Rising Together: The Projects That Redefined Hampton Roads in 2025

By Eric S. Cavallo, Editor-in-Chief, HRCNN

Hampton Roads entered 2025 with expectations tempered by years of deferred projects, uneven investment cycles, and a regional economy often caught between aspiration and reality. Yet by the close of the year, the region presented a very different landscape—one marked by active construction, visible reinvestment, and a newfound alignment among its major cities. Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Portsmouth each advanced projects of unusual scale and consequence, signaling that the region had moved past hesitancy and into a period of genuine economic confidence. The result was not a series of isolated developments but a portrait of a metropolitan area rediscovering its momentum.

Nowhere was this more apparent than at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, where the long-anticipated Atlantic Park project finally moved decisively into construction. For years, the former Dome site stood as both a reminder of missed opportunity and a symbol of the city’s desire to create a modern entertainment district. That changed through the partnership between Venture Realty Group, the Virginia Beach Development Authority, Mayor Bobby Dyer, and key city leaders including Deputy City Manager Taylor Adams, who helped steer negotiations to final approval. The City of Virginia Beach committed more than $150 million toward the public backbone of the district: approximately $9.2 million for land acquisition and site preparation, $55 million for a new 3,500-seat entertainment venue, nearly $46 million for structured parking, about $36.6 million for off-site infrastructure, and an additional $6 million for streetscape improvements. Private capital is funding the remainder of a mixed-use program expected to total between $325 million and $350 million when fully built out. As 2025 progressed, foundations were poured, structural steel rose, and the once-vacant site transformed into a promising multi-venue district designed to reposition the Oceanfront as a year-round destination.

A few miles west, another Virginia Beach landmark continued its own transformation. The redevelopment of the former Pembroke Mall into Pembroke Square advanced throughout 2025 under the direction of Pembroke Realty Group and its president, Ramsay Smith. The $200 million plan represents one of the region’s most ambitious examples of adaptive reuse, replacing an aging enclosed mall with a walkable, integrated district of multifamily housing, senior living, hotel development, retail, dining, and entertainment. The city’s participation—particularly through public parking infrastructure—helped enable higher density and a more contemporary urban form. Aviva Pembroke, the senior living component, opened its doors; the Beamers residential building continued to stabilize with strong demand; and construction began on a seven-story Tempo by Hilton hotel, set to deliver in 2027. What emerged in 2025 was not merely the reinvention of a single parcel but a demonstration of how older commercial corridors can evolve into resilient, mixed-use urban centers capable of driving sustained economic activity.

Across the Elizabeth River in Norfolk, progress accelerated on a project of even greater scale. The Norfolk Casino Resort—led by the Pamunkey Indian Tribe in partnership with Boyd Gaming—advanced a $750 million entertainment and hospitality complex designed to reshape the city’s riverfront. Supported by Mayor Kenny Alexander and successive City Council actions, the resort is planned to include a hotel tower, gaming floor, dining and retail options, meeting and convention space, and direct integration with the waterfront. For decades, the land adjacent to Harbor Park remained underutilized despite its strategic location along transit, riverfront access, and the city’s sports district. In 2025, pile driving, site preparation, and foundation systems signaled that Norfolk had moved beyond conceptual renderings into tangible execution. The opening of a temporary casino later in the year provided further evidence that the long-term resort is not just aspirational but underway, with the potential to anchor a new era of downtown revitalization and tourism-oriented development.

Portsmouth, too, marked 2025 as a turning point. With the success of Rivers Casino Portsmouth already established, city leadership—including Mayor Shannon Glover, the City Manager’s Office, and partners at Rush Street Gaming—advanced The Landing Hotel, an eight-story, $65 million lodging development directly connected to the casino. Designed to include 106 guest rooms, 32 suites, and high-end amenities such as executive meeting spaces, upscale hospitality offerings, and indoor access to the casino’s entertainment and dining venues, The Landing stands to become one of the most consequential hospitality investments in Portsmouth’s modern history. Groundbreaking activity, early-stage structural work, and contractor mobilization reflected a project that had moved definitively from planning to execution. In a city constrained by its limited taxable land base—where federal and military holdings dominate large acreage—privately funded investments of this magnitude carry an outsized impact. The Landing is expected to generate hundreds of construction jobs, dozens of permanent hospitality positions, and sustained revenue streams that strengthen the city’s fiscal position.

