, that are in need of revitalization efforts by the City and private sector cooperatively.  As businesses migrated from Warwick Boulevard to Jefferson Avenue, the Warwick corridor declined.  An emphasis on attracting and keeping quality retail areas is greatly needed.  To accomplish this, the City will have to partner with the private sector to redevelop strategic locations to take a redevelopment foothold in Denbigh.  Major redevelopment efforts from the City and the private sector will restore confidence in the Denbigh market and lure returning investment. A concentrated effort will be needed to reinvest in the neighborhoods that border this corridor.  If a concerted effort is not undertaken, this area is likely to experience further decline. 

Lower Jefferson Avenue

Jefferson Avenue south of J. Clyde Morris Boulevard has many opportunities for revitalization and redevelopment. The marginal commercial uses which line Jefferson Avenue above 39th Street and the older mobile home parks west of Jefferson Avenue are identified for redevelopment. The mobile home parks between Jefferson Avenue and the CSX railroad south of Oyster Point Road, west of the I-64/Jefferson Avenue Interchange and at the Airport are also redevelopment possibilities. As land values and development intensify because of the area's excellent regional accessibility, some mobile home parks may undergo transformation.

Downtown and Southeast Community

The Downtown and Southeast Community possess many, yet unrecognized, revitalization opportunities.  Although the Maritime Plan has been slow to develop, the City is moving forward with its focus on the Urban Waterfront and Southeast Community Plans.  These plans will yield several alternatives for reinvestment into the community.  Similar to the northern area of the City, aging housing stock in this area is in need of reinvestment.  A City-wide strategy to address aging housing stock is needed.

Historic Preservation/Conservation

Redevelopment includes renewal, conservation and the upgrading of older neighborhoods. A successful renewal area is the North End/Huntington Heights neighborhood. Homes in the area have been restored and maintained through individual efforts, low interest loans, and public improvements. Similar to what has occurred in Hilton, the creation of the North End/Huntington Heights Local Historic District to stabilize the neighborhood has helped to increase property values. Historic preservation and conservation programs are tools that can be used successfully elsewhere in the City, such as in Lee Hall, the Southeast Community, and along Chesapeake Avenue.  Moreover, tourism is enhanced through historic preservation efforts.

The Maritime Center Plan for Downtown

The implementation of the LDR Plan for the Maritime Center will revitalize downtown Newport News as a center for shipyard employment, the Navy, and research and development for the next generation of surface warships. The plan envisions new hotels, office buildings, retail development, housing, restaurants and new attractions.  An important key to downtown's success is the creation of new housing to expand the 24 hour population.  The housing would be augmented by Victory Landing Park, major events, landscape gardens, amphitheater, and waterfront promenade. These additions will attract visitors, bring more people to downtown, and project a strong, positive image of Newport News.