NORFOLK, Va. — Three different groups have their sights set on redeveloping Military Circle Mall.
On Saturday, Virginia Beach native and Grammy Award-winning entertainer Pharrell Williams made his pitch to Norfolk City Council.
"This is about changing the game," he said to city leaders in a special session.
Williams is with a team called Wellness Circle, LLC.
"We knew we had to go out and bring in the world's talent to get this to work," he said.
His team of roughly 70 stakeholders contributed in a proposal to redevelop Military Circle Mall.
"This is a comprehensive beehive of a community and it's never really happened before," he added.
Their "beehive" includes an arena, which Williams touted as the main attraction. Entertainment companies, Live Nation & Oak View, are partners.
"So, it's really functional without anything else, but we have been talking to two national leagues for franchises," said Williams.
While the arena is their so-called "anchor," Pharrell and his team emphasized the community as their heartbeat.
Their plan is to build single-family market rate homes and federally subsidized transitional workforce housing.
"Could be in the same community along with an educational component, along with a health care component, along with the arena, hotel, [food & beverage] and retail," said Williams.
Green technology and eco-friendly options are also a big part of Wellness Circle's design.
You can watch William's proposal to Norfolk City Council here.
Two other developers, Crossroads Partnership LLC and Norfolk MC Associates LLC, likewise propose ideas including a mix of residential, retail and entertainment spaces.
It's now in the city's hands to decide which plan is chosen.
