our community seafood market and commercial kitchen is coming!
The City of Newport News is developing a new year-round Seafood Market/Commercial Kitchen in the Marshall-Ridley Choice Neighborhood (MRCN) as part of its implementation of the Transformation Plan. The Market will be located at the head of the Seafood Industrial Park. A seafood market was identified as a priority for the community through the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI) planning grant process and is one of the Critical Community Improvements being supported by the CNI funds.
The Fall 2019 cohort of the Neighborhood Leadership Series II (NLS II), as part of its class project, took a leadership role in researching and evaluating the market's feasibility and worked to define the concept for the market further. This work completed by the NLS II class is serving as a foundation for developing the operating plan and the design and function of the seafood market.
To help with the creation of an operating model for the market, Hill Studio PC was selected, along with their team, which is comprised of Virginia Tech’s Office of Economic Development, Richmond-based CarverCo, a real estate development and advisory company, Sterling Solutions, a national leader in seafood handling solutions, and Patrick Arnold, owner of the New England Seafood Cluster and Icelandic Seafood Cluster.
Work Program Architects (WPA) has been contracted to provide architectural services for the project. Starting in July 2023, recurring work group meetings have been held with WPA, City staff, and community members to serve as a steering committee, providing guidance as the project design has progressed.
The current project design envisions a 7,800 square feet facility providing residents and guests access to a variety of fresh seafood options as well as multiple prepared food vendors. The project will provide new amenity for residents and visitors to the Southeast Community, which will be enhanced by concurrent dock and pier improvement projects at the head of the harbor. The City anticipates the market design will be complete in mid-2024, with construction commencing in late 2024.
““We are grateful that the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration is investing in this important part of Newport News and supporting our thriving seafood industry,” said Newport News Mayor Phillip D. Jones. “Seafood Industrial Park is prime waterfront property that comprises 39 acres in the Southeast Community of Newport News, including navigable water. This grant contributes greatly to our efforts to make critical improvements to the park that enhance its viability and competitiveness in the market. It also lays the foundation for future growth, including a seafood market that will make the products landed at SIP more accessible to the community, while also supporting food entrepreneurship opportunities.””
““Virginia is one of the largest seafood producing states in the nation, a critical asset to our growing reputation as the most attractive place to locate and grow a business. Virginians depend on our thriving seafood industry because it helps support our local economies,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “I’m pleased that this grant will enable the Newport News Seafood Industrial Park to make structural updates to their accommodations, enhancing the support it provides the seafood industry.””
Bookmark this page for updates, pictures of the journey, and insight into this project's history!