Taken together, the progress made in 2025 represents more than concurrent construction activity. It reflects a strategic reorientation in how Hampton Roads cities evaluate, pursue, and execute large-scale development. Each project differs in purpose and design: Atlantic Park modernizes the region’s tourism identity; Pembroke Square demonstrates the power of urban reinvention; Norfolk’s casino resort reclaims underused waterfront; and The Landing elevates Portsmouth’s hospitality and entertainment capacity. Yet in their differences, they reveal a shared regional trajectory. Local governments made difficult but forward-looking financial commitments. Developers invested capital at a scale that signals faith in the metropolitan economy. And planners, architects, and contractors worked in alignment to bring long-discussed ideas into physical form.

As 2026 approaches, the question confronting Hampton Roads is no longer whether the region can attract major development, but how effectively it can integrate these investments into a cohesive, resilient, and prosperous future. The groundwork laid in 2025 suggests a region capable not only of competing with its peers but of defining itself through bold, coordinated action. With major projects rising in three core cities, Hampton Roads enters the next year not with speculation but with momentum—and with a construction landscape that stands as visible proof of its renewed confidence.

About HRCNN

The Hampton Roads Construction News Network provides independent, industry-focused reporting on infrastructure, development, zoning, and the built environment across southeastern Virginia. Our mission is to inform public understanding, elevate professional insight, and chronicle the projects that shape the region’s economic and civic future. Through analytical coverage and clear editorial standards, HRCNN documents not only what is being built, but why it matters—and how it defines the communities we call home.

The Franklin Group: Setting the Standard for AMI Housing in Hampton Roads

By HRCNN Staff Writer

In Hampton Roads, the conversation around affordability and growth often circles back to one developer: The Franklin Group. Headquartered in Virginia Beach, the company has become a cornerstone in the region’s effort to deliver housing aligned with Area Median Income (AMI) benchmarks. By prioritizing communities that meet the needs of working families, seniors, and essential workers, The Franklin Group has redefined what leadership in housing looks like.

Since its founding in 2013, the company has rapidly scaled its development footprint, building thousands of units across Virginia and beyond. Yet it is in Hampton Roads where its impact is felt most deeply. The Franklin Group has pursued a deliberate strategy of tying rents to AMI levels, ensuring that the housing stock reflects the financial realities of the region’s workforce rather than pricing them out.

By HRCNN’s best projections, The Franklin Group has been directly responsible for creating at least 392 dedicated affordable units in Virginia Beach alone over the past decade. This figure includes landmark projects such as Price Street I and II, which collectively delivered more than 260 LIHTC-supported apartments, and the 925 Apartments I development, which added 128 homes serving households between 40 and 80 percent of AMI. Each of these projects has offered a lifeline to families navigating the widening gap between wages and housing costs.

Other developments, such as the Renaissance Apartments and potential additional phases of the 925 Military Highway community, suggest the actual total of affordable units may be higher. While full affordability breakdowns are not yet public, city approvals and financing structures point to hundreds more units in the pipeline, underscoring The Franklin Group’s continuing commitment to housing access in Hampton Roads.

What distinguishes the company’s work is not only the volume of units delivered but also the quality of community design. The Franklin Group consistently integrates green spaces, sustainable building standards, and thoughtful amenities into its projects, ensuring that affordability does not come at the expense of livability. This balance strengthens neighborhoods and supports long-term stability for residents.

