CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The city of Chesapeake is planning the future for Greenbrier with plans to re-envision the area. Leaders want community feedback to influence the development for the city's main commercial hub.
Several residents came to the city's final public meeting for the Greenbrier Area Plan on Monday night to see the city’s ideas for the future.
"As a longtime resident of Chesapeake, Greenbrier is one of our largest areas and has the highest congestion," Patti McCambridge, a Chesapeake resident said.
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Patti McCambridge has lived in Chesapeake since 1980. She wants a more pedestrian friendly community.
"They can do things that make it more walkable and have more open space and sidewalks and bike paths," McCambridge said.
Chesapeake’s community design manager, Nat McCormick, says Greenbrier Mall is apart of the city's re-imagining plan.
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"We are doing re-invisioning work for the Greenbrier area and we’re looking ahead 20 years and saying what could this place look like," McCormick said.
The mall is one of Chesapeake's largest commercial spaces. In February, a bulk was sold at an auction and plans for the mall are not clear yet.
McCormick showed a rendering and a map of what the area of Greenbrier Mall could be. The idea consists of a grocery store, residential housing, dining and an event center.
The study area for the plan is approximately 12-square-miles. It's includes Greenbrier Parkway and nearby areas.
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Michael Sarros, the president of the North Battlefield Civic League, believes the plan will benefit home owners.
"The property values will reflect the changes that Greenbrier has for the area in a very positive way. As a home owner, I love that idea," Sarros said.
The city says the next step is to take the ideas to the planning commission and city council.
McCormick expects city council to vote on the Greenbrier Area Plan sometime this year.
