NORFOLK, Va. — Tuesday marked a groundbreaking day for Norfolk’s massive Tidewater Gardens transformation project.
Norfolk city leaders plan to replace the aging, low-income housing units with modern, mixed-income apartments.
City leaders broke ground on what will become the largest redevelopment project in Norfolk.
The Tidewater Gardens project marks the first phase of an overall revitalization that NRHA executive director Ronald Jackson called transformational.
“This part is really important because I think it’s going to set the stage for what comes after,” Jackson said. “People are going to see what comes out to the ground -- the quality, amenities, that we talked about.”
Norfolk City Councilmember Paul Riddick said he supports the project, but he voiced a few concerns about who is and who isn’t involved in the process.
“We have removed over - I don’t know, 700, 800 Black families and this project is financed by HUD, City of Norfolk and others, and yet we have no members of the Black communities that are making a significant amount of money,” Riddick said.
The project hasn't been without controversy. In 2020, residents sued the city of Norfolk, claiming the redevelopment would harm families by reducing the number of affordable homes.
Norfolk city leaders settled the lawsuit in November. The agreement ensures residents, who have to relocate to accommodate construction, can move back in when everything is finished.
As part of the first phase of the project, Jackson said construction crews are building units specifically for former residents to move back in.
“The start is just going to be primarily for the families that have been relocated due to the demolition, so they actually had the opportunity to come back first,” Jackson said. “Later on, into the redevelopment part of it, there will be opportunities for market-rate housing. But we wanted to make sure that we had the housing in place for the families who were displaced to have the opportunity to come back.”
City leaders say they worked to relocate most families as construction is set to begin. But not everyone in the area has moved out just yet.
“We’re going through demolishing. I think we have about 100-something families who are left,” Jackson said. “I’m pretty sure by the end of the year, if not by summer, we will have most of the families out.”
Developers said construction on this project should finish in 14 months by summer 2023.
“In a few weeks, we’re going to see a lot of constructive activity,” said Tom Johnston, chief development officer of the Franklin Johnston Group: “And next year, 182 families will be proud to call this community their home.”