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Economic Development reviews grants, Fairwinds Landing work and downtown initiatives
Summary
The city's economic development presenter reviewed a new strategic plan, grant-funded site work at Fairwinds Landing tied to offshore wind operations, commercial-corridor facade grants, and redevelopment discussions for MacArthur Mall and Military Circle Mall including a study of an ice sports facility.
Sean Washington, Economic Development (City of Norfolk), gave an update summarizing the department's strategic plan, grant activity, business-retention work and downtown redevelopment efforts.
Washington said the department updated its strategic plan, staffed several new positions and is aligning economic-development priorities with regional partners. He highlighted federal and state grant activity, including a $39 million federal grant described in the presentation as "PIDP, Public Infrastructure Development Bridal" for infrastructure at Fairwinds Landing; staff said the city was leveraging roughly $45 million in grants to support about $90 million in capital investment at targeted sites.
Why this matters: Economic development staff said the grant-funded demolition and site work at Fairwinds Landing clears space for operations tied to offshore wind and related supply-chain activity. Washington described a Dominion operation-and-maintenance facility sited on Fairwinds Landing and said, "the operation of those turbines are gonna be right here in Norfolk," as part of the offshore-wind value chain.
Staff also described a commercial-corridor program that has awarded façade-improvement grants (about $1.2 million deployed to date with a reported public leverage of roughly $7 million in private investment) and a plan to award additional rounds beginning in March. The department said it closed five business-retention-and-expansion projects in the past year representing over $70 million in capital investment and about 200 jobs.
On downtown and major site redevelopment, Washington said Harbor Park Lot D (the casino site) has mobilized and that operators plan a temporary casino by November 2025 and a permanent structure by fall 2027. He said the city is coordinating parking and transit options during baseball season and construction activity. On MacArthur Mall, staff reported ongoing developer interest and studies by design and tourism consultants; Washington said the city expects a major private development announcement in early spring. He also previewed Military Circle Mall planning work and said concepts under discussion include mixed residential, workforce-innovation uses and sports-tourism uses such as an ice facility; Washington said feasibility and financing must be resolved before any commitment.
Ending: Commissioners asked about financing, timeline and impacts to neighborhoods and transit; Washington and staff said many projects depend on external grants, private-sector financing and site-specific approvals, and that the department is working with regional partners and state agencies to align resources.
