Coastal Virginia-Living in Hampton Roads 2024-25 edition

C O A S TA L LIVING IN

HAMPTON ROADS

COMMUNITY PROFILES | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | EDUCATION HEALTH CARE | REAL ESTATE | SENIOR LIVING | MUSEUMS & MORE 2024-2025 | www.coastalvirginia.net

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

C O A S TA L LIVING IN

HAMPTON ROADS

INTRODUCTION 4 5 6

Publisher Greetings Government

FEATURE 8

The Best of Coastal Virginia

COMMUNITY PROFILES 14

36 10

Quality of Life

NEW ARRIVALS 26 28

Employment Opportunities Residential Real Estate

30

Quick Start Guide

TOURISM HIGHLIGHTS 32

Tourism and the Economy

BUSINESS

11

36

Economic Development

41

Transportation

HISTORY AND SCIENCE 44

Historical Site & Museums

MILITARY LIFE 48

46 Footnotes: 1 U.S. Census Bureau | 2 U.S. Census Bureau | 3 U.S. Census Bureau | 4 Bureau of Labor Statistics | 5 Virginia Business; Hampton Roads Statistical Digest | 6 U.S. Census Bureau | 7 U.S. Census Bureau | 8 State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) | 9 The Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) | 10 Bureau of National Affairs; Union Membership and Earnings Data Book | 11 Virginia Economic Development PartNership; Workers’ Compensation State Rankings manufacturing industry rates and statutory benefits provision; Actuarial and Technical Solutions, Inc. | 12 Virginia Economic Development Partnership; Average employee contributions rates by state | 13 Virginia Economic Development Partnership | 14 Old Dominion University; State of the Region Report | 15 Chmura Eonomics and Analytics; Virginia Economic Trends; Fourth quarter, 2010-13 | 16 Bureau of Labor Statistics | 17 U.S. Census Bureau | 18 American Chamber of Commerce Research Association | 19 U.S. Census Bureau | 20 http://www.jccegov.com/government/development management/facts.html | 21 U.S. Office of Management & Budget | 22 ODU Forecasting Project | 23 W&M Mason School of Business | 24 Virginia Tourism Corporation | 25 HRPDC Regional Profile | 26 Southeastern VA Tourism Alliance | 27 Virginians for the Arts | 28 ANGLE Technology | 29 Virginia Employment Commission | 30 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis | 31 ODU’s Center for Real Estate & Economic Development | 32 TowneBank | 33 U.S. Small Business Administration | 34 VA Dept. of Rail & Public Transit | 35 Norfolk Int. Airport (ORF) & Newport News/Williamsburg Int. Airport (PHF) | 36 ODU’s VA Modeling, Analysis & Simulation Center | 37 Brookings Institute MetroMonitor | 38 Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance | 39 Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization

Military Facilities

EDUCATION 50

Learning Opportunities

HEALTH CARE 54

Family Health

SENIOR LIVING 62

Helpful Organizations

BUSINESS GUIDE 64

Advertiser Directory W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 1

Virginia’s Hampton Roads Gloucester County James City County

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Williamsburg

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Surry County

Newport News

A B C D E F G

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Poquoson

Buckroe Beach Busch Gardens Chrysler Museum Jamestown Settlement Mariners’ Museum Naval Meritime Center Newport News Municipal Park Virginia Living Museum Virginia Air and Space Center Virginia Marine Science Museum Virginia Zoo Virginia War Museum Water Country USA American Revolution Museum at Yorktown Colonial Williamsburg Peninsula Fine Arts Center Virginia Institute of Marine Science New Point Comfort Lighthouse MacArthur Memorial Boykin’s Tavern Historic St. Luke’s Church Smithfield Historic District Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater Cape Henry Lighthouse Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum Children’s Museum Riddick’s Folley Suffolk Railroad Museum

10 31

Hampton Smithfield

Isle of Wight County

Norfolk 32 Elizabeth River Ferry

Southampton County

Suffolk 13

Franklin

Portsmouth 460

Chesapeake 13 17

2 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25 2022-23

Virginia Beach

100+ YEARS

STRONG We still operate under local management, with the same trusted name, and the same genuine concern about our customers and our community.

Learn more about our story at OldPoint.com/100years.

OldPoint.com

757.728.1200 Member FDIC

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 3

INTRODUCTION: Publisher’s Thoughts

Welcome to Coastal Virginia

PUBLISHER

Paul Quillin Darden ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Jackie Nelson Darden

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Mary Tod Gray

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

I can’t believe it’s been 31 years since Living on the Virginia

Peninsula magazine became an integral part of Living in Hampton Roads and through a community wide effort COASTAL VIRGINIA® was created to promote and support business and tourism within the entire Peninsula and Southside communities. Together we have transformed the area to be the #1 fastest growing region throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Coastal Virginia region is comprised of the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin/ Southampton County, Gloucester County, Hampton, Isle of Wight County, James City County, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, York County, Williamsburg, and Virginia’s Eastern Shore. All are accessible by a major interstate highway system, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, and two major airports in Norfolk and Newport News both served by low fare airlines.

Coastal Virginia makes a perfect vacation destination for those seeking clean beaches, outdoor recreation, fascinating history, fine arts culture, thrilling events and festivals, abundant shopping and coastal cuisine. Many people do not know where the James River ends. There is a magnificent, wide channel of water that connects the James River with the Chesapeake Bay called the Hampton Roads. The combination of the words as “Hampton Roads” was recorded as the channel linking the James, Nansemond and Elizabeth rivers with the Chesapeake Bay in an act of the Virginia General Assembly in 1755, and they are the main tributaries of the Hampton Roads.

The U.S. Postal Service changed its postmark for “Tidewater, Virginia” to “Hampton Roads, Virginia” beginning in 1983.

The Norfolk Southside has the Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base in the world. The peninsula’s Northside has the Newport News Shipyard, the birthplace of many of our Naval Aircraft Carriers and Submarines, and the Historical Greater Williamsburg Triangle. Also, the Virginia International Marine Terminals composed of Newport News, Norfolk and Portsmouth are very important to the area.

The Hampton Roads is one of the world’s largest natural harbors — a “roadstead” or “roads,” as applied to a water channel. It is, generally speaking, between the Monitor and Merrimac and the Hampton Roads bridge tunnels. It empties into the Chesapeake Bay leading to the Atlantic Ocean. Depending on the sources of information, the Hampton Roads meets the Chesapeake Bay at points between Old Point Comfort on the north side and Sewells Point to the south. The beautiful, historic Fort Monroe with its magnificent view of the manmade Fort Wool, are mentioned as meeting points to the Chesapeake Bay, which is the largest estuary in the world.

Hopefully, you’ll enjoy learning more about Hampton Roads as you peruse the pages of this magazine. By the time you get to the end of it, you’ll realize what the locals know all too well — “Coastal Virginia-Hampton Roads” is the Best Place for Business and Family to “Live, Work and Play” in Virginia’s exploding #1 destination.

Marcie Block

COVER IMAGE

Courtesy of Alexander’s Photography ©Copyright 2024 by Darden Publishing.

The information herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable; however, Darden Publishing makes no warranty to the accuracy or reliability of this information.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

PUBLISHED ANNUALLY BY DARDEN PUBLISHING (757) 389-5473 Email: CoastalVirginia@verizon.net Website: www.CoastalVirginia.net http://dardenpublishing.net COASTAL VIRGINIA® is available at selected Chambers of Commerce, Hampton Roads City and County Economic Development Departments, Greater Hampton Roads realtors, Tourism Visitor Centers, military installations, advertiser locations and more. Or order COASTAL VIRGINIA® at www.coastalvirginia.net.

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Paul Quillin Darden Darden Publishing 4 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

31 YEAR

ANNIVERSARY

HAMPTON ROADS

INTRODUCTION: Greetings

Greetings T

he Hampton Roads region is located in southeastern Virginia along the eastern coast of the United States. The region is the birthplace of Colonial America, merging centuries of history with rich culture, beautiful waterfront landscapes, livable communities, modern technology, economic prosperity, a thriving maritime industry and a strong military presence.

Hampton Roads is linked to domestic markets by one of the country’s most modern interstate and state highway systems. Interstate 64, a major east-west route, encircles the metropolitan area.

Due west are the principal north-south interstate highways, I-85 and I-95. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel gives coastal highway traffic direct access and saves 145 kilometers of highway distance to the New York/New Jersey corridor.

Hampton Roads has much to offer in terms of quality of life. Residents enjoy the best of city, suburban and country living, and can take advantage of expansive shorelines, museums, opera, festivals, sports, Colonial cities and towns, state and national parks, and many retail and residential options.

In addition to being a great place to live, Hampton Roads is a top place for doing business. The region’s excellent business environment is built upon its skilled labor force of almost 800,000 people. Add competitive infrastructure, six federal research labs, the expansive

Virginia Beach coastline

Port of Virginia, twelve educational institutions, and a low cost of doing business to the mix and it is easy to see why so many businesses choose to operate in Hampton Roads. 

Emancipation Oak, Hampton

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 5

INTRODUCTION: Hampton Roads Governments

CHESAPEAKE

GLOUCESTER COUNTY Chairman Christopher A. Hutson

“Chesapeake is proud to be a City of communities, from our bustling urban center, to historic areas rooted deep in our nation’s past, to the rural heart that formed our founding core. We are equally as proud to be a strong participant in the thriving regionalism of Hampton Roads.

Working together, internally and externally, Chesapeake strives every day to be an exceptional place to live, learn, work, farm, and play, while never losing focus on our goal of being “The City That Cares.”

“As we approach the 375th anniversary of the settling of Gloucester County, we need to remember its history and embrace its future.

From Captain John Smith’s involuntary visit to Werowocomoco – home to Virginia’s original First Lady Pocahontas, George Washington’s trips to Warner Hall, Thomas Jefferson’s visits to Rosewell, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s visit to Holly Knoll, Virginians and others have visited and enjoyed Gloucester County’s natural beauty. We invite you to join us – to live or visit – while we make and experience history that people will talk about as they continue to see that Gloucester is the “Land of the Life worth Living”.

Mayor Richard W. West

FRANKLIN Mayor Robert “Bobby” Cutchins “Home to just over 8,000 residents the small but resilient City of Franklin is driven and focused on diversifying our local economy.

Located between two major metro areas, the City of Franklin provides convenient access to Highway 58 and Interstate 95. The City’s well positioned location makes a trip to the city, the beach or the mountains a breeze.

We invite you to come enjoy our local charm, explore our scenic rivers and experience our business friendly environment.”

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY

Chairman Joel C. Acree

“Isle of Wight County has long been known for its ‘Local Roots and Global Reach’. Located in the heart of Hampton Roads, we are committed to accentuating our agricultural and rural assets while providing easy access to urban conveniences. We enjoy an excellent quality of life that is the driving force in attracting and retaining businesses and residents. We invite you to experience our local charm and to discover why we are a Community of CHOICE that CARES!” 6 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

JAMES CITY COUNTY

Chairman Ruth M. Larson “James City County has been known for attracting visitors from around the globe since 1607. Once here, many stay and join us in taking pride in our exceptional public services, high quality education and fiscally efficient government. From multi-million-dollar companies to small start-ups, we are open for business and visitors. After years of being a destination for sports tourism with fields filled with young athletes and their families, we are excited to be part of the future Historic Triangle Recreational Center planned for our area. By joining with the City of Williamsburg and York County, we will be able to attract larger tournaments and events to our community. Whether you are cheering from the sidelines, spending the day at Busch Gardens, shopping at our outlets or having a meal in our restaurants, we hope that you take time to see why James City County is one of the finest communities in Virginia.”

HAMPTON

Mayor Donnie R. Tuck “Hampton’s motto, ‘From the Sea to the Stars,’ reflects our historic assets and their role in our city today. The sea represents our location on the water, where seafood and boating remain local businesses and recreation. We have repeatedly been named one of the most affordable beach towns in America, and we have recently made significant upgrades along the boardwalk at Buckroe Beach. Our innovative efforts in coastal resiliency are attracting national and worldwide attention. The stars represent our military at Langley Air Force Base and our city’s prominent role the U.S. space program.

We are proud of the diversity found in our neighborhoods, just as we are proud of our 100 percent accredited schools and of the critical research being done at Hampton University. Facilities such as the Aquaplex and the Boo Williams Sportsplex make Hampton a destination for young athletes and their families, and last year we were named an All-America City for the fourth time by the National Civic League.

Hampton remains the region’s best place to live, work and play.”

NORFOLK

Mayor Kenneth Cooper Alexander “For over 340 years, Norfolk has stood as Coastal Virginia’s cultural and economic hub, fostering innovation, collaboration, and growth. Naval Station Norfolk, a vital partner for over a century, supports operations for every branch of our armed services and NATO, solidifying our city’s strategic importance.

Renowned for our excellence in healthcare and technical education, Norfolk boasts 7.5 miles of pristine beaches and iconic landmarks like Chrysler Hall, the Chrysler Museum of Art, and the scenic Elizabeth River Trail spanning 10.5 miles along the waterfront. Transformational projects such as The Main, Waterside District, Norfolk Premium Outlets, the Glass Light Hotel, and IKEA are drawing new visitors eager to explore our vibrant city. From cheering on the Norfolk Tides at Harbor Park to catching a Norfolk Admirals hockey game at the Scope, there’s never a dull moment in Norfolk. With robust transportation options—including passenger rail, Virginia’s only light rail system, a nearby airport with direct connections to the west coast, and a cruise terminal offering travel to Cuba—Norfolk is one of the most connected cities in the country. Home to prestigious colleges and universities, a rich arts and culture scene, world-class attractions like the Virginia Zoo and Norfolk Botanical Garden, and a burgeoning innovative economy, Norfolk embodies resilience and progress as we shape the coastal community of tomorrow.”

NEWPORT NEWS

Mayor Phillip Jones

“Newport News is a city built on breakthroughs, and we’ve been this way for generations. Approaching life as a unified community allows us to make the most of opportunities, industries, and our collective energy. We smash atoms, build nuclear aircraft carriers, launch international businesses, fly the world’s most sophisticated helicopters, write songs that move millions, invent life-saving technologies, offer transformational support services, and so much more. As a result, we have become the best at what we do. We invite those who want to open or expand a business, attend a world-class university, live in welcoming neighborhoods, embark upon a new career, experience unique adventures, broaden their horizons, and find a place to belong, to become part of our great city.”

POQUOSON

Mayor Gordon C. Helsel Jr.

“Poquoson’s unsurpassed quality of life includes an enviable combination of outstanding schools, a civically-engaged citizenry, and a dedicated group of City employees. Our citizens enjoy a variety of shopping and dining opportunities in a conveniently accessible businessfriendly corridor and the City is home to excellent recreational facilities. Given these attributes, our City is the perfect place to live, play and work. Encompassed by 87 miles of beautiful shoreline, Poquoson honors its rich coastal history while moving resiliently forward to a bright future for its community of 12,500 residents. We encourage you to visit us soon and learn more about this jewel of Hampton Roads.”

The leaders of Hampton Roads’ cities and counties are dedicated and diverse

individuals who work tirelessly to improve the quality of life in their respective communities. Yet, they share a common vision and commitment for the future and recognize the value of collaboration on matters of mutual concern. And, while they may work independently to serve the needs of their constituents on some issues, they understand the interdependencies of their individual municipalities and work hard in transcending traditional boundaries to strengthen and enrich the larger economic unit, the region, to succeed together where each individually can not.

Past collaboration efforts have resulted in the consolidation of several government functions under the management of public authorities: trash disposal, sanitation, bus service, airport management and port services. Today, Hampton Roads’ leaders are addressing a myriad of regional issues by actively participating in or providing oversight to a variety of commissions, boards and committees focused on fostering economic growth, improving the region’s competitiveness in the global economy, workforce development, education, transportation/ congestion management, emergency response, water resource and storm water management, senior services, health services, cultural enhancement, and conservation coordination, to name a few. 

PORTSMOUTH

SUFFOLK

“From the first explorations of Captain John Smith in 1608, to the town’s establishment in 1752, Portsmouth has played a pivotal role in the history and development of our country. Portsmouth’s historical and nautical significance makes us a major contributor to the nation, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Hampton Roads. We are home to the nation’s oldest and largest Naval Shipyard, and home to America’s oldest continuously operating naval hospital, Portsmouth Naval Medical Center. Portsmouth is also home to the largest privately-owned marine container terminal in the United States, Virginia International Gateway, on the Elizabeth River - one of the deepest working harbors in the world. As a regional partner in a fiber optic network project, that will provide high-speed internet connectivity for businesses, schools, libraries, hospitals and governmental agencies, our future is full of economic potential.”

Mayor Michael D. Duman

Mayor Douglas G. Pons

Mayor Robert M. “Bobby” Dyer

“There are a multitude of reasons so many people and businesses are calling Suffolk home. For many, it’s the small–town charm, rich history, eco-adventures, and abundant natural resources. Our city is also proud of our strong schools, AAA Bond Rating, and robust community support of independently owned businesses. The Downtown District is inspiring locals and visitors to continue to explore our unique shops and eateries.

Businesses such as Amazon, Target, and Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA, have invested in Suffolk in part due to our ample commercial land opportunities, capable labor force, and ideal central location. Of course, the food and beverage industry has long been an important foundation of Suffolk’s business core, with legacy companies such as Planters and Lipton employing a large portion of the workforce.

“Williamsburg is an internationally known travel destination and a central hub for culinary and visual arts, education and business. While Colonial Williamsburg continues to inspire new and returning visitors with interactive programming and adventures, visitors and locals alike are enjoying a multitude of emerging eclectic art galleries, shops and eateries that provide farm-to-table cuisine and local dishes as well as a craft brewery and beer hall, distillery, and even a meadery. As the home of the second oldest university in the nation, the City values the students and faculty of William & Mary, encouraging them, and many others, to start or grow their families and business ventures within our 9.2 square miles. Williamsburg is known for its legion of awards and designations for open government, outstanding regional planning, and innovative programs. We are a thriving community that is rich in historical precedence as we build toward an even more vibrant future.”

”Virginia Beach is a City of the future. Whether serving as a digital port for technology giants like Microsoft or Google or paving the way for new and emerging industries to thrive, we are constantly working to improve the quality of life for our residents, visitors and businesses. We are powered by the will of the people and are grateful to our citizens, who help us improve the services provided by the City.

Named the safest metropolitan City in the United States and one of the best places to start a business, there’s never been a better time to be in Virginia’s most populous City — Virginia Beach.”

Mayor Shannon E. Glover

With an ever-increasing population and influx of new industries, we keep an eye on growth and thoughtful planning, while remaining committed to our values. It truly is a good time to be in Suffolk.”

WILLIAMSBURG

VIRGINIA BEACH

OUR LEADERS

SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY

YORK COUNTY

“Southampton County is the quintessential blend of preserving tradition and engaging in the future. Our area is surrounded by both picturesque farmland and crucial transit corridors connecting you to the entire East Coast. Southampton is a beautiful place to visit, live and work. It offers outdoor activities: kayaking, fishing, hunting and the like and provides limitless business opportunities. We are committed to dreaming boldly, planning strategically, investing sacrificially and working faithfully to create and sustain a robust and diversified economy.”

“York County exemplifies the essence of the Commonwealth’s history, present achievements, and future potential. It is a testament to America’s struggle for independence and an ongoing commitment to providing our residents with an unparalleled quality of life. Our schools, public parks, and waterways serve as sources of community pride. Today, we chart a course toward economic diversity and lasting prosperity, prioritizing education, public safety, fiscal responsibility, and balanced development. Whether York County holds a place in your past or present, the Board of Supervisors extends a warm invitation to consider embracing it as part of your future.”

Chairman Dr. Alan Edwards

Chairman Stephen Rhone

WW WW.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NETT •• 7 W

HAMPTON ROADS: The Best of Coastal Virginia

TheBest of

Coastal Virginia Enjoy a few of our area’s abundant offerings.

Busch Gardens Williamsbu

Yorktown Trolley

rg

Pirates Invade Yorktown

8 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

Sunrise at Sandbridge Beach

BEACHES

Buckroe Beach – Hampton

http://www.hampton.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/46

Huntington Beach – Newport News www.nnparks.com/parks_huntington.php

Oceanfront – Virginia Beach

FAMILY ATTRACTIONS

Families know that the attractions Hampton Roads provides are too numerous to do all in a few days, let alone weeks!

Whether you are young, or young at heart, enjoy the variety the region offers whatever strikes your fancy! Choose from history, amusement, pure educational fun, sports and more... no age limit binding!

https://www.virginiabeach.com/listing/attractions/virginiabeach-oceanfront

Children’s Museum of Virginia

Sandbridge Beach – Virginia Beach

Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown

www.visitvirginiabeach.com/visitors/beaches/sandbridge/

Yorktown Beach – Yorktown

http://childrensmuseumvirginia.com/

www.historyisfun.org/

https://www.visityorktown.org/163/Outdoor-Fun

Inlet Cruises – Virginia Beach

CRUISES

Virginia Living Museum – Newport News

Relax on the waterways that both enhance the spirit and ease the mind, through educational and historical endeavors. Climb aboard and experience a stir in your heart and feed your sense of adventure while you take in the enrichment of “America’s First Region!”

American Rover – Norfolk

www.rudeetours.com/ www.thevlm.org/

Water Country USA/Busch Gardens www.watercountryusa.com/ www.buschgardens.com

Hampton Queen in Hampton

www.americanrover.com/

Carrie B. Harbor Tours – Norfolk www.carrieb.com/

Hampton Queen – Hampton https://hamptonharbortours.com/

Schooner Alliance – Yorktown

http://www.sailyorktown.com/schooner-alliance.html

Victory Rover Naval Base Cruises – Norfolk www.navalbasecruises.com/

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 9

HAMPTON ROADS: The Best of Coastal Virginia

Jamestown Settlement

HAMPTON ROADS: The Best of Coastal Virginia

HISTORICAL SITES The essence of “America’s First Region” would not be where it is today if the past was not preserved. Relive the importance of historical sites, reflect upon yesteryears, take part in the remembrance of fallen heroes, and guide others to visit!

