Virginia Empowerment Zone

Norfolk & Portsmouth, VA
Welcome Where Cities and Innovation Comes Together

Welcome

Success awaits you in shopping malls, sight-seeing tours, cruises, the
opera and more.
the nation’s 33rd largest
metro area: Norfolk and
A cruise port, waterways, recreational marinas and
Portsmouth, in the Hampton
miles of beautiful beaches surround what USA Today
Roads region of Virginia.
calls one of “America’s Top Ten Booming Downtowns”1
for residential growth in the U.S.
Here you will find a
superior quality of life,
Major revitalization beckons new business to Norfolk
where Old Southern charm
and Portsmouth, in a region that has one of the
meets the promise of a
highest percentages of businesses owned by blacks
modern-day metropolis.
(7%). A skilled labor pool, tax incentives, and major
2
Norfolk and Portsmouth
housing initiatives encourage growth and expansion
offer a breathtaking
well into the future.
shoreline view and
unparalleled lifestyle attractions, providing year- It’s an irresistible place for so many reasons. We
round entertainment, mild temperatures, fine encourage you to read on, learn the facts about
restaurants, museums, semi-professional sports, Norfolk and Portsmouth, then join us!

Hampton Roads is one of the leading metropolitan areas in the nation in the proportion of businesses
owned by blacks.

Based on reported findings from U.S. Census comparisons 1990 vs. 2000
1

ACCRA, 2nd Qtr. 2003
2

City of Portsmouth Department of Economic Development 200 High Street, Suite 200, Portsmouth, VA 23704-3722 (800) 848-5690 • www.portsmouthvaed.com
City of Norfolk Department of Development 500 East Main Street, Suite 1500, Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 664-4338 • www.norfolkdevelopment.com

About Us Where Cities and Innovation Comes Together

About Us

According to Entrepreneur Magazine, the Norfolk/
One of the top 10 best U.S.
Portsmouth market is one of the “Top 10 Best U.S.
Cities for Entrepreneurs
Cities for Entrepreneurs.” Strategically located at the
epicenter of Virginia’s
most heavily populated
— Entrepreneur Magazine
region, these cities are an
incubator for business,
In the past five years, Downtown Norfolk property
medical, educational and
assessed value has increased over 75%. This
cultural growth.
renaissance is the result of over thirty years of public-
Economic development
private partnerships. Norfolk’s new benchmarks for
initiatives are focused on
private investment during this period include $70
attracting, retaining and
million in office development, $100 million in
expanding businesses, as
residential, $80 million in retail and restaurants, and
well as revitalizing
$87 million in hotels.
neighborhoods and
communities. These
initiatives provide a
structure for development and redevelopment.

According to Diversity Inc., faster-growing cities,
primarily those in the West and South, are more
diverse. The Census Bureau reported that Norfolk is
one of the five most integrated urban areas in the
nation. A city of some 234,000 residents and more
than 100 ethnically diverse neighborhoods, Norfolk is
the cultural, educational, business and medical center
of Hampton Roads. It hosts the region’s international
airport, and is one of the busiest international seaports
on the East Coast of the United States.

With some 100,000 residents, Portsmouth is home
to several major federal employers, including the U.S.
Naval Medical Center, the oldest continuously
operating hospital in the nation.

The U.S. Census Bureau identified the predominately
African American neighborhood of Cavalier Manor in
Portsmouth as the most stable neighborhood in
Virginia. Its streets are named for famous black
performers.


Norfolk & Portsmouth, VA Global Access
Where Cities and Innovation Comes Together

G l o b a l Ac c e s s

As a global transportation hub, Norfolk and Portsmouth
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard
keep the goods moving! Norfolk International Airport
is the largest operating
achieved record-high traffic
volume in 2002* — a year
shipyard in the U.S.
when, nationally, airport traffic
fell 4.7 percent. The 17%
increase was attributed to
Southwest Airline’s addition of doubled from 2003. As a
Norfolk to its service route; matter of fact, Norfolk’s
and, in July, the opening of a tourism numbers increased
new $133 million passenger across the board, counter to
terminal. It is the 24th ranked the national trend. APM
airport in the nation in terms Terminals, one of the
of annual passenger growth. * world’s most successful
container shipping
An $800,000 renovation for Immigration and
companies, recently
Naturalization Services and Customs services was
announced plans to build
added to the airport to handle charters or diverted
the first major privately
flights of foreign origin. This is important for the cruise
developed marine terminals
industry, as charter flights originating outside the
in the nation, on the
United States for cruise passengers may disembark
Elizabeth River in Portsmouth. This $450 million
here, rather than at another domestic gateway for
announcement is the largest economic development
customs processing, prior to arriving in Norfolk.
deal in Hampton Roads’ history.
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard is one of the largest
Port expansion — by 2010, a 300-acre expansion of
operating shipyards in the U.S. The cruise market has
Norfolk International Terminal (NIT) will be completed,
remained strong and passenger counts for 2004 have
making it the largest inter-modal center in the U.S.
Strong growth in shipping, leading to more traffic at
regional distribution centers, has increased business at
the Port of Virginia. The port can serve the world’s
largest ships (26 containers wide) — the trend of the
future. As the South Terminal at NIT completes its
renovation the 400th anniversary of the Virginia Port
approaches. Our port, shipping industry and place in
history will be showcased in 2007 as never before,
culminating in a grand event by the American
Association of Port Authorities, representing all of the
ports in the Western Hemisphere.

