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By land, sea and air
Faced with challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, many Hampton Roads businesses and universities are looking to drones for help. Unmanned flight systems also are likely to drive economic development in the future. In May, when the fear of dwindling personal protective equipment was still fresh, the Herndon-based Cente[...]
The big dig
With construction beginning this fall to expand the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT), relief is on the way for travelers weary of sitting in traffic jams along one of south-eastern Virginia’s most congested corridors. The $3.8 billion expansion is the largest project in the history of the Virginia Department of Transport[...]
Executive Insights
David C. White Executive vice president, Virginia Maritime Association What do you consider the most pressing issue facing the Hampton Roads region? The maritime industry is in the best position to drive the economic growth and job creation for the region. Capacity at the container terminals has been increased to move an additional 1 million […]
Home prices still increasing
Hampton Roads home values continued trending upward from July 2019 through July 2020. According to the latest available data from the Real Estate Information Network Inc., the Multiple Listing Service for the region, the median price of buying a home in Hampton Roads this July was $275,000 — a 7.84% increase from July 2019. Wh[...]
Canceled oyster fest hits Urbanna’s wallet
Here’s a pandemic casualty unlikely to appear on Dr. Fauci’s radar: The annual Urbanna Oyster Festival, traditionally set for the first weekend in November, has been shucked off. Citing risks from COVID-19, the Urbanna Oyster Festival Foundation, the event’s sponsor, called off the festival for the first time i[...]
No rest for defense
Some of the biggest economic news in Hampton Roads over the past year has come from Department of Defense projects. The top headline belongs to a pair of massive Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) contracts. In November 2019, Reston-based General Dynamics Corp. won the largest Navy contract ever awarded, $22.2 billion, to produc[...]
Workforce development
From customized apprenticeship programs to professional development courses, various organizations in Hampton Roads are working to ensure employers have the right workforce. Below is an overview of workforce development resources. The Apprentice School Having celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019, The Apprentice School in Newport News has trained 10,800 shipyard workers over its long history. […][...]
Residential Real Estate Review with Cindy Hawks White
President of the Hampton Roads Realtors Association (HRRA), Cindy Hawks White is a Virginia Beach-based operating principal with Keller Williams Realty. She has worked in the real estate industry since 1982 and specializes in real estate-owned (REO), short sale and luxury properties. Hawks White also has served on the HRRA’[...]
Under construction
Ohio Creek Watershed Norfolk A $112 million project intended to protect two historic neighborhoods, Grandy Village and Chesterfield Heights, from flooding, the watershed is expected to be complete by March 2023, according to Norfolk officials. Funding for the project comes from a $120.5 million U.S. Housing and Urban Development[...]
Back to school
This fall, universities and colleges in Hampton Roads took baby steps forward as they reopened for the fall semester after shutting down in March during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Old Dominion University welcomed students back in late August with a combination of in-person and remote classes. Fall sports are canceled, and the […]
Hampton Roads Business Guide 2020
Welcome to the 2020 Hampton Roads Business Guide. This issue includes: Overview of Hampton Roads: Demographics for the second most populated region in the state. Executive Insights: Local business leaders weigh in on region’s economic future. Arts & Tourism: Will Norfolk and Portsmouth go all in for casinos? Plus: Loca[...]
Festivals hit pause
The Hampton Roads region is known for its popular festivals, from Virginia Beach’s Pungo Strawberry Festival and Suffolk Peanut Fest to the Virginia Arts Festival and the star-studded Something in the Water. “We’ve got more festivals than Nero had,” says Kurt Krause, president and CEO of VisitNorfolk. For Norfolk alone, tourism means more than $887 […]