Emancipation Oak – Hampton

www.hamptonu.edu/about/emancipation_oak.cfm

First Landing Cross – Virginia Beach

Fort Monroe, Hampton

www.virginia.org/Listings/HistoricSites/FirstLaningCross/

Fort Monroe – Hampton

MUSEUMS

MacArthur Memorial – Norfolk

Museums are the guardians of Hampton Roads’ collections, providing the journey between the then and now. Explore the great institutions of all kinds, and take away from the experience more enlightenment and wonderment plus a hunger and thirst to learn more!

www.nps.gov/fomr/index.htm

www.macarthurmemorial.org/

Victory Arch – Newport News

www.virginia.org/Listings/HistoricSites/VictoryArch/

Yorktown Battlefield– Yorktown www.nps.gov/york/index.htm

American Revolution Museum – Jamestown Settlement www.jyfmuseums.org/

Mariners’ Museum – Newport News www.marinersmuseum.org/

Nauticus – Norfolk www.nauticus.org

Virginia Air and Space Science Center – Hampton www.vasc.org

Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center – Virginia Beach www.virginiaaquarium.com/

Virginia Zoo – Norfolk

www.virginiazoo.org

Virginia Air and Space Science Center

▲ Erected in 1919, The Victory Arch is a memorial to those who have served America in war time.

10 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

Sandy Bottom Nature Park

HAMPTON ROADS: The Best of Coastal Virginia

PARKS Green spaces are gems of the Hampton Roads communities and so many to choose from! Look no further for uniqueness and diversity. Fly a kite, hike or jog, take your dog for a stroll, have a picnic, or find recharging solitude.

City Park – Portsmouth

http://www.portsvaprls.com/parks/

Mount Trashmore – Virginia Beach

www.vbgov.com/government/departments/parks-recreation/ parks-trails/city-parks/pages/mount-trashmore-park.aspx

New Quarter Park – Williamsburg

https://www.yorkcounty.gov/CountyGovernment/CommunityServices/Parks,RecreationandTourism/ParksandFacilities/ NewQuarterPark.aspx

Newport News Park – Newport News http://www.nnparks.com/parks_nn.php

Waller Mill Park – Williamsburg

http://www.williamsburgva.gov/i-want-to/ department-i-z/parks-recreation/waller-mill-park Newport News Park

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 11

HAMPTON ROADS: The Best of Coastal Virginia

‘Sea’ and Do! Experience the endless possibilities!

Hampton Carousel

n

Buckroe Fishing Pier, Hampto 12 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

Wildlife conservation is one of the keys to healthy ecosystem maintenance between nature and cities. Take a break from the day and tune into the sounds of the outdoors! Many places, large or small are undiscovered jewels of visual delights and are never far away even from one’s own backyard!

Huntington Beach – Newport News www.nnparks.com/parks_huntington.php

Bells Mill Park – Chesapeake

http://www.visitchesapeake.com/listings/index. cfm?action=display&listingId=901

Norfolk Botanical Garden

Back Bay National National Wildlife Refuge –Virginia Beach www.fws.gov/refuge/back_bay/

Grandview Nature Preserve – Hampton http://www.visithampton.com/play/listing/ grandview-nature-preserve/

Great Dismal Swamp Wildlife Refuge – Suffolk

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/great_dismal_swamp/

Norfolk Botancial Garden – Norfolk www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org

York River State Park – James City County http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/yorkriver#general_information

Miss Hampton II

HAMPTON HARBOR CRUISE

Downtown Hampton

This 3-hour Harbor Tour departs from the Historic Downtown Hampton waterfront and proceeds out the Hampton River, passing Hampton University and Blackbeard’s Point, where the notorious pirate’s head was displayed on a pike after his capture off the coast of the Outer Banks.

Entering the Hampton Roads Harbor, you will be sailing the waters of Capt. John Smith and the First Settlers.

Your tour continues past historic Fort Monroe and the Old Point Comfort Lighthouse. After an awe-inspiring view of the magnificent Chesapeake Bay the cruise will stop for a 45-minute guided walking tour of the Civil War island of Fort Wool (weather permitting). ​The highlight of the tour is an in-depth view of the massive warships at the Norfolk Naval Base, home to aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines, and various types of support ships. ​The return trip to Hampton features a captivating review of the famous Battle of the Ironclads, as we sail across the waters of the battle site. 

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 13

HAMPTON ROADS: The Best of Coastal Virginia

WILDLIFE WATCHING

COMMUNITYPROFILES: PROFILES:Gloucester Quality ofCounty Life COMMUNITY

Communities Sharing a Rich Past and

Commitment to the Future Downtown Norfolk waterfront

H

ampton Roads takes its name from the area’s first royal governor, the Earl of Southampton, and the nautical term “road” which means safe harbor. For over 400 years, Hampton Roads has referred to the place where the James, Nansemond and Elizabeth Rivers pour into the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay forming the world’s largest natural harbor. Today, it is a name that also depicts a close-knit group of Virginia communities that share a rich heritage going back to Colonial times and an equally rich vision for the 21st century.

Since 1983, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget has considered Hampton Roads as one Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Today, it has grown to become the country’s 37th largest metro area just ahead of Nashville with 1.7 million people and the 9th largest in the Southeastern United States. Unlike many metropolitan areas, Hampton Roads’ population nucleus is not confined to one central city, but is spread among several growing cities and counties of significant size. Therefore, Hampton Roads has come

14 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

to refer not only to the harbor but the entire surrounding area.

The greater Hampton Roads of today is comprised of seventeen communities—ten cities, one town and six counties. Of the locales to the north of the James River, the cities of Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson and Williamsburg and the counties of York and James City are referred to as the “Peninsula,” while Gloucester is known as the “Middle Peninsula.” The communities on the other side of the river—the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach, the town of Smithfield, and the counties of Isle of Wight, Southampton and Surry—comprise an area called the “Southside.” 

Cape Henry Lighthouse

NOW DEVELOPING THREE OAKS INDUSTRIAL PARK! RATED NO. 1 TIER FIVE SITE IN VIRGINIA BY VEDP Chesapeake, Virginia, is a dynamic community powered by its talented workforce, strategic location, and viable resources — a great place to do business. Last year, Chesapeake grew $321M in capital investments and created 4,045 new jobs in the area, making our city one of the strongest business climates in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Three Oaks Industrial Park is an exciting new 90-acre development opportunity strategically located in Hampton Roads that includes all utilities on-site, PUD Zoning, and Light Industrial Zoning.

• One mile from I-64 (Connects Chesapeake to the Midwest)

• Proximity to a regional hub of transportation, including on-site Class I rail access

• 30 Minutes from the Port of Virginia

• Local and state workforce and investment incentives available

• Within 750 miles of two-thirds of the nation’s population and industrial production

(757) 382-8040 / chesapeakeva.biz/three-oaks

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 15

COMMUNITY PROFILES: Chesapeake

YOU’VE GOT THE BUSINESS. CHESAPEAKE’S GOT THE SPACE.

COMMUNITY PROFILES: Gloucester County

Opportunity, Synergy & Sustainability It’s Right Here in Gloucester!

Drive over the beautiful York River on the Coleman Bridge and experience the vibrant economy and quality of life in Gloucester. It has become a destination of choice for visitors of all ages looking for that exceptional vacation, residential location or to start a new business. We are a growing community with numerous historic attractions, exceptional dining, shopping, and a relaxed environment. Gloucester is home to the world-renowned Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).

Shopping Districts

Recreation Gloucester is bound by over 500 miles of shoreline for exceptional watersports and recreational activities. The community boasts five marinas with over five-hundred boat slips and amenities to meet all your docking needs - and no boat tax!

Gloucester Point Beach, located on the York River, features two boat ramps, a fishing pier, a pavilion, and an interpretative walking tour detailing the history of the area.

Throughout the County are five rivers that offer exceptional saltwater fishing, boating and paddling. Beaverdam Park, located in the center of our community, features a 635-acre freshwater lake offering a host of activities including fishing, boat rentals, picnic areas, trails, a meeting/event facility, and much more!

York River Crossing – is a 161,351-square foot shopping center located on U. S. Route 17 (George Washington Memorial Highway) in Gloucester.

Gloucester Village on Main – is quaint, historic, and the center for government and retail activity.

Fox Mill Centre – is a newly developed shopping center with a mix of national and local retailers.

Health Care

Gloucester is home to Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, Riverside Cancer Care Center, Sentara Medical Arts, and Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughters Pediatric Center.

We are excited to have a 644-acre national park land that will serve to further the understanding of the Virginia Indian cultures in the Werowocomoco region and provide outdoor recreation and meeting opportunities. Located in the southern part of Gloucester County along the York River, Virginia’s 40th state park, Machicomoco State Park, is approximately 10 miles

downriver from Werowocomoco. The landscape of Timberneck was most certainly associated with Tsenacommacah and Powhatan’s extensive Chiefdom.

Our annual Daffodil Festival is a two-day celebration of spring, featuring over 200 vendors, entertainment, a parade and more.

The family-oriented event is a long-standing tradition and has been held for the past 36 years.

History and Heritage

Notable historic places in Gloucester include Tyndall’s Point and the Gloucester Point Archaeological District. The Gloucester Courthouse Historic District is one of the most charming and sophisticated colonial courthouses ever built in Virginia and is one of the oldest continually operating courthouses in the United States, dating back to 1766. The community is also proud to be home of Walter Reed’s Birthplace, and the remnants of Rosewell, arguably one of the finest mansions built in the American colonies sitting alongside the beautiful York River. We invite you to visit our historical, vibrant community and see what Gloucester can offer you.

Size: 218 sq. miles Population: 37,362 MEDIAN Household Income: $71,647 Government: Board of Supervisors and County Administrator Major Industries: Medical, Retail, Recycling Education, Tourism, Technology County Information: (804) 693-4042 • www.gloucesterva.info School Information: (804) 693-5300 • www.gloucesterschools.com Visitor Information: (804) 693-0014 • 1-866-847-4887 16 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

Contact Sherry Spring at 804-693-1414 or sspring@gloucesterva.info for information on available buildings and sites and our Small Business Incentive Program

COMMUNITY PROFILES: Poquoson

POQUOSON IS THE PLACE… AND YOU’RE INVITED! PHOTO COURTESY OF ANGELA COSTELLO

A

n enviable combination of low crime rates, outstanding schools, civic-minded citizenry, a variety of recreational opportunities, and conveniently located shopping areas, firmly position Poquoson, as a quality-of-life jewel in Hampton Roads. In recognition of these attributes Poquoson was recognized by CNBC on its U.S. list of “10 Perfect Suburbs”.

In 2024 Poquoson was recognized as #6 among Safest Places to Live in Virginia

by Safewise, and Homesnacks.com listed Poquoson as the #5 Best City to Live in Virginia for 2024.

Poquoson’s business corridor is home to a variety of shopping and dining opportunities framed in a relaxed, unhurried setting, making it a perfect day trip for visitors. In fact, Poquoson’s natural market area includes nearly 40,000 people, and many of these patrons utilize the City’s library, DMV, and service/commercial area for its time-saving convenience and quality of offerings. Poquoson is home to a friendly and eclectic collection of merchants who look forward to meeting and assisting patrons, along with a variety of restaurants sure to please hungry visitors.

Poquoson boasts 87 miles of shoreline and its coastal areas are home to abundant wildlife and beautiful marshes. These

inviting and navigable blueways serve as popular trails for both kayakers and paddle boarders. The City’s free public boat ramps provide quick, convenient access to the Chesapeake Bay. Poquoson is also home to year-round boat slip rental opportunities and outstanding marina and charter services. Poquoson’s popularity as a coastal home is heightened further by the fact it is also a tax-free boating community.

The City’s public school system routinely ranks as one of the finest in the state of Virginia. A number of Poquoson students, clubs, and athletic teams compete with much success in State and National competitions annually.

Poquoson’s attractiveness for residents, visitors and businesses alike is heightened further with its convenient proximity to the Hampton Roads transportation corridor. Both I-64 and the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport are typically within 15 minutes travel time. Looking to discover first-hand why Poquoson is the Place? Visit us on the web at VisitPoquoson.com or contact the Economic Development & Community Recreation Department at 757-868-3580 for more information. We look forward to speaking with you soon. 

FAST FACTS SIZE2

16 sq. miles

POPULATION 12,456

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME3 $106,593

GOVERNMENT

City Council and City Manager

MAJOR INDUSTRIES

Service-Commercial, Marina, Eco-tourism, Restaurants

CITY INFORMATION (757) 868-3000

SCHOOL INFORMATION (757) 868-3055

16

2 31 •1 97 5 • 1 9 5

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 17

COMMUNITY PROFILES: Hampton

HAMPTON: CENTER OF COASTAL VIRGINIA PHOTO COURTESY OF HAMPTON CVB

Hampton, located at Coastal Virginia’s geographic center, is home to Hampton University, NASA Langley and Langley Air Force Base, and has a rich, 413-year history that extends from the Sea to the Stars.

FAST FACTS SIZE

2

52 sq. miles

POPULATION1 133,637

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME3 $55,919

GOVERNMENT

City Council and City Manager

MAJOR INDUSTRIES

Aerospace, Homeland Security and Defense, Medical, Communications, Manufacturing and Retail, Tourism

CITY INFORMATION (757) 727-8311 www.hampton.gov

SCHOOL INFORMATION (757) 727-2000

VISITOR INFORMATION

757-727-1102 or 800-800-2202 VisitHampton.com

18 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

MEET IN HAMPTON

At the crossroads of interstates 64 and 664, boasting 344,000 square feet of flexible event space, the Hampton Roads Convention Center adjoins the 295-room Embassy Suites. They share a campus with the iconic Hampton Coliseum arena. The city is also home to the newly opened Hampton Virginia Aquaplex, Boo Williams Sports-plex and the Hampton University Convocation Center. An array of lodging accommodations serve the needs of event venue guests, as well as those of federal, military, corporate and leisure visitors.

LIVE, VISIT AND PLAY

There are abundant dining and nightlife options in Hampton and within a shortdistance of the convention center. Hip, new establishments in Downtown Hampton, Phoebus, and at Fort Monroe appeal to guests of all ages. Whether you are venturing out with family or a foodie in search of the latest trending dish, your palate will find pleasure in Hampton. For craft beverage explorers, Hampton presents Sly Clyde Ciderworks, St. George Brewing Company, Capstan Bar Brewing, Bull Island Brewing, and Oozlefinch. The Vanguard offers tours of both distillery and brewing operations, as well as a unique concert venue unlike any other in Coastal Virginia.

The beach scene here is also uniquely Hampton, with Buckroe offering a family friendly setting with a playground, water sports rentals, food trucks, fishing pier, and free parking. Additional free Chesapeake Bay beachfront at Fort Monroe presents vistas of the awesome Hampton Roads harbor.

Grandview Nature Preserve offers the most private setting, as it is a short hike from the

main road, but ideal for water lovers who yearn for tranquility. For those who want to explore the region’s historic waterways, the Hampton Queen, operated by Hampton Roads Harbor Tours, provides a two-hour tour that includes narrative about Fort Monroe, Fort Wool and Norfolk Naval Base.

HISTORY AND ADVENTURE

Hampton is home to many exciting attractions. Begin your discoveries at the Hampton History Museum, which is also the site of the Hampton Visitor Center. Once armed with information, head to the Virginia Air & Space Science Center, the official visitor center for NASA Langley, where aircraft seem to soar overhead and hands on exhibits reveal the mysteries of outer space.

Fort Monroe National Monument is the site of the first landing of Africans in English North America in 1619. The Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center interprets this history and orients visitors to Fort Monroe.

The Casemate Museum, a free attraction that houses the cell where Jefferson Davis was detained at the conclusion of the Civil War, reveals the critical role Fort Monroe has played throughout its history.

Hampton University, a dynamic institution of higher education, is home to an incredible collection of 9000 works of art at the Hampton University Museum. Hampton highlights also include the Hampton Roads Harbor Tours, the antique Hampton Carousel, Langley Speedway, Ocean Eagle chartered Bay-fishing trips, the Peninsula Pilots for Coastal Plain baseball, and many other experiences that enrich the quality of life for regional residents and ensure a visit to Coastal Virginia will be soon repeated. 

COMMUNITY PROFILES: Hampton W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 19

COMMUNITY PROFILES: Newport News

THE PENINSULA’S ANCHOR BUILT ON BREAKTHROUGHS

PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF NEWPORT NEWS

Chef Kyle Fowlkes and Mayor Phillip Jones make the cut for the grand opening of SATÉ: A New American Experience in November 2023 in City Center

FAST FACTS

With a vibrant community and excitement for the future, Newport News continues to showcase its limitless potential. The City has undertaken projects to fully realize this potential and make Newport News a magnet for visitors, residents and business.

SIZE2

68 sq. miles

POPULATION1 186,247

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

3

$44,087

GOVERNMENT

City Council and City Manager

MAJOR INDUSTRIES

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Riverside Health System, Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Dan Daniels Distribution Center), Canon Virginia, Ferguson Enterprises, Jefferson Lab, High Liner Foods, Inc., Liebherr Mining Equipment, Printpack, Fairlead Boatworks

CITY INFORMATION (757) 933-2311

SCHOOL INFORMATION (757) 591-4500

20 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

J

efferson Lab marked a huge success, as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected it to lead and house the new High Performance Data Facility Hub (HPDF).

This $300-$500 million computing and data infrastructure resource is a first-of-itskind, breakthrough facility that will provide unprecedented data management for research on a global scale. Jefferson Lab will serve as the East Coast hub, forming and leading a joint project team with DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California.

The adjacent Tech Center Research Park continues to garner attention in the corporate research and sciences world, as progress toward the 80,000-square-foot Building Two forged on in 2023. As the second of 10 planned office and lab buildings, Building Two will be the home of the Green Hydrogen Demonstration Lab collaboration. Development of the Green Hydrogen Lab follows the announcement that $6.5 million in funds will be used to develop the 5,000- to 10,000-squarefoot demonstration lab for the production of green hydrogen in Tech Center Research Park.

The City’s industrial backbone became even stronger with the addition of Aldora Glass into the Economic Development Authority (EDA)-managed Oakland Industrial Park. The Florida-based fabricator of architectural glass and aluminum system building products introduced itself to Newport News and the business community with a ribbon cutting and open house event in November 2023. This facility is Aldora’s seventh branch operation and serves the Mid-Atlantic. Target Flavors, a producer of flavoring for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical sectors, began plans to expand its Oakland Industrial Park operation.

Current growth in product demand is leading the company to invest in an additional 10,000 square feet of production space. Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Connecticut, Target Flavors opened its Newport News operation in 2014.

City Center at Oyster Point is home to corporate headquarters, small businesses and exciting ventures. New restaurants and foodbased retail add to the food scene, bringing more jobs, more visitors and more great choices

for a night out. Chef Kenny Sloane, also known for Hampton Roads’ favorites Fin Seafood, Fin & Tonic and Steak & Tonic, launched Amaro Italian Bistro. Amaro is known for its creative entrées, urban casual atmosphere and extensive selection of Italian wines. The menu of grand openings continued with Chef Kyle Fowlkes, owner and executive chef of the award-winning SATÉ: The Roaming New American Kitchen food truck. Fowlkes recently expanded his portfolio with the November 2023 opening of SATÉ: A New American Experience. The restaurant is influenced by Southern, Asian and New England cuisines.

The EDA and strategic partners together catalyze economic prosperity. New, robust development, rehabilitation efforts, entrepreneurial support and workforce development programs in the Southeast Community reinforce transformative change, making opportunity accessible for all. The EDA commenced construction on the rehabilitation of 2510 Jefferson Avenue in September, preserving another component of the historic Black business district on Jefferson Avenue.

The City received $640,994 in funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to support the design of a seafood market and

PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF NEWPORT NEWS

Federal, state and local officials applaud the announcement of the High Performance Data Facility at Jefferson Lab. dock improvements in the Seafood Industrial Park. The EDA teamed with Virginia Peninsula Community College (VPCC) and its Educational Foundation to create a workforce center in the Southeast Community. The 15,000-square-foot workforce center will house trades training programs to assist local shipbuilding and ship repair industries, ultimately supporting the submarine industrial base.

Mayor Phillip Jones and CEO Leon Silverstein celebrate the opening of Aldora Glass in Oakland Industrial Park.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF NEWPORT NEWS

Thanks to the efforts of the EDA, City and partnering organizations, Downtown is thriving.

Led by private sector interest and supported by the EDA, Downtown received a historic district designation by the National Park Service. With this new designation, developers and property owners will be able to leverage state and federal historic tax credits on eligible projects when renovating or rehabilitating historic structures. Following a request for proposals, the EDA closed on the sale of 2800 Washington Avenue. Richmond-based The Monument Companies purchased the property.

This adaptive reuse project will leverage historic tax credits for renovation, and will create 87 market-rate apartment units. The City secured a $90,000 Industrial Revitalization Fund Planning Grant to assess the EDA-owned former Greek Orthodox Church at 2591 West Avenue. This assessment will determine market positioning for redevelopment and reuse of the former church. Investments in landscaping, plaza enhancements and murals have transformed the look of Downtown and brought The Yard District to life. Efforts to build Downtown vibrancy got a welcome boost when the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative selected Mayor Phillip Jones and the City, one of only forty communities internationally, to participate in the yearlong capacity-building program.

Newport News is attracting new and assisting existing businesses, is growing small businesses, and is working to redevelop strategic areas of the City. Through this work and in partnership with the resident and business communities, the City’s quality of life, desirability and community and economic vitality continues to be enhanced for the benefit of businesses, visitors and residents. 

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 21

COMMUNITY PROFILES: Portsmouth

GO DIFFERENT:

ON THE BEAUTIFUL PORTSMOUTH WATERFRONT PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF PORTSMOUTH

FAST FACTS SIZE

2

34 sq. miles

POPULATION 97,840

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME $54,020

GOVERNMENT

Council/Manager

MAJOR INDUSTRIES

Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Naval Medical Center, Port of Virginia, PepsiCo, Lineage Logistics, Collins Machine Works, Fairlead Integrated, Crofton Industries, Linx Industries

CITY INFORMATION (757) 393-8000

SCHOOL INFORMATION (757) 393-8751

T

ired of going to the same old places?

