NORFOLK, Va. — Friday marks the last day Norfolk's Fitness and Wellness Center, located in Wards Corner, will be open to the public. The center is slated for demolition to make way for a new, state-of-the-art complex that will enhance both recreational and educational opportunities for the community.
"This is a new breed," said John Alford, the city architect, describing the plans for the new facility set to be developed. Renderings illustrate a modern design complete with innovative features.
Alford points out that combining a recreation center with a library component is a trendy new approach.
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Adding a recreation center and a library together was determined to be a beneficial model, bringing families together to share in exercise and learning periods.
The existing facility is now over 50 years old and was originally built as a Jewish Community Center before the city repurposed it.
Alford said it's in dire need of replacement due to issues such as narrow bathroom entrances and malfunctioning air conditioning and dehumidifiers.
The new $67 million project will include an array of features: a 25-yard pool with eight lanes, a lazy river, splash pads, gym spaces, outdoor areas, and a full-service library.
"There's a walking trail that goes all the way around the site," Alford describes, along with additional outdoor amenities like playgrounds, tennis courts, and pickleball courts.
One significant concern from the community was preserving the green space and leveraging the wetlands behind the building as an educational component. Alford emphasizes that these aspects have been carefully considered in the design.
"There are also some wetlands behind this building here, and the library was actually thinking that could be a possible educational component, Alford said.
Alford said that construction will begin in about six months.
"In that time frame, we will demolish this building," he explains, acknowledging the noise and activity that steel frame construction will entail. The city is prepared to handle the transition smoothly, with existing groups moving to nearby locations such as Titus Town Visual Arts Center.
If everything proceeds as planned, the new facility is expected to open in the fall of 2027.
Click or tap here for the plans.
