VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A huge public eyesore near Witchduck Road and Southern Boulevard in Virginia Beach could be going away sooner than expected. 

A new development could be replacing tons and tons of ugly, used concrete piling so high you can see it from Interstate 264. 

Since the summer of 2019, 10 On Your Side reporting on the concrete mountain off Witchduck Road.  

Another major thing is happening that could make the concrete mountain go away more quickly. 

As the mega excavator continues chomping away at tons of concrete, far away in the Virginia Beach Planning Commission meeting room, new plans could change the course of history along the Witchduck Road Corridor. 

Every day, Development Consultant John Mamoudis wakes up and thinks about charting the new course in Virginia Beach’s Western Town Center area, 

“We hope to put a $100 million project on the west end of Town Center, and it shows we are serious.” 

On Wednesday, that got a step closer to reality. At a hearing, the Virginia Beach Planning Commission recommended approval to rezone the property from I-2 Heavy Industrial to A-36 for 36 apartments per acre. The next step in the rezoning is for approval by the Virginia Beach City Council. That is expected next month.

Mamoudis has heard the complaints and seen 10 On Your Side’s reports chasing after the property owner, 

“The first time I heard it was bothersome was when I saw you charging after the property owner across the parking lot at (the Virginia Beach Courthouse) asking him about the concrete height and the violations the city gave him,” said Mamoudis recalling 10 On Your Side’s Any Fox’s reports chasing after the property owner.   

Mamoudis is now teaming up with the Breeden Company.  

The Breeden Company recently produced a promotional video introducing the “122 Mac” project. The development’s address will be 122 Mac Street, and the video is heavy with aerials of the concrete mountain and what the site looks like now with the new narrative. 

“The Kempsville community is excited about the possibility and clamoring for a more energetic, pedestrian-friendly, mix-use environment,” said Vice-President of Development Torrey Breeden. 

The project would have 438 apartments in six buildings.

“The use of color allows the eye to move seamlessly across the architecture.” 

“All this is going to be leveled, cleaned up, nice grassy fields, premier class leading architecture,” added Breeden referring to the pile of rubble. 

Mamoudis oversees getting the rezoning through the planning commission then city council. 

“At the end of the day, it’s thought and design, then presence and construction, and maybe there is possibility for us to do future things.” 

10 On Your Side has been investigating the concrete mountain and violations the owner of the property faced since summer of 2019. We also pressed the city on how the concrete pile go unchecked. The city allowed the eyesore to exist for 10 years by some estimates before we started pressing the issue.  

Breeden says stated 10 on your Side’s reporting was one of the dominoes falling. 

“What really brought the heat was the sense of urgency to the situation. People like yourself running specials on it, bringing it to the forefront of everyone’s attention.”