Pembroke Square hotel set to open in 2027, two years late

The seven-story Tempo by Hilton hotel being planned for Virginia Beach‘s Pembroke Square development is expected to open in 2027 — about two years later than originally announced.

Developers on Tuesday revealed the new construction timeline of the hotel, along with several other updates on the $200 million redevelopment of the former Pembroke Mall, including construction dates for a 273-apartment complex, the announcement of a new restaurant and the fall opening of a comedy club.

Limited liability company Pembroke Square Associates is the developer and owner of the former mall, which closed its interior in early 2022. Announced Tuesday was the May groundbreaking for the Tempo by Hilton hotel, which will have 163 guestrooms, a bar and a restaurant. Construction is expected to wrap up by summer 2027.

Tempo was initially set to open in 2025, but Ramsay Smith, president of Pembroke Realty Group and asset manager of Pembroke Square, said the project faced numerous setbacks, including increased construction costs and rising interest rates. The project was also revised from an initial 14-story building to a seven-story building.

Also coming to Pembroke Square is Dallas-based Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão, which is expected to open in May. The 6,590-square-foot restaurant will be the fourth Fogo de Chão to open in Virginia, following locations in Richmond, Tysons and Reston.

This fall will see the opening of the Funny Bone Comedy Club and DraftCade, a gaming franchise that pairs nearly 50 rotating craft beer taps with over 75 classic arcade favorites.

Relocating to Pembroke Square from nearby Town Center, the Funny Bone Comedy Club will expand its footprint to increase showroom capacity by roughly 150 seats. In its new showroom, it will have capacity for 450 patrons. Pembroke Square Associates says the expansion will allow the comedy club to attract bigger names on the comedy circuit to Virginia Beach. DraftCade will open adjacent to the showroom.

“We’re excited to join forces with Pembroke Square to elevate the entertainment scene in Virginia Beach,” Todd Leinenbach, vice president of Funny Bone Comedy Club and DraftCade, said in a statement.

In early 2026, Pembroke Realty Group is expected to break ground on The Pembroke — a seven-story, 273-apartment complex located in the middle of the former mall. The apartments will feature a parking garage with over 600 spaces. This project was initially set to break ground in 2025, but Smith said it was delayed due to economic factors and being completely redesigned from a 12-story complex into a seven-story building. He estimates it will likely be ready for use sometime in 2028.

Groundbreaking for the first phase of the project — a senior living community known as Aviva Pembroke — kicked off in December 2022. The facility, which lies at the corner of Jeanne Street and Constitution Drive, opened in December 2024, featuring seven stories with 121 independent apartment units, 20 assisted living units and a dozen memory care units.

Demolition tied to the project’s second phase, which includes the hotel, kicked off in March 2024.

Pembroke Square Associates said retailers and restaurants will continue to remain open throughout construction, including major stores like Bath & Body Works, Old Navy, Target and The Fresh Market.