VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach City Council discussed turning the coveted Rudee Loop area of the Oceanfront into a park during a Tuesday informal session.
Virginia Beach City Planning Director Kathy Warren presented an update to council members on the redevelopment of Rudee Loop, months after a public survey found that most people want green or open space, as opposed to more hotels.
The survey presented four different proposals submitted by Bruce Smith Enterprises, Gold Key PHR, Virginia Gentleman Foundation, and Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation.
Warren's presentation to city council focused on what a Parks & Recreation-led development would look like, sharing four different options. She explained that developing "an iconic, signature park" is estimated to cost $40 million, not including a parking structure. Yearly operations and maintenance costs are estimated to be $1.1 million.
After Warren's presentation, many council members expressed their support for the department hiring a renowned park design firm to make sure a potential park is the best that it can be. Council members also stressed the need for adequate parking in the area but couldn't come to a consensus on what that would look like.
Virginia Beach City Manager Patrick Duhaney said kickstarting the design process would cost $5 million to $6 million, which would need to be approved by the city council. He added that the next step would be a briefing from Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation on what the design process would look like.