VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The long-stalled DLH Sports Complex along Northampton Boulevard in Virginia Beach is being demolished to make way for a new apartment development.
For years, the unfinished sports venue sat vacant near Dre’Bly Field, becoming a familiar but largely unused fixture in the neighborhood.
“It’ll be refreshing, at least momentarily,” said Robert Anderson, who has lived next to the property for several years with his dog, Sasha.
Anderson said he cannot recall the last major event held at the former sports complex.
“There were a lot of young people at one point. I thought it was another agency going in there doing bike rides and things like that,” Anderson said. “There probably were a few homeless people, but they weren’t in there a whole lot — mostly animals.”
The venue is now coming down after never being fully completed. Dre’Bly, a former NFL player who spent 11 seasons in the league, partnered with his uncle and investors to build the DLH Sports Complex in 2005. While some construction took place over the years, the project stalled, and the property was listed for sale in 2012.
According to reporting from The Virginian-Pilot, the property was purchased in 2021.
City records show a demolition permit for the site was approved in November. A contractor involved in the project said the land will eventually be developed into more than 360 multifamily apartment units. The project is now known as LIV Baker Road Apartments.
Anderson said he has mixed feelings about the development.
“It would be nice to have new neighbors, but it does seem like we don’t want to cram the neighborhood,” he said. “If people want to move there, that’s fine with me. It’s just more love.”
Developers of the apartment complex have been contacted for comment, but have not yet responded.