Consider hopping off the beaten path to “Go Different” on the Portsmouth Virginia waterfront. This historic seaport city is filled with exciting new things to do, from Olde Towne’s charming restaurants, shops and historic homes, to waterfront concerts, high-speed LeMans go karting and nonstop, Vegas-style gaming action.

But if a slower pace is more your speed, you’ll still feel right at home. Check out a first run movie at The Commodore, explore the City’s rich maritime history, or hike and kayak for miles. There’s even a museum designed just for kids.

HISTORY ON EVERY CORNER Portsmouth has been welcoming guests since its founding in 1752, so the city doesn’t just practice Virginia hospitality. It practically invented it. You can still feel that here, especially in Olde Towne – a charming square mile of beautifully preserved period homes, chef-owned restaurants and littleheard tales of African-American and American seafaring history. Self-guided walking tours make it easy to see and discover it all.

MUSEUMS, MUSEUMS, MUSEUMS All that history makes Portsmouth a favorite destination for museum lovers, too. Unique stops include the Lightship Portsmouth Museum, the Colored Community Library Museum, and the ever-changing line-up of contemporary exhibits at the Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center. This city is filled with unique military and maritime history, too, and you can experience it all at the Naval Shipyard Museum. Still, the city’s biggest attraction isn’t those big ships. It’s a place just for the little ones: the Children’s Museum of Virginia, with two floors of fun for kids to learn and play.

22 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

EAT DIFFERENT You’re bound to get hungry with all that exploring. Luckily Portsmouth is home to some great local food, from casual and international fare to fine dining and old-school classics. Dinner and a first-run movie is always a hit at the gorgeous Commodore Theater, a completely renovated Art Deco cinema complete with tableside dining.

LIGHTS. CASINO. ACTION. Rivers Casino Portsmouth is the region’s only fullservice Vegas-style casino. You can try your hand at the tables, hit the slots, cheer on your picks in the Sportsbook, and soak up some truly fabulous dining and entertainment. Rivers Casino is open 24 hours and located just a few miles from the downtown waterfront, right off Highway 264.

BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE More than a great travel destination, Portsmouth is ideal for business, too, whether you’re starting one, relocating one, or working in the offshore wind or maritime industries. Learn more about doing business in Portsmouth at AccessPortsmouthVA.com.

PLAN YOUR VISIT TODAY Where to stay? The gleaming and contemporary Renaissance Hotel in Olde Towne is the perfect launch pad for everything there is to see and do in Portsmouth. The hotel offers stunning views of the Elizabeth River, along with 249 newly refreshed rooms, 24,355sq. ft. of flexible gathering space, with state-of-the-art audio-visual capabilities ready for everything from weddings to business meetings to family reunions. 

S

uffolk, Virginia, stands as a testament to the power of transformation over the past five decades. Marking the 50th anniversary of its merger with Nansemond County in 1974, Suffolk has blossomed into a dynamic hub of commerce and community. Nestled in the southeastern corner of Virginia, Suffolk is a hidden gem in the Hampton Roads Metro Area that is rapidly gaining popularity. People seeking a high quality of life, friendly neighbors, and a charming, small-town atmosphere are finding themselves right at home in Suffolk. From its rich history and natural beauty to its vibrant culture and thriving economy, Suffolk offers something for everyone. Here are just a few reasons why people should consider making the move to Suffolk, Virginia.

HISTORY AND HERITAGE Suffolk is steeped in history, and this is reflected in its many museums, historic homes, and landmarks. The city was originally settled in the early 17th century and played a key role in both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Today, visitors can explore historic sites like the Riddick’s Folly House Museum and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, where runaway slaves once sought refuge.

NATURE & RECREATION For nature lovers, Suffolk is a paradise.

The city boasts over 400 square miles of beautiful countryside, including the Great Dismal Swamp, which is one of the last remaining wilderness areas on the East Coast. The swamp is home to a vast array of wildlife, including black bears, river otters, and bald eagles. Suffolk is also located on the Nansemond River, providing ample opportunities for boating, fishing, and other water-based activities. If you’re looking

COURTESY OF THE CITY OF SUFFOLK

to perfect your swing, there are also four golf courses.

CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT Despite its small-town feel, Suffolk is a vibrant cultural center with a thriving arts scene. The city hosts numerous events throughout the year, including the Earth and Arts Festival, Taste of Suffolk, and the Peanut Fest, each of which celebrates the region’s rich diversity of art, cuisine, and history. Suffolk is also home to a number of museums, galleries, and performing arts venues, including the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, which hosts concerts, plays, and other cultural events throughout the year.

ECONOMY AND EMPLOYMENT Need a job? Suffolk’s economy is booming, with a number of major employers in the region, including Amazon, Target, and Lockheed Martin. Suffolk welcomed over 30 new businesses in the past year and the job market expanded by nearly 800 positions. Hampton Roads has a number of top-rated schools and universities, providing ample opportunities for education and career advancement.

QUALITY OF LIFE Perhaps the most compelling reason to consider a move to Suffolk, Virginia, is the high quality of life that the city offers.

The city has a low crime rate, excellent healthcare facilities, and a cost of living that is significantly lower than many other major cities on the East Coast. Suffolk also boasts excellent schools, parks, and recreational facilities, making it an ideal place for families to settle down and raise children.

Suffolk, Virginia, is a hidden gem that offers a unique blend of history, natural beauty, culture, and economic opportunity.

Whether you are looking for a new place to call home or simply seeking a weekend getaway, Suffolk is well worth a visit. With its friendly people, vibrant culture, and high quality of life, come see why so many people are saying, “Yes, Suffolk!” and why you should, too. 

FAST FACTS SIZE

430 sq. miles

POPULATION 100,659

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME3 $87,758

GOVERNMENT

City Council and City Manager

MAJOR INDUSTRIES

Sentara Healthcare, Bon Secours Health System, Naval Information Forces, J-7 Joint Staff, Target, QVC, Planters Peanuts, Lipton Tea, TowneBank, Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA

CITY INFORMATION (757) 514-4040 www.YesSuffolk.com

SCHOOL INFORMATION (757) 925-6750

Visit www.YesSuffolk.com for the latest business updates and news releases, and follow us on social media using @YesSuffolk. *Data from University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Services and US Census Bureau

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 23

COMMUNITY PROFILES: Suffolk

Downtown Suffolk

COMMUNITY PROFILES: York County

WATER FUN & HISTORY WON

PHOTO COURTESY OF YORK COUNTY

York County’s expansive coastline includes beaches, piers, event venues, and unique shopping/dining options at Riverfront Landing.

For over 375 years, York County has been a desirable place to visit, live, and work. It’s where big-city thrills meet small-town chill. Home to Hampton Roads’ No. 1 rated school district (third in the state), York County also boasts excellent amenities that help make quality of life here unsurpassed.

FAST FACTS SIZE2

106 sq. miles

POPULATION1 70,045

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME1 $92,069

GOVERNMENT

Five-member Board of Supervisors with County Administrator

Y

ork County is a living part of “America’s Historic Triangle,” along with Williamsburg and Jamestown.

A visit to the historic sites is a must for understanding the nation’s birth. Yorktown is the site of Lord Cornwallis’s surrender to Gen. George Washington in 1781—ending the Revolutionary War with “Victory at Yorktown.”

York County boasts 4,000 acres of battlefields, the state-of-the-art American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, and historic Main Street complete with 18th-century

homes and quaint retail shops. People also flock here to enjoy the beaches, restaurants, art galleries, and specialty shops extending from the riverfront all the way down Highway 17 and out to The Edge District beside Williamsburg and James City County.

There’s something to do every weekend, from farmers markets, concerts and art events to Segway tours, sunset sails and trolley rides. Make York County home for your business and family with a quality of life unmatched in Hampton Roads.

MAJOR INDUSTRIES

Defense Contractors, Healthcare, Hospitality & Tourism,Military Personal Services, Retail

COUNTY INFORMATION (757) 890-3300

SCHOOL INFORMATION (757) 898-0300

For more information, visit www.yesyorkcounty.com or www.visityorktown.org.

24 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

Recently named one of “The South’s Best Barbecue Joints” by Southern Living, Pierce’s Pitt BBQ is a County staple.

COMMUNITY PROFILES: York County W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 25 27

NEW ARRIVALS: Employment Opportunities

Ready, Willing and Educated Newport News Shipbuilding

Hampton Roads is a diverse region of over 1.7 million citizens that includes urban, suburban and rural communities. Compared to Virginia and the nation as a whole, the population of the Hampton Roads region has grown at a relatively slow pace and tends to be younger, more diverse than the population of the U.S.1 One exception is Suffolk, which has experienced a huge 32.8% increase in population over the past decade.

O

ne factor contributing to Hampton Roads’ prosperity is its workforce.

The region offers a fairly large civilian labor force consisting of approximately 825,000 people.29 The area is also home to approximately 160,000 active duty military and civilian personnel, increasing the estimated total labor force to nearly one million strong. The large military presence also gives the area a unique advantage: with an annual average of 13,000 exiting military personnel and over 30,000 military spouses,5 Hampton Roads has a continuously replenishing labor force.

EDUCATION IS SERIOUS BUSINESS Employers demand workers who can think critically and solve problems.

Workforce development facilities for career and technical training, professional development and re-employment services include those operated by the region’s community colleges, Virginia Employment Commission, public 26 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

clusters are already here in modeling and simulation (M&S), information technology, biomedical sensors, and marine science.

M&S, designated a national critical technology by U.S. Congressional leadership, is supported strongly by military sponsors and has expanded to transportation, maritime operations, education and medical. Hampton Roads is one of the country’s three leading regions in M&S along with Orlando, Florida, and Huntsville, Alabama. In Hampton Roads, it has become a $640 million industry employing over 5,000 people with an average annual salary of $83,000.36 Bioscience includes research developed at local colleges, universities and federal labs as well as commercial entities and extends to organ replacement, marine science and medical devices. Over 1,200 jobs paying an average of $65,000 annually exist in Hampton Roads.28 Hampton Roads is home to innovative research and development with internationally-recognized facilities including: NASA Langley Research Center, the nation’s first civil aeronautics laboratory leading and advancing the Support for innovation-based, high-growth American aerospace industry since business within economic sectors is a key 1917; the Department of Energy’s component of Hampton Roads “Vision.” unique Jefferson Lab; Old Dominion Studies have shown that about 75% of University’s Virginia Modeling, Analysis new job growth in the U.S. comes from and Simulation Center; Hampton high-growth entrepreneurial ventures that University’s Proton Therapy Institute, start as ‘small businesses’ but are designed the latest, most precise cancer-fighting to grow, a category where Hampton Roads technologies; the National Institute of leads the nation.33 Aerospace in Hampton; and Liebherr USA, Diversification of the Hampton Roads Co. in Newport News. There are active economy is focused on: technologytechnology transfer offices and several based innovation and education from technology business incubators available advanced manufacturing and robotics in the region where entrepreneurs to nanotechnology; coastal energy can obtain office space and advice on solutions; healthcare and life sciences; building their businesses. and environmental distinction. Industry

schools, the military and the private sector.

An average of 79% of area high school graduates elect to continue their education at two-year or four-year institutions of higher learning or through one of the region’s many vocational programs. The public workforce development system’s close working relationship with the region’s educational institutions ensure the local workforce has the skills needed to help keep area businesses and industries competitive. Existing programs, particularly those in fields related to high-growth industries and occupations, have been shown to lead to improved employment and earnings outcomes.

More than 106,000 students are enrolled in Hampton Roads’ thirteen colleges and universities and three community colleges. Most of these students are permanent residents, available for part- or full-time employment. Their 14,000 annual graduates provide a workready talent pool from which to recruit.

ENTREPRENEURIAL, DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY

THE HAMPTON SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS HIRING! positions AvAilABle Full-Time Deputies Full-Time Accreditation Manager Full- Time and Part-Time RN’s & LPN’s Full-Time Health Services Administrator Full-Time Substance Abuse Screener Part-Time “COURTS” Security Deputies: (Must be DCJS Law Enforcement or Corrections Certified) Additional openings are located on our website under career opportunities

www.hampton.gov/sheriff

Benefits • Health, Dental & Vision Insurance for full-time employees • VRS Retirement Plans and defined pension plan • Promotion Opportunities • On the job paid training • Pay increase after 12 months for Sheriff’s Deputies • Selective Annual Awards (Monetary) • Sign-on bonus • Paid Legal Holidays for Full-Time Employees • Annual leave and Sick leave is accrued by permanent full-time employees on a calendar month basis. And more…

follow us on

Apply now!

www.hampton.gov/sheriff

Facebook.com/Hampton.sheriffs.office Twitter.com@SheriffHampva @hampton.sheriffs.office

offiCe of tHe sHeRiff CITY OF HAMPTON 1928 W. Pembroke Avenue • Hampton, Virginia 23661 • 757.926.2540 ph • 757-926.2537 fax

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 27

NEW ARRIVALS: Employment Opportunities

ANSWER THE CALL TO SERVE!

NEW ARRIVALS: Residential Real Estate

Homes that Satisfy Everyone’s Taste and Lifestyle

One of the most anxiety-ridden parts of relocating is buying a home.

What home options are available? What type of home do you want? What price range can you afford? Where do you want to live? What amenities are important? These are just a few of the real estate questions that fill the minds of newcomers.

VIRGINIA WAS RANKED AMONG THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: No. 1 for Unmanned Aerial Systems No. 2 for Best Business Climate No. 2 for Cybersecurity Growth Potential No. 3 for Economic Growth Potential No. 5 for Workforce Training Leaders No. 6 for Tech Job Employment Leaders Norfolk/Hampton Roads, VA is ranked No. 4 in the U.S. among Top 10 Cities for Industrial Real Estate Sales Growth

F

or 2020, the HRPDC Economists expect to see the region’s economy continue to grow. Expected gains in the Retail and Construction industries will assist civilian employment in Hampton Roads. The unemployment rate is likely to continue its slow decline, while increased budget certainty will

28 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

help propel retail sales. Building permit activity and motor vehicle sales are expected to continue to experience strong growth in the coming year.

Old Dominion University’s E.V. Williams Center For Real Estate and Economic Development reported that new construction in Hampton

Roads had risen in the double digits.

The upward trend has continued in local economy investments into early 2020.

Homebuyers have a lot of options throughout the region. While singlefamily, detached homes are the most popular, there are also townhouses and a variety of condominiums to choose from. Because of Hampton Roads’ long history, new residents can choose old farmhouses with Colonial charm, as well as unique 19th-century homes built in every decade for the last 100 years.

One neighborhood in Hampton,for example, features vintage Victorian homes with high ceilings, parlors, fireplaces in bedrooms and walkaround front porches. A short distance across the James River in Smithfield are numerous older historic homes built in the Colonial, Victorian, Federal or Georgian fashion. Hilton Village, in Newport News, is on the Federal Register of Historic Sites. Its single family and duplex stucco homes were part of the federal government’s first attempt to provide housing, built after World War I for the influx of military and workers at the nearby shipyard.

On the other hand, there are more contemporary homes in newer subdivisions as well as a number of planned communities with various amenities to suit everyone’s tastes and

D etermining housing needs and wants. For example, a family may need four bedrooms and want to live near the water.

Determining what type of housing is wanted.

Determining how important it is to live near work sites and/or near schools.

Getting financial affairs in order. Develop a list that includes all bank accounts (with numbers and

amounts), all debts (including to whom owed and the amount), and all income.

Determining how much can be spent on a home.

Individuals may want to consider pre-qualifying for a mortgage. 

The Greater Hampton Roads Realtors Association (GHRRA) and the Virginia Peninsula Association of Realtors (VPAR) are good resources in beginning any house search. Feel free to call either association for advice on the housing market or to obtain a listing of member realtors who subscribe to a strict code of ethics.

Hampton Roads Realtors Association http://www.hrra.com/

473-9700

Virginia Peninsula Association of Realtors http://vpar.realtor/

599-5222

Williamsburg Area Association of Realtors www.waarealtor.com

253-0028

BASE RESIDENTIAL TAX RATES* (Tax rate per $100 of assessed value)

Chesapeake ����������������������� $1.040 Franklin ������������������������������� $1.030 Gloucester County ���������� $0.583 Hampton ���������������������������� $1.150 Isle of Wight County ������� $0.710 James City County ���������� $0.830 Newport News ������������������ $1.180 Norfolk ��������������������������������� $1.250 Poquoson ��������������������������� $1.110 Portsmouth ������������������������ $1.300 Smithfield ��������������������������� $0.190 Southampton ������������������� $0.895 Suffolk ���������������������������������� $1.090 Surry ������������������������������������� $0.770 Virginia Beach ������������������� $1.018 Williamsburg ��������������������� $0.620 Windsor ������������������������������� $0.140 York County ����������������������� $0.740 * Weldon Cooper Center Virginia Local Tax Rates e-Book

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 29

NEW ARRIVALS: Residential Real Estate

pocketbook. Many of these communities are in suburban and even more rural settings. However, the return to a more urban lifestyle is opening opportunities for downtown living where you can walk to restaurants, shopping, entertainment, etc. Those seeking starter and fixer-up homes will also find a number of options to consider.

It is still a buyer’s market, and inventory seems to be increasing although fairly stable. The recovery in Hampton Roads is due in large part to the fact the region has a large number of defense contractors as well as a “defense-driven economy.” Add to that a mild climate, an ocean front and numerous waterways, plus historical sites reflecting the birth of our nation, and you have a formula for solid growth which keeps new residents coming into the area.

Each individual or family should do some homework before beginning a house search. That homework should include:

NEW ARRIVALS: Quick Start Guide

Chesapeake

Franklin

Gloucester

Natural Gas

VA Natural Gas Columbia Gas-VA 1-866-229-3578 1-800-543-8911 VA Natural Gas Columbia Gas-VA XNG 1-866-229-3578 1-800-543-8911 1-857-233-5329

Electricity

Dominion 1-866-366-4357 Dominion Franklin 1-888-667-3000 Municipal Power 1-866-366-4357 and Light 562-8568

Sewer/Water

382-6352

562-8564

Newport News Waterworks 926-1000

Hampton

Isle of Wight

James City County

Newport News

Norfolk

1-866-229-3578

Columbia Gas-VA 1-866-229-3578 1-800-543-8911

1-866-229-3578

1-866-229-3578

Dominion 1-866-366-4357

Community Electric Cooperative 242-6181 Dominion 1-866-366-4357

1-888-667-3000

1-888-667-3000

1-888-667-3000

926-1000

365-6284

253-6800

926-1000

664-6700

Cable TV

Cox Cox Cox Cox Communications Cox Communications Communications Charter Cox Charter 224-1111 224-1111 Communications Communications 224-1111 Communications Communications Communications Verizon 1-855-757-7328 224-1111 Verizon Verizon 224-1111 1-855-757-7328 (804) 693-3535 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966

Te lephone

Cox Cox Cox Charter Cox Cox Cox Communications Charter Communications Communications Communications Communications Communications Communications 224-1111 224-1111 224-1111 Communications (804) 693-3535 1-800-572-2328 224-1111 224-1111 Verizon Verizon Verizon 1-855-757-7328 Verizon Verizon Verizon Verizon 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966

Voter Registration

M-F 8:30 am - 5 pm 277-9797

M-F 8:30 am - 5 pm 562-8545

M-F 8:30 am - 4:30 pm (804) 693-3659

M-F 8:30 am - 5 pm 727-6218

M-F 8:30 am - 5 pm 365-6230

M-F 8:00 am - 5 pm 259-4949

M-F 8:00 am - 5 pm 926-8683

M-F 8:30 am - 5 pm 664-4353

Tax Information

Personal Property 382-6730 Real Estate 382-6235

Personal Property 562-8783 Real Estate 562-4870

Personal Property/ Real Estate (804) 693-2141

Personal Property/ Real Estate 727-8311

Personal Property 365-6222 Real Estate 365-6219

Personal Property/ Real Estate 253-6705

Personal Property 886-7671 Real Estate 926-1926

Personal Property 664-7884 Real Estate 664-4732

High Speed Internet Service Provider

Cox Charter Cox Cox Cox Charter Cox Cox Communications Communications Communications Communications Communications Communications Communications Communications 224-1111 224-1111 1-855-757-7328 (804) 693-3535 224-1111 224-1111 224-1111 1-855-757-7328 Verizon Verizon Verizon Verizon Verizon Verizon Verizon Verizon 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966 1-800-837-4966

Motor Vehicles

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

Credit Bureau

1-800-288-2585

1-800-288-2585

1-800-685-1111

873-0519

1-800-685-1111

873-0519

873-0519

1-800-288-2585

Chamber of Commerce

622-2312

562-4900

(804) 693-2425

262-2000

357-3502

262-2000 229-6511

262-2000

622-2312

Public Library

410-7100

562-4801

(804) 693-2998

727-1154

357-2264

259-7720

591-4858

664-7323

Parks & Recreation

382-6411

562-2475

(804) 693-2355

727-6348

357-2291

259-3200

926-1400

441-2400

Animal Control

382-8080

562-8605

(804) 693-5290

727-6111

365-6318

565-0370

595-7387

664-7387

Health Department

382-8600

562-6109

(804) 693-2445

727-1172

357-4177

253-4813

594-7300

683-2700

Virginia Employment Commission

558-4455 (Portsmouth office)

558-4455 (Portsmouth office)

865-5800

865-5800

558-4455 (Portsmouth office)

865-5800 (Hampton office)

865-5800

455-3960

School Board

547-0153

569-8111

(804) 693-5300

727-2000

357-4393

603-6400

591-4500

628-3994

30 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

Portsmouth

Southampton County

Suffolk

Virginia Beach

Williamsburg

York County

Natural Gas

1-866-229-3578

1-800-543-8911

1-800-592-2000

1-866-229-3578

1-866-229-3578

1-866-229-3578

1-866-229-3578

Electricity

1-888-667-3000

1-888-667-3000

1-888-667-3000

1-888-667-3000

1-888-667-3000

1-888-667-3000

1-888-667-3000

Sewer/Water

926-1000

393-8524

742-6233

514-7000

385-4631

926-1000

926-1000

Cable TV

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Charter Communications 1-800-572-2328

Charter Communications 1-800-572-2328

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Cox Communications 224-1111

Cox Communications 224-1111

Te lephone

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Charter Communications 1-800-572-2328 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Charter Communications 1-800-572-2328 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Voter Registration

M-F 8:30 am - 4:30 pm 868-3070

M-F 8 am- 5 pm 393-8644

M-F 8:30 am - 5 pm 859-6131

M-F 8:30 am - 4:30 pm 514-7750

M-F 8:00 am - 5 pm 385-8683

M-F 8:30 am - 4:30 pm 220-6157

M-F 8:30 am - 5 pm 890-3440

Tax Information

Personal Property 868-3020 Real Estate 868-3080

Personal Property Real Estate 393-8771

Personal Property/ Real Estate 653-3030

Personal Property 514-4275 Real Estate 514-4260

Personal Property 385-4445 Real Estate 385-4445

Personal Property/ Real Estate 220-6185

Personal Property 890-3381 Real Estate 890-3382

High Speed Internet Service Provider

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Charter Communications 1-800-572-2328 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Charter Communications 1-800-572-2328 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Cox Communications 224-1111 Verizon 1-800-837-4966

Motor Vehicles

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

(804) 497-7100

Credit Bureau

873-0519

1-800-288-2585

1-800-288-2585

1-800-288-2585

1-800-288-2585

873-0519

873-0519

Chamber of Commerce

262-2000

622-2312

562-4900

622-2312

622-2312

229-6511

877-5920

Public Library

868-3060

393-8501

653-2821

514-7323

385-0150

259-4040

890-3376

Parks & Recreation

868-3580

393-8481

N/A

514-7250

385-0400

259-3760

890-3500

Animal Control

595-7387

393-8430

653-2100

514-7855

385-4444

565-0370

890-3600

Health Department

594-7300

393-8585

653-3040

514-4700

518-2700

594-7300

594-7400

Virginia Employment Commission

865-5800

558-4455 (Portsmouth office)

514-7743

558-4455 (Portsmouth office)

455-3960

865-5800 (Hampton office)

865-5800 (Hampton office)

School Board

868-3055

393-8751

653-2692

925-6750

263-1000

603-6400

898-0300

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 31

NEW ARRIVALS: Quick Start Guide

Poquoson

TOURISM HIGHLIGHTS: Tourism and the Economy

Fun for Every Visitor T

ourism continues to be one of Hampton Roads’ most important industries, bringing significant outside dollars into the economy, which enables broad based regional economic growth. The tourism industry allows the region to export its climate, beaches, and history to the rest of the nation.

