NEWPORT NEWS, VA. — Construction has begun on the fifth and final phase of the Marshall-Ridley Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) in Newport News. Ridley Place was public housing originally built in 1954 on approximately 18 acres. That community is now being replaced through the CNI, which is a HUD-backed redevelopment plan focused on mixed-income housing, resident services and broader neighborhood investment. Across the phases, Marshall-Ridley CNI leaders leveraged more than $120 million in housing investment.
Pennrose’s Phase V, located at 2815 Washington Ave., will add 73 mixed-income units, amenities and ground-floor commercial space. The development includes 44 tax-credit units, according to Virginia Housing records, but specific rent restrictions were not disclosed. Multiple public and private stakeholders backed the development, including the Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Construction is slated for completion in August 2027.