VIRGINIA BEACH — Bob Yoder’s household constructed The Schooner Inn on third Road and has owned the resort for many years. Yoder, an architect, labored on the preliminary design in 1971. The six-story resort with 89 rooms is the resort closest to the jetty on the south finish of the Virginia Seashore Oceanfront, overlooking the Boardwalk and a well-liked surf space.
The Schooner Inn additionally backs as much as some of the coveted parcels of undeveloped land on the East Coast: Rudee Loop.
Virginia Seashore is starting to contemplate a number of proposals to redevelop Rudee Loop, and Yoder, 71, desires to be part of its future.
“We have been ready for over 25 years for the town to determine to develop the property round us and fairly frankly, make the most of that,” Yoder stated final week.
Now, Yoder’s property is in the midst of a bidding battle between personal builders, and that is caught the eye of some metropolis leaders.
Mike Standing, who owns a number of eating places and different property within the resort space, confirmed that he made a proposal on The Schooner Inn earlier this summer season. He heard one other developer was serious about it and needed to throw his hat within the ring.
“Something within the resort that is out there, I attempt to buy it as a result of it is the place I’ve spent my entire life,” stated Standing, 53, a member of the Virginia Seashore Improvement Authority.
He declined to say how a lot he supplied. Standing desires to ultimately redevelop The Schooner Inn right into a resort that may attraction to surfers and anglers.
“It might praise finally what the town decides to do there (at Rudee Loop),” Standing stated.
One other developer, Manan Shah, of Pashm World, which owns a number of inns on the Oceanfront and within the Hampton Roads space, additionally confirmed that he made a proposal this summer season on The Schooner Inn however Yoder rejected it.
“The supply was important,” stated Shah by telephone this week. “I do not know what we’re doing flawed.”
Yoder stated “the proper negotiations have not occurred.” He desires to make a cope with the town to manage the way forward for the lower than an acre of land that The Schooner sits on, he stated.
“We need to be part of something that occurs on the loop,” stated Yoder. “We do not need to promote to a person firm that is going to construct a 20-story monster that is going to solid a shadow on the seashore.”
Yoder stated he has turned down gives on his resort prior to now, and that he is spoken with Councilman Linwood Department about his need to promote to the town.
Department stated the general public engagement course of on Rudee Loop is simply starting. A number of years in the past, a bunch that represented civic leagues, enterprise organizations and different stakeholders developed an motion plan for the resort space. The committee agreed that browsing and fishing at Rudee Loop wanted to be maintained and that open area needs to be enhanced.
“That was a unanimous advice from that group,” stated Department.
Future choices about Rudee Loop may have lasting results and needs to be formed by public enter, Department stated.
“100 years from now, that website’s going to be what it’s based mostly on choices made at present,” Department stated.
The Schooner Inn property may very well be a pivotal piece, Department stated.
Inside Enterprise
Weekdays
Enterprise information for the Hampton Roads area
“It may enormously affect how the positioning would work,” Department stated. “For me, it is undoubtedly one thing I might wish to take a great take a look at.”
One of many 4 Rudee Loop redevelopment proposals that the general public will think about quickly, submitted by Gold Key | PHR, features a new resort on the positioning of The Schooner Inn.
The Metropolis Council would wish to approve an actual property acquisition after a public presentation, based on a metropolis spokeswoman.
Yoder hasn’t acquired a proposal from the town but, he stated.
He is nonetheless patiently ready.
“We love the property and need to see it a part of one thing larger than simply one other resort,” he stated.
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, [email protected]