VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Tuesday, city leaders were officially presented with three proposals to develop the bottom-most portion of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
The city currently owns roughly six acres of plots and pavement at the Rudee Loop, sitting beside the Rudee Inlet.
“Since surfing started in Virginia Beach, that area right there around the loop has been an important part of the surfing community," said LG Shaw, the president of Wave Riding Vehicles.
The area, now a popular surfing location and pedestrian access point at the bottom of the city's boardwalk, has long been sought to be developed by city officials. It was identified in the city's 2030 Resort Area Strategic Action Plan as an area that could be improved.
Virginia Beach's Deputy City Manager told 13News Now that based on city councilmember comments made during the city council briefings Tuesday afternoon, public and community input could be on the horizon about what citizens think about the three proposals.
Each site plans for a newly built parking garage that would each add at least 500 parking spaces for the Oceanfront.
Bruce Smith Enterprises and three hotels
Bruce Smith Enterprises partnered with two real estate companies, Madison Marquette and Armada Hoffler, to propose retail space, three hotels, multi-family apartments, a parking garage and a four-acre park.
Under this proposal, the developers would pay for the development itself, while the city would pay for the infrastructure, public parking garage, park and potential convention space for the hotel.
Gold Key PHR proposes two options, both include a park
Gold Key PHR proposed two similar options: a seven-acre park with different parts, a parking garage and multi-family apartments.
The second option is the same as the first but contains a 250-room hotel.
Virginia Gentleman Foundation proposes parks, jetty walk
The Virginia Gentleman Foundation is seeking to build a park with different parts, a parking garage wrapped with a surf museum and a jetty walk.
The first option has an "open space design, more grass than hardscape," while the second option has more hardscape and an expanded jetty walk.