virginia empowerment zone

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Welcome

City of Portsmouth Department of Economic Development 200 High Street, Suite 200, Portsmouth, VA 23704-3722 (800) 848-5690 • www.portsmouthvaed.comCity of Norfolk Department of Development 500 East Main Street, Suite 1500, Norfolk, VA 23510 (757) 664-4338 • www.norfolkdevelopment.com

Success awaits you inthe nation’s 33rd largestmetro area: Norfolk andPortsmouth, in the HamptonRoads region of Virginia.

Here you will find asuperior quality of life,where Old Southern charmmeets the promise of amodern-day metropolis.Norfolk and Portsmouthoffer a breathtakingshoreline view and

unparalleled lifestyle attractions, providing year-round entertainment, mild temperatures, finerestaurants, museums, semi-professional sports,

shopping malls, sight-seeing tours, cruises, theopera and more.

A cruise port, waterways, recreational marinas andmiles of beautiful beaches surround what USA Todaycalls one of “America’s Top Ten Booming Downtowns”1

for residential growth in the U.S.

Major revitalization beckons new business to Norfolkand Portsmouth, in a region that has one of thehighest percentages of businesses owned by blacks(7%).2 A skilled labor pool, tax incentives, and majorhousing initiatives encourage growth and expansionwell into the future.

It’s an irresistible place for so many reasons. Weencourage you to read on, learn the facts aboutNorfolk and Portsmouth, then join us!

1 Based on reported findings from U.S. Census comparisons 1990 vs. 20002 ACCRA, 2nd Qtr. 2003

Hampton Roads is one of the leading metropolitan areas in the nation in the proportion of businessesowned by blacks.

W e l c o m e

Norfolk & Portsmouth, VAWhere Cities and Innovation Comes Together

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According to Entrepreneur Magazine, the Norfolk/Portsmouth market is one of the “Top 10 Best U.S.Cities for Entrepreneurs.” Strategically located at the

epicenter of Virginia’smost heavily populatedregion, these cities are anincubator for business,medical, educational andcultural growth.Economic developmentinitiatives are focused onattracting, retaining andexpanding businesses, aswell as revitalizingneighborhoods andcommunities. Theseinitiatives provide a

structure for development and redevelopment.

According to Diversity Inc., faster-growing cities,primarily those in the West and South, are morediverse. The Census Bureau reported that Norfolk isone of the five most integrated urban areas in thenation. A city of some 234,000 residents and morethan 100 ethnically diverse neighborhoods, Norfolk isthe cultural, educational, business and medical centerof Hampton Roads. It hosts the region’s internationalairport, and is one of the busiest international seaportson the East Coast of the United States.

With some 100,000 residents, Portsmouth is hometo several major federal employers, including the U.S.Naval Medical Center, the oldest continuouslyoperating hospital in the nation.

The U.S. Census Bureau identified the predominatelyAfrican American neighborhood of Cavalier Manor inPortsmouth as the most stable neighborhood inVirginia. Its streets are named for famous blackperformers.

In the past five years, Downtown Norfolk propertyassessed value has increased over 75%. Thisrenaissance is the result of over thirty years of public-private partnerships. Norfolk’s new benchmarks forprivate investment during this period include $70million in office development, $100 million inresidential, $80 million in retail and restaurants, and$87 million in hotels.


About Us

A b o u t U s


One of the top 10 best U.S.Cities for Entrepreneurs

— Entrepreneur Magazine

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As a global transportation hub, Norfolk and Portsmouthkeep the goods moving! Norfolk International Airport

achieved record-high trafficvolume in 2002* — a yearwhen, nationally, airport trafficfell 4.7 percent. The 17%increase was attributed toSouthwest Airline’s addition ofNorfolk to its service route;and, in July, the opening of anew $133 million passengerterminal. It is the 24th rankedairport in the nation in termsof annual passenger growth.*

An $800,000 renovation for Immigration andNaturalization Services and Customs services wasadded to the airport to handle charters or divertedflights of foreign origin. This is important for the cruiseindustry, as charter flights originating outside theUnited States for cruise passengers may disembarkhere, rather than at another domestic gateway forcustoms processing, prior to arriving in Norfolk.

The Norfolk Naval Shipyard is one of the largestoperating shipyards in the U.S. The cruise market hasremained strong and passenger counts for 2004 have

doubled from 2003. As amatter of fact, Norfolk’stourism numbers increasedacross the board, counter tothe national trend. APMTerminals, one of theworld’s most successfulcontainer shippingcompanies, recentlyannounced plans to buildthe first major privatelydeveloped marine terminalsin the nation, on theElizabeth River in Portsmouth. This $450 millionannouncement is the largest economic developmentdeal in Hampton Roads’ history.

