A press conference was held today, March 16, 2012 at 1:30PM in the parking lot in front of the old People’s location in the Midtown Shopping Center (northeast corner of Wards Corner). There, acting Department of Development Director, Chuck Rigney announced Joan Dalis’ plans to spend more than 1 million dollars on a new facade and a redone parking lot, to include new lighting. Some photos from the press conference are below. This post will be updated with official images when they are received from the Department of Development.
Chuck Rigney, Acting Director of Development, introducing the Dalis and Martone families in attendance as well as City Council members
Joan Dalis (left) and the Dalis and Martone family members
Mayor Paul Fraim celebrating, "Wards Corner is Back!"
Midtown Shopping Center - new facade, right side facing Little Creek Road
Midtown Shopping Center - new facade, left side facing Granby Street
Midtown Shopping Center - new facade, middle view
Wards Corner Now - Wards Corner, Norfolk, Virginia 
Well it looks good,I’ll believe it when I see it. When are they suppose to start this project?
Very exciting. Love the look. I would love to shop close to home.
This is another incredibly positive development for Wards Corner and the rest of Norfolk! Many people have hoped, dreamed and prayed for what happened yesterday. I was pinching myself and still can’t believe the positive turn of events of this week.
There has been a lot of struggling, sometimes with and sometimes against each other. I hope we will come together and support what is definitely a much brighter future for Wards Corner.
I thank everyone who has worked to make this renovation and the Harris Teeter happen, especially Mrs. Dalis & Mr. Perry.
Hallelujah!
This is good news and certainly welcome to us that actually live in the Wards Corner area. I sense that this “upgrade” is only due to Mr Perry’s renovation across the street. So it troubles me that Ms Dalis Martone only chose to fix the facade of her buildings. I hope she also chooses to fix the roof, and other sorely needed repairs. I believe in property rights for this country so I hate to tell someone else what to do with their money or property but I do feel that she is doing this on the cheap and it will not be like Mr Perry has chosen to do, raze the site and start from scratch. I don’t believe for one instant she only now had the money to do this and she has let that site deteriorate for years. So my faith in her proposal is jaded, hopefully I am wrong. At least it’s a start.
WC I think you are right,because I don’t think if they were tearing it down it would be finished in 6mos.
It’s lipstick on a pig!