A New Mixed-Use Project Could Be Coming to Shore Drive
Change may be on the way for one of Virginia Beach's most scenic corridors. The Virginia Beach Planning Commission has recommended approval of a mixed-use development along Shore Drive, just across from Pleasure House Point Natural Area and the proposal is already generating plenty of conversation among neighbors.
What's being proposed?
The plan calls for 52 for-sale condominiums along with up to 2,500 square feet of commercial space, spread across a 2.2-acre site at the corner of Shore Drive and Marlin Bay Drive. The main building would rise five stories, stepping down to three stories closer to the existing townhomes nearby. Most of the property is currently used as a storage yard.
The applicant, an affiliate of McLeskey & Associates, has spent the past two years meeting with community groups to shape the project, and the plans have already been scaled back from an earlier proposal of 62 units to the current 52.
Why this site, why now?
This isn't the first time this land has been eyed for redevelopment. Back in 2021, a much larger project calling for nearly 200 apartments won Planning Commission support before ultimately being abandoned. A hand-painted reminder still sits on a fence at the site: "NO APTS HERE."
This time around, officials point out, the approach is different. Condos for sale rather than apartments for rent, and a notably smaller footprint. Planning Commissioner Katherine Schoonover, who made the motion to recommend approval, called it an improvement for the area and noted the plan should also help address existing stormwater issues on the site.
What are residents saying?
Not everyone is on board. City officials say they've received dozens of letters raising concerns about density, building height, traffic, and stormwater management. Some members of the Bayfront Advisory Commission pushed back on the height of the five-story portion nearest the Shore Drive corner, while others have argued the project doesn't fit the corridor's role as a transition between lower-density residential areas and busier, higher-density ones.
Even so, the Planning Commission voted 9-1, with one abstention, to recommend approval. The lone no vote came from Commissioner Walter Camp, who cited concerns about planned road improvements and a stormwater pump station tentatively sited on the property.
What happens next?
The proposal now heads to Virginia Beach City Council for final consideration. If approved, it would bring new for-sale housing and a small amount of commercial space to a corridor that's seen plenty of change in recent years all within walking distance of the Chesapeake Bay and the trails at Pleasure House Point.
It's a good reminder of how much is shifting along Shore Drive, one of the area's most sought-after stretches for buyers who want easy access to the water without leaving Virginia Beach. As redevelopment conversations like this one continue to unfold, they're worth watching for anyone weighing a move to the Bayfront area whether it's this project or the next one that ultimately reshapes the neighborhood.
If you're curious about what a move to Shore Drive or the surrounding Bayfront neighborhoods could look like, reach out to W|P Collective Homes at Keller Williams Town Center. We stay close to what's happening in every corner of Hampton Roads, so you always know what's changing before you make your next move.
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