The SGA Now
The Rosemont SGA is a 158-acre area located in the center of the city east of the Pembroke SGA along the I-264/Virginia Beach Boulevard corridor and is defined by a heavily used roadway system that is further complicated by the confluence of a railroad crossing and an interchange ramp system in proximity to one another. The land use of this area is characterized by suburban strip commercial and multifamily residential uses along Virginia Beach Boulevard and generally encompassed by established single family neighborhoods.
The Vision
The vision for the Rosemont SGA is a mixed-use development with a neighborhood center,
improved pedestrian and trail facilities, and a street and block structure created to accommodate development and mobility. The Rosemont SGA will be a leading example of sustainable development practices, integrate high quality well designed workforce housing and assure proper guidelines and standards for land use, streets and open spaces.
The Plan
With improved connectivity and mobility, the Rosemont SGA will transition from an auto-oriented retail strip to a mixed-use transit-oriented neighborhood center at higher densities. Market potential created by the introduction of transit and human-scaling of infrastructure suggests a reconception of commercial development to serve the needs of a growing population and the introduction of multi-family housing within easy walking distance of transit and neighborhood amenities. Create an implementable series of private and public projects that can be packaged together to transform, over time, the heart of the city.
Key Recommendations
- Create an implementable series of private and public projects that can be packaged together to transform, over time, the heart of the city.
- Design to a “transit ready” framework that permits adequate scale and density coupled with successive phasing of public investment to unlock a corresponding return on investment.
- Promote redevelopment through building the Sentara Way fly-over and other new connections within the SGA, supporting potential development, and improvements along South Plaza Trail.
- No industrial uses are recommended for this area.
- Introduce the residential neighborhoods south of Virginia Beach Boulevard by realigning Bonney Road, creating more regular development blocks to allow for higher density development, organized around parking garages, and liner buildings.
- Establish criteria to humanize Virginia Beach Boulevard. Along the boulevard will be the new development of a village core, and the surrounding lower-density residential neighborhoods to support the commercial uses and transit options that are being introduced.
The Development Process
Interested in developing in this SGA? Preapplication/predesign meetings are required for all new developments located within a Strategic Growth Area. (
See DSC Information Notice #173.) The purpose of this meeting is to address how the proposal complements the SGA Plan and critical issues associated with the proposed land use, site design, building design, supporting infrastructure needs, and any other concerns about the project. These preapplication/predesign meetings will also help identify expectations and assist in establishing lines of communication to help the project move through the land development and plan review processes smoothly. Please contact the area representative listed below for more information.