PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A new chapter is beginning in one of Portsmouth’s most historically significant neighborhoods.
City leaders have announced new investments in The LINC, the city’s innovation district, with plans that blend modern development and a nod to the past.
Portsmouth Economic Development Director Brian Donahue says work is underway to breathe new life into a long-underserved area.
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“One of the things that I am most excited about is the fact that we are taking a blank canvas and working to create a whole new community,” Donahue said. “A whole new identity for an area that has for many years been underserved and has lacked investment.”
Among the first steps is the Bains Point multi-family project, a 50-unit workforce housing community scheduled to be completed in early 2026.
In addition to that development, Donahue says the city is reimagining how to grow The LINC district with new residential options, including approved townhomes across the street.
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The name “LINC” is both forward-looking and deeply rooted in the city’s past. It stands for Launch, Innovate, Network and Create, but also honors Lincolnsville, Portsmouth’s first community for freed African Americans.
“The LINC pays homage to the former Lincolnsville community here in Portsmouth,” Donahue said.
Mae Breckenridge-Haywood, founder of the African American Historical Society of Portsmouth, says historical markers should be part of the plan to help preserve the cultural legacy of the area.
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“The Black churches in that area, the Black school, all of the Black community itself started in that small area,” Breckenridge-Haywood said. “It expanded beyond that. But the beginning should always be a part of the history.”
The revitalization plan doesn’t stop at housing. The city is also acquiring blighted buildings, launching streetscape improvements, and partnering with Support Portsmouth Public Art to bring new vibrancy to the area.
Donahue says the effort reflects a bold vision for a transformed High Street corridor. A space that both preserves the past and looks toward the future.
