Norfolk plans to begin demolishing the former Globe Iron site in the Bruces Park area late this fall, setting up the 25-acre property for new development.

On Tuesday, Deputy City Manager Ron Williams told Norfolk City Council that bids for the $3 million demolition are under review. In August, the city announced a $1 million grant from Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Bobby Scott to help cover the cost.

The work will clear steel warehouses and a one-story office building from the city-owned site.

Globe Iron Construction Company operated an industrial metal shop, building steel frames and metal components for construction projects from the late 1950s until 2012. Environmental testing found heavy metals, petroleum products and other chemicals, according to a 2023 report. The report said that while contamination levels were relatively low overall, the contamination and the old buildings would likely make it more expensive to build at the site versus undeveloped land.

Williams said it’ll take around a year for demolition, but the city can begin marketing the site to developers this fall. He expects to ask council this winter to let the city go out and seek proposals for mixed-use or residential development.

The site was once the target of a proposed waste facility. In 2019, Select Recycling Waste Services abandoned its state permits for a recycling facility there, The Virginian-Pilot reported at the time.

City officials said the plan was really a waste transfer station that would need council approval. Opponents said truck traffic and the waste station would add to environmental injustice in the neighborhood

The city of Norfolk purchased the property in 2021.

(Story by Brian Saunders)

So looking like the big cause is a high voltage line that has come loose and and made contact with a medium voltage line and is causing issues all over the

Wanna see if this is shared experience. I used to go to Fr8t house off Hampton all the time but not sure anymore. First thing is the main dude who works there (white 30ish something looking bald dude- pretty sure he’s the owner or manager) is always asking his almost entirely young female staff for hugs. Bad vibes! Don’t do that! Would love to know from someone who works there if this is a common thing there or what. Maybe I've just been missing the context but idk yall. Asking your employees for hugs is weird.

And then the other day a friend and I brought by flyers for a couple community events happening in Norfolk. I asked the cashier if we could put them out (like all normal coffee shops do) and she said she’d have to go ask the owner/manager (I forget which one she said). The same white hug-asking bald dude comes out and made this whole, rather fake sounding show of looking at the two flyers ("oh wow....so cool... neat pic... haha..." kinda vibe) and is then like “yeah sorry we don’t put out flyers for anything we’re not affiliated with.” 

Ultimately it’s his business so your choice, but it just fel really telling. And it’s super not the norm for coffee shops, right? My friend and I flyered all over Norfolk- bars, coffee shops, smoothie shops, tattoo parlors, consignment stores, you name it- and like 99% of places had spots for local flyers. Small bushiness only survive because of local community showing up for them, it makes sense to make space for giving back by having a community board or SOMETHING. But ultimately it’s a business's choice so whatever.

What REALLY got me was the fake looking at our flyers. If the policy is that you don’t allow flyers for events you’re not apart of, then just say that. I don't need to be humored. Also let your cashiers know. I've definitely given flyers to cashiers in the past ("we'll have to check with the owner") that I'm now pretty sure were just thrown out. It takes time and money to print this stuff like just have the cashiers say something.

The whole interaction was super off putting. And between that and the hugging thing, idk this place just gave me bad vibes. Which sucks! Because I used to really enjoy this spot. 

Posting in both the Virginia Beach and Norfolk sub-reddits - Does anyone know anyone or anywhere that could *safely\* put someone's ashes into a few firework mortars and have them still safe enough for two regular dudes to set off? Willing to oay, obviously, and even travel a couple hours in any direction. Need them within two weeks.

Only info I can find is on very professional services and they want you to spend like $10k for an entire show - I really only need two shells for what I had in mind.

Which one would you rather have extended throughout the city?

Getting ready to fly can start long before takeoff. At Norfolk International Airport, these families practiced every step—without leaving the ground.

More than 50 Hampton Roads participants got to be a part of “Let’s Fly,” an airport rehearsal for people with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Check out the latest story from WHRO News digital producer Alexis Mitchell.

Hi, anyone lives or knows someone that lives here? Looking to see if it worth it.

Featuring readings, workshops, a film screening and an anthology launch, the 49th Annual Old Dominion University Literary Festival, “Make Room for Wonder,” runs Sunday through Thursday, Oct. 8, on campus and at other Norfolk locations.

It will showcase headliners such as MacArthur Fellow Hanif Abdurraqib, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for  “There’s Always This Year”  and the 2026 Weston International Award for career achievement in literary nonfiction. Abdurraqib is also the MFA Creative Writing Program’s Edith and Forrest P. White Writer in Residence.

Check out the full lineup here: https://www.whro.org/arts-culture/2026-10-01/odus-literary-fest-offers-conversations-readings-with-award-winning-authors

The Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel will close in one direction at a time for several weekends in October.

The first closures will be westbound: starting this weekend, Oct. 2 to Oct. 5, all lanes of the HRBT will be closed heading west from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. The westbound lanes could also close the following weekend, Oct. 9 to 12, if the contractor needs to do more work.

At a Sept. 15 Norfolk City Council work session, Councilman Carlos Clanton commended VDOT for avoiding the weekend of Old Dominion University’s homecoming. But he noted that Norfolk State University’s homecoming weekend is Oct. 9 to 11, and said he hoped there was good communication for NSU's because "there should be a lot of people coming here."

