NORFOLK, Va. — It was a packed room at the Freemason Civic League meeting on Wednesday as the City of Norfolk and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers updated residents about where they are in the project.
"In your analysis, and so far, I have not seen it. I've been on your website. There is nowhere in there that talks about the negative impact on property values by having a 17-foot wall going through our neighborhood, and that's massive," said the President of the Freemason Street Area Association Harbor, Eric Thompson.
Thompson also questioned how a flood wall would impact the neighborhood's historic value and when the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers informed residents about the designs for the flood wall.
"I think there was a slide that said they started informing us in 2016. How many of you have ever heard of this project before the last three weeks," said Thompson.
The Army Corps of Engineers did their best to answer questions from residents.
"I want to acknowledge that some people may have moved in and out of the community, so during 2016, maybe you would recall that 2016 when we did the feasibility study, we went out and had public meetings. They weren't necessary in Freemason, but we did have them," said Michelle Hammer for Program Planning and Policy.
Freemason resident Steve Boyd attended the meeting. He moved into the neighborhood in 2022.
"Some people were quite upset, one that they had not heard about it and two that they hadn't been involved in the process to date," said Boyd.
The Army Corp of Engineers reassured neighbors that they would continue to communicate with residents moving forward.
"I think the community understands that there are things that need to be done and probably should be done, but let's hope that we can work together and come up with an amicable solution," said Boyd.
The Army Corp of Engineers reassured residents that they would start surveying the area for designs in October.