PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A major traffic change is coming to Portsmouth’s waterfront as the city prepares to demolish its long-vacant former city jail and move forward with broader redevelopment plans.
Beginning Monday, December 8, 2025, Water Street will be closed to traffic from the Water Street Garage to City Hall as part of the Civic Center Demolition Project, which includes tearing down the deteriorating jail facility. The closure will remain in effect until further notice, city officials said.
Access to the City Hall Garage will shift to Columbia Street during the project. The Water Street Garage will remain open.
The demolition is a key step in Portsmouth’s effort to reposition valuable waterfront property for future development. The former jail, which has sat empty and crumbling since inmates were relocated following a fire, will be removed to make way for new possibilities on the site.
City leaders have previously discussed pursuing a mixed-use redevelopment, potentially including housing, retail, office space and family-friendly public areas. Planning work is expected to move forward in the coming months with input from the city’s Economic Development Authority and residents.
The city has not announced how long the demolition phase or accompanying street closures are expected to last.