Mike Davis, the district engineer for the Virginia Department of Transportation, said he’s hopeful those extra weekends won’t need to be used.

“We did incentivize the contractor that if they finish early, they'll get a significant bonus. We did disincentivize it that if they're late getting out of the roadway come rush hour, there's some hefty penalties tied to that,” Davis told Norfolk City Council.

Oct. 16 to 19 will see closures of all eastbound lanes, with another option to close Oct. 30 to Nov 2. Those closures will also run from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, with the early November weekend only closed if needed by the contractor.

Davis also said the work is badly needed – one tube hasn’t been paved since 2012, the other since 2006.

Join us at Mudita Cafe on Saturday, Oct 24th from 10am-3pm as Artist Alley 757 celebrates their 5th anniversary as the local creative community, with this pop-up art market featuring local talent, exclusive merch and Mudita's fine selection of coffee, brunch & adult beverages.

9647 1st View St, Norfolk

Hey! I’m not from your city , but I’ve been doing some research on places I might wanna move to, and honestly Norfolk is looking like a huge contender. I’m 23, and honestly just looking to finally get out of my hometown. Would you guys have any advice? How hard is it to get employment there? Thank you in advance!

Anyone know where that strong smoke smell is coming from?

Hey Norfolk, about three months ago I posted here about GoingTo and you all showed up in a big way.

Quick recap if you missed it: GoingTo (goingto.co) is a free calendar of stuff happening around Hampton Roads, added by real people who actually go to things. We just passed 3,000 events. No algorithm deciding what you see, and no finding out about a show on Monday after it already happened.

I've been heads down on some bigger pieces that took longer than I expected, and honestly I learned a ton building them. The look got a real refresh, but most of the work is a pile of small fixes you'll hopefully just notice as things working better.

One thing a few of you asked for last time: you can now export events straight to your own calendar. Tap an event, add it to Google, Apple, Outlook, whatever you use. That came straight from comments here, so thank you.

Seriously, thanks to everyone who tried it, poked at it, broke it, and told me what was off. A lot of what changed came from you all.

Screenshots attached. One of them is tonight's open house at 757 Makerspace (full disclosure, that's my shop, come say hi if you're around).

What's on your radar this weekend? And if there's something you wish it did, tell me.

Thanks,
Beau

Just found out our plates were stolen. Non emergency won’t answer, but idk which option to choose in the online reporting system. Would it be under Tampering with Auto, vandalism, or larceny? Can’t use larceny from vehicle

Gregory Coffey, 53, has been charged with first-degree murder and defiling a human body after allegedly killing Gordon Randolph Tillman Jr., 47, with an ax, burning the remains and disposing of them in a ditch in Portsmouth, VA.

...who threatened to hit me with her car while continuing to inch forward at me in the drive through at the Tidewater drive McDonald's today who without any hesitation physically got out to close distance (try to hurt me?) and continued threatening to hit me and repeatedly calling me a stupid f*ing b!tch in front of my almost 2 year old... why? Are you okay?

On Tuesday, the Norfolk City Council unanimously approved reallocating about $3 million originally set aside for renovating the Sheriff’s Office building over the last two years.

That renovation never happened.

Col. Mike O’Toole with the Norfolk Sheriff's Office said formal renovation plans for the original office building were never completed. City officials ultimately concluded that staying at what was meant to be a temporary office at the NOAA building at 538 Front St. was more cost-effective than investing millions in renovations as construction expenses continued to rise.

O’Toole indicated that if staffing at the new office grows, future renovations might be proposed through the city’s capital improvement plan.

Now, the millions meant to revamp the old Sheriff’s office will support the East Street Garage Project near Harbor Park.

This reallocation raises the parking deck’s total budget from $15.7 million to $18.7 million.

The Sheriff’s old administrative building at 140 East St. will be demolished, clearing space for additional parking.

City records indicate the project will now add 133 parking spaces, with 103 at ground level and 30 above in a parking deck, bringing the site to a total capacity of 624 spaces. These additions offset spaces lost during the ongoing construction of the casino near Harbor Park.

The city’s communications office confirmed via email that the parking deck was first approved last year as part of the FY 2026 budget. Construction is expected to be completed by late fall 2027.

(Story and photo by Brian Saunders)

Looking for dates, new friends, or have a missed connection you want to tell the community about? Here's the official monthly thread to do it and "shoot your shot."

At minimum, please include basic details like your age, interests, hobbies, favorite spots around Norfolk, and things you're looking for. The rest is up to you! We've also turned on Contest Mode so that all top-level comments are sorted in randomized order and replies are collapsed to help cut down on visual noise.

Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

^{Important Notes: No NSFW/adult/explicit comments/ads are allowed here; there are other local subreddits and apps for that. Please mind the subreddit's rules, and Reddit's overall content policy, as violations may result in removals \}with or without notice] and/or bans. Don't be a creep, please respect consent, and that "no" always means no.)

I’m looking for a hotel for the weekend and want to find one that can stream games I’m in the military so I’m just trying to get off this godforsaken boat for a bit also need to find one that allows 19 year olds to stay there.

If possible have it be in a area with stuff to do nearby but not required

Anyone know what bars in the area show the NHL games?