The City of Norfolk and the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority have joined forces under the HUD Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) to revitalize the Tidewater Gardens site in the St. Paul area of Norfolk, Virginia. This endeavor, spearheaded by long-standing partners Brinshore Development, will transform Tidewater Gardens into a mixed-income and mixed-use neighborhood with diverse housing types.

Since 1955, red brick, barracks-style apartments in desperate need of repair had occupied this flood-prone site until their demolition in August 2023. Located on the city's neglected east side, this underserved public housing complex faced numerous challenges: extreme flooding, a shuttered elementary school, and pedestrian-unfriendly, heavily trafficked roads that isolated the neighborhood from surrounding areas.

Unlike when Tidewater Gardens was originally built, community input has been crucial to this redevelopment. In 2018, a charrette was held with residents to gauge their preferences regarding building designs and community amenities. Residents emphasized preserving the mature trees that once shaded the apartments, adding pavilions for reunions and gatherings, and incorporating outdoor spaces such as walking paths and playgrounds.

LBBA is collaborating with three other architecture firms across two phases, designing 155 of the development's units (35 units in Phase A and 120 units in Phase B). Along with walkups and Lowrise buildings, LBBA is designing a mixed-use 4-story elevator building featuring a community room and plaza-facing rooftop deck. Once complete, the entire development will encompass 382 units and incorporate an attractive blue Greenway specifically engineered to address the area's flooding challenges.