NORFOLK, Va. – There are plans to change the look of the St. Paul’s area of Norfolk.
The public met with the architects for the revitalization of the area again on Tuesday night.
Citizens were invited to come out and express their thoughts, desires and concerns. They were also encouraged to give input into what they would like to see developed and how to deal with the ongoing issue of flooding in the area.
It’s part of a three-day series that continues Wednesday.
Leaders say the City of Norfolk and the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority applied for a $30 million grant from the federal government, which would help tremendously in revitalizing the St. Paul’s area.
St. Paul’s Area Communications Director Barbara Hamm Lee said the ultimate goal of the entire project is to reduce poverty, bring mixed incomes to the area and be completely transparent during the entire process.
“And we want to revitalize the area so the people can live in safe, affordable housing and they can have amenities like the rest of the City of Norfolk,” said Lee. “It’s been a concentrated area of poverty for a long time and so I’m [glad] to make that change.”
Anyone is welcomed to attend another session Wednesday from 1:30-4:30 p.m.
The committee said people can drop in and watch the architects drawing the plans.
They said after reviewing all of the feedback from residents and stakeholders, they will make a presentation that will lay out the plan for the vision of St. Paul’s area at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
They said several weeks later, they will come more information about the housing plans.
The meeting will take place at Basilica of Saint Mary of Immaculate Conception Church.
The grant is due September 17 and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development told the city it should have an answer about whether it got the grant by February 2019.
