Exactly seven years after the May 31, 2019, tragedy at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, the City of Virginia Beach opened the 5/31 Memorial with a remembrance ceremony at the site, which is adjacent to the Municipal Center campus. The memorial honors the 12 lives lost, the survivors, the emergency responders, and the entire VB Strong community. It also recognizes all who were impacted and offers a space for the community to reflect and heal. VHB partnered with Dills Architects, providing master planning, civil engineering, survey, subsurface utility exploration, stormwater engineering and environmental permitting services that helped make the Memorial a reality.
The city approached the memorial planning with care and intention, forming a memorial committee in 2021 and gathering community input through public meetings and surveys. Following a national solicitation in 2022, a Virginia Beach-based project team was selected in 2022, and construction began after a dedication ceremony on May 31, 2024. The finished park spans about 1.3 acres and features a water feature tucked into a wooded setting, ADA-compliant walkways designed to minimize environmental impact, and design elements that invite quiet reflection.
"This memorial is much more than just a project to the entire VHB team," said J.D. Hines, VHB Project Manager. "Every decision we made, from where a path leads to how water flows through the forest, was approached with careful consideration for the people this memorial is meant to serve and the emotions they are processing."
Karen Casey, VHB Deputy Project Manager, added, "It was important to us that this space promotes peace for the current community and offers comfort and solace to those who visit."
The 5/31 Memorial is a meaningful example of how design can support healing and remembrance. VHB is humbled to have played a role in delivering a space that will serve the Virginia Beach community for generations to come.
To connect with VHB about our work with the City of Virginia Beach, contact J.D. Hines via email or on LinkedIn.
