CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Chesapeake Mayor Rick West laid the groundwork for what he wants to come to the resort city, while also touting the accomplishments made in the past year in his State of the City address on Wednesday.
At the top of West's list is a decrease in crime, projects planned at the Greenbrier Mall and finalizing a single recycling option for the City of Chesapeake.
"While it's heartening to see a drop in crime in Chesapeake, we all hurt when we see it across Hampton Roads," said West.
Compared to the rest of Hampton Roads, West said the City of Chesapeake is recording a low amount of homicides so far in 2024.
He thanked the city's police force and first responders for their continued work, giving them credit for the drop.
"It's due to them that people can feel safe walking home," said West. "That doesn't mean everything is solved, far from it, but they do incredible work."
West's speech mostly focused on Chesapeake's booming economy.
Several projects were listed to come to Hampton Roads, including a new community pool estimated to cost $20 million.
There is also a lot of speculation as to what will happen to the Greenbrier Mall.
"There is no shortage of ideas and rumors, some are very inviting while others boggle the mind with outlandishness," said West.
West said consultants are working to gather qualities and challenges of the 12-square mile space. They're trying to guide city leaders as they evaluate any future development.
However, West did not announce any formal decisions as he said the property's owners still need to come to the table.
"It's a bit challenging because Greenbrier Mall is owned by three different entities and so you have to be able to work with all three," said West.
Then there is the issue of recycling.
In 2022, the City of Chesapeake ended curbside recycling, and the battle to bring it back or find another alternative is still raging.
West said the city is still weighing its options, but said city leaders are looking to select a single recycling source for the city.
"We can't just keep bringing all this trash to landfills and expect them to last forever. This last month, I think you know, the landfill just filled up and we're getting ready to build another but in another 15 to 20 years at this rate, it will not be sustainable!"
City leaders said figuring out these future plans is a top priority.