VIRGINIA BEACH, VA: The vision Gerald Divaris, chairman/ceo of Divaris Real Estate, had long ago is coming into focus slowly, but surely: Virginia Beach is getting ready to welcome its long desired urban Town Center.

Located on a city block bounded by Virginia Beach Boulevard, Constitution Drive, Columbus Street and Independence Boulevard, The Town Center will be an urban town center comprising Class-A, high-rise office buildings and high-end retail stores, two department stores and a multi-screen, stadium seating cinema complex. The development will also include two hotels: a suite hotel consisting of approximately 150 suites, and a 200-room, five star hotel. A 400 unit, high-rise apartment building will complete the mix. The project, being designed by Burrell Saunders of CMSS Architects and developed by Armada/Hoffler, will be supported by several multi-level, enclosed parking garages, offering free parking for more than 4,000 vehicles. And to top everything off, the development will include a "Village Green" as its centerpiece, which will be surrounded by restaurants and entertainment facilities.

The first phase of development will consist of a 220,000 square foot, 14 story high rise, Class-A office tower, built above a 1,000 car parking garage. In addition, 91,000 square feet of two-to-three story, self-contained office/retail buildings will wrap the parking garage and provide individuality to their occupants. A new 80,000 square foot, state-of-the-art stadium seating cinema complex will be built simultaneously above a podium of high-end retail stores. The "backbone" infrastructrual improvements, including the "village green" and the internal roads, will also be completed as part of phase one.

The new millennium will usher in a new city center for Virginia Beach. At last, its very own heart and soul, a place all its citizens and visitors can feel an affinity toward and a landmark development that symbolizes the evolution and maturity of Virginia's largest city.

The evolution of this exciting new project is well underway. Already established in The Town Center, is Columbus Village Entertainment Center, a 15-acre development anchored by Barnes & Noble Booksellers; One Columbus Center, the first Class-A, 11-story high rise office building in the CBD with national corporate tenants; and phase one of Five Columbus Center, a 20,000 square foot office and retail building occupied by ALLTEL. Phase two will add 37,000 square feet of office and retail space, spread over three floors. This was the first CBD structure designed with a pedestrian orientation, a significant part of the overall master plan of The Town Center. Also in development is Columbus Village East, a $10 million shopping promenade on approximately six acres of land, anchored by Giuliano's.

"The Town Center will feel like a place to mingle," says Divaris. "A place that will provide everyone with a source of pride and a central focus of their daily activities."

The Pembroke area has been zoned for Virginia Beach's Central Business District since 1973. The City later followed up with additional zoning changes, to discourage any incompatible development. The zoning allows for off-site parking, pedestrian walkways, urban-style piazzas, mixed uses and other typical urban center capabilities. According to Thomas C. Pauls, who directs the City's comprehensive planning, Pembroke's strength has been the patience of developers and their willingness to work with the city. 

The area is looked at as Virginia Beach's metropolitan center for business, entertainment and cultural activities. The Town Center will fit right in.