VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A proposal is underway to build an apartment complex with 250 to 275 units on the land that Back Bay Farmhouse Brewing currently sits on off of Kempsville Road.
The brewery has hosted a variety of community events over the years and is a popular spot in the spring and summer. However, Eddie Hewitt, one of the owners, said they are ready to move on.
"We want the public to know we're not being kicked out," Hewitt said.
"We're definitely a seasonal location and anyone who goes out there knows if it's raining on the weekend we're dead," he said. "It's really hard for a business to have all those peaks and flows all the time."
The brewery told the owners of the land, the Wood family, they will be looking to relocate. Because of that, the family is partnering with a development company called Bonaventure in hopes of building the apartments.
"I think everyone wants a brewery and an event venue out there, but once we leave that's not an option no one else is going to come and do the same thing so the family wanted to do apartments," Hewitt said.
Neighbors like Steven Joyner came to hear about the proposal during a meeting with the developer at Tallwood High School Monday evening. Many neighbors have lots of concerns, and an online petition against the proposal has more than 3,000 signatures.
"I've been there since 1997," Joyner said.
"I don't like it at all. It's my privacy. They're building a four-story in my backyard basically," Joyner said.
JP Hyland from Bonaventure said this is all still a very early proposal. In order for it to happen, the land would have to be rezoned, which requires City Council approval. They haven't submitted an application yet.
"You have to incorporate all the feedback so you have to listen," Hyland said.
The proposal does keep the farmhouse in place, which was built in 1912.
"That's been in their family for a long time and that was a non-negotiable condition of the redevelopment of that property," Hyland said.
The days of the farmhouse housing a brewery appear to be numbered, while neighbors say they will be watching this all closely.
"It seemed like a pretty large turnout and I know there's quite a few people who are opposed to it," Joyner said.
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