The port of Hampton Roads creates jobs, supplies
businesses and generates income. The port of
Virginia has a positive impact every day, in every
corner of the state.

* Based on 12-month period ending September 2004 vs. 12-month period ending September 2000.


Norfolk & Portsmouth, VA Happenings

Happenings

Festivals
The African-American Festival (Af’ram For those who love the great outdoors and
Fest) in Town Point Park, Norfolk, is held horticulture, there’s the Norfolk Botanical Garden.
on Memorial Day weekend. Also catch Take lunch and commune among the azaleas,
Portsmouth’s annual African- rhododendrons, tulips and blossoming fruit trees.
American Heritage Trolley Tour There is nothing like the beauty of these
in February. Gospelrama is a gardens to snap you back into the present
two-day music festival that after a tour of Virginia’s historical and
has sought to heighten racial military sites.
understanding and promote
Beaches
unity since 1986.Towne Point musical weekends
feature jazz, blues and reggae in August. Among some of the best beach parks in
The Umoja Festival at Olde Towne Portsmouth’s Virginia are Community Beach, Sarah
waterfront returns annually in September. Constant, and Ocean View, all located in
Norfolk. The parks stretch along 7.5 miles of sun-
Recreation drenched beachfront. They offer lifeguards between
Norfolk and Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day, in addition to
Portsmouth offer restrooms and showers. Picnic shelters provide shade
many parks, camping and a place to eat on a first-come, first-served basis.
grounds, lakes and Community pools are also available.
marinas, golf courses, and
Sports/Arenas
cruise line tours, as well as
the Virginia Zoological The Norfolk Scope Arena hosts a wide variety of
Park (Norfolk) and Hoffler events: concerts, racing, ice shows, circuses, family
Creek Wild Life Preserve shows, sports and other entertainment programs.
(Portsmouth). Recreational The Ted Constant Center at Old Dominion University
boating, with city docks is used for year-round concerts and basketball.
adjacent to entertainment
Other attractions include Portsmouth’s Invitational
areas, exists in both cities.
Tournaments (PIT), an NBA scouting event, the
NTELOS Pavilion at Harbor Center offers outdoor Mariners, a professional soccer team, and Harbor
entertainment by top-rated talent. Corporate box Park, home of the Norfolk Tides (the NY Mets’ AAA
seating programs are also available at affordable rates. farm team).


Norfolk & Portsmouth, VA Demographics

DEMOGRAPHICS
More than 1.5 million people reside in the Hampton Roads region

Portsmouth Norfolk
762 8,915
6,522
Asians 2,083
1,748 6,477
Other
Hispanics

Racial Mix

110,221 102,268
45,403 50,569
Whites Blacks

Labor Force
Portsmouth Norfolk

Source: ERsys.com


Housing Where Cities and Innovation Comes Together

Housing

Experience the housing development renaissance
Hampton Roads has
in Portsmouth. With a new trend toward urban living,
the most integrated
the Myrtles at Olde Towne, a $20-million-dollar,
246-unit upscale apartment community resembling
neighborhoods in
English Basement-style homes, is scheduled for
development near the downtown area.
the nation

A recent study by the University of Wisconsin,
Milwaukee, revealed the region’s neighborhoods to
be the most integrated in the nation. With more
blacks and whites living next to each other on the
same residential block, Hampton Roads has the most
integrated neighborhoods in the nation (39%).*

Each year, Homearama (an enclosed display of
custom, decorated, furnished and landscaped single-
family homes) showcases new homes in the
Hampton Roads area. Homearama 2003 was held at
The Estates at River Pointe, a new waterfront
community in Portsmouth. In 2004, Homerama will
be held in Norfolk’s East Beach community.

The Cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth are undergoing
a housing explosion as the Real Estate Assessor’s
office administers a tax-abatement program to
encourage homeowners to refurbish their homes.
Norfolk has approximately 2000 housing units under
development in downtown alone, plus an additional
2000 throughout the city.

*Source: ODU Regional Studies Institute, 2003.


Workforce Where Cities and Innovation Comes Together

Wo r k f o r c e

Colleges and Universities
Over 80,000 college students are enrolled in the
area’s 12 colleges and universities, which include
Hampton University and Norfolk State University —
both historically black universities, Old Dominion
University, The College of William and Mary,
Christopher Newport University, Eastern VA Medical
School, Regent University and Virginia Wesleyan
College. Tidewater Community College is one of four
community colleges.

New and expanding businesses here enjoy a regional
labor force of over 750,000 people. Employer-friendly
Virginia offers “Right to Work” and “Employment at
Will” labor structures. Business costs like Worker’s
Compensation ($1.71 per $100 of payroll) and
Unemployment Insurance (0.1% average as percent
of wages) are some of the lowest in the nation.
Remarkably, the area boasts a historically low
unemployment rate, averaging 5.1%.

