SUFFOLK

City Offices
442 West Washington Street
Suffolk 757-514-4000
www.suffolkva.us

Chamber of Commerce
500 East Main Street
Norfolk 757-622-2312
www.hamptonroadschamber.com

 

Services
Approximately half of Suffolk’s work force is employed within the city, and those who choose this area as a bedroom community enjoy an easy commute. In addition to the primary routes of 58, 17, 460, Interstate 664 connects Suffolk with Newport News across the James River. With the completion of the Western Freeway and the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel, Suffolk has emerged as the key link between South Hampton Roads and the Virginia Peninsula. Although Suffolk maintains a local airport, the expanded services of Norfolk International Airport are just 25 miles away.

Educational and healthcare institutions in Suffolk are as progressive as the transportation facilities. Louise Obici Memorial Hospital provides state-of-the-art care in a number of specialties. Area schools provide an outstanding education in modern, well-equipped facilities staffed by dedicated professionals. Two community colleges serve the entire community by providing opportunities for associate degrees, college-transfer tracks, certifications, customized training programs, and a wide range of non-credit courses. Among the many options for a higher education close to home are such major institutions as Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University, and Virginia Wesleyan College.

 

Lifestyle
Newcomers to Suffolk will find a wide selection of attractive housing, from charming Victorian architecture to openly contemporary styles in a variety of settings. City or country life, beautiful older homes along tree-lined streets, magnificent waterfront properties, or Cape Cods and ranches nestled in a suburban development are some of the outstanding possibilities available in the Suffolk area.

Planned communities like Harbourview surround their wooded or waterfront homesites with amenities like jogging or ,biking trails, tennis courts, volleyball courts and swimming pools. Riverview specializes in serene wooded and riverfront properties, while Point Harbor features colonial-style architecture. Among the popular new communities like Burbage Grant, newcomers will discover a pleasing mix of condos, townhouses, villas, and single-family homes that cater to diverse lifestyles.

In addition to lovely residential areas, Suffolk offers first-rate recreational facilities and plenty of green space for picnics and play. Each year for four days in October, the entire city celebrates its rich agricultural heritage with the Peanut Fest. Lovers of “goober peas,” as the natives affectionately refer to peanuts, can delight in sampling every imaginable culinary form of the delicacy. The annual Shrimp Feast also draws revelers and seafood lovers from across Hampton Roads.

Recreational facilities include golf courses, tennis courts, ballfields, swimming pools, recreation centers, a skating rink, and an auto race track. Residents can relax in 1,170 acres of parkland that include Bennetts Creek Park and Boat Ramp, Birdsong Recreation Center, Cypress Park and Pool, and Magnolia Park. The Great Dismal Swamp is partially located in Suffolk, offering unspoiled nature study. Outdoor enthusiasts will have a difficult time deciding upon which sport or activity to pursue in Suffolk. More than 8,000 acres of lakes offer some of the state’s best freshwater fishing. Hiking and biking trails, equestrian trails, and vast acres of green space are all available close to home.

A quaint downtown shopping district, neighborhood shopping centers, historic attractions, and a local arts center provide a fine balance of urban amenities. Few cities in the nation can rival Suffolk for its enviable country lifestyle in close proximity to the best of Hampton Roads.

 

Suffolk
For years, a bright yellow sun and the words “Surprising Suffolk” was the trademark of the sleepy rural area nestled in the western section of Hampton Roads. Today, the secret of Suffolk’s charm has definitely been discovered. New residents are continually drawn to its forests and fields, pristine lakes, and idyllic landscapes.

Distinguished as Virginia’s largest city in sheer geographic size, Suffolk began to emerge as a hot-spot for regional growth at the threshold of the new millennium and continues to attract growth and development. Within its sprawling area, the city successfully harmonizes rural, suburban, and urban environments. Suffolk is able to offer the clear skies, leisurely pace, and wide open spaces of country living.

Suffolk’s natural resources and potential for growth are also attracting an influx of new employers. New companies are joining the ranks of long-established leaders in the food industry such as Lipton Tea, Nestles Beverage, and Planters Peanuts. Other key economic elements include agribusiness, the design and manufacturer of farming equipment, food processors and lumbering. In fact, Suffolk is one of the state’s largest producers of pine and hardwoods. Other major employers range from healthcare providers and retail or wholesale businesses to the U.S. Atlantic command Joint Training, Analysis and Simulation Center. While the region is best known for Planters Peanuts, many of its other firms are taking root and flourishing.