CITY OF NEWPORT NEWS

OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER

May 19, 2011

TO: The Honorable City Council

FROM: City Manager

SUBJECT: Denbigh/Warwick Boulevard Corridor Strategy

City Council’s May 24 Work Session will include a briefing on staff’s numerous and comprehensive efforts aimed at effecting meaningful and sustained positive impacts on the Upper Warwick Corridor (“the Corridor”), one of Council’s eight strategic priorities. Perhaps in the history of our City, we have not possessed both the breadth and depth of City-wide “improvement” initiatives either underway or in planning stages as we have today that can impact the Corridor. In recognition of the Corridor’s tremendous potential, staff is committed to focusing energy and resources within our fiscal capacity to ensure a strong and sustained program for the Corridor over the coming years.

The 2004 Warwick Corridor Study authored by the Planning Department has served as a basis from which beautification and overall quality enhancements can be envisioned and achieved in this important section of our City. Today, the overall approach focuses on the action strategies that will raise the visual quality of the Corridor and stimulate private investment both immediately and over the longer term. This requires as much knowledge about the area as can be gathered and formulating initiatives consistent with and in consideration of the Corridor’s unique attributes and characteristics.

The overarching economic development philosophy driving this approach is that private-sector investment will be stimulated by inviting the development community (land owners/brokerage community/develop-ment entities) into the process as virtual business partners. Guiding those investments using enhanced knowledge resources developed both in-house and with the help of retail consultants will become one of the City’s fundamental redevelopment roles. Your Work Session presentation will feature discussion on potential tools and their applications.

This approach for the Corridor differs from traditional public redevelopment strategies in two fundamental ways: The Corridor public investment strategy will be geographically opportunistic, rather than focused into a defined district, to create areas of improvements. Also, rather than relying heavily on direct public financial investments for successful outcomes, our commitment will instead take the form of enhanced City staff expertise, technology and enhanced communication with the development investment community. Ongoing City attention to detail in this part of the Corridor should be a strong selling point for investors that will hold a stake in its future.

The Stoney Run Community Center, is a substantial public investment and will serve as both a major anchor “tenant” of the Corridor and a leverage for private investment. The adopted FY 2012-2016 CIP includes funding for direct public investments, and these dollars will be reserved for the most impactful activities. It is our goal to utilize modest public investment to leverage private resources to create a much more sustainable approach driven by the private sector for the coming for the foreseeable future.

The Downtown Partnership Initiative, which featured modest and incremental investments in “opportunity sites,” is still paying dividends today, affording the City new development opportunities not originally foreseen or envisioned in addition to those that occurred more immediately. A similar “long-haul” mentality is the correct conceptual starting point for the Corridor.

From a staff development perspective, I am pleased that we have engaged cross-departmental teams to formulate and develop recommendations for the Corridor. This interaction will show its value over time as multiple disciplines weigh in on implementing action strategies in light of fiscal and resource constraints. More information on infrastructure enhancement activities and planning will be presented at your Work Session to illustrate this point.

I would like to inform City Council about potential property-related objectives and voluntary acquisition possibilities that are aligned with the CIP funding allocated for such purposes, the objective of which would be to help accelerate beautification and move the Corridor closer to its true potential as an economic engine. I have scheduled further discussion on these matters in the Closed Session.

To advance this Corridor initiative into its next phases, I will be requesting City Council’s endorsement of the strategy and utilization of the programmed CIP funding as it becomes available and opportunities arise. As we reach major milestones, I will provide Council with periodic updates to ensure you remain informed on our progress.

Neil A. Morgan

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