As with the port and defense industries in the region, the tourism industry developed in Hampton Roads because of its unique competitive advantages, particularly its water and historical resources. The tourism industry is well developed within the region, having achieved a high level of maturity indicating that the opportunity for extensive employment growth is unlikely.

Norfolk’s Waterside District is the “premier dining and entertainment district” in conjunction with the U.S.S. Wisconsin and the Norfolk Tides.

The city’s cruise terminal is easily accessible to guests transferring from the airport or arriving by car.

You can now sail from Norfolk to the Bahamas on cruises that typically range from five to seven nights in length.

Visit https://www.norfolkcruise.com/.

32 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

Carnival Cruise in Norfolk

Norfolk’s Wards Corner area continues development with its current makeover.

Furthermore, Virginia Beach and the developer Venture Realty Group announced Atlantic Park, a $335-million mixed-used development, is a done deal, and construction has begun in the former Virginia Beach Dome site in the heart of the resort area to feature an entertainment complex for both tourists and residents.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth opened to the public Jan. 15, 2023. The $340 million venue, part of a planned entertainment district along Victory Boulevard off Interstate 264, features 1,446 slot machines, 57 table games and 24 poker tables as well as 10 bars and restaurants and an event space. It also includes a Topgolf Swing Suites that overlooks a BetRivers Sportsbook.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth

GEORGE C O U N T Y adventure - relaxation - history discover what you need in Prince George

PHOTO BY CATIE ELLIS

princegeorgecountyva.gov/visitors W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 33

TOURISM HIGHLIGHTS: Tourism and the Economy

PRINCE

TOURISM HIGHLIGHTS: Tourism and the Economy

Hampton Queen in Hampton

Rivers Casino, which is owned and will be operated by Rush Street Gaming, is the first permanent casino facility to open in Virginia. Proposed casinos are in the pipeline in Danville and Norfolk.

757 Makerspace has expanded its presence at Fort Monroe to better serve the region and more particularly, the Virginia Peninsula. The new Fort Monroe location provides 12,733 square feet of creative space in an ideal setting just outside the moat of the historic Fort at 16 Murray Street. This has been a great opportunity to partner with the Hampton Economic Development Authority (EDA), Hampton City Schools, the Fort Monroe Authority and the City of Hampton to expand opportunities for artists and makers in the region.

Events in Hampton’s venues fill the Virginia Peninsula hotels and are entertainment hubs for regional residents.

Hampton experienced dramatic changes recently in Phoebus, and downtown Hampton will experience a new wave of redevelopment this year. The new Hampton Virginia Aquaplex opened summer 2022. For more details visit: https://hamptonaquaplex.com/.

▲ The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry crosses the James River between James City County and Surry County. The ferry is free and operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including major holidays.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VIRGINIA LIVING MUSEUM, OLIVIA TRISKA-2010

WILD CARE CENTER

The Virginia Living Museum in Newport News has begun a $4.3 million expansion to its 23-acre campus called the Wild Care Center. The 5,000-square-foot facility will be located along the museum’s outdoor boardwalk trail that will create a literal window into the world of veterinary and preventative animal care, nutrition, and the connection between humans and the environment. In addition to becoming a vital resource for the local community, the Wild Care Center will allow the museum to expand its internship and externship programs for those pursuing careers in natural and medical sciences.

34 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

HAMPTON CAROUSEL

The carousel, one of only 170 functioning antique wooden carousels in the United States, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It contains 42 oil paintings, 30 mirrors, a 1914 Bruder band organ, 48 hand-carved wooden horses, and two upholstered, hand-carved wooden chariots. It was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company and installed at Buckroe Beach Amusement Park in 1920. It was disassembled in 1985 when the amusement park closed and was restored and installed in its present location downtown in 1991.

Newport New’s City Center at Oyster Point continues to grow with more entertainment venues as restaurants, a movie theater. Newport New’s first craft brewery, the Ironclad Distillery, located in the downtown waterfront, produces bourbon using Virginia-grown grains.

Listed on the National register of Historic Places, Hilton Village in Newport News is a collection of over 27 unique shoppes, clothiers, eateries, vintage & consignment clothing, home furnishings & decor, antique & vintage accents, galleries and salons. Located along Warwick Boulevard, the Village is the place to shop, eat, relax and enjoy! Visit https://explorehiltonvillage.com/.

room rates mean little if only a handful are occupied.

FIVE DIFFERENT MARKETS

Smith Travel Research, a major source of tourism data, has divided the Hampton Roads’ region into five distinct lodging markets: Williamsburg and Newport News/Hampton on the Peninsula, and Norfolk/Portsmouth,

to the

Washington, D.C. - 50 MILES To Maryland

301/207 Corridor

LOCAL TOURISM INDUSTRY

The local tourism industry follows the national and regional economy and thus national consumer confidence is closely followed by tourism professionals on both the Peninsula and South Hampton Roads as a strong predictor of regional tourism activity.

Virginia Beach, Chesapeake/Suffolk and the other Hampton Roads sub-segments were able to increase occupancy numbers, according to recently published Smith Travel Research data. But the Beach held a commanding lead in the category that industry experts say is the prime indicator of hotel performance: Revenue per available room, or RevPAR. RevPAR is a measure of how much cash the rooms are pulling in on average, factoring in the rooms that are unoccupied. High occupancy rates mean little if room rates are cheap, and high

p t Visi Sho Caroline & King George Counties Art & Antiques Trail

ter r Cen Visito very Day E Open il 5PM Unt CAROLINE COUNTY VISITOR CENTER

23724 Rogers Clark Blvd, Ruther Glen, VA 22546 visitcaroline.com 804-633-3490

To Richmond - 30 MILES

www.visitcaroline.com 804-633-3490 www.visitkinggeorge.com 540-775-9181

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 35

TOURISM HIGHLIGHTS: Tourism and the Economy

Fort Monroe

Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake/Suffolk in South Hampton Roads.

The hotel data (which does not include timeshares) and the tourism employment data fail to capture the full impact on tourism. This data proves extremely difficult to access, and often estimates are made with surveys or other imprecise tools. While the previous paragraph noted the decline in hotel activity in Williamsburg, it is difficult to estimate how many former Williamsburg visitors now stay in Chesapeake or Virginia Beach and drive into Williamsburg for day trips, or how many of the Williamsburg visitors stay in the area’s 6,000 (approximate) time share rooms. The state has made estimates for expenditures by locality which have some value, but they are based off various tax receipts and thus are necessarily at least a year out of date.

Regional efforts to market Hampton Roads as a destination are coordinated through the Coastal Virginia Tourism Alliance. Visit on the web at www. visitcova.com. 

BUSINESS: Economic Development

Regional Vision, Global Impact Waterside, Norfolk

The Hampton Roads region is a great place to live, work and play. And, it’s only going to get better. “With proper foresight, continuous planning and dynamic economic development, Hampton Roads will be recognized internationally as a region fueled by Innovation, Intellectual and Human Capital, Infrastructure and a Sense of Place.”

A

group of regional organizations and community leaders collaborated together to develop “Vision Hampton Roads,” a regional plan with a five year horizon. This “Vision” employs strategies and actions which leverage regional strengths to diversify and grow the economy, positioning Hampton Roads as a leader in the global economy of today and tomorrow.

In economic development today, it’s important to address who and what is Hampton Roads as a region; who lives here and why; what is the region’s business identity; and how entrepreneurs, creativity and innovation are attracted. Regions that thrive in the “new economy” will be those truly educating their workforce, cultivating innovation, investing in infrastructure and creating quality places, like Hampton Roads.

“Vision” planning has placed Hampton Roads on a path to regional transformation by embedding a working process as we think, live and act regionally.

36 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

After “Vision Hampton Roads” was developed, the Hampton Roads Partnership created “Innovate! Hampton Roads” as a component of “Vision” that looks to promote local business and tech-based development in the area. (http://innovatehamptonroads.com/) Virginia Gazette reported that York County is moving forward with a planned mixed-use development with a $6.45 million property sale near Victory Boulevard at the York-Newport News line. Commonwealth Green plans include up to 384 apartments, 96 townhomes and four commercial buildings, according to the developer.

Condominiums are planned above three of the commercial buildings.

About 50 of the apartments would be in Newport News.

In addition, the Hampton Roads Alliance announced that Cushman & Wakefield/Thalhimer has sold the Palace Plaza strip shopping center just off Bypass Road in upper York. Polyzos Family Investments, LLC purchased the approximately 22,600 square-foot retail

center for $610,000. The previous owner was C-111 Asset Management. According to York County’s property information website, the center is assessed at just over $1 million. It was sold to C-111 Asset Management for $680,000.

Located in the dynamic Greenbrier business community of Chesapeake, VA, Summit Pointe is the newest large-scale, mixed-use community centrally located within Coastal Virginia. Summit Pointe has already become a premier office location with the recent completion of the 510,000-square-foot, high-rise office tower for Dollar Tree, Inc (NASDAQ: DLTR) in Phase One. Representing a projected investment of over $300 million in multiple phases, Phase Two emphasizes a new form of urban living, workplace solutions, dining, entertainment venues and shopping options. Construction began in June 2019, with the first living spaces delivered in August 2020 and the first retail and office spaces delivered in October 2020.

STRATEGIC LOCATION, GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE

Jefferson Lab Chosen to Lead Hub The U.S. Department of Energy announced that Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility has been picked to lead its new High Performance Data Facility Hub. The facility hub will be a $300 to $500 million computing and data infrastructure resource that will provide transformational capabilities for data analysis, networking and storage for the nation’s research enterprise, according to the Department of Energy. It will provide researchers with tools, methods and technologies to maximize the scientific value of data.

Exterior Maintenance-Free Luxury Condominiums Easy Living with Small Town Country Charm!

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OWNER/AGENT

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 37

BUSINESS: Economic Development

The first rule of thumb for any economic development is location, location, location. Hampton Roads, the region, is located in the southeastern coastal Tidewater of Virginia in the heart of the Mid Atlantic. It is a region that depends on a maritime-rich geography including all the benefits that come with it, such as commerce derived at its ports, tourism and real estate drawn to its beaches, and the waters that allow it to be one of the most concentrated naval strongholds on the planet.

Hampton Roads, the harbor, is formed by the confluence of the James, Nansemond and Elizabeth Rivers and flows into the Chesapeake Bay whose watershed covers 64,000 square miles and all or part of six states and Washington, DC. As one of the world’s biggest and deepest natural harbors, the largest in North America, Hampton Roads is home to the world’s largest naval base at Norfolk and the Port of Virginia, third largest behind Port of New York and the Port of Savannah. It is one of the busiest and fastest growing commercial ports on the U.S. East Coast with products popular the world over from Smithfield Hams to Suffolk Peanuts to Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs.

Since the English settlers arrived in the early 1600s, Hampton Roads has been an enviable strategic stronghold. The region’s land area covers approximately 2,907 square miles and includes an extensive system of waterways including the Intra-coastal Waterway and enjoys a temperate climate guaranteeing an ice-free harbor.

BUSINESS: Economic Development

HELPFUL WEBSITES The central location of Hampton Roads is within 750 miles of threefourths of the nation’s population and six of the ten largest U.S. population centers. The Virginia Beach-NorfolkNewport News, VA-NC Metropolitan Statistical Area (Hampton Roads MSA) is made up of fifteen cities and counties, making it the seventh largest MSA in the Southeast U.S., the second largest between Washington, DC and Atlanta and the largest coastal MSA between New York and Miami in the Eastern U.S.21 The Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA MSA ranks 37th out of the nation’s 366 MSA’s.22 Hampton Roads is one of America’s most popular vacation spots, and boasts something for everyone. It has an expansive 2,600 miles of shorelines, world-renowned museums and cultural opportunities such as the Virginia Opera, Virginia International Arts Festival, and Virginia Symphony, sports organizations and venues, shopping malls, historic cities and towns, amusement parks and state and national parks. Hampton Roads’ climate is enjoyed by outdoor enthusiasts; recreational activities include boating, fishing, camping, biking, and tennis throughout the hundreds of local parks and campgrounds.

The region’s safe harbors, proximity to the ocean and rich history have worked together to form today’s Hampton Roads.

INDUSTRY DIVERSITY, LEVERAGING ASSETS The region’s largest employers represent industry sectors like shipbuilding, health care, education, tourism, banking, insurance, manufacturing, telecommunications, and transportation and include: public school systems, colleges and universities, Sentara Healthcare, Riverside Health System, Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System, Colonial Williamsburg, Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, SAIC, Measurement Specialties and GEICO.38 Hampton Roads is an international gateway with a large presence of foreign firms dominated by Germany, Japan and UK, including Canon, BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Stihl, HSBC-North America, Maersk Line Limited, CMA CGM North America, Zim-American, Ferguson Enterprises/Wolseley NA and AnheuserBusch/InBev.38 38 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

Caroline County Tourism www.visitcaroline.com City of Hampton www.VisitHampton.com Fort Monroe Authority www.fmauthority.com Franklin & Southampton County Chamber of Commerce www.FSAChamber.com Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce www.GloucesterVAChamber.org Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance www.WilliamsburgCC.com Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce www.HamptonRoadsChamber.com Hampton Roads Alliance www.HamptonRoadsAlliance.com Hampton Roads International Montessori School www.hrimontessori.org Hampton Roads Military & Federal Facilities Alliance www.HRMFFA.org

Hampton Roads Planning District Commission www.hrpdcva.org Hampton Roads Regional Blog SmartRegion.org is no longer available Isle of Wight-SmithfieldWindsor Chamber of Commerce http://www.hrpdcva.gov/ ODU Center for Real Estate & Economic Development www.BPA.ODU.edu/creed/ Opportunity, Inc. www.Opp-Inc.org Peninsula Council for Workforce Development www.PCFWD.org Prince George County www.princegeorgecountyva.gov /visitors/ Virginia Peninsula Chamber www.vapeninsulachamber.com Visit West Point & King William County www.visitwestpointkingwilliam.com York County Chamber of Commerce www.YorkCountyChamberVA.org

Hampton Roads Performs www.HamptonRoadsPerforms.org

Fortune 1000 firms with headquarters or a significant presence in the region include Amerigroup, Dollar Tree, Smithfield Foods, and the largest private employer in Virginia, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.38 Amazon.com Inc. will build two operations facilities in Hampton Roads, creating an expected 1,500 jobs. Both facilities are anticipated to open in 2021.The first facility is a multi-story robotics fulfillment center in Suffolk, which will create 1,000 jobs. The second is a 650,000-square-foot processing center in Chesapeake, which will create 500 jobs.

The region’s largest financial institutions include Bank of America, Wells Fargo, SunTrust and BB&T. Several regional banks are also strong financial assets in Hampton Roads, the largest of which is TowneBank.38 The economic structure of the region is characterized by the strong presence of the military, followed by real estate and rental leasing, manufacturing and shipbuilding, construction, tourism and recreation, and retail. Over the past decade, Hampton Roads’ population has grown at an annualized rate of

0.64%, slow compared to the nation.

Since 2001, economic growth in the region has averaged 6.7% annually (3.3% in per capita dollars). Much of this growth is the result of increased Department of Defense (DoD) spending within the region.5

FEDERAL/MILITARY SECTOR Hampton Roads has one of the largest concentrations of military personnel, second only to Washington DC, hence the regional moniker, “Pentagon South.”

Hampton Roads hosts all five military services with both operating forces and major command headquarters. This includes the only NATO command in North America, and the U.S. Joint Forces Command (one of DoD’s ten combatant commands charged with transforming U.S. military capabilities). Increases in military pay and federal contracts have significantly contributed to the region’s economic growth. And defense spending continues to cushion the region in times of economic downturn.22 Thirty of the 100 largest defense firms in the world have a presence in Hampton Roads.

PORT/MARITIME SECTOR

In 2016, Virginia ports generated 530,800 jobs, $27.4 billion in wages, $88.4 billion in spending and $2.7 billion in state and local taxes. (10.1 percent of Virginia’s gross state product) (http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/2017/01/28/virginiaports-a-driving-economic-force/) Naturally safe harbors in Hampton Roads have brought commerce and trade to the Hampton Roads region for centuries. Deepwater access that can accommodate today’s–and tomorrow’s–supertankers, a strategic Mid-Atlantic location and a streamlined infrastructure network have helped to make Hampton Roads a premier international port. Over 3,000 foreign and domestic vessels calling annually.

In addition to the Port of Virginia, Hampton Roads’ economy is built on many port-related activities including commercial, military land-based support facilities and inland transportation, ship repair, shipbuilding, cargo terminals, cargo and cruise ships, maritime insurance and legal services, shipping line offices, mega yacht repair and maritime construction.

Hampton Roads is well poised to be the dominant port on the East Coast. The 2040 Virginia Port Authority Master Plan is driven by the creation of 600 acres of land and opening of Craney Island Marine Terminal, improvements at Norfolk International Terminals and Portsmouth Marine Terminals, development at the APM Terminal in Portsmouth and enhanced intermodal rail service.

Columbia-class Construction in Newport News Newport News Shipbuilding is the state’s largest industrial employer with a workforce of 25,000. It is the sole manufacturer of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers for the U.S. Navy and one of two yards that builds nuclear-powered submarines.

In 2021, Newport News Shipbuilding began building components for the Columbia-class, a new fleet of ballistic missile submarines that will replace the aging Ohio-class boats. The lead contractor is General Dynamics Electric Boat of Groton, Connecticut.

About 33,500 employees in Virginia directly work in the private shipbuilding and repair industry. The associated $6.2 billion in labor income generates $10.9 billion in gross state product.

Connector | Convener | Conduit Champion | Collaborator

TOURISM/ARTS & CULTURE SECTOR Hampton Roads is a popular vacation destination for millions of visitors annually. Each city has its own unique attractions, events and activities. From the surf and sand of the longest pleasure beach in the world at Virginia Beach, to the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg, to the convention centers spread throughout the region, Hampton Roads is an established multi-faceted tourist destination. The Leisure and Hospitality industry employs over 80,000 people in Hampton Roads. In addition to the hoteliers who depend on tourists to fill their rooms, tourism brings new money to restaurants, retail establishments and government coffers.25 Tourism contributes to quality of life through the influx of tax revenue, creation of jobs and improved services and attractions that add to the vibrancy of life in Hampton Roads. For businesses in Hampton Roads this means improved recruiting and retention and greater quality of life for those employees.26 Arts & Culture in Hampton Roads serve as a significant component of the Tourism industry. The arts strengthen and educate communities, lift spirits and build a better quality of life for everyone. As a billion dollar industry in Virginia, arts and cultural organizations create millions of dollars in revenues for area businesses, attract out-of-state tourism spending, generate millions of dollars in personal income for Hampton

www.VaPeninsulaChamber.com

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 39

BUSINESS: Economic Development

Hampton Roads is also the home to the world’s largest concentration of U.S. Coast Guard assets.

Additionally, thirteen Federal departments, administrations, and agencies are represented in the Hampton Roads region: Departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Homeland Security, Interior, Justice, Labor, and Transportation.

BUSINESS: Economic Development

Roads’ workforce and entrepreneurs and create thousands of jobs for residents in the region.27

EMPLOYMENT The Virginian-Pilot reported that jobs continue to increase at a slow, but steady pace. Port of Virginia is responsible for nearly 375,000 jobs and its economic impact is 60.3 billion a year. Navy Cyber Command in Suffolk brought 700 military, civilian and contracting jobs to the area. (http://www.dailypress.com/news/ military/dp-nws-navidfor-established20150128-story.html) Chesapeake will add new jobs with Xerox and the Sumitomo Machinery Corp. of America.

