VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — City leaders decided Tuesday to move forward with a single design for the future of Rudee Loop, which will be known as Rudee Park.
In May, two design plans were presented to the city council regarding the future of Rudee Park.
Both plans included amenities such as a beach village overlooking the ocean, a jetty walkway, a community lawn, and a shared-use path connecting to the Virginia Beach Trail.
Watch previous coverage: Development plans show off what the future of Rudee Park could look like
The key difference between the designs was in parking options.
One design featured only surface-level parking, with a total cost exceeding $42 million.
The alternative plan included a parking garage, raising the total cost to over $70 million. However, project leaders believe that fundraising efforts could help offset these costs.
Michael Kirschman of Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation said, "We have also been talking to our national consultants, and they feel relatively confident that $20 million could be raised in a capital campaign to offset and defray the capital costs of this project."
The project would, however, be fully funded by the TIP fund, and the capital campaign would later be used as a reimbursement.
Concerns about potential flooding were addressed as part of the discussion.
Watch related: Virginia Beach seeks feedback on three Rudee Loop park designs
There are times when the park could be underwater during major storm events; however, the site will be elevated.
The new park will be constructed at the same level as the boardwalk to protect it from major flooding incidents.
Kirschman said the area south can be inundated to flood to make sure it won't impact the park.
Following the presentation, the city council agreed to move forward with the surface-level parking design.
Kirschman said ideally, with perfect conditions, the park would open in the next five years.
