VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — It is a tedious and sensitive undertaking to create a memorial remembering the lives lost at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center after an employee opened fire in 2019.
On Wednesday, local design firm Dills Architects showed the 5/31 Memorial Committee where the project stands and what still needs to be done.
“For us, it’s all about communication,” said Clay Dills of Dills Architects. “Regular updates, what we’re working on.”
Dills informed the memorial committee his team estimates 20 trees will need to be removed from the woods along Princess Anne Road and Nimmo Parkway to construct the permanent memorial, with the majority of woodlands and root structures undisturbed.
Dills also asked the committee for input on the materials used for stone plaques and the font styles of the 12 names that will go on them.
“We don’t need these decisions made right away, but we want input from wherever we can get it,” Dills said.
Dills said his team will be ready to bid their construction drawings by Feb. 1 and hopes to hire a general contractor who understands the importance and gravity of the project.
5/31 Memorial committee member and councilman Michael Berlucchi praised the design plan and shared feedback from fellow Virginia Beach police officers.
“They were so pleased with the design of this,” Berlucchi said. “They thought it really struck a balance between being accessible, being visible, being monumental, austere, very serious but not so much as a daily re-lived experience.”
Dills Architects expects construction to cost around $5.8 million. The city has allocated $1.2 million to cover the cost of the design contract and will set aside more money to cover the full project.
The 5/31 Memorial Committee will meet again Dec. 6.