Norfolk’s Waterside Live, AECOM, Bauer Compressors, Inc., and American Airlines will top the list of companies adding jobs. Green Mountain did build a facility in the Shirley T. Holland Intermodal Park. Cost Plus World Market and Safeco Products are also there. (http://www. dailypress.com/news/isle-of-wightcounty/dp-nws-iw-intermodal-parkcontract-developer-20170208-story. html). Portsmouth will make gains with Kroger and Suffolk with the Shenzhen Superwatt Power Technology Co. Virginia Beach rounds out the list with LoanCare, Medical Facilities of

America, Amerigroup Corp. (expanding to Norfolk,) IMS Gear (opening a new 112,000 square foot facility from state funds and grants), Labels Unlimited, and Green Flash Brewing Company.

IMS Gear opened in Virginia Beach and employs 220 workers (as of 2016). (http://www.13newsnow.com/news/ local/mycity/virginia-beach/madein-america-and-made-in-virginiabeach-1/124824819) In Feb. 2017, Sanjo Corte Fino selected Virginia Beach as the site of its 24,000-square-foot North American manufacturing headquarters. (http:// pilotonline.com/inside-business/news/ commercial-real-estate/the-millergroup-is-building-sanjo-corte-fino-svirginia/article_f7e3313c-e035-5993bc4b-c80584d16d49.html) Newport News shipyard voted in favor of a 52-month contract through July 9, 2017, with Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., the parent company of Newport News Shipbuilding. The Apprentice School,” a six-acre, $70 million venture for Newport News Shipbuilding was reaccredited until 2022 (http://pilotonline.com/insidebusiness/newport-news-shipbuildingapprentice-school-reaccredited/ article_57465813-5037-5319-9dc24024b855e642.html)

ESTIMATED EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY SECTOR Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Industry Sector Total, all industries Health Care and Social Assistance Retail Trade (44 & 45) Accommodation and Food Services Manufacturing (31-33) Education Services Public Administration Professional Scientific & Technical Svc Admin., Support, Waste Mgmt, Remediation Construction

Employees 736,207 104,184 91,372 80,336 62,325 62,249 54,125 49,779 43,943 36,433

Virginia Employment Commission, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages

The table above shows the distribution of industries in Hampton Roads PDC, Virginia for the 3rd quarter, 2016.

40 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

In addition, largest recent growth in the Hampton Roads region was in the healthcare and social assistance sectors, followed by leisure and hospitality, scientific and technical sciences, retail trade, and finally federal and manufacturing, as reported by Hampton Roads Planning and District Commission.

MEASURING SUCCESS, FOLLOW THE NUMBERS

Business, civic and government leaders in the region use the web-based Hampton Roads Performs as their resource for data that shows how the region is performing on key quality of life indicators.

Open to full public access, these quality of life indicators answer the question, “How is the Hampton Roads Region Doing?” and the results are used to compare Hampton Roads to other regions.

Workforce Quality: Over 27% of residents hold at least a Bachelor’s degree and the number of community college, high school career and technical education awards is increasing.1 Business Startups: The rate of startups, a measure of entrepreneurship, remains high compared to previous years.29 Personal Income: Among peer metro areas, per capita income is growing fastest in the Hampton Roads area and faster than the rate for the U.S. as a whole.30 A strong economy is characterized by prosperity reflected in improving standards of living.

Unemployment: Unemployment was 4.3% as of December 2016, but thanks to a strong military presence, still well under the national average which was 4.9% as of October 2016. (https:// data.virginialmi.com/vosnet/lmi/area/ areasummary.spx?enc=SgfjA5gOXyjl8J8 8h1RJLR2AsmalquX2CZY58u9Nja2srwE ukomAKyimaz1JyxNa). 

“Transportation and connectivity is the key to being competitive. It relates to quality of life improvements, tourism, port, etc. We must have strong transportation for all of this to work,” said one citizen.

H

ampton Roads has its transportation issues as does any metropolitan region. When working together as a region to improve mobility within tough budgets on all levels, congestion mitigation is the answer, including development of public-private partnerships to add new and/or improve existing bridges and tunnels, growing the use of telecommuting, enlisting technology, considering transit-oriented development and identifying funding models, especially for development of high-speed rail and enhanced intercity rail.

PLANNING AHEAD The Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization, the intergovernmental body responsible for planning transportation in Hampton Roads, is developing its 2034 Long Range Plan. Also, a Transit Vision Plan for Hampton Roads is in process and proposes that an integrated, highcapacity transit system will help address some of the region’s social, environmental, and economic challenges interrelated to land use and sustainability

and will address bicycle and pedestrian projects as well. Here is a link of upcoming transportation projects in Hampton Roads: http://www.virginiadot. org/projects/hampton%20roads/default.asp

ROADS, TUNNELS, BRIDGES AND FERRIES Because of the abundance of waterways, the Hampton Roads’ transportation network is heavily dependent on and utilizes a number of methods to get around the water surrounding its communities. It is an effective but aging transportation system. In fact, Hampton Roads has more tunnels connecting its communities than any other region in the U.S. Tunnels, bridges and ferries enhance Hampton Roads residents’ ability to go from one area to the other and beyond.

Hampton Roads’ interstates form a big loop or beltway around the region.

The inner loop follows I-64 east and I-664 north. The outer loop follows I-64 west and I-664 south. Due west of the region are the principal north-south interstate highways, I-85 and I-95. Through Southampton County, I-95 is located just four miles west of the region. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-

Tunnel gives northeast coastal highway traffic direct access to Hampton Roads and saves 90 miles (145 kilometers) to the New York/New Jersey corridor.

Several roadway expansion or enhancement projects are underway including one to improve intermodal access to Norfolk International Terminals.

Major regional projects completed in recent years include the Pinners Point Connector in Portsmouth, Route 17 in Chesapeake, the Chesapeake Expressway, widening of I-64 in Hampton/Newport News and the Southwest Suffolk Bypass.

The region’s newest South Norfolk Jordan Bridge spans the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River and includes a pedestrian friendly sidewalk with quick connections to I-464 and I-264. The fixed, high-rise bridge is the tallest in Virginia and not subject to openings for maritime traffic. It also has been designated an official Virginia truck route without height or weight restrictions.

A 15-minute ferry that connects the Scotland area in Surry County with the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown is maintained by the state, providing highway commuters a very affordable highway alternative.

Per capita vehicle miles traveled has remained relatively stable over the last 10 years, suggesting that commuting distances are relatively short.39 W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 41

BUSINESS: Transportation

Getting Here, Going There

BUSINESS: Transportation

COURTESY OF CITY OF NORFOLK

Norfolk harbor

PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE Hampton Roads Transit, with over 55 fixed routes and 300 buses, provides public transportation throughout Hampton Roads. In addition to local and express bus services, HRT’s other services include a ferry connecting Norfolk and Portsmouth, paratransit service, and TRAFFIX, a program providing alternatives to the one-person-per-car commute. In 2011, HRT launched “The Tide,” Virginia’s first light rail system that runs in Norfolk and serves as a starter line for a future region-wide intercity rail transit system.

Williamsburg Area Transit provides bus transportation throughout Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens and area shopping locations to the west while the Bay Transit Company, which is a service of Bay Aging, provides bus service on weekdays to all residents in the ten counties of the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck, including Gloucester and Mathews Counties.

Norfolk’s Greyhound Bus service provides intercity connections nationwide.

RAIL/INTERMODAL SERVICE Hampton Roads is served primarily by one Class I freight rail giant, CSX. The ports create a perfect entry location for the railway for cargo distribution throughout the East Coast and Midwest.

42 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

Efficient connections with other rail systems and motor carriers provide easy and affordable access to the rest of the U.S. Additionally, more than 50 common freight carriers serve Hampton Roads, and UPS maintains a local terminal.

CSX operates on 23,000 miles of track in 23 states, Washington, DC, Montreal and Ontario, Canada. It offers a Rail-toTruck Transshipment Facility in Newport News and an intermodal terminal in nearby Portsmouth. In addition, CSX is championing the National Gateway Initiative, a public-private partnership to create a more efficient freight route linking the Port of Virginia with Midwestern markets, improving the flow of rail traffic between these regions by increasing the use of double-stack trains.

When the project is complete, Hampton Roads will have few limitations for its market reach via rail.

Amtrak connects the region to other areas of the country with passenger trains departing daily from Newport News on the Virginia Peninsula.

Additional passenger rail service in development for Hampton Roads will serve five Southside cities, three of which have employment densities of over 1,000 jobs per square mile (Norfolk, the proposed terminus, has 4,000) and 65% of the region’s population.34

AIR SERVICE The region’s two major airports, Norfolk International Airport (ORF) and Newport News Williamsburg Airport (PHF), are located within a 30-minute commute of most business and residential areas in the region and provide over 200 daily flights to 22 airports, 17 of which are International Gateways. These airports are currently handling over 72 million pounds of air cargo per year and almost 4.7million passengers. Currently, an average of more than 400 landings and takeoffs take place each day at the region’s airports. This includes passenger and cargo airlines, general aviation, air taxi and charter flights. In addition, the airports often handle military flights when local base runways are under repair.35 Newport News Williamsburg Airport has quietly dropped the “International” from its title in its marketing.

Breeze Airways, a new low-cost airline, will invest $5.2 million to build an operations center in Norfolk, producing 116 jobs. The Salt Lake City, Utah-based startup company, which offers service to mid-size U.S. markets, will include Norfolk as one of its first four operations bases in the United States.

Port of Virginia, Norfolk International Terminal

Amtrak Passenger Rail Amtrak.com; 800-USA-RAIL (800-872-7245) Bay Transit Company www.BayTransit.org Cruises

www.CruiseNorfolk.org

E-ZPass Electronic Toll Systems www.ezpassva.com/

PORTS Hampton Roads’ businesses enjoy direct The Port Authority has forecasted access to three major marine terminals healthy growth during the next 10 years run by the Virginia Port Authority: Norbased on the opening of a widened folk International Terminals, Portsmouth Panama Canal in 2014 and enhanced rail Marine Terminal and Newport News connections with CSX’s National Gateway.

Marine Terminal. Hampton Roads is The Port of Virginia, the third busiest also home to the nation’s first privately general cargo port on the East Coast developed container terminal, APM/Maersk. with 50-foot deep channels and an ice-free harbor, is home to some of the Currently, over 95% of the world’s largest and fastest container cranes in shipping lines call on the Port of Virginia, the world. A long-range master plan linking Hampton Roads and the rest of that has the development of Craney the U.S. to more than 250 ports in 100 Island Marine Terminal as its centerpiece countries. Hampton Roads has a wellmaps out the steps to more than double deserved reputation for providing the Port’s over-all capacity over the next efficient, modern cargo handling and yearfew years.  round transportation.

Greyhound Bus Service

www.Greyhound.com

Hampton Roads Traffic Cameras www.trafficland.com/city/ORF Hampton Roads Transit http://gohrt.com/ Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization www.HRTPO.org Light Rail-The Tide http://gohrt.com/services/the-tide/ Newport News Williamsburg Airport (PHF) www.Flyphf.com Norfolk International Airport www.TakeORF.com Reinvent Hampton Roads https://reinventhr.org/ Toll-Free Virginia Highway Traffic Information Dial 511 Updates on I-64 Construction www.i64widening.org/default.asp VDOT Traffic and Travel Info www.511virginia.org/ Virginia Department of Transportation www.virginiadot.org/ Virginia Port Authority www.PortOfVirginia.com

▲The Tide, Virginia’s first light rail system, extends 7.4 miles from the Eastern Virginia Medical Center downtown Norfolk to I-264 at Newtown Road.

Williamsburg Area Transport http://gowata.org/

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 43

BUSINESS: Transportation

HELPFUL INFORMATION

HISTORY & SCIENCE: Historical Sites & Museums

Our Heritage Still Very Much Alive

Colonial Williamsburg

Historic museums and sites of interest are everywhere in Hampton Roads. That’s largely due to the historical richness of our past. Hampton Roads is home to our nation’s Historic Trangle: Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. Here you can experience the story of America’s beginnings at the Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Through film, artifactfilled galleries and outdoor living history, these museums engage visitors in nearly two centuries of our nation’s history—from the founding of America’s first permanent English settlement in 1607 to the decisive Revolutionary War victory in 1781 and implementation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

44 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

C

ostumed historical interpreters depict the daily lives of the people who lived through these events two and three centuries ago. This is all done in faithfully re-created settings— three replica ships, a Powhatan Indian village, and a Colonial fort at Jamestown Settlement; and a Revolutionary War encampment and 1780s farm at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. At these living museums, you can grind corn, steer with a whipstaff, try on English armor, enlist in the Continental Army or assist with farm chores. Call 253-4838 or toll free 1-888593-4682 or visit www.historyisfun.org.

Colonial Williamsburg is the restored Capital of Colonial Virginia, where history lives so “that the future may learn from the past.”You can explore the nation’s history and learn what it means to be an American while visiting more than eighty original buildings, restored to their 18th-century grandeur. See how the people lived, from the richest to the poorest. Play the games the children played, watch craftsmen at work, and sample some Colonial fare. While Colonial Williamsburg’s sites are open year round, many people choose to visit in December to enjoy the Grand Illumination, an annual

spectacle of light and music for residents and visitors alike. Call 1-855-756-9516 or visit on the web at www.history.org.

The Colonial National Historical Park stretches from the York River to the James River and is home to Yorktown and the Yorktown Battlefield, site of the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War. Yorktown Battlefield is administered by the National Park Service, and is part of the Colonial National Historical Park which includes Jamestown and the Colonial Parkway, which connects the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown. For more information, call the Park’s headquarters at 898-3400, or visit www.nps.gov/colo/ index.htm.

The Mariners’ Museum, one of the largest international maritime museums in the world, features more than 35,000 maritime items, including ship models, the August Crabtree collection of miniature ships, scrimshaw, maritime paintings, decorative arts, intricately carved figureheads and working steam engines. The Mariners’ Museum is also the custodian of the artifacts and archives of the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor.

The USS Monitor Center is a home to the priceless artifacts recovered from the

Norfolk Zoo

American Revolution Museum

Pirates Invade Yorkt

own

Mariners Museum, Newport News W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 45

HISTORY & SCIENCE: Historical Sites & Museums

Capture History & Adventure

HISTORY & SCIENCE: Historical Sites & Museums

historic ship and a worldwide resource.

Call 596-2222 or 1-800-581-7245 or visit www.mariner.org.

The Casemate Museum, located in Hampton, opened in 1951 to display the cell in which Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, was imprisoned after the Civil War. Since then, the museum has expanded to depict the history of Fort Monroe and the Coast Artillery Corps. Call 690-8073 or visit www.fmauthority.com/ visit/casemate-museum.

The Virginia War Museum in Newport News traces U.S. military history from 1775 to the present. Several times each year, reenactors stage encampments on the museum’s grounds. Visit www. warmuseum.org or call 247-8523.

Called the best-preserved War of 1812 site in America, Fort Norfolk is the last of 18 forts built along the Maritime Frontier at President Washington’s request in 1794. This fort, which changed hands twice during the Civil War, is located on Front Street in Norfolk. For information about guided tours, visit on the web at www.norfolkhistorical.org.

In western Newport News, just inside the front gate of Fort Eustis, is the U.S. Army Transportation Museum. This museum occupies six acres and is the only museum in the United States devoted to the history of U.S. Army transportation of troops and supplies.

Call 878-1180 or visit www.transchool. lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20 museum/museum.htm The Hampton History Museum features 7,000 square feet of exhibit space—helping shape Hampton’s future while also preserving its past.

This beautiful building on Old Hampton Lane is the newest jewel in Hampton’s historical crown. Call 727-1610 or visit www.hampton.gov/119/HamptonHistory-Museum.

Riddick’s Folly House Museum, in Suffolk, is just one place in the region on the National Register of Historic Places.

This Greek Revival home was built in 1837 by Mills Riddick. It has four floors, 20 rooms, 16 fireplaces and a rich Civil War history that includes being occupied by Union General Peck and his soldiers. Today, it is home to a number of permanent and changing exhibits.

Call 934-0822.

46 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

The Casemate Museum,

Hampton

Military Aviation Museum, Virginia Beac

h

SCIENCE: LAND, SEA & SKY

Some of Hampton Roads’ most popular museums are dedicated to science. Nauticus, The National Maritime Center, is a fun and exciting 120,000-square-foot science and technology center exploring the power of the sea. It features more than 150 exhibits including interactive computer and video displays, films on a giant screen, live sea creatures in an exotic aquarium, touch pools and shark petting. The permanent exhibits are complemented by various national-caliber traveling exhibits that appear throughout the year. The Battleship Wisconsin, one of the largest battleships ever built, is berthed next door. Call 664-1000 or visit www.nauticus.org.

The Virginia Air and Space Science Center is a dynamic part of the Downtown Hampton skyline. It is the official visitors’ center for the NASA Langley Research Center and Langley Air Force Base and chronicles the history of aviation and aerospace research and development, much of which was done here in Hampton Roads. There are over 100 interactive exhibits, as well as historical aircraft—including the Apollo 12 command module and a full-sized model of the original airplane the Wright brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, NC. The 300-seat IMAX theatre presents state-of-the-art films on a screen three stories high.

Next door is Hampton’s Carousel Park where you can ride a restored 1920 carousel from the former Buckroe Amusement Park. For information and IMAX movie times, call 7270900 or visit www.vasc.org.

The Virginia Living Museum exhibits feature animals and fish found in Virginia’s rivers, bay, mountains, swamps and caves. This indoor/outdoor attraction also has hands-on discovery centers, boardwalk trail with animals in naturalized habitats, state-of-theart digital planetarium, observatory, native plant gardens, green living building, plus children’s hands-on “Be a Keeper/Be A Vet” role-playing area and nature playground. Call 595-1900 or visit www.thevlm.org.

From the plains of Africa to your own backyard, the Virginia Zoo has a world of wild discovery waiting for you. Open daily from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. except for major winter holidays. Children under two get in FREE! Call 757-441-2374 or visit www. virginiazoo.org. 

ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL SITES & MUSEUMS

Aberdeen Gardens Historic Museum 332-4042 Adam Thoroughgood House 385-5100 Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum 437-8432 Boykin’s Tavern 357-5182 Cape Henry Lighthouse 422-9421 Carter’s Grove Plantation 1-800-HISTORY Caroline County Tourism 804-633-3490 Chippokes Farm and Forestry Museum 294-3439 Chrysler Museum of Art 664-6200 Endview Plantation 887-1862 Ferry Plantation House 473-5182 Fighter Factory 539-8440 Fort Boykin 357-2291 Fort Wool 727-6348 Francis Land House 385-5100 Gloucester Museum of History (804) 693-1234 Hampton Roads Naval Museum 322-2987 Hampton University Museum 727-5308 Hermitage Museum and Gardens 423-2052 Hill House 393-0241 Historic St. Lukes Church 357-3367 Hunter House Victorian Museum 623-9814 Isle of Wight County Museum 356-1223 Jamestown Settlement Museum 253-4838 Lee Hall Mansion 888-3371 The Lightship Museum 393-8591

ADDITIONAL SCIENCE MUSEUMS Air Power Park and Museum www.visithampton.com/play/ listing/air-power-park/

Lynnhaven House 460-1688 Military Aviation Museum 721-7767 Moses Myers House 333-6269 Nansemond Indian Museum www.nansemond.org Naval Shipyard Museum 393-8591 Nelson House 898-2410 Newsome House 247-2360 Norfolk Police and Fire Rescue Museum 441-1526 Old Coast Guard Station 422-1587 Old Isle of Wight Courthouse 356-9016 Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum 393-8591 Prince George County (804) 722-8609 Railroad Museum of Virginia 335-2284 Rosewell House (804) 693-2585 Seaboard Station Railroad Museum 923-4750 St. John’s Episcopal Church 722-2567 The James A. Fields House 245-1991 Upper Wolfsnare 491-3490 U.S. Army Transportation Museum 878-1180 The Prentis House 514-4130 Virginia Sports Hall of Fame 393-8031 Watermen’s Museum 887-2641 Walter Reed Birthplace (804) 693-6688 Visit West Point & King William County (804) 843-3330 Willoughby-Baylor House 664-6200

Visit

727-8311

& t n i o P West , Virginia m a i l l i W ng

Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum www.awhm.org 437-8432 Chesapeake Planetarium www.cpschools.com/departments/ planetarium/

547-0153

Children’s Museum of Virginia www.childrensmuseumva.com

393-5258

Ki

For a different point of view.

Edgar Cayce Visitor’s Center www.edgarcayce.org 428-3588 Nauticus, the National Maritime Center www.nauticus.org 664-1000 Norfolk Botanical Garden www.nbgs.org 441-5830 Virginia Air and Space Science Center www.vasc.org 727-0900 Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Museum www.virginiaaquarium.com 385-3474 385-(FISH) Virginia Zoological Park www.virginiazoo.org 441-2374

www.visitwestpointkingwilliam.com

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 47

HISTORY & SCIENCE: Historical Sites & Museums

Below is contact information on many other historical sites and markers throughout the area. For additional information visit www.visitcoastalvirginia.com.

MILITARY LIFE: Military Facilities

Thank You for Your Service T

he military has played a pivotal role in Hampton Roads since the English settlers set foot on this land in 1607. The soldiers who accompanied the first settlers are the predecessors of the thousands of men and women who have donned uniforms to protect the United States of America. The region is proud to house a number of bases associated with all branches of the U.S. military. Many of the ships, planes and soldiers actively engaged in America’s war on terrorism call Hampton Roads home.

The military is an undeniable asset to the region’s economy. Over 95,000 uniformed men and women are currently stationed in Hampton Roads. Of these, approximately 15,000 join the private sector each year, creating a rich pool of skilled and experienced workers. Over 10,000 civilians also work at the various bases on the Peninsula. Altogether, an estimated 400,000 people in Hampton

Roads, or 30 percent of the region’s population, have ties to military installations.