Military
Defense plays a
major role in
keeping the region’s
Research Facilities
economy strong.
The Hampton Roads area is home to NASA Langley,
It provides more
Jefferson Labs, Applied Research, and Federal Research
than 20,000 highly
Laboratories. The Center for Bioelectrics at Fort Norfolk
skilled individuals
is a proprietary technology joint venture of Eastern
to the workforce
Virginia Medical School and Old Dominion University.
annually. Some
35,000 people work
Workforce Development
in the maritime or
Opportunity Inc. is governed by the Hampton Roads
distribution and
Workforce Development Board. It helps raise per-
logistics sectors.
capita income, keeps qualified workers in the region
Approximately
and attracts new businesses to the area by offering
6,000 jobs are
programs that strengthen relationships between
created annually
employers, training providers and employees.
in this sector.


Norfolk & Portsmouth, VA Business Incentives

Business Incentives

Special programs offer business assistance through
“Norfolk and Portsmouth
local, state and federally designated districts in both
one of the top 10 areas for
cities. Empowerment, enterprise, foreign trade and
HUB zones provide qualifying businesses a unique
companies to expand.”
competitive advantage, tax credits, contract preferential,
and more.

Norfolk-Portsmouth is one of the top 10 hottest areas — Expansion Management magazine.
for companies to expand, according to Expansion
Management magazine January 2003. It boasts an
economy that is supported by a strong labor pool, tax
incentives and a plethora of commercial retail space.
Burgeoning
The Small Business
industries here
Development
include
Center of Hampton
transportation &
Roads, Inc. was
maritime; business
developed by the
& financial services;
Hampton Roads
technology; retail &
Chamber of
commercial; and
Commerce and
industrial &
Thomas Nelson
manufacturing
Community College
industries. Minority
in partnership with
businesses are
the U.S. Small
afforded every
Business
opportunity to win.
Administration. The
With one of the SBDC bolsters
lowest combined Hampton Roads’
state and local economy, offering
sales tax rates in free business
the nation, counseling and
Virginia’s Hampton Roads region is poised to attract affordable training classes and seminars to firms with
the most selective business owners. fewer than 100 employees. The Chamber’s full-time
lobbyist advocates for legislation to maintain an ideal
Access in and out of the Hampton Roads area is business environment.
unparalleled. There is a fully integrated network that
includes port, air, rail, and highway transportation. Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance
More than 80% of the world’s shipping companies exposes the region to the world through marketing
utilize the Port of Hampton Roads. This ideal inter- programs that have resulted in global endorsements.
modal facility links Virginia and the U.S. to over 250 The Alliance has overseas offices in key locations:
locations, 100 of them overseas. Germany and London.

*Source: Hampton Roads Statistic Digest 2003


Norfolk & Portsmouth, VA Cultural & Historical

Cultural & Historical

Virginia ranks 6th in African
American visitation among
the 50 states

is expected to be open to the public, completely
restored, in the fall of 2004. In addition, the historic
1919 Theater will house a cultural arts center for
community events, conventions & attractions.

In 2002, the Virginia Tourism Corporation took
The Chrysler Museum of Art is considered one of the cultural diversity to a new level when it implemented
20 best in the United States. Regional ballet is offered, the state’s first African American Heritage
along with lecture demonstrations, at the Virginia Cooperative Marketing Program. The program,
Ballet Theatre. Enjoy the classics, pops, family and dedicated to the marketing and promotion of African
dance series at Virginia Symphony, where more than American heritage, has funded 39 organizations to
140 performances are presented each year. The gain exposure for African American heritage sites,
Virginia Stage Company brings professional theatre programs and events.
to Norfolk with five major productions each season.
Virginia ranks sixth in African American visitation
The beautiful Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Center
among the 50 states, based on actual number of
at Norfolk State University was named for Virginia’s
visitors, and seventh by percentage of African
popular African American governor who served
American visitors.
Virginia from 1991-1995.

To help the Commonwealth attract
additional African American visitors, the
Virginia Foundation for the Humanities
has produced the first-ever guide to
African American attractions in the
Commonwealth, “The Heritage and
Culture of African Americans in Virginia:
A Guide to the Sites.” More than 100
sites are featured.

Of special note is Elmwood Cemetery
in Norfolk, where the Black Soldiers
Memorial honors Union veterans of
the Civil War. At Norfolk State University,
one of the largest predominately black
universities in the nation, is a display
of slavery memorabilia in the Lyman
Beecher Brooks Library. The Attucks
Theater, named in honor of Crispus
Attucks, the Revolutionary War hero,


Norfolk & Portsmouth, VA News

News


Virginia Empowerment Zone

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Andere mochten auch

Andere mochten auch (18)

Ähnlich wie Virginia Empowerment Zone

Ähnlich wie Virginia Empowerment Zone (7)

Mehr von Catchphrasecopywriter

Mehr von Catchphrasecopywriter (8)

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

Virginia Empowerment Zone