VIRGNIA BEACH, Va (WVEC) – A Bayfront senior living apartment complex is too close to a busy bridge, some residents say.
"Cross the Lesner Bridge, that unit is awfully close to the street,” said resident Kelly Haupt.
"I would probably live on the top floors just not the bottom floors mostly for the traffic and because it takes away from the view," said Hannah Jamison.
According to advertisements, certain units at the Overture Point Chesapeake Apartments start renting around $2200.
Looking from certain angles, those units and the bridge look like they touch.
The proximity has become a joke amongst locals.
“Maybe they can have an arm that swings out ten feet over and delivers food. Almost like a food truck,” said Todd Solomon with the Shore Drive Community Coalition.
Despite the appearance, the structures meet the minimum requirement of 15 feet in distance, said City Transportation Planner Mark Shea. The plans were approved years ago.
Solomon said he followed the approval process, but was still shocked by the spacing when both were taking shape.
“Seeing something on paper and then seeing it in reality and scale is quite a shock,” Solomon said. "What could [the city] do differently? Try and show those things 3-D now on computers and maybe there's a better ruling when you have big structures like that. That 15 feet needs to be changed."
13News Now talked with the property seller, Terry-Peterson Companies.
Tuck Bowie, President and CEO, said the units were specifically built with thicker walls and windows to prevent noise.
He said bigger cities, like New York and Chicago, build structures even closer than what’s near Shore Drive.
Haupt, who took a tour of one of the units Wednesday afternoon, said he was surprised at his experience.
“I certainly didn’t expect to not be able to hear the road,” Haupt explained. “It’s much better than my first impression.”