In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission voted to close Fort Monroe and eliminate or move approximately 4,000 militaryrelated positions from the area. In addition, certain conditions were met in 2006 for the Oceana Naval Air Station and its landing fields to stay in Virginia Beach. While this may decrease the military presence to some degree, it should not significantly impact Hampton Roads’ economy.

MILITARY BASES & ACTIVITY Langley Air Force Base, nestled between Hampton and Poquoson, opened in 1916 as an experimental air station for testing airplanes and dirigibles as part of the military power. Since then, Langley pilots

▼The USS Gerald R. Ford deployed for the first time from Naval Station Norfolk on May 2, 2023.

48 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

have taken part in all conflicts in which the U.S. has had a role.

From the 1940s, it has been home to the Tactical Air Command (TAC). The 1st Tactical Fighter Wing was established at Langley in 1946. Pilots with this Wing were the first to have a confirmed aerial kill in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq.

Langley is also home to the Air Force’s new Air Combat Command, a consolidation of TAC with the Strategic Air Command, formerly headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. Renovations were recently completed to provide hangars for the F-22 Raptors, the most stealthy and expensive jets in Air Force history, which are now flying operations out of Langley.

Its 8,800 military and 2,000 civilian personnel draw a combined annual payroll of approximately $624 million.

Fort Eustis, the Peninsula’s largest military installation located in northwestern Newport News, opened in 1918. Since 1942, its 8,228 acres have been home to the Army’s Transportation Center, a key part of the Army’s mission to ensure that troops, trucks, tanks, ships and other supplies reach combat sites in a efficient and timely manner. It has also been a key processing point for reservists going to and from Iraq.

The installation’s 9,516 military and 2,407 civilian personnel draw a combined annual payroll of $765.7 million.

Across the port of Hampton Roads from the Peninsula in Norfolk, is the Norfolk Naval Station, the world’s largest naval base. More than 60,000 military and 10,000 civilian personnel work on the base that is the homeport for more than 80 ships of the Atlantic Fleet. The base’s 4,300 acres include Chambers Field, which is home to 16 airport squadrons.

Camp Peary

(York County) Camp Peary in York County is operated by the U.S. Army and the Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA uses this 10,000 acre camp as a training ground for its agents. For obvious reasons, little is publicly known about this facility, which is referred to as “The Farm.”

Cheatham Annex

(York County) This base is the bulk storage facility for the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center in Norfolk. Its facilities are used for storing supplies for the ships of the Atlantic Fleet. In addition to providing storage, the base also houses a Naval Cargo Handling and Port Group and a branch of the Army Veterinarian Food Inspection Office.

Coast Guard Atlantic Area

(Portsmouth) This is the operations hub and headquarters for Coast Guard activities from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. More than 3000 Coast Guard and civilians work here providing support and other selected services for units throughout the country.

Fort Eustis Army Base

(Newport News) Ft. Eustis is home for the Army Transportation Center, the 7th Transportation Group, 8th Brigade and the Army Transportation Museum. Fort Eustis is also the home to the James River Reserve Fleet, which is a “mothballed” fleet of ships under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Maritime Administration. The fleet is anchored in the James River opposite the Fort. TRADOC, the Army’s consulting arm for developing battle plans, commands and services for the 21st century and the TRADOC Army band is now located at Fort Eustis after the closing of Fort Monroe.

F-22 Raptor Langley Air Force jet over Fort Monroe

Langley Air Force Base

(Hampton) The Air Force’s largest major command, the Air Combat Command and the Ninth Air Force’s 1st Fighter Wing, is located at this base. Fighter jets from Langley fly homeland security patrols over the nation’s capital daily. In 2010, Langley Air Force Base and Fort Eustis merged to become a joint base.

Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story

On October 1, 2009, the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek - Fort Story was established, the first Joint Base in Hampton Roads. Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek - Fort Story is the country’s premier installation for housing and training the nation’s Expeditionary Forces. It is one command with two properties: Joint Expeditionary Base East (Fort Story) and West (Little Creek).

The Joint Expeditionary Base is comprised of the former Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek and the Army Post, Fort Story. Fort Story witnessed the humble beginnings of our country at the 1607 first landing site.

Little Creek began as a dynamic training ground for World War II amphibious forces.

Together they comprise the crown jewel of American’s military bases.

Naval Weapons Station

(Yorktown) This is the Navy’s premiere weapons facility. Over 3,000 military and civilian personnel work on the 11,500 acres of this base, maintaining missiles and other ordinances for the Atlantic Fleet.

Grumman Newport News is where Navy personnel work with shipyard personnel in building and refurbishing ships and submarines. Northrop Grumman has a backlog of carriers and submarines that will ensure work for the Navy for several years.

Naval Station Norfolk

(Norfolk) Home to Headquarters Atlantic Fleet, COMNAVBASE Norfolk is the world’s largest U.S. naval base. Components of the base are scattered throughout Hampton Roads. Approximately 80 naval ships are homeported in the Norfolk area.

Oceana Naval Air Station/ Dam Neck Annex

(Virginia Beach) This base is the most sophisticated and critically important air station in the U.S. Navy. It is home to over 290 state-of-the-art aircraft including F/A18E/F Super Hornets. The base employs about 10,000 military and 5,300 civilian personnel. The Dam Neck Annex, also part of the Oceana facility, is home to the Fleet Combat Training Center, which trains over 1000 students each month. Dam Neck employs another 3,700 military and 1,100 civilian personnel. The combined annual payroll is $1 billion.

US Coast Guard Training Center

(Yorktown) This is the Coast Guard’s key training facility. More than 7,000 Coast Guard and foreign troops are trained here each year. Its 626 military and 227 civilian personnel draw a combined annual payroll of $40 million. 

Navy Supervisor of Shipbuilding (Newport News) The Navy Supervisor of Shipbuilding command at Northrop

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 49

MILITARY LIFE: Military Facilities

The world’s largest amphibious base is also located in Norfolk. The Little Creek Amphibious Base has approximately 30 amphibious ships, patrol craft and salvage ships and is home to 80 tenant commands including the Naval Special Warfare Group II, East Coast home of the SEALS and the Armed Forces School of Music. Further south, in Virginia Beach, is the Oceana Naval Air Station, one of the country’s Master Jet Bases, which houses F-14 Tomcats and other planes assigned to the Atlantic Fleet.

EDUCATION: Learning Opportunities

Education For the 21st Century

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY

CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY, NEWPORT NEWS

Education has been the cornerstone of life in the region for more than 300 years. Over 86,000 students are enrolled in the region’s colleges and universities which include two of the most prestigious and oldest educational institutions in the nation: the College of William and Mary and Hampton University. This is in addition to the students enrolled in campuses sponsored by institutions outside of the area or those enrolled in the many technical and speciality schools located within the region such as ECPI College of Technology, Florida Institute of Technology and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

College of William and Mary was ranked 6th on Kiplinger’s 2017 “Best College Values: Public” and U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 “Best Colleges: Top Public Schools”.

Since its founding in 1693, the college has compiled a remarkable list of “firsts” among American universities, including the first honor system, first full faculty, first to become a university, and the founding of Phi Beta Kappa. William and Mary has helped to educate four U.S. presidents, four signers of the Declaration of Independence, members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, governors and many others in public service.

50 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

William and Mary offers more than 40 undergraduate programs and more than 20 graduate and professional degree programs. A number of special programs are also available including specialized seminars for freshman, under-graduate research, and study abroad in more than 10 countries.

Founded in 1878, Hampton University was one of the nation’s first schools of higher education for freed slaves. The school was established to train selected young men and women to “go out and teach and lead their people,” and to build a viable industrial system on the strength of self-sufficiency, intelligent labor and solid moral character. Today they welcome students of all races and creeds, offering 49 bachelor’s programs, 21 master’s and seven doctoral (Ph.D.).

Old Dominion University in Norfolk is the largest institution of higher learning in Hampton Roads, offering 70 bachelor’s degree programs, 54 master’s degree programs and 42 doctoral degrees. It also sponsors the Peninsula Graduate Engineering Center at the Hampton Roads Center in Hampton. This advanced engineering education facility opened in 1986 for employees of many of the area’s high-tech firms.

In Newport News, Christopher Newport University offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate programs in business, science and technology. CNU was ranked fifth among public regional universities in the south. Although CNU was originally commissioned as a twoyear branch of the College of William and

Mary, it eventually became a four-year, baccalaureate degree-granting college.

It gained its full independence from William and Mary in 1977 and was given university status in 1992. Out of 1,100 schools, Christopher Newport in 2014 was the only public university in the nation to be awarded a perfect A by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA).

Virginia Wesleyan College, a four-year liberal arts institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church, is located on the border of Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

With a 13 to 1 student-faculty ratio, Virginia Wesleyan is small by design, believing that a liberal arts education is best achieved in a setting where students and faculty know each other well. Virginia Wesleyan offers 33 majors, 22 varsity sports and 50+ on campus clubs and organizations. Visit www. vwc.edu for more information.

Norfolk State University (NSU), founded during the Great Depression, is one of the largest predominately Black institutions in the nation. Today, it offers 50 academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. It also includes the Dozerty National Institute for Mathematics and Applied Science whose primary goal is to address the severe shortage of minority scientists.

According to Jack Faucett Associates, Inc., a firm that specializes in economic research and public policy analysis reported for in FY2012, NSU’s budgetary expenditures totaled $129 million, including capital and operating expenditures. In addition, NSU students spent $32 million on housing, transportation, books, and various personal items. The total spending associated with

Fortis College

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES Norfolk Advanced Technology Institute Virginia Beach 490-1241 Atlantic University Virginia Beach

631-8101

Bryant & Stratton College Virginia Beach 1-800-895-1738 Two-year private college offering A.A.S. degree programs in paralegal, medical, business and technology fields.

Cambridge College Virginia Regional Ctr. Chesapeake 424-0333 Centura College Chesapeake 549-2121 Newport News 874-2121 Norfolk 853-2121 Virginia Beach 340-2121 Christopher Newport University Newport News 594-7448 Offers over 50 undergraduate and graduate programs to 5,000 students in the liberal arts, business, science and technology.

College of Virginia Beach at Hampton University Virginia Beach

637-2200

College of William and Mary Williamsburg 221-4000 Gloucester-VA Institute of Marine Science 804-684-7000 A public university, established in 1693, is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.

DeVry University Chesapeake 382-5680 ECPI General 1-844-334-4466 Newport News 849-0548 Norfolk 793-2640 Virginia Beach 517-3903 Eastern Virginia Medical School Norfolk 446-5700 This regional institute reaches into all corners of the Hampton Roads community through its partnerships with regional hospitals, clinics, institutions and physicians.

Everest College Chesapeake 361-3900 Newport News 873-1111 Florida Institute of Technology in Hampton Roads Graduate Center Fort Eustis (NN) 887-2488 Norfolk Naval Station 440-9005 Offers master’s degree in business on military installations for working adults and members of the United States military community.

499-5447

George Washington University Hampton Roads Center Newport News 269-4949 Has been offering courses in the Hampton Roads area since 1958.

Hampton University Hampton 727-5000 An historically Black university, that is privatelyendowed, co-educational and nonsectarian.

The Apprentice School Newport News 380-3809 College-level technical training for qualified students who are or will be employees.

Norfolk State University Norfolk 823-8600 Founded in 1935, this public university is one of the largest predominately Black institutions in the United States.

Old Dominion University Norfolk 683-3000 The largest institution of higher learning in Hampton Roads, offering 65 undergraduate degrees, 64 master’s degrees and 21 doctorates.

Paul D. Camp Community College Serving Franklin, Isle of Wight County, Suffolk, & Southampton County 569-6700 A comprehensive community college offering more than 50 degree and certificate programs and an array of workforce/ customized training that can be delivered at any college or workplace based upon the needs of the employers in the region.

Peninsula Higher Education Center Hampton 766-5200 Advanced engineering facility sponsored

by Old Dominion University.

Rappahannock Community College Gloucester (804) 758-6700 Public, two-year institution offering transferable associate degrees and occupational, technical and workforce development.

Regent University Virginia Beach 352-4000 www.regent.edu Interdenominational evangelical Christian university offering graduate and undergraduate degrees in business, communication and arts, divinity, education, government, law, leadership studies and psychology and counseling.

St. Leo University Chesapeake 227-4450

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EDUCATION: Learning Opportunities

NSU resulted in an increase in economic output of $248 million in the Hampton Roads region.

For more than 20 years, Virginia has funded a state-wide community college system with specialized studies leading to associate degrees and certificates. Hampton Roads is home to several of these schools, including Rappahannock Community College in Glenns (Gloucester County), Thomas Nelson Community College in Hampton, Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, and Paul D. Camp Community College in Franklin, Suffolk and Smithfield.

Tidewater Community College (TCC) is the second largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. (Forty-three percent of the region’s residents who attend a college or university are enrolled at TCC.) The college has campuses in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach, and offers a comprehensive range of programs from courses of study that lead to associate degrees, diplomas or certificates for over 60 occupational/technical programs.

A joint partnership with Lumen Learning begain in 2013 offering a textbook-free associate of science degree in business administration. The program offers textbooks and other educational resources to save students up to 1/3 of the total costs of college.

Virginia Peninsula Community College offers high-quality comprehensive educational programs and services including 35 associate degrees, one diploma and 38 certificate programs. Its 11,400 students can transfer their credits to most four-year universities with no loss of credits. Thomas Nelson is in educational partnership with a variety of local businesses including Jefferson Lab, NASA Langley and Siemens.

Regent University, in Virginia Beach, is an interdenominational evangelical Christian university offering graduate and undergraduate degrees in business, communication and arts, divinity, education, government, law, leadership studies and psychology and counseling.

U.S. News and World Report recently recognized Regent University as a “best” university and ranked nationally as “top 10 best online bachelor’s program, #1 Online MBA for faculty credentials and training, and top-ranked online business and graduate education programs overall.”

Northrop Grumman Newport News sponsors the Newport News Apprentice School, which provides college-level technical training for qualified students who are or will be employees.

EDUCATION: Learning Opportunities

Fort Eustis (NN) Newport News Virginia Beach

887-1166 249-0390 464-6449

A Catholic institution providing educational services on military installations for working adults and members of the United States military community.

Strayer University Chesapeake 382-9900 Newport News 881-5100 Virginia Beach 493-6000 Private university specializing in information technology and business-oriented courses for working adult students. Under-graduate and graduate programs in addition to online courses.

Tidewater Community College Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach 822-1122 Offers comprehensive programs to meet the educational needs of area citizens, business and industry.

Troy University Ft. Eustis (NN), Ft. Monroe (H) Langley Air Force Base (H) 766-3611 Chesapeake 512-2000 Offers graduate degrees in a variety of areas including business management and administration, human resource management, education, and criminal justice.

University of Phoenix Virginia Beach Learning Center 493-6300 Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)/School of Marine Science Gloucester Point (804) 684-7000 Conducts interdisciplinary research in coastal and estuarine science, educates students and citizens, and provides advisory service to policy makers, industry and the public. VIMS was chartered in 1940, and is now a graduate school of the College of William and Mary.

Virginia Peninsula Community College Hampton 825-2700 Williamsburg 253-4300 Public, two-year institution offering transferable associate degrees and occupational, technical and workforce development.

Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Graduate Center Hampton 363-3930 Offers a doctorate in educational administration, a career-integrated master of business administration program and five masters of science degrees in engineering.

Virginia Wesleyan College Norfolk 455-3200 A four-year liberal arts institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church, 52 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

offering a 13:1 student-faculty ratio, 39 majors, 70 student organizations and 19 intercollegiate sports. www.vwc.edu

PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS If you’re contemplating a career change, check the list below of several of the many specialized programs available in Hampton Roads.

Alpha College of Real Estate Chesapeake 427-1740 Newport News 873-8884 Offers courses in the principles of real estate.

American Spirit Institute Williamsburg 220-8000 Offers professional training in massage therapy and holistic studies.

Apprentice School of Shipbuilding Newport News 380-3809 The Art Institute of Virginia Beach A branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta Virginia Beach 1-877-437-4428 757-493-6700 Prepares students for careers in design, media arts, culinary arts, and management in creative career fields.

Aviation Institute of Maintenance Chesapeake 363-2121 Chesapeake Marine Training Institute Hayes 800-642-CMTI (2684) Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Fort Eustis (NN) 887-0980 Langley Air Force Base (H) 325-6272 Norfolk 440-5078 Virginia Beach 437-8061 Offers a comprehensive program in aircraft maintenance and repair.

Empire Beauty School Virginia Beach 355-5530 Riverside College of Health Careers Newport News 240-2229 Cooperative program between Riverside Regional Medical Center and Christopher Newport University offering advanced training in nursing and associated health occupations.

Virginia Institute of Esthetics Chesapeake 651-3265 Virginia School of Hair Design Hampton 722-0211 Has offered the latest training in hair design and care for over 40 years.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Virginia’s public schools implement Standards of Learning, or SOLs. In an effort to provide clear, measurable goals for all, students and schools are judged by their students’ performance on exams, which are given in grades three, five and eight and at the end of high school.

Hampton Roads’ public schools have been honored by the U.S. Department of Education numerous times for excellence.

Almost all public school systems have formed partnerships with area businesses to give students first-hand experience and knowledge about the business world. All school systems teach grades kindergarten through high school.

SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOLS All of Hampton Roads’ public school systems have programs for mentally and physically-challenged students. The following schools focus on these students.

Sarah Bonwell Hudgins Foundation Hampton 827-8757 Mental and physical handicaps, residential and day programs.

New Horizons Regional Education Center Gloucester, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, York 767-1100

PRIVATE SCHOOLS The Hampton Roads area has numerous private schools for pre-kindergarten through high school. Many of these schools are religiously affiliated.

CHESAPEAKE

Atlantic Shores Christian School Elementary campus 479‑1125 Secondary campus 479‑9598 Greenbrier Christian Academy PK – 12 547‑9595 Mount Pleasant Christian School PK – 8 482‑9557 Stonebridge School PK – 12 488‑2214 Tidewater Adventist Academy K – 8 479‑0002

FRANKLIN-SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY

Rock Church School K – 12 Southampton Academy Lower School (PK – 6) Middle School (7 – 8) Upper School (9 – 12)

562‑3878 653-2512 653-7273 653-7273

GLOUCESTER COUNTY

HAMPTON

Bethel Christian School Daycare, K – 12 826-7711 Calvary Classical School K3 – 5 and 1 – 6 262-0062 Gloria Dei Lutheran School PK – 7 851-6292 Hampton Christian School (Mary Atkins Christian School) PK – 12 838-7427 Hampton City Schools K – 12 727-2000 Hampton Roads Seventh Day Adventist K-8 and 3-5 722-1221 St. Mary Star of the Sea School PK – 8 723-6358

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY

Isle of Wight Academy PK – 12

357-3866

NEWPORT NEWS

Denbigh Baptist Christian School PK – 12 249-2654 Denbigh Christian Academy PK – 6 874-8661 Hampton Roads Academy PK – 12 884-9100 Hampton Roads International Montessori School 4 – 6 years 873-8950 Orcutt Baptist School PK – 6 249-1280 Our Lady of Mount Carmel School PK – 8 596-2754 Peninsula Catholic High School 8 – 12 596-7247 St. Andrew’s Episcopal PK – 5 596-6261 Summit Christian Academy (Lower School) K4 – 6 599-9424 Trinity Lutheran School PK – 8 245-2576 Warwick River Christian School PK – 5 877-2941

NORFOLK

Christ The King School PK – 8

Norfolk Academy 1 – 12 Norfolk Christian Schools K3 – 12 Norfolk Collegiate School Lower school Middle/Upper school Trinity Lutheran School PK & 2 1/2 – 5 The Williams School K – 8

461-6236 423-5770 325-0471 480-2885 489-2732 627-1383

PORTSMOUTH

Alliance Christian Academy PK – 12 488-5552 Montessori Preparatory School PK-K 484-7229 Portsmouth Catholic Elementary PK – 8 488-6744 Portsmouth Christian School K4 – 12 393-0725

SUFFOLK

First Baptist Christian School Elementary school 925-4461 Upper school 809-6606 First Baptist Weekday School PK – 4 925-0274 Nansemond-Suffolk Academy PK – 12 539-8789

VIRGINIA BEACH

Atlantic Shores Christian PK – 12 479-1125 Cape Henry Collegiate PK – 12 481-2446 Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School 9 – 12 467-2881 Chesapeake Bay Academy K – 12 497-6200 Hebrew Academy of Tidewater PS – 8 424-4327 Kempsville Presbyterian PS – K 495-4611 Norfolk Christian School PK – 5 428-1284 St. John the Apostle PK – 8 821-1100 St. Matthew’s School PK – 8 420-2455 Star of the Sea School PK – 8 428-8400 Virginia Beach Friends School PS – 12 428-7534

WILLIAMSBURG

Walsingham Academy Lower School: 229-2642 Upper School: 229-6026 PS – 12 Williamsburg Christian Academy PK – 12 220-1978

YORK COUNTY

Summit Christian Academy (Upper School) 7 – 12 867-7005 Living Word Academy K3 – 8 867-8024

CHILD CARE Hampton Roads has an abundance of good daycare centers and childcare options.

Many of them are academically driven, offering special programs designed to keep children’s minds engaged in educational activities.

The Hampton Roads Planning Council offers childcare resources and referral services to help parents evaluate the best setting for their children and find appropriate, quality providers.

The Council’s Child Care Answer Line (CCAL) makes searching for a child care provider easy by sharing potential providers and guidelines for evaluating them for a nominal fee. To reach the Child Care Answer Line, call 627-3993.

HomeCare is another program of the Planning Council that offers parents support in recruiting, hiring and training in-home childcare providers. Parents are assigned a counselor to determine the type of care needed and provided a list of state-licensed caregivers.

Local community parks and recreation departments and many YMCAs sponsor programs designed to provide after-school care. A number of the area’s public schools also have after-school programs that involve academic opportunities so that children are learning while parents are still at work. 

