Chesterfield Heights, Norfolk, Virginia

A Resilient Chesterfield Heights 

The neighborhood of Chesterfield Heights is a proud historic neighborhood that felt forgotten by the city of Norfolk. Bordered by an interstate highway, a shipping channel, an affordable housing community, and industry, the residents of Chesterfield Heights were feeling very isolated. This feeling was not helped by the flooding that was occurring more and more often in their neighborhood. 

This was the sentiment expressed when I interviewed the residents in 2014. I was introduced to Chesterfield Heights as an architecture student at Hampton University. In partnership with the Virginia Sea Grant and Wetlands Watch, Hampton University was invited to design solutions for this neighborhood's flooding issue. The solutions were designed in partnership with Old Dominion University's Engineering Department. I discussed the project with an engineering student from Old Dominion on the radio program, HearSay with Cathy Lewis.

The comprehensive plan involves renovation to the storm water infrastructure, bio-retention areas, and a living shoreline designed to reduce erosion.

The project was the recipient of a $120 million dollar H.U.D. grant from their National Disaster Resilience Competition. Most recently I co-presented the project at the National Alliance Preservation Commission Forum 2016 in Mobile, Alabama. The NAPC was interested in our work that resulted in solutions expected to keep the neighborhood safe from sea level rise for
100 more years!