Port expansion — by 2010, a 300-acre expansion ofNorfolk International Terminal (NIT) will be completed,making it the largest inter-modal center in the U.S.Strong growth in shipping, leading to more traffic atregional distribution centers, has increased business atthe Port of Virginia. The port can serve the world’slargest ships (26 containers wide) — the trend of thefuture. As the South Terminal at NIT completes itsrenovation the 400th anniversary of the Virginia Portapproaches. Our port, shipping industry and place inhistory will be showcased in 2007 as never before,culminating in a grand event by the AmericanAssociation of Port Authorities, representing all of theports in the Western Hemisphere.

The port of Hampton Roads creates jobs, suppliesbusinesses and generates income. The port ofVirginia has a positive impact every day, in everycorner of the state.

Global Access

* Based on 12-month period ending September 2004 vs. 12-month period ending September 2000.

G l o b a l Ac c e s s


The Norfolk Naval Shipyardis the largest operatingshipyard in the U.S.

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FestivalsThe African-American Festival (Af’ramFest) in Town Point Park, Norfolk, is heldon Memorial Day weekend. Also catchPortsmouth’s annual African-American Heritage Trolley Tourin February. Gospelrama is atwo-day music festival thathas sought to heighten racialunderstanding and promoteunity since 1986.Towne Point musical weekendsfeature jazz, blues and reggae in August.The Umoja Festival at Olde Towne Portsmouth’swaterfront returns annually in September.

RecreationNorfolk andPortsmouth offermany parks, campinggrounds, lakes andmarinas, golf courses, andcruise line tours, as well asthe Virginia ZoologicalPark (Norfolk) and HofflerCreek Wild Life Preserve(Portsmouth). Recreationalboating, with city docksadjacent to entertainmentareas, exists in both cities.

NTELOS Pavilion at Harbor Center offers outdoorentertainment by top-rated talent. Corporate boxseating programs are also available at affordable rates.

For those who love the great outdoors andhorticulture, there’s the Norfolk Botanical Garden.Take lunch and commune among the azaleas,rhododendrons, tulips and blossoming fruit trees.

There is nothing like the beauty of thesegardens to snap you back into the present

after a tour of Virginia’s historical andmilitary sites.

Beaches Among some of the best beach parks in

Virginia are Community Beach, SarahConstant, and Ocean View, all located in

Norfolk. The parks stretch along 7.5 miles of sun-drenched beachfront. They offer lifeguards betweenMemorial Day Weekend and Labor Day, in addition torestrooms and showers. Picnic shelters provide shadeand a place to eat on a first-come, first-served basis.Community pools are also available.

Sports/ArenasThe Norfolk Scope Arena hosts a wide variety ofevents: concerts, racing, ice shows, circuses, familyshows, sports and other entertainment programs.The Ted Constant Center at Old Dominion Universityis used for year-round concerts and basketball.

Other attractions include Portsmouth’s InvitationalTournaments (PIT), an NBA scouting event, theMariners, a professional soccer team, and HarborPark, home of the Norfolk Tides (the NY Mets’ AAAfarm team).

Happenings

H a p p e n i n g s


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50,569Blacks

45,403Whites

762Asians

1,748Hispanics

2,083Other

102,268110,221

8,915

6,477

6,522

D E M O G R A P H I C S

Demographics

More than 1.5 million people reside in the Hampton Roads region

Portsmouth Norfolk

Labor Force

Portsmouth Norfolk

Racial Mix

Source: ERsys.com

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Housing


Experience the housing development renaissancein Portsmouth. With a new trend toward urban living,the Myrtles at Olde Towne, a $20-million-dollar,246-unit upscale apartment community resemblingEnglish Basement-style homes, is scheduled fordevelopment near the downtown area.

Each year, Homearama (an enclosed display ofcustom, decorated, furnished and landscaped single-family homes) showcases new homes in theHampton Roads area. Homearama 2003 was held atThe Estates at River Pointe, a new waterfrontcommunity in Portsmouth. In 2004, Homerama willbe held in Norfolk’s East Beach community.

The Cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth are undergoinga housing explosion as the Real Estate Assessor’soffice administers a tax-abatement program toencourage homeowners to refurbish their homes.Norfolk has approximately 2000 housing units underdevelopment in downtown alone, plus an additional2000 throughout the city.

H o u s i n g

*Source: ODU Regional Studies Institute, 2003.

Hampton Roads hasthe most integratedneighborhoods inthe nation

A recent study by the University of Wisconsin,Milwaukee, revealed the region’s neighborhoods tobe the most integrated in the nation. With moreblacks and whites living next to each other on thesame residential block, Hampton Roads has the mostintegrated neighborhoods in the nation (39%).*


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New and expanding businesses here enjoy a regionallabor force of over 750,000 people. Employer-friendlyVirginia offers “Right to Work” and “Employment atWill” labor structures. Business costs like Worker’sCompensation ($1.71 per $100 of payroll) andUnemployment Insurance (0.1% average as percentof wages) are some of the lowest in the nation.Remarkably, the area boasts a historically lowunemployment rate, averaging 5.1%.

MilitaryDefense plays amajor role inkeeping the region’seconomy strong.It provides morethan 20,000 highlyskilled individualsto the workforceannually. Some35,000 people workin the maritime ordistribution andlogistics sectors.Approximately6,000 jobs arecreated annuallyin this sector.


