In 2017, Virginia Beach architect Alec Yuzhbabenko was two years out of college when a company principal pulled him into a meeting with one of Hampton Roads’ biggest real estate and development firms. The topic? How to transform 10 acres of blighted parking lots in the heart of the resort area into a signature, place-defining project.
“I was sitting at my desk when my boss suddenly appeared and said, ‘Hey, why don’t you grab your thesis and come in here,’” says Yuzhbabenko. His Virginia Tech architectural capstone detailed a futuristic, yet European-inspired neighborhood. There were stepped structures, sinuous curves, living rooftops and terraces, balcony-lined luxury apartments, office space, cafés, shops, and restaurants—all centered around a state-of-the-art surf lagoon and sprawling grotto-style lounge. The design encompassed the multi-block property in question and flowed into and out of adjacent neighborhoods like the ViBe Creative District.
“We looked at what Alec had done, and it was like fate aligned,” says Venture Realty Group founder and managing partner Donna MacMillan-Whitaker. Local venture capital and private equity guru Joe LaMontagne had literally just reached out about a surf park. “We knew right away that this was the vision we were going to pursue.”
The meeting marked the genesis of the new $350 million Atlantic Park Surf district, which began a phased opening late last summer. The development is the largest public-private partnership in Virginia Beach history and sits just two blocks from the ocean and the city’s main 21st Street corridor. Its marquee is a namesake 2.7-acre surf park that churns out around 1,000 perfect waves per hour and is the first of its kind in the U.S. Both solo and guided experiences can be customized according to ability level and range from beginner-friendly swells to prograde 7-foot barrels. Mild winter temperatures, wetsuit rentals, and a heated warming pool keep the Wavegarden open year-round.
“This is the best wave pool in America,” former national champion and World Surf League pro, Jacob “Zeke” Szekley, told Surfer Magazine after a recent visit. He cited the pluses, which were a lot: next-generation technology, unparalleled proximity to the oceanfront, an instructional team helmed by Eastern Surfing Association hall-of-famer Jason Borte, and on-site waverider-themed boutique hotel, The Sitio—all standout factors.
But there was also a curiously tangible sense of place that seemed to honor the city’s past, yet point to a remarkable future. The Sitio’s walls, for instance, are hung with memorabilia and art that celebrate local surf culture and history. And that balance was always Yuzhbabenko’s goal.
“When I started work on these designs in 2014, I had no idea that this development was going to happen, much less that I’d have the opportunity to be involved,” he says. The passion project was a thought exercise intended to “showcase my capabilities and hopefully help me land a decent job after college.”
The drawings paid homage to Yuzhbabenko’s childhood impressions of the city and shore. His family relocated from Ukraine to Mobile, Ala., then to Virginia Beach during his tween years, and Yuzhbabenko quickly immersed himself in its vibrant skate and surf scene. He fell in love with the local, laidback coastal mentality and enterprising yet soulful sense of grassroots culture. Vacationers created a backdrop of jovial insouciance and fueled a formidable collection of food and drink options.
But as Yuzhbabenko’s interest in architecture grew, he noticed some oceanfront buildings seemed jarringly divorced from that milieu. Travel in Europe and major U.S. cities, like Chicago, brought reflections on what was missing.
“So much of [modern American architecture] entails stacks of nondescript, utility-focused boxes that could be anywhere,” says Yuzhbabenko. The structures don’t exude aesthetic value, tell a story, or promote communal gathering. Instead, “They feel transactional and sort of disembodied from place.”
He envisioned a live, eat, art, play, and work space that would pay homage to the city’s landscape and spirit, and serve as a revolutionary springboard for future development. A Google Maps survey highlighted the gaping hole left by the demolition of the Alan B. Shepard Convention Center in 1994. The beloved music venue looked like it stepped out of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and attracted iconic performers like Ray Charles, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix. Yuzhbabenko sought to blend its ultramodern vibe and creative energy with a sense of lavish, European flow and features inspired by the ocean and beach. Of course, that included surfing.
“Having to wait around for good waves was a huge frustration growing up,” Yuzhbabenko laughs. His fantasy project fixed the problem via hour-long surf sessions that can serve upward of 40 riders at a time in a beautiful, artificial cove with perpetual ideal conditions.
Atlantic Park Surf “Beach,” where visitors can eat, drink, and enjoy watching surfers catch the waves.
Controllable waves allow surfers of all ages and experience levels to enjoy the Wavegarden Cove.
The results impressed more than Venture Realty Group’s MacMillan-Whitaker. City officials were so blown away they purchased multiple adjacent properties in 2021 to boost neighborhood connectivity and expand the project’s scope. Famed Virginia Beach pop star and music producer Pharrell Williams also came on board. The Grammy winner was instrumental in attracting restaurant partners like legendary New York City temaki bar, Nami Nori, and developing plans for a 5,000-person, indoor-outdoor music venue called The Dome. Williams also partnered with Adidas on a surf-and-swim program that provides free lessons for the area’s public school students and residents of the Atlantis Apartments housing project, where he grew up.
“It would be impossible to overemphasize the transformative nature of this project,” says Virginia Beach Deputy City Manager Amanda Jarratt. A cluster of more than 300 upscale apartments with soaring ocean views is attracting affluent young professionals from across the nation. The Dome has announced a weekly, year-round concert lineup that includes stars like David Byrne, Chicago, and The Marcus King Band. The surf park has already drawn visitors from every state in the U.S. and 30 different countries. And that’s just a quick survey.
“I think there’s a consensus that Atlantic Park is a landmark achievement that really sets the bar for us moving forward,” says Jarratt. The enthusiasm echoes a statement from Williams, who asserts the development “is for those looking forward, the innovators and the creators, the people pushing Virginia Beach into the future.” AtlanticParkSurf.com
This article originally appeared in the August 2026 issue.
