Four groups — including mid-Atlantic developers, entertainment and sports figures, concert promoters and arena operators — are competing for a chance to redevelop Norfolk’s aging Military Circle Mall into a mixed-use community.
Overhauling the struggling mall has long been on the city’s to-do list, but the project was jump-started last year when the Norfolk Economic Development Authority purchased the 75-acre property for $11 million and the adjacent DoubleTree Hotel property for $2.4 million. The city chose four finalists to submit full proposals to transform Military Circle into a walkable neighborhood with housing, retail and office space. With a May 14 deadline for submissions, a developer will be selected this summer.
“We’re not trying to create an area that’s a cookie-cutter destination,” says Norfolk Economic Development Director Jared Chalk. “We want to create a project that’s a catalyst for future change and growth for the entire east side of Norfolk.”
