Hampton Roads, News

Virginia Beach Seeks Modern, Iconic Replacement For 68 Year Old Pier

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Maddison Pace
March 15, 2018

It may be time for a new pier at the oceanfront, and what eventually get is likely to be a city and even regional icon recognizable around the world.

The allure of the beach, waves, and sunshine draws an estimated 14 million visitors to the oceanfront every year, and The Virginia Beach Fishing Pier is always a big draw. But the original is showing its age, having been built in 1950.

On March 9, the city posted a public notice inviting submissions for consideration specifying what it was seeking in the eventual replacement to the old pier. Some key requirements:

A new pier of at least 880 feet in length (measured from the boardwalk) designed to accommodate fishing and pedestrian use.The City will consider paying up to $21.5 million for the pier structure.
At a minimum, the City expects private development of entertainment, restaurants and retail amenities as part of the overall project sufficient to justify the public investment.
A plan to operate the new pier in a manner to provide free public access to the end of the pier and fishing from the pier for a fee.
The City expects associated private development adjacent to the new pier sufficient to maximize the return on and justify the public investment. Favorable consideration will be given to proposals demonstrating a return on the City’s investment within eight years.

The city received 3 proposals, one by the Virginia Beach Development Authority, who seeks to partner with a private developer and lease the property from the city and to that developer. The other two submissions were from private developers, one seeking to build a new pier at 15th Street, the other proposed a pier at 17th Street.

Next, City Council will hear public comments on the proposed project in a future meeting.