VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A nearly decades-old idea to create a space dedicated to the accomplishments and experiences of African Americans in the Commonwealth will be moving forward, according to the founder of the nonprofit Virginia African American Cultural Center, Inc.
Especially with a fresh show of support from the city of Virginia Beach.
Tuesday night, City Council voted 8-0 to extend the time the VAACC has to begin construction on the nearly five acres of land gifted to the group back in 2018. The plot, currently known as “Lake Edward Park” sits north of Hampshire Way where Newtown Road meets Diamond Spring Road.
The original deal required construction to begin by Dec. 1, 2023 and be complete two years later.
VAACC will now have until Dec. 1, 2026.
Councilwoman Amelia Ross-Hammond, who also happens to be the VAACC founder and chairwoman, said the delays are due mostly to leadership turnover, inflation concerns and COVID-19.
To satisfy Virginia’s conflict of interest laws, Ross-Hammond recused herself from the vote. Councilman Worth Remick, who also sits on the VAACC board, did the same.
However, in an interview ahead of the vote, Ross-Hammond, who holds a Ph.D. in Education Leadership, Curriculum and Instructions, doubled-down on the project’s potential.
“It’s not just very important for our city, but our state,” Ross-Hammond said. “We have a lot of historic information about African Americans that’s not only the enslaved parts, but the contributions.”
The estimated $20.5 million vision includes construction of a 35,000-square-foot building that’ll include exhibit space, rotunda hall, multi-purpose classrooms and a formal performance space and outdoor walking trails.
Phase 1, which includes the building designed by Norfolk based Hanbury Architects, is to resemble an African drum. It has won a Hampton Roads Regional Merit award, Ross-Hammond said.
However, the construction estimates are now in 2022 numbers, and they don’t account for inflation since then.
Ross-Hammond received $1 million from the state in 2021 for the center, but so far, the capital campaign has not launched.
She said turnover of board members and other unforeseen circumstances led to delays.
Still, research to fill the center and protect artifacts, such as African American newspaper articles, is ongoing, with help of Norfolk State University.
“It’s so easy for people to assume, maybe they’ve been wasting money or what, no,” Ross-Hammond said. “We’ve been doing performances and different things. With construction costs, we have to go back to the drawing board, make sure of what we have.”
She also said if they must divide the project into more financeable phases, they will.