Copyright Norfolk Virginian-Pilot
VIRGINIA BEACH — On a recent late afternoon, with only about an hour before the dinner crowd arrived, chefs at Love Song and Sushi Vice restaurants hustled to prep the night’s specials, and their coworkers restocked supplies. In the relatively short time that the two small, locally-owned businesses have operated out of a vintage row of shops on Laskin Road at the Oceanfront, they’ve established themselves as purveyors of tasty food and good vibes. But their existence at that spot could be in jeopardy. City Council will decide Tuesday whether to sell a piece of property at 333 Laskin Road, which will kick off developer plans to demolish the adjacent aging shopping center. VB Laskin Road LLC. wants to redevelop most of the block into a mixed-use apartment complex. “We all knew this day was coming,” said Councilman Worth Remick, who represents the district. He cited the city’s overhaul of Laskin Road’s east end more than a decade ago, which was designed to foster economic development in the north resort area. “We spent a lot of money as a city upgrading the Laskin Gateway in hopes of having this. That’s where we are channeling development.” If approved by the council, the city will sell its piece of property on the corner of Laskin Road and Arctic Avenue, formerly occupied by Papa John’s, for $1.5 million. Last month, Remick requested a deferral on the vote to sort out the timeline with the developer. Under the terms of the sale, the city would have the right to approve the scope of the project and would have the right to reacquire it after three years if the developer fails to build. It could take more than two years before the strip of shops is razed. “The tenants will have 30 months or more time there before anything happens,” Remick said. VB Laskin Road LLC’s representatives are Ashley Wiltshire, Daniel Shiff, Andrew Shiff and Stacey Singer, according to the city. The Virginian-Pilot reached out to the owners but did not receive a response in time for publication. The estimated $64 million project will include roughly 215 apartments, a parking deck and 20,000 square feet of retail, office and restaurant space on the ground floor. Whether the existing businesses will choose to lease there or be priced out remains to be seen. “I love that street and would be open to returning in the future unless the rent was just something we couldn’t afford,” said Trey French, co-owner of Sushi Vice. “We would be open to coming back if the conditions were right.” Several of the creative businesses new to the area have been thriving off of each other’s success and gaining traction. Some feel redevelopment will drive away a budding cultural hotspot. “It’s a certain synergy that I will miss,” said Kobe Wiggins, manager of Thanks for Listening record store. Jon Langman opened Coastal Mod, a mid-century furniture design center several years ago a few doors down from Love Song. He recently relocated the growing furniture business but kept the intimate Laskin Road storefront, converting it into an art gallery and creative space. “We have all of these business that thrive on charm and nostalgia and a new building isn’t a great fit for our esthetics,” he said. The redevelopment project is estimated to generate more than $1.2 million in new real estate taxes. Langman wants the city to consider reinvesting some of those funds into an incentive program for small businesses who want to return to the space. “We’re really hoping we can stay as long as we can or find a way for us to stay in the new building,” he said. Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