INFORMATION & ASSISTANCE For numbers of community Parks and Recreation departments, see New Arrivals in Hampton Roads: Quick Start Guide.

The Planning Council 622-9268 www.theplanningcouncil.org Statewide Information Services 1-800-230-6977

625-4951 W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 53

EDUCATION: Learning Opportunities

Gloucester Montessori School PK – 3 (804) 693‑6455 Lighthouse Worship Center PK – 5 (804) 642‑3703 Ware Academy PK – 8 (804) 693-3825

HEALTH CARE: Family Health

W

ith many medical advancements and expansions, all Hampton Roads health care facilities are developing new and innovative ways of providing care, while keeping a vigilant eye on the need for a personalized approach to patient care.

Riverside Health is an integrated health network providing over 2 million services annually. Serving Eastern Virginia since 1915, Riverside is guided by a mission to “care for others as we would care for those we love.” Riverside offers a variety of services and programs in the areas of prevention, primary care, diagnostics, neurosciences, oncology, orthopedics, aging-related services, rehabilitation, medical education, home care and hospice. They operate four acute-care hospitals, a mental health and recovery hospital with a dedicated psychiatric emergency department, in addition to a physical rehabilitation hospital and a critical illness recovery hospital in partnership with Select Medical. Riverside Health is also under construction on the new Riverside Smithfield Hospital, scheduled to open early 2026. Riverside Medical Group has more than 750 physicians and advanced practice providers across a broad spectrum of specialties in over 110 locations throughout the region. Riverside Lifelong Health operates six long term care facilities and three vibrant continuing care retirement communities alongside Riverside At Home services including home health, hospice care, palliative care and inhome private care. In addition to these health care services, Riverside operates the Riverside College of Health Careers and six medical residency programs.

The company employs more than 9,500 team members throughout Eastern Virginia.

54 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

Recognized nationally for quality and innovation, Sentara has a history of bringing medical advances first to the region such as robotic surgery, cancer improvements, and heart and other surgical procedures. Sentara was first in the nation to pioneer lifesaving electronic ICU (eICU®).

This comprehensive health system is comprised of 10 hospitals in Virginia, including the region’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and dedicated heart hospital at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Other community needs are met through its nursing and assisted living facilities, advanced imaging centers, outpatient care campuses in the region, array of awardwinning health plans, home health and hospice services, rehabilitation facilities, and nearly 400 world-class physicians of Sentara Medical Group.

Sentara is also known for its compassionate care and service to the community, especially for the area’s less fortunate.

For years, Sentara has touched the lives of thousands of people who are uninsured or underinsured. Sentara provides more than $214.5 million in community benefits. Of that, more than $183.2 million was provided in uncompensated patient care. Community benefit provided by our hospitals Martha Jefferson Hospital and RMH Healthcare are tallied separately.

Sentara also replaced Nightingale air ambulance with a new state-of-the-art helicopter. The $7.2M Eurocopter EC-145 was partly funded by donations from local governments, corporations, foundations and individuals of that exceeded $3.5M. Nightingale operates at a yearly deficit of up to $600,000 due to a high percentage uninsured patients, and Sentara maintains the service as part of its not-for-profit commitment to the community.

Recently the Sentara Neurosciences Institute was formed in collaboration with Eastern Virginia Medical School and other neuroscience experts to advance treatment for diseases of the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles in Virginia.

Heart care in the region has been dramatically improved through Sentara Cardiovascular Research Institute which increased cardiac research and treatment options for area heart patients. Sentara also continues bringing care closer to home by enhancing its comprehensive outpatient campuses like Sentara Independence in Virginia Beach, Sentara Port Warwick in Newport News, Sentara Gloucester Medical Arts, and Sentara BelleHarbor offers north Suffolk residents quality health care.

Another major area hospital is the Mary Immaculate Hospital, an affiliate of the Bon Secours Health System, Inc., a not-for-profit, Catholic healthcare system that employs over 4,000 people.

The hospital features a 42,000-squarefoot Surgical Pavilion. The Pavilion is technologically-advanced, equipped with digital operating rooms. Digital operating rooms use a HERMES Control-Center that enables surgeons to use voice activation to control surgical equipment such as cameras, lights and tables. The OR also includes an image management system that provides high quality, digital images in real-time.

Bon Secours in Hampton Roads also includes the Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center in Midtown Portsmouth which opened a new $16.5-million heart institute in November, 2005, and Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center in Norfolk. The system also includes several physical therapy centers, primary care centers, and the ambulatory surgery and diagnostic centers in Suffolk and in

When you need us,

we are here.

Our comprehensive network of services includes: • Fellowship-trained, board-certified medical specialists • State-of-the-art, innovative technology with personalized care • Nationally recognized, award-winning hospitals & facilities • Accredited Stroke & Chest Pain Centers • Primary, specialty, urgent & emergency care, including a Level II Trauma Center & Neonatal Intensive Care Unit • 24/7 behavioral & mental health services • Physical therapy, medical wellness & fitness centers • Active senior living communities & At Home services Your partner on your journey of lifelong health & wellness.

riversideonline.com/medical-services

W W W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE T • 55

HEALTH CARE: Family Health

Virginia Beach, in addition to nursing care and assisted living facilities throughout the Southside area.

Chesapeake Health is another local, independent health organization serving Hampton Roads. It’s comprised of Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, the W. Stanley Jennings Outpatient Center and several companion providers that offer a broad range of programs and services for Southeastern Virginia residents. It recently opened the free-standing Diagnostic Center of Chesapeake and the area’s only in-patient Women’s Unit.

For many specialized needs for children, Hampton Roads citizens can go to Eastern Virginia Medical School or the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, the only hospital in Southeastern Virginia devoted exclusively to children. For the most critically injured victims, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital features a Level I trauma center and the Nightingale helicopter service. In addition, the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond is just a 90-minute drive northwest.

ACUTE CARE-PENINSULA Langley Air Force Base Hospital Langley AFB 225-7630 This 50-bed facility offers comprehensive care exclusively to military personnel and their dependents.

Mary Immaculate Hospital 2 Bernardine Drive, Newport News www.bshr.com 886-6000 Mary Immaculate Hospital is a 115-bed facility located in the Denbigh section of Newport News. For the past 50 years, the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters at Mary Immaculate have successfully carried out their mission to treat the whole person, mind, body and spirit. The hospital is well known for its women’s services such as The Birthplace, which offers a unique birthing experience. Other specialties include a Heart Center, orthopedics, the Peninsula Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Bon Secours Hernia Center at Mary Immaculate and a full service emergency department with a fast track program. Throughout its history, Mary Immaculate Hospital has maintained a strong commitment to meeting the needs of patients on the Peninsula by continuously expanding 56 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

its breadth of service and its numerous community outreach programs.

McDonald Army Community Hospital Fort Eustis

314-7500

This 45-bed facility offers comprehensive care exclusively to military personnel and their dependents.

Riverside Regional Medical Center 500 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News www.riversideonline.com 594-2000 Riverside Regional Medical Center is the flagship hospital of Riverside Health System.

The Health System started with the 1915 charter for the “Newport News General and Non Sectarian Hospital, Inc.”. The original hospital contained 50 beds and was opened on Huntington Ave., north of 50th Street in 1916. A nursing school was started at about the same time. The hospital was severely strained by a typhoid epidemic during World War I, as well as the influenza epidemic of 1918-19. It was expanded considerably during World War II. The hospital moved to its current 56-acre location in 1963. It currently has 450 beds and is the primary center for medical care on the Virginia Peninsula. Its medical staff is comprised of over 400 physicians in 33 specialties. Riverside Regional Medical Center has always been an innovative force for medicine and medical education both locally and nationally, from the nation’s first CCU in 1965 to the country’s first web-based, competency-based evaluation system in 2001. It continues to evolve and improve and current capital projects include a $100 million renovation of the entire hospital.

Riverside’s special programs and specialties include: Medical education teaching programs, Emergency Department and Level II Trauma Center, advanced operating rooms, a heart center, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Radiosurgery featuring Gamma Knife, Neurointerventional biplane for brain attack (stroke), cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, general surgery, gynecology, medical oncology, nephrology, neurology, neuroradiology, neurosurgery, obstetrics, ophthalmology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, physiatry, pulmonology, radiation oncology, rheumatology, urology and vascular.

Riverside Doctors’ Hospital Williamsburg 1500 Commonwealth Avenue Williamsburg 585-2200

Riverside Doctors’ Hos­pital Williamsburg is a 40-bed hospital offering state-ofthe-art care, comfort and convenience in Williamsburg.

Riverside Doctors’ Hospital Williamsburg features fully integrated computer technol­ ogy through patient “Smart Rooms” enabling nursing staff and providers to spend more time at the bedside, in patient care and teaching.

The full-service facility includes an emer­gency department with 12 private rooms, inpatient and outpatient surgical services featuring two operating rooms and eight pri­vate preparation/recovery rooms, lobby, café and community education area, meditation and reflection area, radiology services, cardio/pulmonary services, outpatient diagnostic services, intensive care unit, pharmacy, and lifelong health center to aid in the transition of patients to other settings outside of the hospital.

In addition, a three floor medical office building has been added to the campus with services including diagnostic and imaging services, internal medicine, orthopedics, physical therapy, pulmonology, vascular and womens health.

Riverside Walter Reed Hospital 7519 Hospital Drive Gloucester (804) 693-8800 Riverside Walter Reed Hospital is a 67-bed acute care facility providing compre­hensive services and state-of-the-art tech­nology to the communities of the Middle Peninsula.

The professional and caring staff embraces the Riverside mission of caring for others as we would care for those we love. Riverside Walter Reed’s 30-plus acre campus includes the Riverside Wellness and Fitness Center, Middle Peninsula Cancer Center, a physical therapy suite including nutrition, speech, hand and occupational therapy. Hospital services include emergency, inpa­tient and outpatient surgery, imaging and laboratory.

Specialty practices and services include cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology and sleep, orthopedics, ophthalmology, physiatry, urology, vascular and women’s health.

Sentara CarePlex Hospital 3000 Coliseum Drive Hampton 736-1000 The 200-bed hospital has revolutionized health care on the Peninsula. Orthopaedic Hospital at Sentara CarePlex is the region’s only dedicated orthopedic hospital and

Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center 100 Sentara Circle Williamsburg 984-6000 The 340,000 square-foot acute care hospital has 145 all-private patient rooms, offering emergency, surgical, medical, maternal and pediatric care. Located on an entire campus devoted to wellness, the medical center is adjacent to many related services and is equipped with some of the latest technology including a 32-slice CT scanner, electronic intensive care monitoring (eICU®), “smart” operating rooms, and digital mammography. The hospital is a certified stroke center and adjoins the Vernon M. Geddy, Jr. Outpatient Center, which houses an outpatient surgery center, pain management clinic, heartburn treatment center and Sentara Williamsburg Comprehensive Breast Center within the Woman’s Imaging Pavilion and physician offices.

Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center 100 Emancipation Drive, Hampton 722-9961 This 405-bed facility was established in 1870 as the fourth national V.A. center, where soldiers could spend their last days in comfort and receive medical care.

It has a strong affiliation with the staff, residents and students at the Eastern Virginia Medical School and provides comprehensive medical, mental health, hospice and nursing home care. In addition, it offers dialysis equipment and substance abuse services. It features several types of

specialized care such as that for individuals with spinal cord injuries.

ACUTE CARE-SOUTHSIDE Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center 150 Kingsley Lane, Norfolk www.bshr.com 889-5000 This 238-bed facility was established in 1855 and today is both an acute care and teaching hospital. Currently, over 600 physicians, representing a wide array of specialties, enable the hospital to provide a comprehensive range of inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic services. Its Midwifery Center was the region’s first and only hospital-based midwife birthing center. Other centers associated with Bon Secours DePaul include the Bon Secours Cancer Center, DePaul Vascular Center, the Joint and Spine Center, the Sleep Center, the Senior Health Center, the Center for Foot and Ankle Surgery, the Wound Care Center and the DePaul Center for Birth.

Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center 336 High Street, Portsmouth www.bshr.com 398-2200 With a staff of over 400 physicians, this 364-bed facility provides emergency, orthopedic, and comprehensive cardiac services, enhanced in 2005 with the opening of the Bon Secours Heart Institute in partnership with Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Its technologically-advanced diagnostics include MRIs, CT scans, nuclear medicine, mammography and digital radiology. Bon Secours Maryview Center also features a daVinci robotics surgical program, the Bon Secours Surgical Weight Loss Center, the Family Birth Center, Spine Center, Maryview Center for Physical Rehabilitation, Martha Davis Cancer Center and the Maryview Joint Center.

Chesapeake Regional Medical Center 736 Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake www.chesapeakeregional.com 312-8121 This 310-bed facility is ranked among Virginia’s top busiest hospitals and among the top 25 hospitals in the nation for stroke care. The BirthPlace —the hospital’s obstetrics unit—was created especially for women starting their families and has helped to deliver more than 50,000 babies. This unit provides a warm, homey

atmosphere that is comfortable and nurturing while providing personalized nursing care to each mother and baby.

This care is extended via MomsMobile, a service that sends a specially-trained nurse to the home to ensure mother and baby are doing well. This service is in addition to a variety of classes that are offered to help moms before and after delivery. Chesapeake General also features a progressive cancer treatment center, a diabetes unit, LifeStyle center and rehabilitation services on an inpatient and outpatient basis.

Eastern Virginia Medical School 825 Fairfax Avenue, Norfolk www.evms.edu 446-5600 One of the medical centers of the Eastern Virginia Medical School is today’s foremost leading reproductive program and was the site of the nation’s first in-vitro fertilization clinic. Other centers within the school include: the Center for Pediatric Research, the Diabetes Institute, the Center for Ocular Pharmacology, the Sleep Disorders Center and the Voice Center for individuals experiencing speech and swallowing problems.

Naval Medical Center 620 John Paul Jones Circle, Portsmouth www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcp/ SitePages/home.aspx 953-5008 This facility is one of the Navy’s three teaching hospitals and the oldest and largest naval hospital in the country. It occupies a 112-acre site on the Elizabeth River and includes the Charette Health Care Center and a new 360-bed acute care facility that is the most modern in the Navy. The Naval Medical Center offers a comprehensive range of health care for military health care beneficiaries.

Sentara Independence 800 Independence Blvd., Virginia Beach www.sentara.com 363-6100 Formerly an acute care hospital, Sentara Independence provides a 24/7 Emergency Department and outpatient services, including physical therapy.

Sentara Leigh Hospital 830 Kempsville Road Norfolk 261-6700 This 250-bed acute care hospital features all private rooms and specializes in orthopedics, gynecology, ophthalmology, outpatient hand surgery and urology.

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adjoins the main hospital where some of the area’s most advanced medical technology is available. A fiberoptic backbone spans the campus, enabling simultaneous computer transfer of life-saving information. This and other groundbreaking technology support the following: filmless, digital diagnostic imaging for faster, clearer test results; one of the nation’s first electronic ICUs for uninterrupted monitoring of critically ill patients; and surgical equipment so sophisticated it listens and responds to doctors’ orders. This hospital gained national stroke certification, sleep lab accredication and is a certified chest pain center--all advancing care for Peninsula residents. And, the future is even more exciting because every inch has been built to accommodate new advancements as they become available.

HEALTH CARE: Family Health

its certified primary stroke center, joint replacement services, family maternity care, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, expert breast care through the Comprehensive Breast Center, and the lifesaving eICU®.

Sentara Norfolk General Hospital 600 Gresham Drive, Norfolk 388-3000 This 555-bed tertiary care facility is located on a large medical campus including a leading medical school, children’s hospital, and Sentara Heart Hospital, which consistently ranks among the nation’s top 50 heart programs by U.S. News & World Report.

As the first hospital in Hampton Roads to achieve Magnet status, Norfolk General is distinguished for nursing excellence and offers superior care through regionally- and nationally- known services such as the Sentara Cancer Institute, advanced imaging capabilities, a specialized level II nursery, eICU®, and minimally-invasive and robotic surgeries. Norfolk General is among a handful of Primary Stroke Centers in Virginia and home to the region’s only Level I Trauma Center, burn trauma unit, and solid organ transplant center. Also located on the Norfolk campus is Nightingale—the region’s first air ambulance.

Sentara Obici Hospital 2800 Godwin Blvd., Suffolk

934-4000

This 138-bed acute care hospital opened in 2002, carrying on a 50-year tradition of providing Suffolk and Western Tidewater residents patient-centered care. The hospital is a certified primary stroke center and provides a wide array of inpatient and outpatient health care services from medical and surgery services to intensive care, pediatrics, and physical rehabilitation.

The hospital offers sophisticated diagnostic services such as cardiac testing, a sleep disorders center, and MRI capabilities. It is among a select group of facilities to offer digital mammography and is the only hospital in the region to offer women ImageChecker technology to read their mammograms.

Sentara Princess Anne Hospital 2025 Glenn Mitchell Drive Norfolk 507-1000 Sentara Princess Anne is a 160-bed acute care hospital that opened in 2011 to serve residents of southern Virginia Beach and neighboring Chesapeake communities.

It includes full-service emergency care, surgical and a family maternity center with

58 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

onsite neonatal intensive care unit. It also features the OrthoJoint Center and recently received National Stroke Certification.

Expert breast services are offered through Sentara Virginia Beach Comprehensive Breast Centers.

Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital 1060 First Colonial Road Virginia Beach

395-8000

This 282-bed acute care facility is among a handful of Primary Stroke Centers in Virginia and offers an array of specialized capabilities through Sentara Heart Center; expert breast services are offered through Sentara Virginia Beach Comprehensive Breast Centers; and intensive care unit featuring 24-hour coverage by intensivists. In addition, the hospital offers access to Sentara Cancer Network through the Coastal Cancer Center; an accredited sleep disorders center; a new inpatient rehab unit, and an expanded emergency department with 40 private patient rooms.

Southampton Memorial Hospital 100 Fairview Drive, Franklin www.smhfranklin.com 569-6100 Established in 1963, Southampton Memorial Hospital is a 221-bed, non-profit facility committed to finding innovative ways of improving health care services. The hospital offers specialties in over 27 different fields, including women’s services, senior care, psychiatry, urology, ophthalmology, internal medicine, obstetrics, long term care and more. In addition, SMH provides 24-hour home health care, hospice and community counseling services, and operates it’s East Pavilion long-term care facility that services 116 residents. There, patients have access to Lakeview Medical Center’s satellite facility that provides cardiology, gastroenterology, pulmonology and rheumatology treatments.

MENTAL HEALTH CARE Bon Secours Maryview Behavioral Medicine Center 3636 High Street, Portsmouth www.bshr.com 398-2367 This 54-bed facility offers a comprehensive range of medical services for those with an acute emotional crisis or drug/alcohol dependency. Medical services include treatment for chemical dependency for adults and psychiatric care for adults and adolescents.

Eastern State Hospital 4601 Ironbound Road Williamsburg 253-5161 Now part of the Virginia Department of Mental Health Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services system, the 760bed facility provides community-focused mental health care.

Riverside Mental Health & Recovery Center 2244 Executive Drive Hampton 826-1007 Our admissions team offers 24/7 support for individuals experiencing behavioral and mental health issues. If you or a family member needs guidance, call us at 757-827-3119. We provide confidential, comprehensive assessments and referral assistance. We also offer walk-in services.

Please know that we support all active and retired military through a wide range of behavioral health services and programs.

The Psychiatric Emergency department (ED) is specifically designed to care for patients 5 and older who are struggling with mental health and substance use.

Separate treatment areas for adults and pediatrics the facility will be open 24 hours, seven days a week to provide care for those in need.

Virginia Beach Psychiatric Center 1100 First Colonial Road Virginia Beach 496-6000 www.absfirst.com This freestanding hospital offers acute psychiatric and substance abuse services for children, adolescents and adults.

Specialized programs: dual diagnosis treatment, substance abuse rehabilitation, detoxification and the women’s program. A unique component is a Mobile Assessment Team that can be triaged to local hospitals, emergency rooms, medical offices, schools and businesses for on-site crisis evaluation.

SPECIALIZED/ NON-ACUTE CARE Bon Secours Health Center at Harbour View 5818 Harbour View Blvd., Suffolk www.bshr.com 673-5800 This facility includes an outpatient surgery and a diagnostic center which includes western Hampton Roads’ only open MRI unit as well as CT and

Bon Secours Health Center at Virginia Beach 828 Healthy Way, Virginia Beach www.bshr.com 463-2540 Bon Secours Health Center at Virginia Beach offers outpatient surgery and advanced imaging services to include CT and MRI. In addition to the In-Motion Physical Therapy and Sports Performance Center, there are primary as well as specialty practices on the campus.

Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters 601 Children’s Lane, Norfolk

668-7000

Exclusively dedicated to the health needs of children, CHKD serves as the region’s

referral center for the most sophisticated care needed in the management of chronic illnesses and diseases and the routine primary care available through its partner community pediatricians.

CountyMed DPC 4600 George Washington Memorial Highway, Yorktown www.countymeddpc.com

500-8750

Just opened in June, CountyMed is today’s version of a family-friendly, neighborhood doctor. Primary care services and urgent care needs but without the wait. Same day and next day appointments, 24-hour telemedicine availability. CountyMed is concierge medicine without the hassle of insurance. Focused on prevention and early detection and will develop individual wellness plans using the newest innovation in medical care.

Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute www.Hamptonproton.org As a patient treatment facility as well as a research and education center, HUPTI builds upon Hampton’s legacy of knowledge and innovation. Our doctors

and researchers are further developing the science of proton therapy to remain at the vanguard of the fight against cancer into the future. HUPTI continues to be a catalyst for new scientific discoveries and increasingly accurate, advanced care for cancer patients. Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute (HUPTI) was the eighth center to rise to prominence, and has evolved to become the largest facility of its kind in the world.

Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine www.jonesinstitute.org The Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine is the largest, most comprehensive women’s health practice in the region. It offers fertility treatments ranging from diagnosis and basic treatments, such as intrauterine insemination, to pioneering assisted-reproduction technologies, such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). It also provides care for normal and complicated obstetrics patients as well as for women experiencing menopause and its complications, like osteoporosis.

