09-04-2025
Norfolk pressure washes Scope, plans arena and Chrysler Hall upgrades
To quote the rap group OutKast, Norfolk's Scope arena is looking 'so fresh, so clean.'
City crews blasted dust and grime off the 53-year-old building during a pressure wash in late March.
It's one of several upgrades to the arena and neighboring Chrysler Hall that the city has planned for the next few years, according to Norfolk spokesperson Kelly Straub. During the pressuring washing, crews on a large crane cleaned the arena's buttresses and addressed surface cracks, she said.
'We are safeguarding an important architectural feature of Scope, ensuring it remains as close as possible to its original intent while improving its durability and longevity,' Straub wrote in an email.
The pressure washing is a prelude to larger planned renovations at the 12,600-capacity arena and Chrysler Hall.
First up are numerous renovations at Chrysler Hall, which are expected to begin in late 2026, Straub said.
The $87 million project would improve the loading dock area, making the process more efficient and reducing impacts along St. Paul's Boulevard, Straub said. Other improvements include upgraded restrooms, enhanced concession areas and a new center aisle.
Improvements like the modernization of elevators, heating and air systems and integrated building technology would bring the facility, built in 1972, in line with other performance venues and allow it to remain competitive in attracting Broadway productions.
The $87 million project includes $1.5 million in the 2025 fiscal year, according to the city budget proposal. It's an increase of $11 million from the $76 million renovation plan presented to City Council members back in 2021. The city plans to use historic tax credits to partially fund the renovations.
The city is also in the planning stages of Scope renovations, Straub said. Planners are figuring out what future programming at the venue will look like, which will guide the size of the renovations, she said.
Initial goals include reconfiguring the building layout so all back-of-house functions — like dressing rooms and support spaces — are on the same side of the arena as the loading area, which Straub said would improve efficiency. Another goal is relocating spaces like meeting rooms and restaurants to offer a better separation of public and background areas.
Straub said the Scope renovations would happen after the completion of the Chrysler Hall project.
Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345,