Colleges and UniversitiesOver 80,000 college students are enrolled in thearea’s 12 colleges and universities, which includeHampton University and Norfolk State University —both historically black universities, Old DominionUniversity, The College of William and Mary,Christopher Newport University, Eastern VA MedicalSchool, Regent University and Virginia WesleyanCollege. Tidewater Community College is one of fourcommunity colleges.

Research FacilitiesThe Hampton Roads area is home to NASA Langley,Jefferson Labs, Applied Research, and Federal ResearchLaboratories. The Center for Bioelectrics at Fort Norfolkis a proprietary technology joint venture of EasternVirginia Medical School and Old Dominion University.

Workforce DevelopmentOpportunity Inc. is governed by the Hampton RoadsWorkforce Development Board. It helps raise per-capita income, keeps qualified workers in the regionand attracts new businesses to the area by offeringprograms that strengthen relationships betweenemployers, training providers and employees.

Workforce Norfolk & Portsmouth, VAWhere Cities and Innovation Comes Together

Wo r k f o r c e

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Special programs offer business assistance throughlocal, state and federally designated districts in bothcities. Empowerment, enterprise, foreign trade andHUB zones provide qualifying businesses a uniquecompetitive advantage, tax credits, contract preferential,and more.

Norfolk-Portsmouth is one of the top 10 hottest areasfor companies to expand, according to ExpansionManagement magazine January 2003. It boasts aneconomy that is supported by a strong labor pool, taxincentives and a plethora of commercial retail space.Burgeoningindustries hereincludetransportation &maritime; business& financial services;technology; retail &commercial; andindustrial &manufacturingindustries. Minoritybusinesses areafforded everyopportunity to win.

With one of thelowest combinedstate and localsales tax rates inthe nation,Virginia’s Hampton Roads region is poised to attractthe most selective business owners.

Access in and out of the Hampton Roads area isunparalleled. There is a fully integrated network thatincludes port, air, rail, and highway transportation.More than 80% of the world’s shipping companiesutilize the Port of Hampton Roads. This ideal inter-modal facility links Virginia and the U.S. to over 250locations, 100 of them overseas.

The Small BusinessDevelopmentCenter of HamptonRoads, Inc. wasdeveloped by theHampton RoadsChamber ofCommerce andThomas NelsonCommunity Collegein partnership withthe U.S. SmallBusinessAdministration. TheSBDC bolstersHampton Roads’economy, offeringfree businesscounseling and

affordable training classes and seminars to firms withfewer than 100 employees. The Chamber’s full-timelobbyist advocates for legislation to maintain an idealbusiness environment.

Hampton Roads Economic Development Allianceexposes the region to the world through marketingprograms that have resulted in global endorsements.The Alliance has overseas offices in key locations:Germany and London.

Business Incentives

*Source: Hampton Roads Statistic Digest 2003

“Norfolk and Portsmouthone of the top 10 areas forcompanies to expand.”

— Expansion Management magazine.

B u s i n e s s I n c e n t i v e s


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The Chrysler Museum of Art is considered one of the20 best in the United States. Regional ballet is offered,along with lecture demonstrations, at the VirginiaBallet Theatre. Enjoy the classics, pops, family anddance series at Virginia Symphony, where more than140 performances are presented each year. TheVirginia Stage Company brings professional theatreto Norfolk with five major productions each season.The beautiful Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Centerat Norfolk State University was named for Virginia’spopular African American governor who servedVirginia from 1991-1995.

To help the Commonwealth attractadditional African American visitors, theVirginia Foundation for the Humanitieshas produced the first-ever guide toAfrican American attractions in theCommonwealth, “The Heritage andCulture of African Americans in Virginia:A Guide to the Sites.” More than 100sites are featured.

Of special note is Elmwood Cemeteryin Norfolk, where the Black SoldiersMemorial honors Union veterans ofthe Civil War. At Norfolk State University,one of the largest predominately blackuniversities in the nation, is a displayof slavery memorabilia in the LymanBeecher Brooks Library. The AttucksTheater, named in honor of CrispusAttucks, the Revolutionary War hero,

is expected to be open to the public, completelyrestored, in the fall of 2004. In addition, the historic1919 Theater will house a cultural arts center forcommunity events, conventions & attractions.

In 2002, the Virginia Tourism Corporation tookcultural diversity to a new level when it implementedthe state’s first African American HeritageCooperative Marketing Program. The program,dedicated to the marketing and promotion of AfricanAmerican heritage, has funded 39 organizations togain exposure for African American heritage sites,programs and events.

Virginia ranks sixth in African American visitationamong the 50 states, based on actual number ofvisitors, and seventh by percentage of AfricanAmerican visitors.

Cultural & Historical

Virginia ranks 6th in AfricanAmerican visitation amongthe 50 states

C u l t u r a l & H i s t o r i c a l


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News


N e ws


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