In stark contrast, nonprofit housing organizations in the region—some of which have operated for three to four decades—have not produced even a fraction of these results. Despite receiving millions in taxpayer support, these groups often appear mired in a culture of bureaucracy and self-preservation. Too much emphasis has been placed on titles, organizational hierarchies, and maintaining grant pipelines rather than on measurable housing outcomes. For many critics, the internal culture of these nonprofits has shifted toward safeguarding prestige and administrative control, leaving responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars as a secondary concern.

The cultural differences between the two models are hard to miss. The Franklin Group operates with the urgency and accountability of a private developer, where success is measured in units delivered, communities stabilized, and families housed. Nonprofit developers, by contrast, too often measure success in press releases, board appointments, or the size of the next funding award. This divergence explains why, after decades of effort, nonprofits have yet to demonstrate the scale or efficiency of The Franklin Group.

As Hampton Roads continues to face rising housing costs and pressing questions of equity, The Franklin Group’s leadership provides a clear example of solutions in action. With hundreds of affordable units already delivered and more on the horizon, the company stands as a regional leader ensuring that housing in Hampton Roads remains accessible, stable, and resilient.

About HRCNN

The Hampton Roads Construction News Network (HRCNN) delivers timely, accurate, and in-depth coverage of construction, zoning, infrastructure, and housing across Virginia. By spotlighting the builders and policymakers shaping our communities, HRCNN serves as a trusted resource for industry professionals and the public alike.

Virginia’s Builder of Choice: Six Decades of Excellence from The Breeden Company

By Hampton Roads Construction News Network Staff Writer

In Hampton Roads, when the conversation turns to multifamily development, one name consistently rises to the top: The Breeden Company. In Virginia Beach and Norfolk, there is simply no one better. Among privately held multifamily building firms, The Breeden Company stands as the best of the best—delivering communities whose quality, design, and performance have set the benchmark for more than six decades.

As part of the Hampton Roads Construction News Network’s Builder Spotlight series, this feature honors the legacy of Ramon W. Breeden Jr. and The Breeden Company’s enduring commitment to creating vibrant, enduring communities across the Commonwealth. From its early work in Virginia Beach to award-winning developments throughout the state, the company has consistently combined market insight, architectural excellence, and operational discipline to produce places people are proud to call home.

The Breeden Company’s portfolio spans Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Richmond, Newport News, and Williamsburg, encompassing more than 15,000 apartments and over 2 million square feet of commercial and retail space. Signature projects such as Lake Taylor Pointe, The Lofts at Front Street, High Street Apartments, and Ascend at Hilltop each demonstrate Breeden’s unmatched ability to integrate thoughtful site planning with high-quality construction and first-class amenities.

Performance metrics reinforce this reputation for excellence. Breeden communities regularly achieve occupancy rates near 98 percent, with top national rankings in project completions, market value, and development pipeline. The company’s track record is further distinguished by national awards for design, construction quality, and resident satisfaction. Breeden’s vertical integration—through Breeden Construction and Breeden Property Management—ensures quality from concept through long-term operation, with resident satisfaction scores consistently placing in the top five percent nationwide.

The Breeden Company’s success is rooted in more than its ability to deliver buildings; it lies in a commitment to building communities that stand the test of time. This philosophy has made the company a trusted partner for municipalities, a sought-after employer for skilled professionals, and a model for private development excellence in Virginia.

Decade after decade, Breeden has demonstrated that local expertise, zoning knowledge, and a deep understanding of community needs are the keys to lasting success. Its ability to adapt to market shifts while maintaining exacting quality standards has ensured its position at the forefront of Virginia’s multifamily housing sector.

For Virginia Beach and Norfolk, The Breeden Company is more than a developer—it is the standard by which others are measured. In quality, in service, and in results, The Breeden Company has earned its place as Virginia’s Builder of Choice.

About the Hampton Roads Construction News Network (HRCNN)
The Hampton Roads Construction News Network is a regional news platform providing accurate, timely, and in-depth coverage of construction, infrastructure, zoning, and development in Hampton Roads and across Virginia. HRCNN serves as a trusted source for industry professionals, policymakers, and the public, offering fact-checked reporting and comprehensive analysis on the projects shaping our communities.