Harbour View Grande, a 16-screen Consolidated Theatre, and Bon Secours Hospital are two existing components in Harbour View Station Town Center. (Photo by Craig Zirpolo)

Harbour View Station Adds Town Center Style to Suffolk

SUFFOLK, VIRGINIA --The East Suffolk community of Harbour View was, until recently, prime agricultural land for national brands such as Lipton Tea and Planter’s Peanuts.  Now, this once rich farm area is witnessing a new type of growth—the development of lifestyle centers and mixed-use projects, such as Harbour View Station Town Cente and Harbour View East, to serve a blossoming population.

The first phase of development is underway. Harbour View Station lies on a tract of land flanked by Interstate 664 and Harbour View Boulevard.  Over 1.5 million square feet of retail, residential and office space will be divided between a series of two to six-story buildings aligned in an urban, grid-street pattern.  Divaris Real Estate, Inc. (DRE) has been assigned the responsibility of leasing the commercial space by Chicago developer Landonomics Group.

“Harbour View is probably the most important mixed-use node in Suffolk,” said Gerald Divaris, DRE's chairman and CEO.  “It’s very accessible, virgin land that is being developed instead of redeveloped.  It will become something modern, appealing and exciting.  It doesn’t come with any baggage.”

In conceptualizing the Harbour View Station project, Landonomics initially approached DRE to discuss Divaris’ experiences with Town Center of Virginia Beach —a successful development in nearby Virginia Beach, Va.  DRE’s recommendations in moving forward was to hire city planners CMSS Architects (the firm behind the master plan for The Town Center of Virginia Beach) to design Harbour View Station, and Jeff Green Partners to conduct a market study for the proposed development.  CMSS is also credited with the City Center at Oyster Point in Newport News, Va. and Village of Rocketts Landing in Richmond, Va.  The Harbour View Station Town Center  blueprint calls for the classic look and feel of a traditional city center, with each building sporting its own character and style, and set in an urban format.

Harbour View Station Town Center has two existing components already working in its favor.  Bon Secours Hospital is open and operating, allowing for potential daytime traffic from employees, as well as patients and their families.  And, Suffolk’s only large stadium-seating cinema complex is already located onsite, as well.  Operated by Consolidated Theaters, the Harbour View Grande cinema features 16 screens and is surrounded by restaurants and specialty shops.

Harbour View Station is in the planning stages and yet the premium grocery chain, Harris Teeter, has agreed to serve as a third anchor for the center.  Additionally, a new unit for Bon Secours Hospital has been secured, as well as new medical buildings to service the hospital—two of which broke ground in 2005.  DRE has received letters of intent from many others, and is working with two large, as yet unnamed, department stores to “bookend” the project’s main street.  Many restaurants, soft goods, furnishing stores and fashion retailers have also expressed an interest in joining the roster.

Synergy with the development’s sister property, Harbour View East, will be mutually beneficial. Harbour View East sits across Interstate 664 from the Harbour View Station Town Center site, and is anchored by an existing Wal-Mart Supercenter.  It also features a Ruby Tuesday restaurant, Payless Shoe Source, Hair Cuttery, RadioShack and Bestway Rent-to-Own.  Negotiations are at an advanced stage to add a department store, home goods, sporting goods, office supplies and two additional blocks of “in-line” small stores.

Suffolk has long served as a bedroom community for the U.S. military installations and defense contractors housed in Hampton Roads.  The continued growth in these industries has led to an increased demand for space—both office and housing. 

Another key selling point for Harbour View Station Town Center is the high-end waterfront residential properties that surround the development and the easy access to the southside cities and to the Virginia Peninsula via I-664.

           “Harbour View has some of the best waterfront land available,” said Divaris.  He also states that each of these factors make the area very attractive to prospective tenants because they are considering the needs of their employees for easy commutes, available housing, quality retail and a high-income market.