VIRGINIA BEACH — A narrow stretch of city-owned land between the Boardwalk and the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier parking lot will soon be a public park.
Construction workers on Monday began laying pavers for a walking path in the space that stretches between 14th and 15th streets at the Oceanfront.
14th Street Park will host public special events including live music, according to Erin Goldmeier, spokesperson for the city’s Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The project will cost roughly $525,000 and is funded by the Tourism Investment Program, which is made up of tax revenue collected citywide on meals, hotel stays, cigarettes and amusements.
The 20,000-square-foot site was used by a seasonal carnival years ago but has since sat vacant. The Resort Management Office received inquiries to use the space for events, but it needed upgrades, said Goldmeier.
Construction will be completed by mid-February. The park will feature a concrete pad for setting up entertainment, a walking path, handrails, steps and a ramp. A concept sketch of the long, narrow park includes an event lawn, moveable seating and umbrellas, an overhead sculpture, a native garden, an art park and space for food trucks.
The existing path that leads from the pier parking lot to the Boardwalk will remain open. In 2022, the Sibony family of Virginia Beach bought the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier and its adjacent parking lot. Virginia Beach maintained ownership of the land where 14th Street Park is under construction.
Several other resort area parks at 17th, 24th and 31st streets also host festivals and free live music throughout the summer.
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com