NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The City of Norfolk has revealed plans for phase 1 of redevelopment at the former Greenies site in Ocean View.
“The location: 196 W. Ocean View Avenue. The mission: put the ‘view’ back in Ocean View, connect neighborhoods more effectively to the waterfront and create a pedestrian-friendly centralized area,” the city wrote in a news release Wednesday.
The city said it has conducted public outreach, including civic league and advisory committee meetings, over the last two years to form a plan for the site.
The redevelopment plans include extending the dune line, a pedestrian walkway from Ocean View Beach Park, a parking lot with room for food trucks and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant beach access.
A proposed turf area will also be installed that can be programmed later, if desired by the community, the city said.
Now, Norfolk is considering two options for phase 2.
Phase 2 option 1 includes building a small beachfront restaurant with outdoor and rooftop dining, while phase 2 option 2 would build a bigger restaurant that also has outdoor dining.
“With both options, flexibility is built in to ensure the future needs of the community can be met,” the city said.
The city has also released a rendering that shows outdoor seating at the site would overlook the beach and bay area.
The city is now asking for feedback on the plan to be emailed to planning@norfolk.gov.
“The community kind of told us what they wanted to use the space for: Open space, parking and they wanted a restaurant back,” said Kelly Straub, with the City of Norfolk.
Greenies was the oldest bar in Norfolk when it was closed and demolished in 2018.
Greenies opened in 1930 where 1st View Street meets with Ocean View Avenue. The restaurant and bar had a waterfront deck and was popular among the locals.
It was bought by the city a part of a neighborhood revitalization project in fall 2018, and was demolished a couple months later.