NEWPORT NEWS — The remaining phases of the Tech Center Research Park master plan was approved by City Council during their meeting Tuesday. All approximately 83 acres of it.
The plan addresses issues such as building setbacks, placement and orientation, as well as signage, lighting, landscaping, building materials and architecture and the research park amenities will be available to all of the residents of Newport News, according to the city’s announcement.
W.M. Jordan, the state, the city’s economic development authority, the city and the Southeastern Universities Research Association are the main investors in the master plan.
Marketplace at Tech Center, which is partially owned by W.M. Jordan, is the retail component of the Tech Center Research Park, according to the developer’s website.
The next phases of the master plan focus on nearby public amenities and proposed developments for Jefferson Labs.
Phrase I of the master plan, Building One @ Tech Center, located at Oyster Point Road and Jefferson Avenue, one of the first buildings in the research park near Jefferson Labs, was already approved by City Council a couple years ago.
“Council previously approved a portion of the plan, and the developer began constructing the first building in 2017, which I understand is nearing completion,” Kim Lee, city spokeswoman, wrote in an email.
Lee added the master plan is a private development by W.M. Jordan.
In an August 2017 announcement, John Lawson, president and CEO of W.M. Jordan, said the company anticipates delivery of the $18 million building in August 2018.
The remaining master plan, which was approved by City Council last week, includes 10 office space buildings with smaller green ‘gathering’ spaces, pedestrian paths connecting the buildings to each other, two larger, communal spaces and two parking garages with anywhere from 500 to 850 parking spots.
Eight of the buildings will be three stories and the remaining two will be four-story buildings. In addition, one of the communal spaces, Drillfield Pavilion, will be in the center of the new buildings and have a multipurpose pavilion for performances, festivals and office and employee related functions, according to the master plan.
The master plan also includes several traffic recommendations widening Jefferson Avenue and Hogan Drive to six lanes and adding multiple through lanes on Village Green Parkway.
W.M. Jordan has completed and is currently involved in several city projects, including a new Ferguson headquarters building at City Center Oyster Point.
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It is not clear how much the development will cost and the general timeline of construction.
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