Newport News Seeks Community Engagement for South Central Jefferson Avenue Area Study
Application period is open for those interested in serving on the project's Citizen Advisory Committee
The City of Newport News Department of Planning is initiating a significant effort to guide future development along the Jefferson Avenue corridor, specifically between Mercury Boulevard and J. Clyde Morris Boulevard. As a core component of this initiative, the city is actively seeking applications for a Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) to participate in the South Central Jefferson Avenue Area Study. The objective of this study is to collaborate with the community to establish a vision for stabilization and redevelopment, leading to long-term, sustainable growth in the area by defining guidelines for land use, development, transportation, and accessibility.
The Jefferson Avenue corridor, particularly around 25th Street, was historically recognized as a vibrant urban neighborhood and the "heart and soul" of the southeastern part of Newport News, with numerous small businesses, homes, and churches. However, over time, factors such as disinvestment, suburban migration, and general neglect have resulted in a decline, leaving some to believe that the Southeast Community in need of neighborhood services that were once available along this avenue.
Past planning efforts, including the 2009 Jefferson Avenue Corridor Study, sought to restore the vibrancy of a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use environment. Currently, the city is implementing improvements between 25th and 36th streets, which include on-street parking, landscaping, and pedestrian-scaled street lights, with plans to extend these enhancements south to 12th Street to create an attractive gateway and encourage private investment. The Citizen Advisory Committee for the new South Central Jefferson Avenue Area Study will play a crucial role by analyzing current conditions, helping to define a shared vision for the corridor, and recommending improvements based on community needs. Individuals not selected for the CAC will still have opportunities to contribute during the broader planning process.
This study aligns with Newport News' established approach to comprehensive planning, which includes both citywide strategies and more localized area and neighborhood plans. These specific plans are designed to guide growth, development, redevelopment, and revitalization efforts by providing detailed analysis and proposing specific actions for areas with potential for significant change, reflecting each area's unique characteristics. Once adopted, these area plans serve as amendments to the city's overall "One City, One Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan," which was adopted by the City Council on August 14, 2018. The comprehensive plan acts as the general guide for future investment and development across Newport News, outlining official policies on land use, urban design, transportation, housing, public facilities and services, the environment, and economic development. The creation of the comprehensive plan involved significant citizen input through various outreach efforts.
Other notable area and neighborhood planning initiatives recently conducted or currently underway in Newport News include:
Denbigh-Warwick Area Plan: This plan aims to establish a comprehensive long-range planning and development vision to stabilize the Denbigh-Warwick neighborhood and attract new investment, and will become an amendment to the city's comprehensive plan upon adoption. The Stoney Run Park Master Plan Update is also located in the Denbigh community, envisioning an active recreational core surrounded by passive recreation, connecting the 228-acre park to the surrounding community. An online survey was conducted in 2021 to gather community perspectives for this park.
Greater Hilton Area Plan (GHAP): This plan is an update to the 1998 Hilton Area Neighborhood Plan, focusing on identifying successes from the original plan's implementation, evaluating potential redevelopment opportunities, and encouraging neighborhood and commercial stabilization. The draft plan was slated for presentation to the Planning Commission and City Council in Winter 2024, with public hearings for citizen input. Funding for this plan is included in the Capital Improvement Plan for Fiscal Years 2026-2030.
Lee Hall Area Plan: Adopted by the City Council on May 23, 2023, this plan, driven by community input, aims to reinvigorate local businesses, preserve the historical character of the area, re-establish a sense of place and community, and attract new investment. It serves as an amendment to the city's One City, One Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
Newport News Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan: A draft of this plan was available in February 2024. It seeks to create a citywide network of sidewalks, shared use paths, and on-street bicycle facilities to connect neighborhoods, schools, transit stops, shops, existing trails, and recreation areas. Residents expressed a desire for protected facilities separated or buffered from motor vehicle traffic and improvements at crossings along major corridors such as Jefferson Avenue and Warwick Boulevard, and in areas around the Newport News shipyard. Implementation of this plan is supported by funding in the FY 2026-2030 Capital Improvement Plan. The plan also mentions Newport News' efforts along Jefferson Avenue south of 36th Street as key in a citywide effort toward Complete Streets. Areas with the highest need scores for active transportation, identified through an equity analysis, include areas on the southern end of the city such as Reed, Marshall, Wilson, Magruder, Washington, Dunbar, Jefferson, Newsome Park, Newmarket, Chestnut, and Huntington, among others.
Marshall-Ridley Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan: Adopted in June 2018, this plan focuses on housing, people, and neighborhood transformation for a subarea of the Southeast Community. It is integrated into the comprehensive plan and receives funding through the Capital Improvement Plan. The "Lift & Rise on Jefferson" is a noteworthy housing redevelopment project in this neighborhood.
Downtown Vision Plan (2016) and Superblock Charrette Study (2014): These initiatives aim to revitalize downtown Newport News, building on the concept of an "urban waterfront village". Key recommendations include a waterfront path, enhanced streetscapes, and new shared street connections prioritizing pedestrians and bicyclists. The Downtown Vision Plan also aims to support a design vision that preserves significant structures and increases downtown vitality.
Southeast Community Plan (2011): This plan identifies challenges and opportunities within the Southeast Community, providing a long-term approach for reinvestment and stabilization. Bicycle and pedestrian recommendations include replacing older sidewalks, completing a network of sidewalks and shared use paths, and separate bike lanes on key arterials like 16th St, 27th St, 28th St, 39th St, Marshall Ave, Madison Ave, Roanoke Ave, Ivy Ave, Chestnut Ave, and Chesapeake Ave, to connect to waterfront views, parks, and businesses.
The city's planning efforts recognize existing conditions, including the city's mix of urban and suburban development patterns, and aim to address challenges such as housing affordability and accessibility. Citizens have also voiced a desire for more economic diversity, focusing beyond the shipyard and Department of Defense, to include high-tech sectors and potentially utilizing sports as an economic driver.
A Newport News Daily contributor used AI to produce this post from these sources:
South Central Jefferson Avenue Area Study | Newport News, VA - Official Website
Fact Sheet South Central Jefferson Corridor / Application for Citizen Advisory Committee on the South Central Jefferson Corridor Study
Area and Neighborhood Plans | Newport News, VA - Official Website
Stoney Run Park Master Plan Update
Newport News Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan
Lee Hall Area Plan | Newport News, VA - Official Website
Greater Hilton Area Plan | Newport News, VA - Official Website
Comprehensive Plan 2040 Adopted
Agenda City Council Meeting June 10, 2025
Newport News Housing Study Final Report