The U.S. Navy and Hunt Military Communities held a ceremony on Monday to mark the start of construction on two 17‑story housing towers in downtown Newport News, Virginia, a development the Navy values at over $450 million within a broader $1.7 billion privatization effort.

The towers will contain roughly 750 two‑bedroom apartments, intended to accommodate about 1,500 unaccompanied sailors drawn from bases across the region.

A 1,050‑space parking garage and ground‑floor commercial space will accompany the residential towers, replacing the existing Huntington Hall housing and recreation facility on the site.

Hunt president and chief executive Brian Stann noted that each new apartment will include a private bathroom for its occupants.

Construction will be phased so that sailors can remain in Huntington Hall until the first new units are ready; the old building will be demolished only after residents have moved out.

City officials project the parking garage to be completed by summer 2028, the first residential phase by summer 2029, and the entire site redevelopment by summer 2031.

The five‑year agreement that underpins the program was signed on July 1, with financial close reached on September 29, covering 8,098 beds across Newport News, Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

Newport News accounts for about 1,500 of those beds and contributes more than a quarter of the $1.7 billion total cost, which includes the towers, garage and retail space.

Hunt is seeking roughly $1.4 billion in bonds for the project, with the Navy contributing about $400 million, while Virginia has provided an interest‑free $40 million loan to the city.

The Navy estimates that privatizing the barracks will save the federal government more than $325 million, which it plans to redirect to other quality‑of‑life initiatives for service members.