Newport News breaks ground on $40 million Virgil Gus Grissom Library in North District

Newport News City officials held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new 51,000-square-foot Virgil Gus Grissom Library, a $40 million investment city leaders said will serve as a center for learning, technology, workforce development and community gatherings in the North District.

Mayor Jones opened the ceremony and announced the project, saying, "Today, we officially break ground on the brand new 51,000 square feet Virgil Gus Grissom Library." He described the project as an investment "in people, opportunity, and the future of the city of Newport News." The mayor recognized city staff, the library board and community partners who helped advance the plan.

Vice Mayor Curtis Bethany, who represents the district where the library will sit, said the new building will offer "collaborative learning environments, flexible meeting rooms, study areas, and welcoming spaces for programs and events." Bethany noted demolition of the Sherwood Shopping Center recently cleared the site and said the city expects to welcome the public for a grand opening in 2028.

City Manager Alan Archer called the library "a modern community resource designed to meet our evolving needs for decades to come," and said projects like the Grissom Library often spur additional private investment and economic activity near the site.

Dolores Thomas, introduced as a longtime advocate for the library, emphasized community benefits beyond books: "It will provide safe and inspiring spaces for our children. Our teenagers will have their own dedicated space, and adults will have access to library resources to continue improving their lives." Thomas also said the facility will help bridge the digital divide by providing access to emerging technologies.

The speakers repeatedly framed the building as part of a broader Sherwood-site redevelopment that city leaders say will strengthen economic vibrancy in the area. Officials invited city council members, library staff and project partners to join a ceremonial groundbreaking photo to mark the start of construction.

City officials provided the following project details during the ceremony: the facility is planned at roughly 51,000 square feet; the project budget announced was $40,000,000; demolition of the former Sherwood Shopping Center has already begun to make room for the site; the existing Grissom Library on Shazer Drive opened in 1977 and is being replaced; and leaders said they expect a grand opening in 2028.