Gilbane selected to lead US$1bn housing redevelopment in US

Render of new housing and mixed-use buildings, included as part of the St. Paul’s Transformation Project in Virginia, US. Image courtesy St. Paul’s Transformation Project

The project will deliver more than 1,000 housing units across 55 acres at Calvert Square and Young Terrace, two public housing communities in the city’s St. Paul’s District. The scheme seeks to replace ageing public housing stock with a mixed-use development designed for mixed-income residents.

Gilbane and city officials plan to follow a ‘build-first’ approach, constructing new housing on vacant parcels before demolishing existing units to reduce displacement of current residents. The multi-phase project will also include infrastructure upgrades, new greenways, mixed-use amenities, and resilience-focused design.

It is part of Norfolk’s wider St. Paul’s Transformation Project, and the highest valued project to date, which aims to improve connectivity and access to services in the downtown-adjacent district.

The Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA) selected Gilbane as master developer after “an extensive and exhaustive process” for “one of the largest redevelopment projects in our portfolio,” according to Nathan Simms, NRHA president and CEO. A value for the master developer contract was not available.

Design planning is underway. Construction is expected to start in 2027, with the first phase completing around 2028–29 and full build-out continuing over the next decade.

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