Good afternoon,

I hope all is well with you at the start of this wonderful fall season. I’m excited to share some great accomplishments happening around Norfolk.

On August 26, 2025, Norfolk City Council approved a comprehensive agreement and final design to build a new Maury High School, with a guaranteed maximum price of $220 million. This project has been long in the making and represents a major milestone for our city. Importantly, the project does not include the proposed 4,000-seat football stadium. I was not in favor of adding the stadium, as Maury’s state champion football team already has an excellent arrangement at Powhatan Field. A new stadium would also have placed undue stress on the Ghent neighborhood, which is not suited to handle the additional traffic and activity.

Construction on the new Maury will begin this fall, with completion slated for July 31, 2028, ahead of the school year. Students will continue learning in the current building during construction. Once the new building opens, the old Maury will revert back to the City of Norfolk for determination of its future use. Personally, I would like to see the historic building preserved and creatively repurposed—potentially even for residential use.

In other exciting news, Target is coming to Wards Corner. While there hasn’t yet been a formal announcement, a teaser was shared on social media indicating one will be made soon. Target has already pulled permits from the city and is well into the planning and design phase. This is an incredible step forward for Wards Corner, bringing more retail growth and vibrancy to the area.

The Surry Crescent and Richmond Crescent shoreline project also continues in its planning stages. This flood mitigation effort will include a combination of knee walls, berms, and living shorelines along the Lafayette River in the Larchmont neighborhood. The project is fully funded by the city, and we are currently working through reviews and comments from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). With these required back-and-forth approvals, construction is scheduled to begin in fall 2026. I have advocated for this project since joining City Council, and I’m grateful we are finally on track to break ground in just over a year.

Meanwhile, the berm project at Walnut Hill and Sylvan Street is nearly complete. Neighbors will be glad to have this work behind them and their streets protected from tidal flooding events. I lived just a block away when I first moved to Norfolk, and even then the flooding was terrible. To think of how much worse it has become more than 31 years later—it’s truly rewarding to see this long-needed project come to life.

Lastly, the ODU football game this past Saturday night was fantastic. Congratulations to the Monarchs on their 54–6 victory over North Carolina Central! It was a beautiful evening under the full moon, and I enjoyed riding my bike to and from the game.

Cheers,
Courtney

 

ODU Maritime Autonomous Systems Test Site Ribbon Cutting Ceremony 

 

 

Roland Park Civic League

Excellent show at the Little Theatre of Norfolk

Sylvan/Walnut Hill berm project 

Grady serving on the neighborhood watch team!