James Cullen called Crawford Bay, the site of the old Holiday Inn, Portsmouth’s “front door.”
People arrive to train at the Naval Hospital, and tourists arrive on cruise ships. And then there are the “Great Loopers," the boaters navigating a giant 6,000-mile lap around the eastern half of the U.S. and parts of Canada.
“They all have to come right past this location,” said Cullen, a vice president at the Olde Towne Business Association. “So let's put out the welcome mat for them.”
City officials have been talking about redeveloping the site on Portsmouth’s downtown waterfront since the early 2000s, when the city acquired and demolished the Holiday Inn. Previous attempts to give the site a makeover didn’t get far. Now, leadership has made the project a priority, said Brian Donahue, the city’s director of economic development.
A shortlist of developers will submit formal proposals that include conceptual plans and financial considerations for the Crawford Bay project by Aug. 31. Donahue said the goal is to select and onboard a developer by the end of the 2026 calendar year.
Donahue said city officials want to see a mix of multifamily housing, entertainment, restaurants, shops, a new hotel and public amenities along the riverfront.
Councilwoman Kitty Bryant said public access for residents and visitors is especially important.
“If you sit there and look across at the Norfolk skyline, It's just one of the most beautiful views that you find in Hampton Roads,” she said, adding that beauty is meant to be shared.
The Crawford Bay redevelopment is part of a multi-phase effort to remake Portsmouth’s downtown. The civic center and municipal complex will be next. The city started demolishing the old jail in June to prepare for the second phase, Donahue said. City officials are also reviewing a proposal to move City Hall away from the waterfront to free up that property for other uses, he said.
Kathy Cullen said one of the biggest challenges for businesses downtown is foot traffic. She’s president of the Olde Towne Business Association, owns Cullen Fitness and Therapy and runs the Portsmouth Olde Towne Farmers Market with her husband James.
She said these projects can make Portsmouth a destination for visitors and residents.
“We have lots of businesses available,” she said. “We have lots of space. We have lots of potential. We just need to get the word out there.”
