NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Newport News City Council has approved a $400 million Navy investment to expand military housing in Hampton Roads.
The project will create 750 housing units for sailors in downtown Newport News along with 10,000 square feet of retail space for new businesses.
"To me, it's very inspiring and encouraging," said Kai Hill, an aircraft handler for the Navy.
Hill believes the project has been needed for some time. In 2023, the Navy launched a nationwide initiative to improve sailor quality of service, including additional housing, following an increase in suicides among sailors based in Hampton Roads.
The development will replace existing buildings, including Huntington Hall, the Navy's current housing and recreation center. The project will also include investments in parking improvements and community spaces.
"We're going to start in 2026, it should be complete in 2031. There's going to be a gym and food amenities. This is a good thing for our entire community," Mayor Phillip Jones said.
The development will cover several blocks between Warwick Boulevard, Huntington Avenue and 29th and 32nd Streets. Construction will happen in two phases.
Phase 1 will include most of the construction, featuring a 17-story apartment complex with 555 units, a separate building with 6,000 square feet of retail space, and a four-story parking garage with 1,050 spaces.
Phase 2 will add nearly 200 additional housing units across two buildings with retail space, plus a third building dedicated to Navy programming.
The Navy shared the following remarks on the housing plan:
"The Navy is focused on improving quality of service for Sailors and we continue to implement long-term improvements to housing. We understand that home means more than just a roof—it’s about a livable community with convenient access to essential services. That’s why the Navy is investing $380 million in this mixed-use development to provide high-quality housing and amenities for Sailors stationed in Hampton Roads, the Navy’s largest fleet concentration area. We will continue to focus on supporting our Sailors while ensuring they have safe and comfortable housing and are supported every single day.”
City Council has already taken steps to advance the project by approving a rezoning request and allocating $5.5 million to support downtown initiatives related to the development. Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring or summer of next year.
Longtime East End residents welcome the investment in new businesses downtown.
"When we look at retail spaces downtown that we have now, they've been vacant for quite some time. If we're talking about bringing businesses, we need places for people to park. When it comes to housing, having a walkable community is exciting," said Yugonda Sample-Jones.
The mayor believes the project will revitalize the downtown area.
"This is going to be a way to put new energy and life into downtown Newport News," Jones said.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
