Funding for revitalization projects in three of Hampton Roads’ port communities should be a strong boost for local redevelopment, offering the possibility of forward-looking employment opportunities and business growth as well as support for the shipping and maritime industries critical to the economy of the region and the state.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced in March that $1.53 million will be going to projects in Portsmouth, Norfolk and Newport News from the state’s Port Host Communities Revitalization Fund. The General Assembly had allocated $2.4 million for the fund this year.

When the General Assembly created the fund seven years ago, the idea was to support communities that are homes to the commonwealth’s port by helping renovate, redevelop or, if necessary, remove deteriorating buildings and infrastructure.

Portsmouth, Norfolk and Newport News are home to the Port of Virginia’s primary marine terminals, while Richmond and Front Royal have inland terminals. The three projects that will share the $1.53 million are a good example of the flexibility and creativity made possible by the fund.

 

In Portsmouth, the money will go to turn an aging, empty building on High Street into an adaptable space that will offer a variety of opportunities for small businesses and people who might work with them. There will be makerspaces, where people can use equipment, take classes and be creative; commissary kitchens for use by food trucks, caterers and others who need licensed, professional-grade food preparation and cooking equipment; recording and art studios; cutting and sewing shops; market halls, and a support center for small businesses. In other words, the renovation should provide lively enterprises that will offer a wealth of possibilities.

In Norfolk, the local Economic Development Authority will receive funds to help renovate five industrial structures where Mil-Spec Abrasives manufactures, packs, stores and distributes glass abrasives for industry, construction and marine uses. The renovation should lead to growth and a brighter future for the company.

Money will go to the city of Newport News to help it repair and replace deteriorated piers and mooring dolphins — offshore mooring places separate from the piers — in the outer harbor. These updates to important infrastructure will help keep the vital local seafood and maritime industries strong.

Areas adjacent to ports in cities across the country tend to be either bustling, lively places that attract customers and visitors, or the sort of place people would rather avoid. Virginia’s open-minded, flexible use of the money available through the Port Host Communities Revitalization Fund should help ensure that the cities that are home to the Port of Virginia, including the areas close to the port, are healthy and looking toward the future.

By targeting facilities that are abandoned or in need of repair, the fund turns what could be a problem for the local economy into an asset and sometimes a new opportunity.

The grant funds can work to help the port and the cities that are its home have a mutually beneficial relationship. A comprehensive outlook and help of the sort offered through the revitalization fund should help ensure that the host cities offer a good environment for the ports and their employees. At the same time, the local communities benefit from the ports and are able to take advantage of opportunities to attract new businesses while benefiting from a thriving economy.

The Port of Virginia, with its shipping and maritime industries, is one of the keystones of the Hampton Roads economy. It is a smart investment to support projects that keep port areas vibrant and enhance the communities that are its home. When those investments also encourage other businesses and employment growth in those communities, it’s even more of a win.

It’s worth noting that bipartisan efforts established the revitalization fund, and that officials of both political parties have continued to support it and put it to good use. The fund, with its positive impacts on the maritime industries and their greater communities, is an example of the good that working together can accomplish.