The urban core of the Hampton Roads, VA, region, Norfolk has evolved into a modern city humming with creativity, culture and technology.
Sponsored by: Economic Development Authority of the City of Norfolk
Norfolk’s story has been one of reinvention and the ability to thrive under pressure. Twice burned and twice rebuilt, this coastal Virginia city has never stood still. What began as a colonial port has evolved into a modern center of industry, innovation and life – a city that continues to shape and be shaped by the tides of progress.
Industry
Sean Washington, economic development director for the City of Norfolk, says the city is riding the next wave of economic development. “I’ll use the word resurgence,” he says. “We are still, and will always be, the urban core of the region, so we are always going to have experiences and assets that you just can’t find anywhere else.”
Norfolk continues to be a hub in the region for DEAL (Defense, Energy, Aerospace and Logistics). It is home to the world’s largest naval base as well as the Virginia Spaceport Authority headquarters. Its port serves as a hub for transportation and logistics, and includes a new deep-water industrial site. Dominion Energy’s operations and maintenance facility for its offshore wind operation is located here, along with five major shipbuilding enterprises. “We’re leaning in to all these opportunities,” Washington says.
Momentum infuses all aspects of the city, from the downtown commercial business district and investments in historic and emerging industry, to Norfolk’s robust residential neighborhoods. The city’s many attractions continue to draw tourists and locals alike…