Chesapeake mayor boasts about city’s business growth, preserving the ‘magic’ of green spaces in State of the City

Chesapeake Mayor Rick West boasted about the “magic” within the city during the sold-out State of the City address at the Chesapeake Conference Center on Wednesday.

A lifelong resident of Virginia’s second most populous city that stretches 353 square miles, West said it continues to grow and flourish since its founding in 1963.

But he asserted that no matter how large it gets, it will never lose its sense of community.

“No one can predict the future, but I know there are already plans to keep Chesapeake what it is today,” he said.

Addressing the ongoing violence that plagues the nation, West commended the Chesapeake police, sheriff and fire departments for the work they do.

“We in Chesapeake understand how important it is to have people in public safety well-trained to deal with the many challenges they face on a day-to-day basis,” he said.

That is why he said City Council unanimously approved to build a state-of-the-art public safety training center.

West remembered one of the city’s darkest days, Nov. 22, 2022, when an employee opened fire in the Walmart off Battlefield Boulevard North, killing six co-workers and injuring others.

“Even now, our hearts go out to those who were affected that day,” he said. “And while Walmart will soon be reopening, rest assured, we will never forget.”

One of the questions West said he hears most often is: “What’s going to happen to Greenbrier Mall?”

A study to determine the best use of that property is ongoing, and West said he has heard ideas from arenas to sports venues to shopping destinations.

Equally, West said a lot of excitement centers around the future of Chesapeake Square mall and the entire Portsmouth Boulevard corridor.

“A lot of behind-the-scenes work is underway there, and the city is also actively engaged in a re-imagining of the gateway along that corridor,” he said.

One aspect of “Chesapeake magic” is the more than 450 new businesses, primarily small businesses, that obtained licenses in the city last year.

He highlighted the more than 40 international firms that make their home in Chesapeake, including Volvo Penta, Sumitomo and Plasser American. He also celebrated the opening last summer of Amazon’s distribution center in Western Branch that brought about 1,000 jobs.

And he shined a light on Greenbrier, calling it the largest nonmilitary employment center in the region, employing almost 50,000 people in large and small companies.

As Summit Pointe continues to emerge, West encouraged the crowd to be on the lookout for more new businesses such as Union Taco, Toastique and X-Golf.

Across Volvo Parkway, 90 acres is under development for Three Oaks Industrial Park, which West said will bring more opportunities and success stories to the heart of Greenbrier.

A “new future Greenbrier” lies down U.S. 17 near the North Carolina border. The 4,000 acres, known to some as Williams Farm and Coastal Virginia Commerce Park to others, is slated for some big plans as a “megasite” to attract manufacturers.

Two projects underway in South Norfolk — the new municipal building and the city’s first public swimming pool at the Dr. Clarence V. Cuffee Community Center — show the vitality and value of that section of the city, he said.

He also mentioned the land Chesapeake Regional Healthcare offered for what will be the site of the future veterans’ health care facility.

On the flip side, West assured the attendees that Chesapeake is not running out of its green spaces.

“Finding ways to preserve the magic of nature remains a high priority,” he said.

Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@insidebiz.com