CHESAPEAKE

City Offices
306 Cedar Road
Chesapeake 757-382-2489
www.cityofchesapeake.net

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

 

Services
Outstanding transportation facilities serve area residents and business, including a strong network of interstate freeways and state highways. The city’s miles of deepwater canals and deepwater ports make this an ideal distribution center. In addition to two regional airports, the expanded amenities of Norfolk International Airport are just 20 minutes away. Families with school-age children can look forward to a superb public school system, although choices for both private and parochial school education are available close to home.

Those interested in earning a college degree, learning a new skill, or continuing their education will find an array of colleges and universities as well as business, specialty and technical schools — all within an easy commute. Although a number of exceptional hospitals serve Hampton Roads, Chesapeake General Hospital is convenient to home and prepared to meet healthcare needs with state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatment, a wide range of specialty services, a wellness program, and a skilled staff.

 

Lifestyle
Highlighted in 50 Fabulous Places to Raise a Family, Chesapeake is widely recognized for being to offer an enviable quality of life from every perspective. Comfortable and attractive housing options include multi-family complexes as well as single-family homes in a wide variety of architectural styles and price ranges. Two of the larger residential communities, Great Bridge and Deep Creek, are known for their handsome homes accented by lush greenery and woodlands.

Charming historic areas, estates more than a century old, waterfront properties, rural expanses with generous acreage, equestrian property, farms and three-acre farmettes, or exclusive suburban enclaves are all possibilities. The abundance of undeveloped lots in choice locations is a builder’s dream. Little wonder that Chesapeake is often touted as “The City with Room to Grow and Grow.”

Chesapeake’s unique blend of urban and rural settings creates an idyllic environment. Boating enthusiasts have discovered the perfect place to indulge in their sports with a wide selection of boat ramps and more deep-water canals than any other East Coast city. However, those who prefer their feet firmly planted on the ground can choose from golf, tennis, sports leagues, bicycle touring, hiking, backpacking, nature studies, and camping. Those who enjoy more extreme sports like parasailing, hang gliding, off-roading, and sky diving will find bright blue skies and world-class facilities.

Parks and preserves include the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, offering nearly 55,000 acres of unspoiled natural beauty. Northwest River Park provides 763 acres with facilities for boating, hiking, bike riding, fishing, and camping. Neighborhood parks blend open green space with play­grounds, picnic areas, ballfields, tennis courts, fitness trails, and boat ramps.

In spite of the peaceful tempo and relaxed pace, Chesapeake residents shop in sprawling regional malls complemented by neighborhood centers and fascinating antique stores. Community spirit, active civic organizations, and volunteerism adds to the quality of life for every resident. The Little League teams, for example, enjoy the support of an enormous following of residents who are not even parents of the players. Often called the “City of Opportunity,” Chesapeake claims all the friendliness and natural resources to ensure its place as one of Virginia’s premier metropolitan centers for decades to come.

City of Chesapeake
As the most centrally located of the cities in South Hampton Roads, Chesapeake lies south of Norfolk and Portsmouth, ideally situated between Suffolk and Virginia Beach. Known for its family-oriented atmosphere, Chesapeake blends the slower pace of Southern hospitality with the superb amenities of urban life. A city of contrasts, Chesapeake strikes a fine balance of commercial, residential, and industrial sectors. Even those who choose a home nestled in a secluded neighborhood or tranquil countryside can still enjoy shopping in prestigious stores or dining in popular restaurants. Chesapeake residents find it easy to mix such pleasures as horseback riding with an afternoon at Greenbrier Mall or a concert under a canopy of stars.

Many leading employers contribute to the city’s healthy and diverse economy, including a number of Japanese manufacturers. Retail and wholesale activity as well as service-oriented industries continue to grow, including finance and telecommunications. While businesses of all sizes and types are flourishing, farming and international shipping still play major roles in the city’s economy. Nearly one-fifth of the city’s land area is devoted to agriculture for producing such important products as corn, soybeans, wheat, and timber. Varied industries range from fertilizer production and petroleum processing to cement manufacturing and meat packing.