Virginia’s Pioneer of Proton Therapy Cancer Treatment Benefits of Proton Therapy include: ●

No hospital stays

●

Noninvasive

●

Precisely targets tumor

●

Healthy tissue spared

●

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by Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance providers

hamptonproton.org 40 Enterprise Parkway Hampton, Virginia 23666 757.251.6800 RESEARCH • ADVOCACY • ACCESS

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HEALTH CARE: Family Health

diagnostic radiology and non-invasive vascular imaging. Other services include In-Motion Physical Therapy and Sports Performance Center, a gastroenterology center, the Bon Secours Center for Colon and Rectal Diseases, the Bon Secours Surgical Weight Loss Center, Mid-Atlantic Hearing and Balance Center, primary care and specialist offices, a full-service emergency department and The Millie Lancaster Women’s Center.

HEALTH CARE: Family Health

Lake Taylor Transitional Care 1309 Kempsville Road, Norfolk www.laketaylor.org 461-5001 Considered to be one of the best sub-acute care facilities on the East Coast, this 296-bed facility is also one of the few in the state licensed to provide both nursing and sub-acute care. It typically provides care for patients who are too well to warrant hospital care but who are unprepared to return home because of respiratory, stroke, orthopedic, cancer or neurological illness.

Orthopedic & Spine Center 250 Nat Turner Boulevard Newport News 596-1900 This practice specializes in orthopedic surgery, sports medicine, arthritis surgery, total knee and hip replacements, arthroscopic surgery, fracture treatment, hand and foot surgeries, MRI and Dexascan (bone density and body fat analysis).

Riverside Rehabilitation Institute in Partnership with Select Medical 245 Chesapeake Avenue Newport News 928-8000 Riverside Rehabilitation Hospital provides highly specialized care, advanced treatment and leading-edge technologies that help individuals like you rebuild your life following injury or illness. Services include stroke, orthopedic, neurologic, brain injury, amputee, spinal cord and medically complex rehabilitation.

Sentara BelleHarbour 3920 A Bridge Road, Suffolk

983-0000

Advanced health care has come to north Suffolk at Sentara BelleHarbour, less than one mile from the 664/Route 17 interchange. This state-of-the-art outpatient medical center brings quality health services including a 24hour, freestanding emergency department, advanced imaging center, central testing and laboratory, sleep center, occupational medicine, physical therapy services, and physician offices to nearby residents.

Sentara Gloucester Medical Arts 5659 Parkway Drive Gloucester (804) 210-1000 Sentara Gloucester Medical Arts, located off Route 17 at the entrance of the Gloucester Business Park, has a wide array of medical services including urgent care, primary and specialists care, and pediatrics coupled with diagnostic imaging services.

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Sentara Greenbrier Healthplex 713 Volvo Parkway Chesapeake 1-800-736-8272 Advanced Imaging Center 282-4025 Battlefield Therapy Center 282-4015 Advanced healthcare in a neighbohood setting is available at Greenbrier HealthPlex.

Included are physician offices, diagnostic services, physical therapy and complete women’s care as well as laboratory testing.

Sentara Heart Hospital® 600 Gresham Drive, Norfolk

388-8000

This $94.5 million, state-of-the-art facility, opened in February, 2006 on the Norfolk General Hospital campus.

It is the region’s only dedicated heart hospital enabling heart patients to receive comprehensive services-from diagnostics and interventional cardiology to open-heart surgery and transplantation—all under one roof. The new hospital showcases excellence in heart care building on Norfolk General’s successes in developing one of the best heart programs in the nation. The facility has 112 licensed inpatient beds and 45 pre/post procedural rooms—all private. It also features 5 “smart” voice-activated cardiac operating rooms, the region’s only cardiac eICU® offering round-the- clock electronic monitoring of heart patients, 6 cardiac catheterization labs, and 3 electrophysiology (EP) labs. In addition, the hospital has the region’s first 64-slice CT scanner, which enables doctors to diagnose heart disease within seconds and avoid invasive heart catheterization procedures.

Sentara Medical Group Virginia Beach 395-1300 Nearly 400 premier physicians practicing from about 100 sites of care comprise Sentara Medical Group. Spanning from Williamsburg to northeastern North Carolina, the medical group includes a full complement of primary and secondary physicians growing to meet the changing needs of the community.

Sentara Medical Arts & Urgent Care at New Town 4374 New Town Avenue Williamsburg 259-1900 Sentara Medical Arts & Urgent Care at New Town, a nearly 50,000 square foot building located off Ironbound Road, houses several internal medicine and family practice physician offices in addition to New Town Urgent Care now open seven days a week.

Occupational Medicine, coumadin clinic, and

a pediatric practice and specialized teen health clinic are also located on campus.

Sentara Port Warwick 11803 Jefferson Avenue at Loftus Newport News 736-9898 Sentara Port Warwick is the Peninsula’s only comprehensive outpatient campus. Located on 15 acres, this three-building complex includes a 24-hour freestanding emergency department staffed by board-certified emergency physicians, advanced imaging center, the region’s first comprehensive breast center including a high-risk breast program, an advanced vascular treatment center, and an outpatient surgery center staffed by boardcertified surgeons well-versed in minimallyinvasive surgeries that reduce recovery times.

Primary and specialty physicians, a laboratory, hyperbaric medicine, Virginia Oncology’s cancer center and endovascular suite offer a full complement of outpatient services to Peninsula patients.

Sentara St. Lukes 20209 Sentara Way, Carrollton www.sentara.com/stlukes 542-1000 Now open near the intersection of Brewers Neck Boulevard (Route 258) and Route 10 is Sentara St. Luke’s, a new, two-story, 52,000 square foot health care campus. Among the services available on campus are: Sentara Urgent Care, Sentara Family Medicine Physicians (formerly Smithfield Medical Center), Advanced Imaging Services, Smithfield Therapy Center (formerly Smithfield Physical Therapy), laboratory services, and physician specialists ranging from OB/GYN to cardiology, gastrointestinal care and ophthalmology.

W. Jennings Outpatient Center 844 N. Battlefield Boulevard Chesapeake 312-6137 This Surgery Center, designed for patients who have their procedure and return home the same day, offers many advantages. Its award-winning design is one of the most patient-friendly in Hampton Roads providing a soothing atmosphere that is an alternative to traditional hospitals. All patient rooms have windows, many of which overlook an outdoor pond and fountain area. Even the four operating suites have windows for natural lighting. Family member needs have also been taken into account, with a spacious, comfortable waiting area that boasts two workstations with phones. Procedures that can be performed in the Surgery Center include orthopedic, gynecologic, ENT, plastic, podiatry and general surgery cases.

FITNESS / WELLNESS CENTERS

Bon Secours ParCourse Fitness Trail 2 Bernadine Dr., Newport News 886-6000 Chesapeake Health Fitness Centers Lifestyle Center-CGH 800 Battlefield Boulevard North Chesapeake 312-6132 Lifestyle Center-Western Branch 4626 Taylor Road, Chesapeake 483-8300 Curves for Women Peninsula & Southside

1-800-419-9250

Dominion Physical Therapy 466 Denbigh Boulevard Newport News

875-0861

729 Thimble Shoals, Suite 4C Newport News

873-2932

243 McLaws Circle, Suite 102 Williamsburg 564-9628 304 Marcella Road, Suite E Hampton 825-9446 500 Rodman Ave, Suite 4 Portsmouth

393-6119

301 Riverview Avenue, Suite 525A Norfolk 963-5588 Obici Physical Therapy and Wellness Route 10/Godwin Boulevard Suffolk 934-8572 Riverside Wellness & Fitness Centers 12650 Jefferson Ave. Newport News 875-7525 7516 Hospital Rd., Rte. 17 Gloucester (804) 693-8888 Our wellness programs are integrated with Riverside’s physicians and practitioners to offer complete care for your overall health. We also offer CPR and first aid classes, fitness assessments, metabolic testing, and an on-site health coach to help you meet your goals. No matter your goal, you’ll find challenge, encouragement and motivation at our fitness centers. Cardio machines. Free weights. Group fitness classes. Specialized classes. One-on-one training. Find your balance in life with programs and services that focus on nurturing your mind and body. You’ll find indoor and outdoor

Sentara Center for Health & Fitness 4001 Coliseum Drive Hampton 766-2658 The Sentara Center for Health & Fitness opened across from Sentara CarePlex Hospital and offers comprehensive health and wellness services including cardiovascular and weight training, sports performance, and medically-managed fitness and rehabilitation.

The Simon Family JCC 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 100 Virginia Beach 321-2338 Offers more than just a great gym.

Members: • Comprehensive fitness center and indoor and outdoor pools • 50+ free group fitness classes per week, including Tabata, Zumba, and more • Free babysitting while you work out • Summer day camps for toddlers - teens • Cultural & educational programs for children, teens & adults Total Fitness 6120 Jefferson Ave. Newport News

Portsmouth 399-5511 Newport News 223-7925 Norfolk 622-9622 Suffolk 934-9622 Virginia Beach 456-9622 Williamsburg 220-9622 York County 867-3300 Aerobics, free weights, indoor pool, indoor track, Lifecycles, Nautilus equipment, racquetball, rowers and stair climbers.

Features Cybex and three gyms. Child care.

REFERRALS American Board of Medical Specialties www.abms.org 1-866-275-2267 (866-ASK-ABMS) Verifies doctors’ board certification.

Riverside Nurse 595-6363 Toll-free 1-800-675-6368 Assesses medical symptoms, answers health information questions and provides physician referrals. Free and confidential 24-hour, 7-days-a-week service provided by Riverside Health System.

Bon Secours Health Resource Center Mary Immaculate Hospital 886-6000 Refers specific doctors—who have chosen to be in the service—on a rotational basis.

Also refers programs offered by the hospital and community support groups. Available business hours only.

Sentara Healthcare 1-800-736-8272 Refers specific doctors—who have chosen to be in the service—on a rotational basis.

Refers services of bilingual doctors. Also refers programs offered by the hospital and community support groups. 

827-0629

Free weights, individualized programs, Lifecycles, Nautilus and Universal equipment, nutritional guidance, rowers, sauna, stair climbers, tanning bed, weight-loss program and whirlpool. Features lifting supplies and supplements. Specializes in body building.

YMCA Chesapeake 547-9622 Hampton 722-9044 South Hampton Roads 624-9622 James City County 200-6070

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Bally Total Fitness Peninsula & Southside locations 1-866-402-2559 (40BALLY)

tennis courts, indoor basketball and racquetball. Tennis lessons, leagues, and tournaments are also offered. Our center offers diverse resources and programs to help you stay healthy and safe, in and around the water, regardless of age or swimming ability. The indoor pools are heated year-round. Two lanes are always open for lap swimming, and a Red Crosscertified Lifeguard is on duty at all times.

The center also offers a spacious hot tub for relaxation and rejuvenation. Improve circulation and melt stress away with a relaxing massage. Or join one of our yoga, tai chi, or guided meditation classes to refresh your mind, improve sleep, and manage stress. There’s something for everyone. We also offer on-site child care during your workout. Children 6 weeks to 7 years old are welcome.

SENIOR LIVING: Helpful Organizations

RESOURCES FOR SENIORS As the number of seniors within the Hampton Roads community grows, there are an abundance of organizations and agencies that can provide information and other forms of assistance.

Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia is one such group that provides pre-scheduled rides as well as emergency transportation for seniors in need. Its Nutrition Program distributes meals to seniors at day care centers as well as to individual homes. The Center for Aging disseminates information about adult services and benefits while its Ombudsman Office is a resource for individuals that have facility care concerns. Senior Services also coordinates volunteer and employment programs for seniors. For more information, call 461-9481 or visit www.ssseva.org.

Other resources include the Peninsula Agency on Aging, and the Peninsula Aging Network that meet monthly.

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HELPFUL ORGANIZATIONS FOR SENIORS Alzheimer’s Association Southeastern Virginia Chapter www.alz.org/seva 459-2405 American Association of Retired Persons www.aarp.com 1-888-687-2277 Bay Aging https://bayaging.org/ (804) 758-2386 Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia www.cceva.org 456-2366 Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office Elderly and Indigent Victim’s Assistance Program Chesapeake 382-6159 Christopher Center at Our Lady of Perpetual Help 495-4211 www.ourladyperpetualhelp.com/memory Disabled American Veterans Chesapeake 545-5679 Gloucester 804-695-1558 Hampton 826-7530 Newport News 875-0721 Norfolk 426-7100 Portsmouth 465-7300 Suffolk 934-2695 Virginia Beach 519-9931 Elder Care Resource & Referral www.theplanningcouncil.org 627-3993 Eastern Shore Area Agency on Aging www.esaaa-caa.net 442-9652 Norfolk Endependence Center Inc. 461-8007 http://endependence.org/

Family Management Services, Inc. Fairfax 571-748-5429 File of Life 382-8824 Food Stamps & Fuel Assistance 926-6300 Foster Grandparent Program 727-1858 Franklin Downtown Development 562-6900 Friends of the Elderly Virginia Beach 431-0052 www.fote.webs.com GoldenClub 856-7010 Goodwill 1-800-Goodwill / 627-7733 Great Atlantic Travel & Tour 422-9002 Institute for Learning in Retirement Virginia Beach www.oduilr.com 368-4160 Jewish Family Services of Tidewater 321-2222 www.jfshamptonroads.org Magnolia Manor Assisted Living at The Orchard (804) 313-2400 at Smithfield 357-0732 Meals on Wheels Chesapeake 312-6458 Newport News 873-0541 Norfolk 892-5210 Portsmouth 673-5025 Suffolk 934-4911 Virginia Beach 306-2721 Williamsburg 229-9250 York County 525-3881

Peninsula Aging and Disability Resource Network 873-0541 www.padrn.org Peninsula Aging Network 345-6277 Riverside Adult Day Services Newport News 757-875-2033 The Martha W. Goodson Center riversideonline.com/memorycare 757-220-4751 Riverside Healthy Living Community Smithfield Assisted Living / Memory Care / Rehabilitation / Long-term Care riversideonline.com/smithfield 757-357-3282 Riverside Lifelong Health & Rehabilitation Mathews 804-725-9443 riversideonline.com/mathewscare

Sentara Senior Community Care (PACE Program) Virginia Beach 502-7800 Riverside Nurse 1-800-675-6368 Sentara Village Chesapeake 261-4050 Riverside Senior Care Navigation Norfolk 892-5200 757-856-7030 Virginia Beach 306-2800 Retired Senior Volunteer Social Security Administration Programs of the Peninsula General Information 1-800-772-1213 Newport News, Portsmouth, Newport News 873-3914 Suffolk 595-9037 Chesapeake/Norfolk 858-6198 Portsmouth 465-4896 Sanders - Active Senior Living

by Riverside Social Services Departments Independent Living / Assisted Living / Main Agency (804) 726-7000 Rehabilitation / Long-term Care Chesapeake 382-2000 sandersliving.com 804-693-2000 Hampton 727-1800 Newport News 926-6300 Senior Centers 664-6000 Chesapeake 382-2330 Norfolk Hampton 727-1601 Portsmouth 405-1800 514-7450 Historic Triangle 259-4187 Suffolk 385-3200 Newport News 591-4850 Virginia Beach Norfolk 644-6484 United Seniors Assoc. 1-800-951-0017 Ocean View 441-1767 York County 898-3880 Virginia Center of Aging 804-828-1525 Riverside Lifelong Health & Rehabilitation Saluda 804-758-2363 riversideonline.com/saludacare

Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia www.ssseva.org 461-9481

VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads www.volunteerhr.org 624-2400

Sentara Adult Day Health Care Center Virginia Beach 306-2850 Sentara Living Williamsburg 1-800-736-8272 www.sentara.com

Warwick Forest - Active Senior Living

by Riverside Independent Living / Assisted Living / Memory Care / Rehabilitation / Long-term Care warwickforest.com 757-886-2000 

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SENIOR LIVING: Helpful Organizations

Medicare General Information 1-800-633-4227 Eligibility 1-800-772-1213 Mobile Meals of Norfolk 892-5210 Mobile Meals of Portsmouth 687-6325 Patriots Colony at Williamsburg Active Senior Living by Riverside Independent Living / Assisted Living / Memory Care / Rehabilitation / Long-term Care 757-220-9000 patriotscolony.com Peninsula Agency on Aging www.paainc.org 873-0541

BUSINESS GUIDE: Advertisers’ Directory

Thank You Hampton Roads ADVERTISING

Darden Publishing

www.dardenpublishing.net (757) 389-5473 (See our info - Inside Back Cover)

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Hampton Sheriff’s Office 1928 W. Pembroke Avenue Hampton, VA 23661 (757) 926-2540 www.hampton.gov/sheriff (See our ad - page 27)

Virginia Peninsula Chamber 11850 Merchants Walk, Suite 110 Newport News VA 23606 (757) 262-2000 www.vaPeninsulaChamber.com (See our ad - page 39)

DINING, RECREATION & SHOPPING Riverwalk Landing

PO Box 612 (for mailing) 425 Water Street Yorktown, VA 23690 www.riverwalklanding.com (See our ad - page 25)

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Chesapeake, City of 555 Belaire Avenue Suite 310 Chesapeake, VA 23320 (757) 382-8040 www.chesapeakeva.biz (See our ad - page 15)

Gloucester County 6489 Main Street Gloucester, VA 23061 (804) 693-1415 www.gloucesterva.info (See our ad - page 16)

Hampton, City of

One Franklin Street, Suite 600 Hampton, VA 23669 (757) 727-6237 www.hampton.gov (See our ad - pages 18-19)

Newport News, City of 2400 Washington Avenue 3rd Floor Newport News, VA 23607 (757) 926-8428 Toll-Free 1-800-274-8348 www.newportnewsva.com (See our ad - pages 20-21)

Poquoson, City of

830 Poquoson Avenue Poquoson, VA 23662 (757) 868-5314 www.poquoson-va.gov (See our ad - page 17)

Suffolk, City of

440 Market Street Suffolk, VA 23434 (757) 514-4040 www.YesSuffolk.com (See our ad - page 23)

York County Dept. of Economic & Tourism Development

P.O. Box 612 (for mailing) 121 Alexander Hamilton Blvd.

Yorktown, VA 23690 (757) 890-3317 www.YesYorkCounty.com (See our ad - pages 24-25)

EDUCATION

Hampton Roads International Montessori School 11790 Jefferson Ave., Suite 200 Newport News, VA 23606 23 Semple Farm Road Hampton, VA 23666 (757) 873-8950 www.hrimontessori.org (See our ad - Back Cover)

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Old Point National Bank 101 East Queen Street Hampton, VA 23669 (757) 728-1200 www.OldPoint.com (See our ad - page 3)

HEALTHCARE

Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute 40 Enterprise Parkway Hampton, VA 23666 www.Hamptonproton.org (757) 251-6800 (See our ad - page 59)

Riverside Health System 701 Town Center Drive Suite 1000 Newport News, VA 23606 (757) 875-7880 www.riversideonline.com (See our ad - page 55)

MARKETING & COMMUNICATION

City of Portsmouth

801 Crawford Street Portsmouth, VA 23704 (757) 393-5143 https://www.portsmouthva.gov (See our ad - page 22)

Marcie Block

Graphic Designer contact@marcieblock.com marcieblock.com (See our ad - Inside Front Cover)

REAL ESTATE/ RESIDENTAL

Century 21 Nachman Realty

Patsy Hall Realty

7384 Sinclair Way Gloucester, VA 23061 804-694-7557 www.fiddlerscrossingva.com (See our ad - page 37)

TRAVEL & TOURISM

Caroline County Tourism 23724 Rogers Clark Blvd.

Ruther Glen, Virginia 22546 804-633-3490 www.visitcaroline.com (See our ad - page 35)

Hampton Convention & Visitor Bureau Hampton, City of 1919 Commerce Drive Suite 290 Hampton, VA 23666 (757) 722-1222 www.VisitHampton.com (See our ad - pages 18-19)

Prince George County

6602 Courts Drive, PO Box 68 Prince George, VA 23875 (804) 722-8609 www.princegeorgecountyva.gov/visitors/ (See our ad - page 33)

York County Dept. of Economic & Tourism Development P.O. Box 532 (for mailing) 121 Alexander Hamilton Blvd.

Yorktown, VA 23690 (757) 890-5900 www.visityorktown.org (See our ad - page 24-25)

Visit West Point & King William County

802 Main Street West Point, Virginia 23181 804-843-3330 www.visitwestpointkingwilliam.com (See our ad - page 47)

720 Thimble Shoals Boulevard Newport News, VA 23606 Toll-Free 1-800-539-8014 www.century21nachman.com (See our ad - page 29)

A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR ADVERTISERS, FRIENDS AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATES. 64 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25

DARDEN PUBLISHING Q UA L I T Y P U B L I C AT I O N S S I N C E 1 9 9 3

It all started in 1993 with the birth of Living on the Virginia Peninsula.

1998 The Military Guide to Hampton Roads was brought into service.

2005, 11 years later, Living in Hampton Roads was born.

2008 Bravo was created to support the “Cultural Alliance of Greater Hampton Roads”.

2009 Healthcare in Hampton Roads arrived.

February 7, 2012

Our trademark was born. The 1st & original Coastal Virginia, magazine serving the Greater Hampton Roads area of Virginia.

COASTAL VIRGINIA®

C O A S TA L LIVING IN

HAMPTON ROADS

DARDEN PUBLISHING 2024-2025 EDITION

COMMUNITY PROFILES | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | EDUCATION HEALTH CARE | REAL ESTATE | SENIOR LIVING | MUSEUMS & MORE 2024-2025 | www.coastalvirginia.net

T • 65 C E L E B R A T I N G 3 1 Y E A R S O F S E R V I N G H A M P T OWNW W.COASTALVIRGINIA.NE ROADS

New Middle School in Newport News for 2024-25!

The ONLY accredited Montessori School in South Eastern VA • Ages 16 months - 8th grade 66 • COASTAL VIRGINIA 2024-25