NORFOLK, Va. - — City leaders and developers broke ground on the latest development coming to the old Tidewater Gardens neighborhood on Wednesday.
The 144 apartments at Unity Place are expected to open in 2025 in the neighborhood, which is now called Kindred.
Two other developments, Reunion Senior Living and Origin Circle, are expected to open in the fall, bringing mixed income housing and space for retail to the area.
It's all part of the St. Paul's Transformation Project, a multi-year effort to redevelop public housing in a flood prone area.
Hundreds of families had to move out of the Tidewater Gardens neighborhood and the old housing was demolished.
Residents were given assistance in finding new housing and a promise they could move back into the neighborhood when construction is complete.
Krystal Smith is a former Tidewater Gardens resident planning to move back.
"At first I was like ugh they're tearing down our neighborhood. I wasn't so up for it at first, but now I'm kind of excited about the new scenery to the downtown area," Smith said following the groundbreaking ceremony.
Natalie Lino, who lived in Tidewater Gardens twice, also plans to move back.
"I am looking forward to returning. I live the idea of amenities. I love the washer and dryer. I don't have to go to the laundromat anymore," Lino said.
Kindred borders downtown and is next to the Downtown Norfolk Transit Center, which project leaders say makes it an ideal place to live.
"What you see and what will happen here is a direct result of our community engagement with residents. They told us what they wanted in these buildings," Mayor Kenny Alexander said.
While there are two other neighborhoods that make up the St. Paul's area, Young Terrace and Calvert Square, there are no current plans to include them on this transformation.
"If that's something that the community wants to do, then certainly we will take that up and follow the process of engaging the community first," Alexander said when responding to a question about plans for the whole area.
