Virginia Beach to get $355M VA clinic, creating 600 jobs

Virginia Beach leaders announced Thursday that a $355 million U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic will be built in the city, a project expected to create about 600 jobs and expand health care access for thousands of local veterans.

The project was announced Thursday during the city’s annual State of the City event, in remarks delivered by Mayor Bobby Dyer and City Manager Patrick Duhaney.

According to Duhaney, the VA signed a lease in December 2025 to build the outpatient clinic in Virginia Beach, just across from the Norfolk Premium Outlets. The 20-year lease includes 180,000 square feet of medical space.

He said funding for construction was secured through the PACT Act, which Congress approved in 2022 to expand care for veterans. The clinic is projected to open in 2029.

Duhaney noted that Hampton Roads has one of the largest veteran populations in the country, with more than 250,000 veterans residing there.

Other announcements

The VA clinic was one of several major projects highlighted during the address. Dyer announced a “major entertainment boon” coming to the city in a few months, the 2026 Super Girl Festival.

The festival, set to take place Sept. 5-7, is a series of large-scale women’s sports, music and lifestyle events. According to Dyer, the event is anticipated to draw nearly 250,000 attendees, with more than 8,000 athletes competing in 14 sports.

Duhaney also said the $200 million project to redevelop the former Pembroke Mall will help “transform” the area. The project, being developed by limited liability company Pembroke Square Associates, calls for a hotel and a 273-apartment complex to open in 2027.

The first phase of the Pembroke project — a senior living community known as Aviva Pembroke at the corner of Jeanne Street and Constitution Drive — broke ground in December 2022 and opened in December 2024 with seven stories containing 121 independent apartments, 20 assisted living units and 12 memory care units.

The mayor and city manager also highlighted several notable projects from last year. Dyer noted that Amazon opened its 3.2 million-square-foot fulfillment center at 1795 Dam Neck Road in September 2025. The robotics center marked the second and final phase of a $350 million expansion in Virginia Beach, which included a 219,000-square-foot delivery station that opened in late 2024 at 2201 Harpers Road. Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin previously said the two facilities combined would create 1,000 full-time jobs.

The mayor also recalled that Acoustical Sheetmetal Co. (ASC) announced an expansion in June 2025, adding 250,000 square feet of new facilities across 21 acres — bringing its total footprint in Virginia Beach to 550,000 square feet. Dyer said the company will add 350 jobs to its existing 500 employees and become a Top 10 employer in the city. The company expects to complete the expansion in early 2027.

Another major achievement from last year was New Hampshire-based night goggles manufacturer Vidarr announcing it will invest $2.69 million to open a 16,410-square-foot manufacturing facility on Lishelle Place, creating 40 jobs. As of January, Vidarr has moved into the building, which it is leasing, and renovations are expected to be completed soon, officials say.

“Warren Buffett once said, ‘someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree long ago,’” Dyer said. “Here in Virginia Beach, we see trees of growth and opportunity that were planted long ago. But we are also planting the new trees that will continue our success while growing and renewing our city.”